Ideas+Bank+-+All+Ages

__Ideas for all ages:__

 * “Got Talent” show with affiliate groups (Judo, Kendo)
 * Attendance awards
 * Summer Dharma School program (Buddhist Church of San Francisco has had one to three weeks summer school since 1999)
 * Bowl-a-thon
 * Buddy system to play games
 * “Buddhist Nigiri” family activity – making rice balls of Buddhist concepts such as the gatha “Buddha Loves You” (A lesson plan for this is at this site under 1st grade)
 * Dharma School camping trip
 * Bus trips (kids and families) visit another temple and attend classes
 * Canned food drive by DS, ice cream sundae Sunday as acknowledgement for collection
 * Caroling at nursing homes
 * Children’s summer time sleepover. Kids look forward to this.
 * Community Service (collecting for veterans, disabled)
 * Choir program – adult choir, children’s choir – organ (San Jose Betsuin has had such a program for over 30 years)
 * Craft/art projects for special services. Kids helping make signs for bazaar, obon.
 * Dharma Donuts – class eats donuts, discuss what goes into making a donut, causes, conditions
 * Create T shirts about learning Dharma and sharing by students – given to Sangha as oseibo at the end of the year
 * DS puts on service at senior home
 * Gatha-fest
 * DS students make fried rice – brings to Salvation Army Shelter and interacts
 * DS Students bring ingredients for Friendship soup (Stone soup) to serve as Otoki to Sangha
 * Eco-Sangha, recycling, being green
 * Educating students about service programs
 * Family camp. (Military camp dorm space)
 * Field trips – visit other temples
 * Guest speaker/singer came who is blind. Talked about how her parents treated her as she grew up. Everyone tried to do tasks as if blind.
 * Halloween party (M. Nishimura has sheets explaining Buddhist take on Halloween).
 * Hanamatsuri kids performance
 * Hanamatsuri play
 * Hanamido – youth, family participation
 * Hiking trip with mountain service
 * Ice Cream social
 * Ice skate
 * Incorporating children’s lit into class
 * Inter-generational activities – including all ages
 * Footsteps of Buddha activity in the hall – kids went to different stations – completed a book of Buddha’s life with stickers
 * Friday night Dharma School
 * Friendship – fill pews with kids
 * Game Day – all DS students, competition, confidence
 * Gassho before class – 10 x Namu Amida Butsu
 * Kids make gift packs, cards and photo for convalescence homes. Kids go to deliver gifts.
 * KSP one week during summer (chibichan basetball K-5 grades during the fall)
 * LABC – summer program includes temples throughout the LA area since 1980’s
 * Make a Tile Wall at church
 * Mother’s Day (family) Brunch
 * Musical presentation – Hoonko – old and new songs
 * Overnight camp-outs at temple
 * Peace Day
 * Pet Memorial Service – students bring in pictures of pets, decorate table before the naijin
 * Quiz bowl
 * Services chaired by students every week
 * Ski BBQ – service on mountain
 * Snack sign-ups – share food
 * Snacks
 * Sangha crafters – make things to donate to shelters and hospitals
 * Scouting program incorporated with DS Scout presentations
 * Summer family day instead of Mother’s Day
 * Tour of the Hondo and church with a passport and stickers for each area
 * Toy Drive to donate to local family shelter
 * Talent Show