Primary Current Assemblies



NEW CHALLENGES

By the Revds Trevor and Juliet Donnelly

Suitable for Whole School

Aim

To encourage children to make the most of every opportunity and rise to new challenges.



Preparation and materials

• You will need 10 challenges: there are 10 suggestions below, but you can tailor them to suit your school. If you use the ones below you will need modelling balloons, a hard-back book and some music for the dance.
• 10 (or more) ‘certificates of achievement’.

Assembly

1. Introduce the theme of ‘challenges’ – tests or contests that require us to do our best to achieve. Tell the children that you have some challenges for them. Read out each challenge and ask for a volunteer to do each one. (If the children are not used to being so actively involved in assemblies it is a good idea to have volunteers primed to do the first two challenges so that others will want to follow.)
   
   Some suggested challenges:
   
   Sing ‘Twinkle, twinkle, little star’.
   Balance a book on your head and walk 10 paces.
   Say two nice things to one of your teachers.
   Pretend to be an animal of your choice (a bonus assembly point if the other children can identify it).
   Tell a joke (a bonus assembly point if anyone laughs).
   Say your 7 times table.
   Make a balloon sculpture.
   Dance for 30 seconds.
   Teach everybody a word from a language that is not English (or one of the predominant languages in school).
   Do 5 press-ups or 10 star jumps (these may be better as they are more visible).
   
   Give each child who tries a challenge a ‘certificate of achievement’.
   

2. Talk about the new challenges that may be facing the children in the school: going up to a new class, starting at a new school, even the opportunities and challenges they may find on their summer holidays.
   
   Explain that all of us have been given many good things in our lives; the different people who we meet and live alongside; the different experiences; and a whole world to explore and learn and enjoy.
   
   Sometimes, like the challenge games we played, these can be a bit scary at first. But the only way to meet a challenge is to step up and do what you have to do, whether that’s singing ‘Twinkle, twinkle, little star’ or speaking to someone new for the first time, or any of the new challenges you may face soon.

Time for reflection

Reflection

Close your eyes and take a moment to silently think of a challenge that is ahead of you…

Now imagine yourself overcoming that challenge…

Imagine this challenge making you stronger and wiser…

And determine to do your best.

Prayer

Loving God,

We thank you for all the opportunities you have given us.

Help us to make the most of our time at school,

and to learn and to enjoy all that we can.

Help us to encourage others to do their best too.

We pray for all those feeling nervous about the new challenges that are ahead of them.

May they grow through new experiences,

and find joy in whatever comes their way.

Amen.

Song

‘It’s a new day’ (Come and Praise, 106)