NO CARAVANS THIS YEAR

Sorry, despite the information below, there will NOT be Caravans offered this year.  We apologize for this and hope to be able to bring it back in the future.

Norman Hajian

Caravans and Benson's Buddies

Caravan and Benson's Buddies are a scouting type of program for children age 4 to grade six.  Children become members of one of the four major groups based on their age:  Benson’s Buddies (ages 4 & 5), Searchers (grades 1 & 2), Explorers (grades 3 & 4), or Adventurers (grades 5 & 6).

Caravan uses an active, hands-on learning approach to help children grow physically, socially, mentally, and spiritually. Caravan focuses on teaching everyday skills with a distinctly Christian focus.

Our seventh year of Caravans will be starting up on September 21, 2011.    If you would like to receive more information about the Caravans program latter in the summer, please fill out the form below, or you can now Register Online!

What is the age-range children must be in to join Caravan?
Our Caravan program is designed for children ages four to twelve years old. The journey begins with Benson s Buddies, a pre-Caravan program where four to six year-olds who are not yet in elementary school become familiar with the format and ceremonies of Caravan. Upon entering first-grade, they become part of the Caravan Searcher group, through second grade. Third and fourth-graders then become part of the Explorer group, and fifth and sixth-graders become part of the Adventurer group.

How many months of the year does Caravan take place?
Caravan traditionally runs parallel with the school year, which is approximately nine months. Some program begins in September and goes through June.

How do I know my kids will be in a safe place?
We carefully screen our volunteers, guides and Caravan helpers before entrusting them to work with children. Every volunteer in our children's ministry has completed sexual abuse prevention training. In addition, we use permission slips for all field trips, and sufficient adult supervision. The ratio of adults to children is 1:5 (one guide and one assistant for every five children) at all times with the children. Finally, every badge that involves a ministry project or field trip has adequate supervision.

How much will it cost me to have my child involved in Caravan?
We do not charge a registration fee for Caravans, however there are some items that we encourage you to purchase to make the experience more enjoyable for your child.  At the very least, we recommend the purchase of a book and a sash ($15 each).

What kinds of activities do Caravan kids participate in?
Searchers, Explorers and Adventurers have tons of activities, field trips and ministry projects to choose from. Skill badges come in four categories, mental, physical, spiritual, and social. To earn a badge, certain requirements must be met, including a high level of active participation. Badges in the Explorer and Adventurer groups are all electives, enabling kids to work with their guides, customizing their choices based on their needs, desires and available resources. Children participate in everything from camping trips to ministry projects, and learn to serve others, both inside the church and outside in the local community.

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Photo Credit: Darren Moorhouse

Example of some Searcher Badges

•Sports & Fitness
•Birds
•Art
•Crafts
•Missions
•Bike Safety
•Camping
•God Made Me
•Party Planning
•Botany

Example of some Explorer Badges

•Hospitality
•Snow Sports
•The Great Outdoors
•Gymnastics
•Travel
•Holiness Heroes
•Team Building
•My Community
•Pet Care
•Action Sports

Example of some Adventurer Badges

•Athletics
•Entertaining
•Internet
•Personal Management •Photography
•Worship
•Carpentry
•Puppets
•Christian Living
•Drama

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Pictured Below: Eli, our first Caravan participant to have completed all six years!  Congratulations Eli.

Photo Credit: Darren Moorhouse.