About the Mini Missions

Mini Missions

for the Foundation Stage Overview Mini Missions for the Foundation Stage consists of 4 sessions (missions) which invite children between the ages of 3 and 5 to explore different aspects of the work of The Salvation Army through play, storytelling, creative and physical activities.

Each mission covers aspects of the six areas of learning for the foundation stage and aims to share with the children an introduction to The Salvation Army in a session which lasts between 30 minutes and an hour. It is suggested that only one mission is selected per visit as, due to the age of the children and the nature in which they learn, more than one mission may be confusing and too long for them to concentrate on during one visit.

Planning the visit The missions are easily adaptable and can take place either at the corps/centre or in the school/nursery setting. Missions 1, 2 and 3 require only one leader (such as the corps officer) but Mission 4 would ideally suit a team of four leaders either from the corps or a mix from the corps/school. Please take into consideration however that if the mission is taking place at a Salvation Army centre, two adults will be required to accompany a child to the toilet according to the Safe & Sound guidelines and these should be of the same sex as the child. In this instance, it would be necessary to draw upon extra resources such as the school teacher/support assistant/children’s worker to support in this way. Always bear in mind that volunteers from The Salvation Army must be CRB checked and have completed the Safe & Sound training within the last three years. For more information contact us at schools@salvationarmy.org.uk or 020 7367 4706.

Risk Assessment and Insurance Another important consideration during the planning phase is to ensure that a risk assessment has been completed for the visit. This will need to be shared with other members of the team prior to the school visit to ensure that all adults are aware of any potential risks and necessary precautions. A risk assessment template can be found in the Safe & Sound material produced by Children’s Ministries Unit – for any further information please do not hesitate to contact the Schools & Colleges Unit.

Whether the visit is held at a Salvation Army centre or at the nursery/school, both adults and children are covered by current insurance policies. For further information, please contact the Schools and Colleges Unit or SAGIC on 0845 634 0264 enquiries@sagic.co.uk

About the missions There are four missions to select from. These are: Mission 1 – Dig – a sand tray treasure hunt discovery of what The Salvation Army is and does – 40 mins Mission 2 – Share – a storytelling session of the brief history of The Salvation Army led by William Booth himself (our puppet) – 30 mins Mission 3 – Move a creative and physical exploration of music and worship in The Salvation Army – 40 mins Mission 4 – Journey – a role play journey of The Salvation Army’s work in local communities – 1hr Each mission covers a variety of the areas of learning for the foundation stage (as detailed below) and enables the children to gain a basic understanding of The Salvation Army through interactive, adult and child initiated play.

The missions can be selected either by the nursery/school or by the corps/centre and this will be according to the learning needs of the children, the facilities and space available and the interest shown by the school.

Setting up and practicalities If the mission is being held at the corps/centre, a large space will need to be made available for the visit.

This will make sure that they have plenty of room to move around (particularly relevant for Missions 3 and 4) and to explore the activities. For Mission 2 (Share) it would be helpful to use an area which is carpeted and perhaps has cushions available so that the children can relax and feel comfortable in the storytelling environment. For Mission 1 (Dig) a sand tray is required. If this is not available it may be possible to borrow one from the school or to purchase one from Early Learning Centre, Argos or a local garden centre. We would recommend that you clear a large space and make sure that a groundsheet or similar is available as well as aprons for the children to wear if possible.

Each mission starts with a welcome session – this helps the children to feel settled and to understand the expectations and the kind of activities that they will be taking part in. For some of the missions, this needs to take place in an area away from the main activities so that the children aren’t distracted by the resources that are set up. Each mission also ends with a sharing session where the children can talk about what they have learnt. We would recommend that you return to the welcome session area for this time.

Resources available for purchase and loan Resource pack £10 with CD, £5 without CD Items included; Mission 1 ‘What is The Salvation Army’ item cards, Item explanation cards Mission 2 William Booth script, picture of a SA hall, picture of emergency vehicle Mission 3 Music CD (this is the same as the Ultimate Church Visit music CD if you already have one) Mission 4 Community signs, picture of SA hall, picture of emergency vehicle Resources available for loan (prices quoted are per week, including delivery and collection) Mission 2 William Booth puppet and mystery bag (containing bag of coins, shawl, mini board and magnets, first aid kit) £15 Mission 4 Bag containing mini boards and magnets, doctor’s kit and coat, role play till, jumbo pens/pencils, duplo bricks, jewellery box, shawl £15

How the Mini missions fit into the areas of learning for the Foundation Stage Mission 1 (Dig) Personal, social and emotional development • Disposition and attitudes • Self confidence and self esteem • Making relationships Communication, language and literacy • Language for communication • Language for thinking Knowledge and understanding of the world • Exploration and investigation • Cultures and beliefs Creative development • Exploring media and materials • Imagination • Responding to experiences and expressing and communicating ideas Mission 2 (Share) Personal, social and emotional development • Dispositions and attitudes • Self confidence and self esteem • Making relationships Communication, language and literacy • Language for communication • Language for thinking Knowledge and understanding of the world • A sense of time • A sense of place • Culture and beliefs • Creative development • Imagination • Responding to experiences and expressing and communicating ideas

Mission 3 (Move) Personal, social and emotional development • Dispositions and attitudes • Self confidence and self esteem • Behaviour and self control Physical development • Movement • A sense of space Knowledge and understanding of the world • Exploration and investigation Creative development • Music • Imagination • Responding to experiences and expressing and communicating ideas Mission 4 (Journey) Personal, social and emotional development • Dispositions and attitudes • Self confidence and self esteem • Making relationships • Sense of community Communication, language and literacy • Language for communication • Language for thinking Mathematical development • Shape, space and measures Knowledge and understanding of the world • Exploration and investigation • Designing and making skills • A sense of place Creative development • Exploring media and materials • Imagination • Responding to experiences and expressing and communicating ideas