We have a check-in station as the children and parents enter our children's building. Kids get a name tag and parents get a pick up tag that has a code that matches.
Next kids and parents do a 3 question Bible Trivia card (size of a postcard.) We make these questions multiple choice so that even the Kindergarteners can do them. The questions are based on the story we are using for the rotation, which helps the kids get into the Bible as they arrive. Parents leave at this point. As they are moving into the great room students do offering. We use envelopes so that children who don't bring offering can draw a picture of a gift they will give God that coming week - something like being kind to others, helping parents, etc.
In the great room kids, shepherds and teachers sing - we mostly use the Uncle Charlie DVD's but also pick Youtube video's and other DVD's that fit with the theme. The shepherds and teachers spend this time casually talking with the students between songs. When it appears most students have arrived we do an opening prayer with prayer requests from the students and then work on the Bible memory verse.
The Bible Trivia has really helped the kids internalize the story better than I ever anticipated! We don't do pencil and paper busywork in our workshops but this little bit of time is well spent.
