Boomerang got off to a loud and messy start today (July 29) with more than 300 children and adults in the Locks Heath Free Church.
A few spots of rain was not going to dampen the spirits of the first full week of the summer holidays and the club started on a high with 216 children and around 100 adults joining in the fun.
The church has been dressed up as a cruise ship and each day activities will revolve around the cruise ship docking at different places shown on a map at the venue in Hunts Pond Road.
Watch our video of what the children and parents did on day one of Messy Boomerang
Children aged up to 11 years have signed up to join the activities, Bible stories, challenges, songs, crafts and games with 80 volunteers co-ordinating at the annual event in Titchfield Common.
This morning they made Jesus characters from pegs and cloths, edible hedgehogs, got creative with face painting, challenged themselves in the big pants pull-up game and made grass heads with wobbly eyes by putting seeds and soil into tied up tights.
One of the highlights to this year’s event was having a science tent with a different activity each day at the church.
Wednesday will have a selection of water-themed activities and on Friday there will be a picnic gathering from mid-day – straight after the two-hour Boomerang session – for the families to enjoy on the field with inflatables and burger vans.
Organiser Claire Johnson said: “It’s going really well. It’s an absolutely amazing start.
“Because of venue restrictions we had to re-think how we were going to do Boomerang this year. Having parents with the under fives is such an important part. Only being on one site we had to say to parents to come with all children.
“It’s working brilliantly and bringing a whole new level to Boomerang.
“By having the parents here we want them to enjoy doing stuff together with their children.”
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