At the appointed time each, (Sunday, Wednesday etc.) you and your team gather the small sheep and then entertain, teach and inspire them. (We all firmly hope!) When it’s all over, the glue tubes are confiscated, parents’ questions have all been answered, the last child leaves, you give one another a high five. In many […]
Search Results for: summer ministry
Summertime Shift: Managing Your Ministry During Summer
The last day of school means freedom and fun for kids; for the children’s minister it marks the beginning of a season of low attendance and waning participation. For some ministers, it is a season for planning and personal revival. (The rest of us spend time worrying that our sheep aren’t coming back! Thank goodness […]
Summertime Ideas for Children’s Ministry
Summertime ministry to children is touch and go. Outside of big events like VBS, regular weekly attendance can wane during the summer months in the children’s ministry. Kids go on family vacations, head to summer camps and focus on play rather than worship. Meanwhile, nervous children’s ministry leaders anxiously await the return of their children […]
Summer Journal (Coloring Pages) for Kids
Help kids practice their writing skills while giving thanks to God this Summer. Use this simple coloring sheet journal to get them started. Don’t miss all our free Summer coloring pages. I made this to work through with my own children, but thought it might be a great free “gift” for churches to give to […]
Free Stuff Friday “The New” Newsletter from Ministry-To-Children
We discontinued our email newsletter sometime last summer, it was just too much time to justify the number of people reading. But since then we’ve heard from many readers who miss getting the best of our content delivered to their email. >> Click here to subscribe << So we’re testing a new approach that I’m calling […]
Following Up After a Children’s Ministry Outreach
So much goes into evangelism, doesn’t it? Besides organizing volunteers, creating an itinerary and having a good attendance, you have to think about after the event too. You can’t just plan an outreach; you must lead your attendees to the next event like children’s church or summer camp. The key to growing your church could […]
60 Summer Fun Activity Ideas for Kids
Well, it’s that time again. It’s summer. We are taking a well-deserved break from school and enjoying the nice weather. It’s also the time when my boys start saying, “There’s nothing to do!” Translated, this means, “Entertain us, Mom!” I’m prepared this year! I’ve made up a list of 60 items that they can do […]
“Thank You God … for Summer” Coloring Page
Playing outside, enjoying family time, enjoying fresh fruit — all this makes Summer a wonderful time for children. This free coloring page captures some of those moments and includes the appropriate prayer, “Thank You, God, for Summer!” Click on the preview image to download the print-friendly PDF. We’ve also uploaded a JPEG image for anyone […]
Beating the Winter Blues… maintaining motivation in your children’s ministry
The winter let-down…Christmas wrappings are hauled away, fruit cake is steadily hardening, temperatures are dropping, and schedules are returning to normal routine. Following the hype and hubbub of the holiday season, the winter months can sometimes seem dreary. Between cold weather and lack of significant events, it’s tempting to fall into apathy in any area of […]
Awesome “Welcome Back Ideas” for Children’s Ministry
It’s back to school and that means back to church for many ministries. If you had the summer off or part of the summer off and want to start back with a bang, you need to try these awesome welcome back events. Create some excitement in your ministry that will last for months. Attract new […]
Sandcastle Children’s Ministry Object Lesson
What’s more “summery” than a sandcastle? Besides being a recognizable symbol of fun in the sun, sandcastles make a great object lesson. This powerful object lesson takes a little prep work but I’m confident that you will find it worth it. I recommend that you use Matthew 7:26-27 as the text: “But everyone who hears […]
25 Things a Children’s Pastor’s Must Do this Summer
I know what you’re thinking,”25 more things?” Well these 25 “must do activities” are really fun suggestions that could help you reconnect with your inner child. As children’s ministers, we should think like our sheep. That’s hard to do at times, especially when we get busy with grown up life, ministry and family. Our top […]
7 Summer Outreach Ideas
It’s that time of year! Time to get into the community and meet new people. This summer, try one of these seven outreaches or use them all and you may experience a surprising increase in attendance. Meet new families or build stronger ties with current ones with these fun summer outreaches. Host a puppet class. […]
“Summer Sunday Camp” Theme Idea
Looking for an inexpensive summer theme for a VBS, kids’ event or Sunday School? You can easily put together a summer Sunday camp with items from around your home. Kids love this playful theme and it works for day and night! If you can get your hands on one, a star projector works great at […]
Summer Safety Tips for Kids’ Camp
Summer camps are as American as apple pie and ice cream but in today’s world, you have to take safety issues seriously when kids are involved – especially at church. If your church is sponsoring a week of VBS or a season-long camp, you should consider these important safety tips. Nobody wants accidents to happen […]
Christmas in July: Ideas for Children’s Ministry
With the blazing summer temperatures, it may be hard to envision celebrating Christmas at this time of year. But the heart of the gospel is that God came down to be present with us each and every day. Christmas in July gives us the opportunity to talk about God’s story all over again. The unique […]
10 Wacky Olympic Games for Kids Ministry
Still looking for a few summer games for your kids ministry? Add these Olympic game variations to your Vacation Bible School, day camp, summer camp, or whatever else you have planned! Get ready to compete, laugh, and encourage the children in your ministries. Of course, adapt as necessary for the age, size, and ability of […]
3 Ideas for a Summer Volunteer Drive
What’s the one ingredient your VBS, Kids’ Crusade and summer events all require? Volunteers! Especially during those warm months when most everyone’s mind is focused on vacation and leisure activities. Children’s ministry does not shut down when the weather gets warm; it’s still an important function of the church that needs multiple hands to make […]
How will “Gay Marriage” impact Children’s Ministry?
With the coming political firestorm over “same-sex marriage,” it’s going to be a topic kids hear about. If your children aren’t asking yet, it’s just a matter of time. As ministry leaders, we should think carefully about how we respond and find the right balance of truth & grace. That’s why I sent the following […]
Backyard Evangelism for Children’s Ministry
Warm weather makes me want to run outdoors and play, even though I am slightly older than the average kid. If you and I feel that way after a long, cold winter, imagine how the kids feel! Did you know, the great outdoors is the perfect location for reaching kids for Jesus? Kids love to […]