Vacation Bible School is an institution in many churches — but what if it’s not an option for your congregation? This post offers some alternative ideas for reaching kids instead of a a traditional VBS program. Three VBS Alternatives What to do instead of Vacation Bible School? Vacation Bible School is a tradition in many […]
About Mimi Patrick
Why Is Vacation Bible School So Important?
Vacation Bible School is the perfect way to immerse visitors into your unique church culture and VBS provides a wide opportunity for volunteers to work in children’s ministry. If you’re not excited yet, just take a look at all the awesome 2020 VBS themes that are coming out for next summer. It’s time to shine […]
What Is the Purpose of Vacation Bible School?
Unless you’ve grown up attending Vacation Bible School regularly, you may not understand the purpose. Why host a VBS? Are they really necessary? Why did we start this tradition to begin with? Well, there’s a lot of history Vacation Bible School but just know that Vacation Bible School’s purpose hasn’t really changed. In the beginning, […]
Stop Shaming Busy Parents — Church attendance does not equal faithfulness
Lately, their has been a buzz on social media about parents to bringing their kids to church. They lead with outrageous titles implying that skipping church will doom your children to become unbelievers. I was shocked to see how many people were sharing (and liking) these negative posts. We 100% agree that church attendance is […]
To Treat or Not to Treat (Snacks in Sunday School)
Kids—and some adults, expect children’s ministry leaders to offer some type of snack during their ministry time. What used to be an occasional treat or a tasty party extra is now practically a must-have in some children’s ministries. Of course most kids want snacks and treats—just ask them. But what about teachers? For many reasons, […]
Should Children Be Dancing in Church?
A recent post on the Ministry-To-Chilren’s website had quite a few people talking. We’re always glad to hear your feedback and we welcome discussions about the various topics we write about. This particular post asked the question, “Should children be dancing in church?” I’ve been in ministry for over 20 years and I’ve seen questions […]
Dear Ministry Volunteers – Kids Will Always Remember Your Love
Once upon a time, a scared ten-year-old girl rode a church bus to attend a Sunday School class at a church she’d never visited all because a stranger knocked on her door and invited her the week before. Her mother didn’t want her to go at first, she was against “organized religion” but the little […]
5 Lessons Teachers Can Learn from Nickelodeon
Okay don’t hate me but Nickelodeon inspires me, or at least it used to. You know the channel I’m talking about, the one where everything is geared to kids and there short attention span, or least it was. Now I know fully that Nickelodeon is about as holy as the MTV channel but nevertheless, kids […]
DIY Bible Board Game Activity
Have extra time in summer camp that you need to fill? This exciting activity is great for small groups of kids. When the kids finish this project, they will also have a fun game to play. Kids come up with a game name, a concept and design. They get to decide what to include on […]
Exciting Ideas for the Kids Church Intro Segment
Do your kids walk into the ministry facility looking bored and uninterested? Maybe they look sleepy or if they are new, they might even look scared. All of the above reasons are why you need a good intro segment! As a children’s leader, I love starting service with a heart-pumping activity or ice breaker. Introduce […]
Baby Chick Bible Object Lesson
Watching a baby chick hatching from an egg is like watching a life transformed by the power of Jesus Christ. And since it’s spring it’s the perfect time to talk about this transformation and of course use cute and cuddly baby chicks to make the point come to life. First of few verses to explain […]
The Golden Egg Easter Object Lesson
Easter is just around the corner and I am so excited! In celebration of my favorite holiday I have a few object lessons to share with you. It won’t take but a few supplies to teach but the end result should make a powerful impact on your class. In this “golden egg” object lesson, I […]
Teaching Kids to Worship With Flags
Children can’t get enough of active worship and for some churches, this means teaching kids to worship with flags. With flags, kids will learn to worship God creatively, both individually and as a church. However, any children’s pastor worth his or her salt knows you can’t pass out flags to a bunch of kids with […]
Kid Volunteers: The Welcome Table
Kids speak “kid.” When a new child walks into the children’s church for the first time they rarely feel brave. If he’s greeted by a group of adults giving him directions and talking to him all at once, he can feel nervous–even afraid. However, when you have children working the door, you’ve got a whole […]
He Is Risen Object Lesson Using Eggs
Introduce your class to the wonder of the resurrection using this “He Is Risen” object lesson. This visual aid will help kids “see” that Christ is risen from the grave, alive again just as Acts 3:15 describes: “You have killed the author of life but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of […]
Is Your Easter Hollow? (John 7:24) Chocolate Rabbit Object Lesson
“Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly.” John 7:24 NIV Is your Easter hollow? That’s the question I asked myself recently and I plan to ask my kids this coming Sunday. Don’t get me wrong, folks. I love Easter decorations and candies and all the activities that come with this time of year. […]
Kids In Leadership: Training Kids to Serve
Next time you stand in front of your children’s church, take a good look around the room. Instead of seeing future leaders, think the way God does—these are leaders, now! Some people think you need to be a born leader but that’s not true. God has placed unique gifts in all of us but for […]
Teaching the Gospel with Cereal Boxes
Kids make great evangelists! They can often go where we can’t. Still, when a child isn’t confident in their relationship with God or how to lead others to Christ, they may be reluctant to share. Still I am committed to discipling children and part of that responsibility is sharing and teaching the gospel with others. […]
Salvation Sundays in Kids Church
Teaching salvation to children is usually a first priority when you begin leading a children’s ministry but over time the desire to lead kids to the cross can get pushed to the back burner. We want to “keep it interesting” and opt for relevant lessons to help children deal with common problems or life situations. […]
“Dirty Shoes” Bible Object Lesson (1 John 1:7-9)
“But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin. If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess […]