Kids can be shy, its not always easy for them to have conversations with peers or adults. This list of 100 get to know you questions can help. PDFDownload WORD DOCDownload Update: Many school educators have used this free resource to help children learn English (ESL conversations). These simple “get to know know you” questions […]
Do You Know? Game Idea for learning about God
Several weeks ago, I prepared a series based on Exodus 33:18: Then Moses said, “Now show me your glory!” I’ll cover more about teaching kids about the glory of God in future posts, but I wanted to share the game we did as an introduction. It was definitely applicable to knowing God, but I think […]
10 Non-Kidmin Books that Every Kidmin Should Have
There are lists of Kidmin books that every personal in children’s ministry should have. They include titles from people like Jim Wideman, Sue Miller, Reggie Joiner, Dale Hudson, Ryan Frank and many more. Chances are that you have some or all of them on your shelves already. The purpose of this post is to give […]
Top Nine Youth Ministry Blogs
In way too many churches around the world, youth ministry and children’s ministry are seen as separated ministries who work independently from one another and seldom if ever interact. It’s time that changed. Those of us in children’s ministry have much to offer to those in youth ministry, and vice versa. To that end, I […]
The Power of Prayer (Connecting With Kids)
Welcome to the second installment in my ongoing series on connecting with the kids in your ministry. Last time we looked at the importance of learning names. In this post I will examine the power of prayer. A quick glance at the Bible reveals that prayer is a very important part of our spiritual journey. […]
Nine Special Needs Blogs for Kidmin
There are many opinions out there when it comes to the issue of ministering to children with special needs. This is not my area of expertise. However, it is an important issue that our children’s ministries must address. Like most things, I agree with the perspectives of some of these blogs more than others, and […]
Volunteer Recruitment: Why “Easy” Is the Wrong Motivation
Recently, I was talking with someone about volunteer recruitment in kids ministry. A well-meaning conversant suggested we should publicize the fact that volunteering in children’s ministry is “easy.” I totally understand the heart and sentiment behind the suggestion – that we need to help assuage the fear and trepidation that many people feel about volunteering […]
Top 10 Church Leadership Blogs for Kidmin
Many of those who work in children’s ministry are leaders. Whether you are the Children’s Pastor or a weekly volunteer, there is a lot to be learned from reading about leadership. In no particular order, here are ten of my favorite blogs dealing with the issue of leadership: 1. Michael Hyatt (http://michaelhyatt.com/). Michael Hyatt is […]
Divorce and Children: How Can Your Ministry Help?
You can help! If you were a child of divorced parents, please click here to take a survey related to your experience. This will help us better understand the challenges divorce presents to ministry. You might be surprised to find out that the divorce rate in the United States is actually decreasing and has been […]
8 Simple VBS Games for Preschoolers
Last summer, my wife ran the games portion of our Vacation Bible School for preschoolers. Now, I do Awana games every Wednesday nights for Kindergarten through Sixth grade with a couple of hundred kids each week, but those games do not translate well to preschoolers. So, here are some preschool VBS games we came up […]
Ten Board Games Every Children’s Ministry Ought to Have
I was looking in our toy and game cabinet at church this weekend and that got me thinking about the games that every children’s ministry ought to have. It also got me thinking about the advantages of some games over others. Sure, Rock ‘Em / Sock ‘Em Robots is fun, but is there really a […]
“Worst Day Ever” Storytelling Game for Small Groups
This past weekend in small group we played a great creative story-telling game in our small groups. I can’t claims the idea as my own. Our children’s ministry director actually came up with the idea, but she said it was ok if I shared it with you, so here goes. We were learning about Joseph, […]
Hey kid! What’s your name again?
When it comes to working with kids, there are some simple things you can do to help build a connection that will, hopefully, allow you to speak into the life of children. The first, and oftentimes most important, thing you have to do is learn a child’s name. If you’re like me, and a lot […]
Top 10 Devotional Blogs for Kidmin
A few weeks ago, I posted the top ten theological blogs for kidmin noting that it is important that those of us who work in children’s ministry continue to educate ourselves in theology and doctrine. It is equally important that we spend regular time in relationship with our Heavenly Father. To that end, the following […]
20 Non-Negotiable Principles for Evangelizing Kids
Based on his findings from a 2004 survey of the age at which most people accept Christ, George Barna wrote: “Families, churches and parachurch ministries must recognize that primary window of opportunity for effectively reaching people with the good news of Jesus’ death and resurrection is during the pre-teen years. It is during those years […]
Top 10 Theology Blogs for Kidmin
There are tons of great children’s ministry blogs out there. You can check out a great list of them here on Ministry-to-Children.com. Part of our role as children’s ministers, though, is to provide kids a solid foundation of knowledge in Christ and various Biblical doctrines. In order to do that, we must also be firmly […]
10 Ways to Bond with a Preschooler
I love preschoolers. They’re just a whole lot of fun, and they provide a mostly blank canvas. I love their energy. I love their excitement. I love their thirst and hunger for knowledge. I love their innocent view of the world. Spend the morning with a room full of preschoolers, and you will get a […]
Bible Story Skit & Lesson on Sodom and Gommorah
Several months ago, I wrote a post with an idea for teaching kids using a play that doesn’t work. I’ve used it a number of times since then, including this morning for presenting a lesson on the destruction of Sodom and Gommorah. I thought it might be helpful to post that lesson here for two […]
Review: Kids of Courage Vacation Bible School
I wasn’t sure what to expect when I asked to review the new Kid of Courage VBS starter kit from Voice of the Martyrs. I have a great deal of respect for Voice of the Martyrs and their work in promoting the plight of persecuted Christians around the world. That said, I wasn’t sure what […]
Noodle Games for Large Groups
A couple of week ago I decided to do large group games for Awana on Wednesday nights all centered around noodles – mostly pasta but also some pool noodles. Don’t ask me why I chose to do a pasta night (there’s a long story there), but I did. It turned out to be both challenging […]