Wayne Stocks

100 Questions for Kids – Easy Conversation Starters in English

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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. Listen to English conversation with audio. Struggling to find engaging conversation starters for your ESL students? Look no further! This page provides a list of 100 easy-to-understand questions that cover a variety of topics to get your kids talking in English. From family and hobbies to school and favorites, these questions are

Do You Know? Game Idea for learning about God

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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 you could also apply it to other situations. The name of the game was simple, HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW YOUR SIBLING

10 Non-Kidmin Books that Every Kidmin Should Have

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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 you a list of books that have little or nothing to do with Children’s Ministry that you should also have in your

Top Nine Youth Ministry Blogs

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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 have found that following youth ministry blogs is a valuable resource in children’s ministry.  The following, in know particular order, are nine of

The Power of Prayer (Connecting With Kids)

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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. Philippians 4:6 tells us: …do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests

Nine Special Needs Blogs for Kidmin

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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 I trust the authors of certain blogs more than others. Bottom line, these sites all have something to offer.  I have endeavored

Volunteer Recruitment: Why "Easy" Is the Wrong Motivation

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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 in children’s ministry so that they will take that step into serving. That said, I do have worry about trying to “sell

Top 10 Church Leadership Blogs for Kidmin

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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 the chairman of Thomas Nelson Publishing.  This is his personal blog where he focuses on what he calls “intentional leadership.” 2. Seth

Divorce and Children: How Can Your Ministry Help?

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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 since it reached its high point in the early 1980s. Despite the relatively small decrease, it is still an epidemic. Recent studies

8 Simple VBS Games for Preschoolers

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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 with that are great for your three and four-year olds: 1. Duck, Duck, Goose This game is a classic.  Kids love it,

Ten Board Games Every Children's Ministry Ought to Have

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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 way to “use it” in children’s ministry.  The following were my thoughts about games which would be useful in children’s ministry (or

"Worst Day Ever" Storytelling Game for Small Groups

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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, and the point of this game was to demonstrate that, no matter how bad things might seem to us, God is always

Hey kid! What's your name again?

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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 of other people out there, this is not always an easy task. A child’s name is one of the most frequent words

Top 10 Devotional Blogs for Kidmin

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Don’t miss our free printable devotions for kids. 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 are some of the best devotional blogs I have found: 1. Spurgeon’s Daily Meditation

20 Non-Negotiable Principles for Evangelizing Kids

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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 that people develop their frames of reference for the remainder of their life – especially theologically and morally. Consistently explaining and modeling

Top 10 Theology Blogs for Kidmin

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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 grounded in those truths.  Here are ten great blogs for theological information and discussions.  In no particular order: 1. Desiring God Blog. 

10 Ways to Bond with a Preschooler

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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 much better understanding why Jesus told His followers they needed faith like a child.  I have a great deal of respect for

Bible Story Skit & Lesson on Sodom and Gommorah

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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 reasons: It is a concrete example of the play that doesn’t work so you can see how it does work; and It

Review: Kids of Courage Vacation Bible School

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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 to expect when I found out that they were adapting that mission into a Vacation Bible School curriculum for kids.  I was

Noodle Games for Large Groups

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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 (as it is any time you try something new with such a large group) and fun.  I thought I would share the

We Do Provide Childcare!

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Oftentimes in children’s ministry, I come across a blog or a magazine articles that laments the fact that people think of children’s ministry as childcare. Well, I am here to tell you that that is exactly what is. Yes, yes, if you are committed to it and doing it right, children’s ministry is all about leading kids to Christ and discipling them to follow him.  That is our mission.  That is our goal.  That is our passion! 

How to Read to Kids

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Whether you are reading to your own children or reading a book as part of your Sunday morning lesson at church, it is important that you read it in such a manner that kids will be captivated and engaged by it.  Imagine hearing a song with awesome music where the artist sings in a very monotone voice and never looks at the audience.  It would not be very entertaining, and If you were watching it on television,

One-Year Bible Verse Memorization Plan for Preschoolers

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Bible memorization helps to give kids a foundation for their spiritual journey that will take a life time.  As they grow older, it gives them the ability to have God’s Word on the tip of their tongue when they face trials and temptations.  As the enemy attacks them, having those words written on their hearts can be their line of defense. So, when should you start?  I would argue that you should start your kids on the

Kickin’ Old School by Go Fish (Music Review)

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This past fall, the group Go Fish released their 6th album for kids.  The name of the album is Kickin’ It Old School, and I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it.   As soon as I downloaded it from ITunes, I knew I wasn’t going to be disappointed. The general idea for this album was to take old classic hymns and refashion the music into something kids and parents today would enjoy listening to it.  Added