I love ministering to children! Giving away hugs, seeing the “light” come in during lessons, witnessing heart changes. All of these things make my job worthwhile. This calling truly comes with its own rewards. Besides loving the baby chicks in my ministry “nest” I’ll admit there are times when my heart burns for the chicks that haven’t arrived yet. When … More Children’s Ministry Resources
At the beginning of the summer, my elementary teachers had the idea of having water games one Sunday morning for our elementary aged children. We decided to plan it after VBS with the intention of inviting our VBS attendees. “Splash Into School From VBS” took place during the Worship Service hour. Our kids loved it and it gave us the opportunity … More Children’s Ministry Resources
With scorching temperatures this summer, cooling off with some fun water games might just be the fun you need at your next children’s event. Here is an arsenal of popular water activities for kids to use at your next Vacation Bible School, Day Camp, church picnic, family day, or in your own backyard. All that is required for most of these are … More Children’s Ministry Resources
Back to School 2020 is going to be different. So we collected our three most popular coloring pages about going to school again. Two traditional and one about online teachers. Download these free coloring page activities for kids as they get close to starting a new school year. Scroll to see the non-religious (for public school) and religious options (for … More Children’s Ministry Resources
It is vital to be aware of heat related illnesses in children, especially if they are entrusted to our care for summer programming. The entire staff should be briefed on prevention, identification, and treatment. Most likely, a child experiencing an illness of this nature has a hard time knowing what is going on. They could be engaged in a lively … More Children’s Ministry Resources
I can’t say that I understand the fascination with pirates, but it exists! Kids love pretending to be pirates! They adore the ideas of ship travel, the anchor drop, a hook for a hand, buried loot, and treasure maps. You will love these devotions for kids based on that theme! If your little one has a fascination for playing the part … More Children’s Ministry Resources
I have created this Summer Reading Program so that my son would read more during the summer months. We keep talking about how reading is an adventure so I came up with the Reading Around the World theme. He will be working towards goals which then gets him rewards. Here is a run-down of the program: He will have a … More Children’s Ministry Resources
I just heard about a West Virginia church is facing lawsuits over a poorly run VBS games. According to this report, a 9-year-old boy was seriously injured in their Vacation Bible School program. It sounds like individual church volunteers were named in the lawsuit too! I’m not familiar with the situation, but it’s a good caution to everyone planning VBS … More Children’s Ministry Resources
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 … More Children’s Ministry Resources
I have been doing a lot of reflecting lately of our homeschool. I am always thinking about it. Am I doing enough? Am I doing it the right way? What could I improve? Is he learning what he needs to learn? Am I doing what God wants me to do? I think that it’s a good thing to reflect on … More Children’s Ministry Resources
Anyone who thinks school teachers don’t deserve an award at the end of the school year has obviously not recently visited one! School teachers face mounds of paperwork, challenging children and an unforgiving schedule—all while caring for a class of young minds. As Christian teachers and leaders, we know how tough ministering to kids can be. What better way to … More Children’s Ministry Resources
Welcome Spring with this collection of family devotions ideas. You’ll be searching for treasures, playing in the mud, creating artwork, spring cleaning, and planting new life. Grab your rain boots and allow the Word of God to speak anew. Enjoy! 1. New Life Treasure Hunt Grab a camera and entrust it to your child if you’re brave. Take binoculars and/or … More Children’s Ministry Resources
I recently attended a preview conference for Lifeway’s Big Apple Adventure in Nashville, TN. While there I joined in the excitement of VBS anticipation and preparation. It can be the case for me and I’m sure for many of you that in the hustle and bustle of VBS we focus too much on the physical preparation and push aside the … More Children’s Ministry Resources
A few years ago I wrote a letter to the parents of my church to inform them of our head lice policy. While head lice is not a glamorous topic, it can present very real problems. And I don’t simply mean the head scratching kind! If one or more children show up to church with head lice infestations in their hair, … More Children’s Ministry Resources
At Christmas, you will see excited young visitors, many of which won’t be accustomed to sitting still for long periods. Prepare for the fidgety crowds and short attention spans with Christmas activities for kids’ church. Entertaining activities are a good way to supplement a lesson or build on a Bible truth. Peruse our list of Christmas activities to find the … More Children’s Ministry Resources
At this time of year, we begin trying to find the perfect way to say “thank you” to all of the women who faithfully serve in children’s ministry all year long. I wanted something that was not a “teaching” book or a “training” book. I even wanted to steer clear of the typical teacher’s gift books. I wanted to find … More Children’s Ministry Resources
It’s only November, why are you talking about VBS? The short answer is you can’t start planning too early. For the longer answer, you should listen to this podcast. In this episode I talk with Shannon Velasquez who plans VBS training all across the country. She was the one who invited me to attend their PandaMania field test last summer. It’s … More Children’s Ministry Resources
Once in a while you come across a book that you just have to tell everyone about, and Grandpa’s Box is one of these books. Written by Starr Meade, it is styled as a devotional, but seems to be the perfect read aloud bedtime story. In the book, Grandpa capitalizes on his grandson’s love of military strategy to introduce to … More Children’s Ministry Resources
Use these printable changing seasons coloring page to remind of the awesome world God created. This is a perfect companion to our God made the seasons preschool Bible lesson. Scroll down this page for the free download. Don’t miss the 40-page Calendar, Seasons, and Routine bundle from the Sunday School Store. It’s an upgraded format of this free resource and … More Children’s Ministry Resources
This is a free Bible lesson for children teaching them about the changing seasons of life and the unchanging character of God. In Ecclesiastes 3:1-11, students will identify time periods of life and how they can navigate through them. We’ve included our popular Fall coloring page in the download below. Fall Sunday School Lesson for Children Bible Story: Changing Seasons … More Children’s Ministry Resources
In our home, we have a thing for bugs, spiders, and the like. I don’t mind them and all, but my kids LOVE them. It’s almost disturbing how my daughter can have seven worms climbing up her arms simultaneously. She giggles as I gasp…. Yuck! Though you would never catch me covered with creepy crawlers, I would have to agree … More Children’s Ministry Resources
Our church is wrapping up it’s fifth season of Upward Soccer. It’s become a fixture on our calendar and I can’t imagine not doing it. But like any outreach program, it needs annual evaluation. We broke all the rules when we first launched our first season. I was still in my first year at the church and we were without … More Children’s Ministry Resources
As someone who has four kids and works in children’s ministry, there is one thing I have found to be true of (most) all kids – they ask questions! Many times they ask lots and lots and lots of questions. Sometimes they ask questions that we don’t know the answer to. In a children’s ministry setting, or as a parent, … More Children’s Ministry Resources
In churches across the nation, this year’s Vacation Bible School is quickly becoming a memory. There are many people out there who think that VBS is an outdated program whose time has come and gone. Fresh off of the excitement and exhaustion that is the controlled chaos that is VBS, here is my list of the top ten reasons to … More Children’s Ministry Resources