The Holy Spirit: Lesson series for kids and students

When it comes to Bible lessons for kids and students, it isn’t difficult to find lessons on the God of Creation, and the work of His magnificent Son. But what about the third member of the Triune God? Do kids know enough about the Holy Spirit? Do they know God’s word has been telling us about Him from the beginning–literally? 

On Sundays at our church, we often try to align our subject matter for kids and students with what the adults are being taught in "big church." We have found over the years that it makes for great conversations at home, and deeper understanding for the entire family. We were all pretty excited when our pastor decided to teach a series entitled "Holy Spirit Fall," this past fall. When we mapped out the number of weeks between the end of summer and the start of Advent, we came up with seventeen. Seventeen lessons needed.

In all honestly, I had quite a few other things on my plate, and seventeen new lessons seemed overwhelming. Secretly I wondered: Could I even come up with enough to say and keep kids interested for seventeen weeks? But then I started to dig in, and wow. Rest assured, there is so much juicy meat in God's word about His Spirit! There are truths that kids and students can grab ahold of that can be life-impacting. Yes, in a sense there will always be a level of mystery, but there are absolute guiding principles and so much clarity. 

I, personally, learned quite a bit while crafting these lessons and small groups. It turns out there's so much to say, I do believe one day I'll expand these seventeen lessons into twenty or more. But until then, I wanted to get this series posted so you can use them sooner than later. It's time we teach the next generation more about the Holy Spirit so they will truly know the Him and sense His guiding. 

The Spirit-filled life is not a special, deluxe edition of Christianity.
It is part and parcel of the total plan of God for His people. - A. W. Tozer

Why Scripture Belongs at the Center of Every Kids’ Lesson

Walking around town in the summer, especially in the South, you see most people‬‭ wearing flip flops‬‭. They’re cool and convenient, whether you’re checking the mail or running out to the grocery store. But flip flops have no tread, no grip.‬ And that’s fine when the terrain is smooth. But if you’re‬‭ hiking the Grand Tetons, hugging the edge of a cliff‬‭, flip flops would never do.‬‭ You need hiking boots‬‭.

Flip-Flop Faith

There was a time in our country when the‬‭ spiritual landscape‬‭ was pretty‬‭ smooth and easy‬‭. Culture was friendly‬‭ to Christianity.‬ People knew there was‬‭ Truth outside of themselves‬‭, and whether they adhered to it or not, at least they knew they should. Most people believed in‬‭ God‬‭.‬ Most people had a basic understanding of‬‭ who Jesus is‬‭.‬ Going to‬‭ church‬‭ was seen as “a good thing.” In those days, we could get by with a‬‭ flip-flop-faith‬‭. Society‬‭ wasn’t challenging it. Our faith didn’t‬ have to be extremely deep, because society was at least pointing you in the right‬ direction. That time is over.‬

Hiking Boot Faith

As Tim Keller pointed out, we are now in a post-Christian culture, where that basis no longer exists. Our current culture believes truth can be found within; we can define right and wrong; we can redefine ourselves. Now we need‬‭ hiking-boot‬‭-faith‬‭. ‭Our kids have to know the Word, and know what the implications are.‬ They have to know what they believe and how to stand firm in it when everything around them is screaming the opposite.‬ 

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. - Hebrews 4:12

Anchored in the Word

That’s why every kids’ lesson must be anchored in God’s Word. It is the only foundation for abundant life as God designed it. At KidzLife, we never water down the truth. We use kid-friendly verbiage and age-appropriate illustrations, but the Biblical truths remain intact and impactful. In fact, many weeks leaders have told us the lessons were as much for them as for the kids. 

Whatever curriculum you choose, be sure to choose one that goes deep in God’s Word, lest we allow our kids’ feet to slip. We all know these days, that slip is dark and dire. 

The law of their God is in their hearts; their feet do not slip. - Psalm 37:31

Rustic Acorn Ornaments

Give your leaders a tangible reminder of the kingdom seeds they have planted this year. (Bonus: each costs less than $1.00!)

When I ran across these snowy, felt acorns at my local Walmart, I knew I could use them to make sweet, inexpensive volunteer Christmas gifts. Labeled as "table decor," these rustic acorns aren't too frilly, so they're great for men or women volunteers. Just add a velvet ribbon, secured with a decorative straight pin and a dab of glue. Scroll down for the quickest, easiest way to give them away.

They will be called Oaks of Righteousness,

the plantings of the Lord, so that he might

display his glory. - Isaiah 61:3

I have found the most time-consuming part of volunteer gift giving is wrapping or tagging items individually, especially of you have a lot to give! We have about 130 volunteers for our KidzLife program, so even a simple wrapping would have taken hours. I simply printed out this sign and set it next to a basket of ornaments. The acorns look super cute piled up. Click below for a free downloadable sign to use for your volunteers (two versions to choose from). Or click for printable tags if you’d rather wrap individually.

Merry Christmas to you and your amazing volunteers!

Invite Kids to a Date with God

What could be better for our kids than intentional time focusing on the Lord? One hour, give or take, exclusively attentive to the lover of their soul. We call it a Date with God. I first heard of this concept while serving kids at a missions conference overseas. My friend Jenni had seen this done years prior, and adapted it for our conference. She introduced it to the kids like this:

Do your mom and dad ever go on a date? Every month or so, my husband and I try to carve out time for just each other. We might dress up, or not. We choose a restaurant, we put our phones away, and we spend time talking to each other. On those dates we talk about what’s going well, what we’re struggling with, and what we hope for the future. Here’s a little secret: we try to pick a restaurant where we think we won’t run into anyone we know. Do you know why? Because we don’t want to be distracted from each other! It’s just us, giving our full attention to each other.

Today we want each of you to have a Date with God. For the next 45 minutes or so, we want you to spend time just with Him. We won’t be talking to our friends, because we don’t want you to be distracted from what God might have for you today. You’ll be talking to God and listening to Him, and asking Him to show you His heart.  

This idea may sound intimidating, but it’s quite the opposite, and it’s SO fruitful! You’ll set up simple stations and your kids will rotate through them as the Spirit leads. We’ve held these many times over the years and we’ve never had a child (or adult) who didn’t get something meaningful out of their time engaged with the Lord. 

You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. - Jeremiah 29:13

Each station will have instructions posted (download below). The overall rules are:  

• No running.  

• No talking unless you need to ask a question.  

• Don't go to a station twice until you have visited all of them once.  

• Participants do not have to visit all of the stations.

Ambiance is important. See tips on lighting and music below.

STATIONS

Below is a list of possible stations to use, but feel free to come up with new ideas. You can tweak them, add some, delete some - do whatever works best for you! Click below to get free downloads for all the stations listed here.

Prayer For The Nations
Place a tea light on a nation and pray for God's blessing over the people there. Ask for kingdom growth in that place.
Supplies: Large world map or area maps laid out on the floor, battery powered tea lights

Painting
Ask God for a picture in your imagination, and paint it. As you paint, ask God what it means.
Supplies: paper, tempera or watercolor paint and brushes, cups of water, pencils for child’s name

Sculpting
Pray and ask God for a sculpture. God, is the master creator. What does He want you to create?
Supplies: Model Magic or Playdoh, paper plates to sculpt on, pencils for child’s name

Prayer Wall
Write a prayer request on a post-it-note. Place it on the wall and when you do, pray for two other prayer requests that are on the wall.
Supplies: post-it notes and pens

Blessing and Scrolls
Assign an adult to speak a short blessing over each child who comes to this station. The person praying will ask the Lord to show them what to pray before speaking the blessing. Optional: give each child a scripture scroll (below) to take home. 
Supplies: Praying adult, Scripture scrolls (optional) 

Be Still Tent
Take time to lie down and relax and just soak in His presence.
Supplies: throw pillows or blankets for the floor, a canopy (fabric or sheet) above if possible

The Great Exchange
Write a regret, fear, or failure of yours on the paper. Fold it and pin it to the cross, leaving it there for good. In exchange pick up a scripture card and allow that truth to replace what you left at the cross. (Assure kids that no one will read their papers.)
Supplies: large cross, push pins, slips of paper, pens, scripture cards (included with instructional signs below)

Who I am in Christ
Trace your hand on the large paper. Look over the “Because of Jesus” list. Ask God which statement you should write in your handprint.
Supplies: one very large paper rolled out on a table or a couple poster boards, colored pencils, “Because of Jesus” list of I am statements (included with instructional signs below)

Scripture Projection
Project a slideshow of scripture verses on a computer monitor or projector. Have a few chairs set up for kids to rest in as they read the scriptures. Play any scripture videos without sound. Example video of James here.
Supplies: computer/flash drive with scriptures, chairs

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What if I don’t have all the resources for each station?

Adjust each station (or the list of stations) however you need to. Do as many or as few as will work for your kids, space, and resources. Each station will take around 5-8 mins, so adjust your overall time accordingly, keeping in mind that every child doesn’t have to do every station. The Date with God is really about inviting the Presence of the Lord and not as much about perfectly duplicating the stations. He is so faithful and their hunger to hear Him will be all that is necessary! 

Is there a certain atmosphere you try to create during the Date with God?

Any changes to your space to add a contemplative ambiance will help kids focus - music, low lights, draped fabric, pillows on the floor. It is best if you can dim the lights and use candles (or strands of soft lights). You can make a playlist of about 50 minutes of music. Or use our Spotify playlist here. When the music ends, the Date concludes. 

How do you arrange the stations in the space you have?

Look at the space you have and try to decide the best place for each station around the room. You might want to put your painting station where you have the most light. Spread stations out enough so kids are not distracted by what’s happening at another station. 

How do the participants know what they are supposed to do at each station?

Print out the Date With God station sheets (below) once you have chosen which stations you will be using.

Do I need workers to man the different stations?

If possible, place one adult at each station - though one adult can oversee several stations. Also, depending on the number of children, a couple of helpers roaming the room is helpful. You will need a specified adult at the blessing station.  

Where do the participants put their finished paintings and sculptures?

Designate a place for the kids to put their finished paintings and sculptures so there is room at each station for the next participants.

How do you know how much paint, paper, and Playdoh to have available at the stations?

Take the number of people expected and divide it by the number of stations. Then you’ll know how many people on average will be at each station at one time and to know how much to put at each station.

How long should the Date with God last?

About 45-60 minutes.

Are there any tips or rules besides the specific ones for each station?

The overall rules are:  

• No running.  

• No talking unless you need to ask a question.  

• Don't go to a station twice until you have visited all of them once.  

• Participants do not have to visit all of the stations.

What kind of an introduction should be given before it begins?

Explain that God is a very good Father. A good Father loves to talk to His children. As they work through the stations, God might put a picture or impression in their mind, or a Scripture, or they may sense His voice speaking into their spirit. He loves spending this special time with His kids. Take a minute to explain what they should try to do at each station, and your overall rules for the event. 

Be sure to pray over this time, and recruit friends to pray during the event.

Easy Mess-free Crown Ornament

Need a quick, simple, inexpensive Christmas ornament for every age group? Each ornament takes only one 8.5 x 11” paper. Make these as glitzy as you want depending on the paper you choose. Craft stores carry pearlescent paper that’s gold though and through which makes a pretty crown and helps camouflage pieces that aren’t folded perfectly.

For each ornament, you’ll need five or six 3” squares and one strip that is 1” x 11”. Use the template if needed. (Don’t print it directly onto your gold paper, to avoid black print on your ornament. Print it on plain paper and lay it on top of your gold paper, as a cutting guide.)

Kids can do all of these steps, or adults can assist little ones.

Fold each 3” square carefully on the diagonal to make triangles.

Make the circular base of the crown by overlapping the edge of the long strip on itself by about 1 1/4”. Staple or tape it together.

Slide one triangle onto the band, pushing the fold all the way, snuggly onto the band.

Slide another triangle onto the band, overlapping the first triangle so that no band shows between the two triangles.

Continue adding triangles in this way until the entire band is covered and no band is showing between the triangles. The triangles will stay on with no glue needed.

Five triangles should fit perfectly, but six can work if you want more overlap with your triangles.

Hang on your tree by sliding it over a branch, or place it in a centerpiece. Kids might enjoy making one for each place setting for Christmas dinner to remind guests the King of kings has arrived!

For printed instructions, click here.

Pick Your Favorite!

Enter to win any digital or physical product
of your choice - worth up to $195!

To enter:

1) Browse our online store
2) Name the one item you hope to win in the comments under the Giveaway Post on our Facebook page (This contest is not sponsored by or affiliated with Facebook in any way)

Multiple entries will not increase chances of winning.

• No purchase necessary to win. Purchases do not increase chances of winning. 


• No-strings-attached (Participants will not be contacted or added to our mailing list.) 


• Entries accepted July 25 - July 31, 2023. Winner selected at random Tuesday, August 1, 2023 at noon, and notified via Facebook messenger.

• Winner's first name, state, and prize selection will be announced on our Facebook page.

(This contest is sponsored by the owners of KidzLife only, and not affiliated with Facebook in any way.)

It's Gametime!

Games are fun, and they’re a great way for kids to expend some energy! Even more importantly, a game is a way to make a lesson more memorable for kids – solidifying the story in their minds. 

The good news is that you don’t have to reinvent the wheel to connect your lesson to a game. Sometimes it just takes a little tweak to a game you already have on hand. 

We’ve tried to use games that require minimal contact. If you’re in a rut with games, consider some of these options.

Hot Potato

Two weeks ago I was teaching The Golden Rule from our Sermon on the Mount series. Jesus teaches us to treat others the way we want to be treated because each person is made in God’s image and has value. In the lesson, we illustrate this by calling on a few volunteers to act out different scenarios. Each time, we place a cardboard crown on the heads of these volunteers to remind us that every person is important.  

After the lesson when it was time to get some wiggles out, I asked all of the kids to circle up with their small groups. Each group of 8-12 kids had one crown. They were instructed to pass the crown by placing it on the head of the child next to them. I told them,“We want to honor each other. Treat each other as if every person wears a crown.” 

We played some fast-paced music, stopping at random intervals, and whoever was left wearing the crown when the music stopped sat out the next round. But they only sit out one round and could rejoin afterward. There you have it - Hot Potato played with an honor crown. The kids LOVED it.

Variations: You could have your kids pass any object that goes along with the day’s lesson.

4 Corners

This Wednesday, after teaching our K-2nd graders what real kingdom fruit looks like with our Proof is in the Pear Tree lesson, I was able to reinforce it with a fruity version of
4-corners. I hung a sign in each corner: “Pray every day,” “Honor others,” “Don’t worry,” “Let go of anger.” I quickly reviewed the rules, asking kids to keep some distance from each other, and I told them that speed-walking was fine but not running. 

While I closed my eyes and counted to 10, each child made their way to a corner. Keeping my eyes closed, I called out one of the fruits. Of course, you don’t want to tell kids they are “out” for picking a kingdom fruit, so I told them, “Each time you choose the corner I pick, you get one point. Everyone has to keep up with your own points!” Of course, points don’t really matter; it’s just so fun to play. 

I find that any game in which a lot of kids get “out” and have to sit for a while is boring for them, and leads to misbehavior as they try to entertain themselves. So allowing everyone to stay in and gain points is really a win/win.

Variations: I’ve also done this game with places Jesus taught, or names of disciples. You can select any 4 key elements from your lesson. 

Other classic games that can be tweaked to enhance your lesson:

Pop Quiz

All the kids start in a squatted position, ready to POP up if you call out a characteristic that applies to them.

Pop up if:

You’re wearing red shoes
You’re a girl
You have a brother
You are a brother
You are in 2nd grade
You have brown eyes
You love pizza
You like to swim
You like math
You were born in another country
You have 4 people in your family
You like broccoli
Etc.

Variations: Use anything you have talked about in your lesson. Ex: If you pray every day, If your Bible is blue, If you were kind this week, If you have seen a real live _____ (animal in creation), etc.

Pet Rock Game

Teacher calls out an animal for the kids to imitate. Call out "Pet Rock" every third or fourth time, at which time kids ball up like a rock (rocks are still and silent).

Let me see a…

Lion
Snake
Pet Rock!
Dog
Eagle
Fish
Pet Rock!
Cat
Giraffe
Pet Rock!
Shark
Kangaroo
Puppy
Pet Rock!
Hippo
Ant
Grasshopper
Pet Rock!
Chicken
Elephant
Mouse
Pet Rock.

Variation: This works great with a Creation lesson, as is. Or you can use characters from any lesson, and don’t worry if characters are limited, they can repeat several times. Ex: Goliath, Israel soldiers, King Saul, David, throw in a sheep and a bird for variety, then Smooth stone! This would be very interesting to do with the plagues! 

Change Places

Everyone should stand in a circle of about 12 kids. The “leader” is going to call out a series of statements that may or may not apply to you. For example, the leader will say, “Change places if you’ve ever swam in the ocean!” If that’s something you’ve done before, you will change places so that you’re no longer standing next to either of the people beside you now. If you haven’t done what “the leader” calls out, then you’ll simply stay put. 

Change places if:

You were born in another state
You have a brother
You were born in (your state)
You have a cat
You love science
You are the youngest in your family
Your favorite color is blue
Your eyes are brown
You have swam in the ocean
You have a sister
You are a sister
You love recess
You have been to more than 5 states
You love ice cream
You love vegetables
Etc!

Variation: Tell kids to notice who is changing with them. They have something “in common” with those kids. It’s a fun and easy way to find things we have in common.

Heads or Tails

You’ll need a quarter or large coin. All kids stand, and on the count of three, each child will either put their hands on their head (to signify “heads”) or hands on their hips (to signify “tails). After their choices are locked in, kids freeze, then you flip the coin. If it lands on heads, all the tail kids sit down. Keep playing rounds until there's just one person standing.

Variations: Tape a small picture of two things that were in your lesson to either side of the coin. Ex: Darkness and Light. Make up two large and distinct motions for the kids in order to signify choosing one or the other. Then flip away! 

Fruit Salad

Assign each child to be a fruit. Assign them the way you would “number off” kids. Banana, apple, pear, banana, apple, pear, banana, apple, pear… (Depending on your group size, you may want  3, 4 or 5 fruits.) All the members are seated in chairs in a circle, but there is one less chair than kids. One child will start off standing in the middle. He/she will call out one of the fruits - ex: “Pears!” When a fruit name is called, the people bearing the fruit name must switch seats; you cannot sit on the same seat you were on. The one who ends up without a seat is the caller next, and he/she calls out any fruit and kids all do the same switch-a-roo and the caller also tries to get a seat. The caller can either call one fruit name or say "Fruit Salad." When fruit salad is mentioned, all kids must switch.

Variations: Can do with animals and yell “Stampede!”; Do with letters and yell “Jumble!”; Do with numbers and yell “Math Quiz!”

Lesson Variation: You could easily substitute elements of your Bible story. Ex: Daniel, King Darius, Royal Rulers, and yell “Lion’s Den!”  

Night at the Museum

Everything comes to life when no one is looking! 

Dim the lights a bit. One child plays the museum security guard, with a flashlight. He walks around while the others pretend to be statues or artifacts. The artifacts can move, but if they get caught by the guard doing so, they are out.

No one is allowed to touch each other because you can’t touch the stuff in museums! In a large group, you could have a few security guards. 

Variation: Spin this to fit a lesson, such as: Night on the Ark (animals are supposed to be sleeping at night. Noah has the flashlight) etc. 

Would You Rather?

Divide your room in half. Call out the two choices, designating one side of the room for each choice. Kids should speed walk to the side that they prefer. It’s fun to see kids often show their “degree” of preference by how far they walk to one side or the other, or maybe stay in the middle. 

Hamburgers/Pizza
Soccer/Swimming
Cafeteria lunch/Lunchbox lunch
Go to Ocean/Mountains
Math/Science
Cake/Ice cream
Cats/Dogs
Video games/Playing outside
Summer/Winter
Write a story/Draw a picture
Read/Watch TV
Swing/Slide
Chick-Fil-A/Cook Out
Legos/Trampoline
Ability to Fly/Be invisible
Have $10 to spend on yourself/Have $100 to spend on someone else
“If you could” Live on the Moon/Live under the Ocean
Birthday Party (no presents)/ Presents (no party)
Ride on a Train/ Hot Air balloon
Eat dessert “only” for a year/Eat “no” dessert for a year

Variation: You could use this as a lesson review asking multiple choice answers (A or B) or asking true or false questions.

River Crossing

Each child gets 2 paper plates. Designate a starting area and an ending area - this could be from one wall to another, or from a tape line on the floor to another. Ask kids to cross the river using only their “stepping stones” (plates) and see who can get to the other side fastest. Kids will place one plate down, and step onto it. Then they will pick up the plate they were just standing on, move it ahead and step on that one. This continues all the way across. If they fall off their stone they have to start over.

Variation: Kids might be crossing the Jordan River, crossing the wilderness, crossing Samaria, etc.

Spell It Out

Kids can work alone or with a partner. Leader calls out a letter, and kids make the letter with their bodies. They can stand or lay on the ground, however they prefer.

Variation: Have kids spell out several key words from your lesson. For example: First have kids make L. Next, kids make an U. Next make an K. Finally, make an E. What does that spell? Luke!

Tap Out

One player is "it" and stands facing a wall. Other players start at one end of the room, trying to creep up on "it" and be the first person to tap "it" on the shoulder. But "it" can turn around suddenly. Anybody that is moving when “it” turns around must go back to the starting point. No movement can be done while “it” is watching. Whoever touches “it” on the shoulder first becomes “it” for the next round. 

Variation: Name "it" as a key character in your story. Tap “Peter,” or tap “Pharoah.” Maybe the Philistines are sneaking up on David. Or the animals are sneaking around behind Noah.

Find a Friend

This one takes a tiny bit of prep work - just printing out some labels. I came up with this game for our KidzLife lesson Words have Power. The memory verse starts out, “Pleasant words are like honey…” so we wanted a game centered on kind words we speak to each other. We came up with a list of kind adjectives, and printed them on stickers. Make sure to have each word repeated 2, 3 or 4 times. To ensure this, take the average number of kids that attend, divide by 3 to see how many words you’ll need, and make 4 stickers each. (For example: If you normally have 24 kids, you’ll choose 8 words. Make 4 stickers each of those 8 different words. This will ensure each word has two or three matches, and possibly four if you have extra kids that day.) As kids arrive, put a sticker on each child. For the game, tell kids to find their matching word. When they find a match, they can come to the front and ring a bell (or maybe give the leader a high five).

Our pleasant words were: Awesome, brave, cheerful, compassionate, courageous, creative, delightful, easy-going, fabulous, faithful, forgiving, friendly, fun, generous, gentle, grateful, graceful, hard-working, helpful, honoring, humble, inspiring, joyful, kind, loving, outstanding, patient, peaceful, real, respectful, trusting, welcoming, wise

Variation: Words could be anything pulled from your lesson.

Dance Party/Freeze

Play upbeat music that goes with the theme of your lesson. Kids dance around as long as the music is on, and freeze when it’s off.

You could play a quiet version by using lights on (for action) or off (for freeze).

Variation: Instead of dancing, have kids act out elements from your lesson. For example, they could act like sheep in a field, or maybe waves in the sea of Galilee, or the crowd waving palm branches.

Games to play when you have limited space:

Charades

On separate slips of paper, write down a handful of keywords from your lesson that can be acted out. Choose kids one at a time to pick one and act it out. The correct guesser gets to be the next actor. Kids will have to recall elements of the lesson as they try to guess. 

20 Questions

Think of one thing from your lesson and keep it to yourself. Children have 20 questions to try and work out what the thing is, although you’re only allowed to answer their questions with ‘yes’ or ‘no’.

They may ask things like, ‘is it a person?’, or ‘is it expensive?’. Whoever gets the right answer can have a go at thinking of one themselves.

20 Objects

Place 10-20 objects on a table and give children a couple of minutes to try and memorize them (use objects that have to do with the lesson, such as food found at the last supper, or things found in the Temple). When the time’s up, cover the table with a sheet and get kids to write down as many as they can. Whoever remembers the most is the winner!

How Can Children's Ministry Help Re-engage the Entire Family?

Well it’s finally happening! Kids are coming back to church. Glory to God! We could not be more ecstatic about this.

But on a less celebratory note, in some cases, only the children are coming back. Honestly, some parents either got out of the habit or found the teaching they wanted online (let’s face it, when the only option was virtual, a parent could log in to watch excellent preaching from anywhere in the country), so some are not as eager to attend in person. However, what could not be replicated online was children's and student ministries. Parents recognize their kids and students are the ones who missed out the most in a year of virtual church. They need interaction and friendships, so parents are bringing them. But in some cases, the parents then drive away and return to pick up their kids when the gathering is over.

This can be distressing because of course we want entire families in person, connecting, and building relationships that sharpen one another. So what’s a pastor to do? We say exactly what Jesus said: let the children come (Matthew 19:14). We can never turn kids away; we rejoice in them coming, even if they come alone. Perhaps, especially if they come alone. But we don’t have to leave it at that. Why not use the children’s attendance as a bridge to invite their parents back into something they can’t get online, or at home alone? Keep reading for some fun examples. 

At my home church, we have noticed an amazing phenomenon. Recently we have had more kids than before Covid. Glory to God again! And their families attend with them. We also have lots of new families visiting. We think this might be a big contributing factor:

Our church launched “Summer Tables,” with the tagline, “Share a meal. Share life.” Two weeks ago we set up picnic tables and big umbrellas on our front lawn, and we also rented huge inflatable water slides. After our morning gathering, we invited everyone to stay for fun and food and most importantly: reconnection. (This could easily be recreated for less expense with bright blankets on the lawn and a few sprinklers nearby.) We even had “conversation starter” questions in plastic jars on every table. The most important thing is people! People attract people. And fun attracts people. And we believe several hours of conversation and laughter for the entire family reminds adults how much they long for relationships too. 

We are all for in-depth Bible study at the right time, but it might just be some lightweight fun and face-to-face connection that entice adults to come back, since that’s what we can’t really get virtually. Next step ideas might be to invite dads to a men’s breakfast, with the same concept: Fun, food, and connection. Let kids craft the invitation on Sunday to take home to their dads. Something low-key and casual, like corn hole and coffee. Maybe have a men's gathering once per month through the summer. Let men reconnect and see what small groups might form from there. And you can do a similar take for women. Perhaps try a Pinterest-type craft night or painting party. Float ideas by some members to see what strikes the most interest. Again, the real point is forming relationships because relationships are key to regular attendance and life accountability.

The Church is making strides back to togetherness. If your kids’ numbers are growing, take the initiative to reach out to the rest of your staff to see how your children’s ministry might help encourage every family member to re-engage.

We’d love to hear what ideas are working at your church!

Pick your favorite!

Enter to win any digital or physical product of your choice - worth up to $195!

To enter:

1) Browse our online store
2) Name the one item you hope to win in the comments under the Giveaway Post on our Facebook page (This contest is not sponsored by or affiliated with Facebook in any way)

Multiple entries will not increase chances of winning.

• No purchase necessary to win. Purchases do not increase chances of winning. 


• No-strings-attached (Participants will not be contacted or added to our mailing list.) 


• Entries accepted May 30 - June 5, 2021. Winner selected at random Monday June 7, 2021 at noon, and notified via Facebook messenger.

• Winner's first name, state, and prize selection will be announced on our Facebook page.

(This contest is sponsored by the owners of KidzLife only, and not affiliated with Facebook in any way.)

Keep your eyes open for our big Summer Sale June 7-14!

5 Tips for Your Best-Ever Promotion to Middle School Ministry

Promoting your students from elementary to middle school ministry is an important milestone in their individual lives and in the life of your church. Students are at a pivotal age for spiritual growth, and this transition to a new ministry area presents an opportunity for them to either deepen their faith or lose interest in church participation.

As Wendy Rowell, who leads 5th graders at Grace Fellowship Snellville in metro Atlanta, says: “Children’s ministry feels a lot like rungs on a ladder leading to a high dive. Middle school feels a lot like walking out onto that board. Will the students listen to God’s truth, or will they listen to the voices of the world?” 

Hopefully your rising 6th graders will thrive in middle school and their love for God will grow! You can set your students, their middle school pastor, and their parents up for success by planning this transition intentionally. Here’s how.

1. Time the transition well.
   Consider promoting the children in June before school begins so they can have all summer to get comfortable with student ministry. So many things will be new for them in the fall, so why not make the fall a little easier by moving them to middle school ministry now? Plus, attending middle school events and forming friendships with other middle school students will give them confidence and momentum going into the school year.
   
   

2. Invite middle school ministry staff to be present during the final year of children’s ministry.  
   Don’t wait until August to introduce your middle school leaders and their next class of students! Invite middle school staff to be a part of any 5th-grade only events during the school year. Ask these staff members to teach in the 5th grade classes periodically also so that the students can gain a sense of who their new leaders are and how they communicate. This will allow students to put a name with a face early and hopefully begin to build relationships. You want students to be as comfortable and as excited as possible about their transition, and knowing their new leaders can help immensely.
   
   “There’s no competition between children’s and middle school ministry,” says DJ Coleman, student pastor at Northwood Church in Keller, Texas.  “We can’t work in silos – we can work together. We should all help each other with blindspots and visit each other’s spaces when we can.”
   
   

3. Shadow student ministry.
   Take the 5th graders on a group visit to your middle school ministry’s weekly gathering so they can get a taste of what to expect – and how awesome it is! Coordinate the date with the middle school leaders to make sure it’s a good day to come – as far as the teaching topic and overall plans for the event. You wouldn’t want to take them on a night when there’s a guest speaker or some other anomaly. 
   
   

4. Champion them.
   Be excited for your 5th graders and all that they will experience as they enter middle school! Look for opportunities to celebrate them and their growth. Try to avoid sending the message that you’re sad, will miss them, or don’t want them to “go.” You want children to love being a part of the church, and your positive attitude can serve as reinforcement that even more good things are to come.
   
   Consider how Rowell celebrates her graduating students.
   
   “The Sunday before the promotion happens, we give the students a thoughtful gift like a journal or devotional book,” she says. “Then we put them in the center of the room and circle around them to pray and bless the years ahead.”
   
   On the actual transition day, Rowell and her volunteers throw a party! That Sunday, the rising 6th graders report to their 5th grade classroom first. Then their leaders blast confetti poppers as they run out of their 5th grade room and into the middle school room as the adults cheer for them. 
   
   “It’s such a fun representation of the family of God cheering you on to the next adventure,” Rowell says.
   
   

   5. Don’t forget the parents!
   Communicate, communicate, communicate! Some parents of rising 6th graders get just as nervous as their children about this transition (or even more so!). Consider hosting a parent meeting in collaboration with the middle school ministry leaders so you can talk about the transition plans, set expectations, reassure them together, and open the floor for questions.
   
   “Meeting with parents really helps them feel good about their child entering student ministry,” Coleman says. “It establishes credibility and gives the middle school pastor a chance to explain what a Sunday looks like, what kind of teaching we’ll do with their students.”

   We are cheering you on as you celebrate God’s work in your rising middle school students!

How to Thrive with KidzLife This Year

COVID-19 may be changing how churches execute KidzLife this year, but it doesn’t have to stand in the way of children learning who Jesus is and how much He loves them! It can happen inside the church with new procedures, or outside of the walls of the church.

We’ve compiled a list of suggestions on ways you can implement KidzLife this year. Of course, every group will need to adapt these suggestions based on the safety regulations in your location. 

Meeting In-Person

We suggest incorporating these best practices if your leadership has given the thumbs up to meeting in person.

Plan Ahead

• Limit the number of registrations to suit your space (remember to include leaders and their children in your counts).

• Require a signed COVID-19 waiver. (Click button below to download a sample waiver.)

• Clean and disinfect all spaces regularly with approved products.

• Require leaders and kids (age 3+) to wear masks.

Arrival

• If possible, utilize a carpool drop off to limit the number of people inside your building.

• Take no-touch temperatures of everyone entering your facility upon arrival.

• Kids and Leaders either wash hands or apply hand sanitizer upon arrival.

During KidzLife gatherings

• Warmly greet children! Even in masks, children can see your enthusiasm. Go above and beyond to convey your joy to see them!

• Show kids how to do an elbow bump or footshakes.

• Begin your time together in worship and praise. This doesn't just mean singing –  it could also include times of praise, sharing answers to prayer and testimonies.

• Share the Bible lesson. Use props! If possible, position the teacher far enough away from the kids that he or she doesn’t need a mask. Facial expressions are important for children seeing and hearing your heart. If you must wear a mask, consider a face shield and also increase your energy level.

• End with small groups. At the end of your time together, you want kids to be seen AND HEARD. During this COVID-19 season, our children have been isolated. This is a key opportunity to HEAR them and pray together.

• Assess whether meeting outside for small groups is an option (weather permitting, of course). Our small groups are portable, so meeting outdoors could be a welcomed breath of fresh air.

Dismissal

• Have children wash their hands or use hand sanitizer before leaving.

• Take them to their cars (if using carpool).

• If parents are walking in, be sure they're wearing masks. It’s best to check their temperatures as well.

• Disinfect any surfaces, supplies and toys used.

Follow Up

• Send a warm email expressing your joy that children came with a summary or story of what happened during the time together. 

• Invite them back next time. 

• Pray for your kids and leaders by name!

• Consider mailing a note or postcard to your kids.
  

Online Ideas

In some cases, in-person gathering just might not be possible. But incorporating some of the suggestions below will develop an engaging online presence that goes beyond posting teaching videos or holding small groups over Zoom.

Memory Verse Incentives

• Keep track of who has memorized their verses and offer some sort of reward. You could do a version of Kingdom Cash virtually or send kids a treat after a set number of verses have been mastered. Kids can even complete as individuals or teams, such as boys vs girls, or by grade levels for added incentive.

Theme Nights

• Ask kids to log on to Zoom small groups in costumes based on certain themes (tie dye night, cowboy night, sports night). The kids love it when leaders play along, too. 

• Another variation would be a show-and-tell element at the end of the lesson. Show us your pet, favorite stuffed animal, etc.

Call for Submissions

• Ask kids to submit videos saying their memory verse, singing their favorite worship song outside, teaching a memory verse to their family, or something else fun but purposeful. Call for photos of kids showing their favorite spot to study or work on their journal.

• Then post a compilation video or share the submissions on social media and in parent e-newsletters. If your congregation hasn’t been able to meet in person, families will look forward to seeing what other families are up to.

• Remember that a simple request is far better than a complex one. Kids are more likely to participate in something that only takes a few minutes.
  

Personalize While Distanced

If you are gathering primarily online, here are some supplemental ideas for connecting with the kids off-line as well as serving the community.

Drop-Offs

• Kids love care packages. Instead of filling them with cheap trinkets, fill them with supplies for a craft that relates to your weekly lesson, supplies for a gift they can make for someone else, or an object that relates to the lesson.

Post Cards

• Ask each small group leader to send children in their group postcards a couple of times each semester. They can write a message of encouragement or blessing.

Yard Decorations

• Kids love waking up to surprises! “Flamingo” their yard, tie a balloon to their front door with a note, stick a magnet on their mailbox or something else creative to remind them that you’re thinking of and praying for them.

Donation Drives

• What needs in your community can you help meet? Consider inviting kids to stock a food pantry with a needed item or collect something for nurses or first responders. To make things even more fun, add a competition element by asking boys to drop off one item and girls another, or you could compete by grade level.

Drive-in Events

• Host an outdoor or drive-in KidzLife event. Depending on the size and layout of your property, you may be able to teach and lead worship, or it could literally be an opportunity for families to drop off the items they collected for the donations mentioned above. Keep things exciting by dressing staff members and volunteers in costume, music and more!

We’d love to hear your creative ideas too! Comment what’s been working for your ministry. 

Random Acts of Neighboring

During this time of solitude, we have the opportunity to get creative about the ways we serve our neighbors. Here are a few ideas to get you started on a joy mission with your family!

• Sidewalk chalk message of hope and joy on driveways

• Bring trash cans up from street for others

• Write notes and leave in mailboxes

• Prayer walk the neighborhood

• Leave a painted rock at neighbor’s mailbox with a special message on it

• Leave toilet paper on someone’s doorstep

• Leave fresh cut flowers from your yard on the doorstep of an elderly neighbor

• Go Christmas caroling or other travel singing with family at end of people’s driveways

• Decorate your house with some outdoor lights, just to spread some cheer in your neighborhood

• Make cards with your kids for a local nursing home. They are not allowed any visitors and could use the smiles! Mail them.

• Leave quarters at a laundromat

• Start a book exchange in your neighborhood while the libraries are closed

• Think of the senior adults in your church who may be alone or without family around. Either call them or direct a leader to do so. Give them a regular phone call and or drop them a note (older generations love this!).

Six Little Tips for Engaging Little Hearts

Whether you’re brand new to working with the toddler set, or a 20 year veteran, sometimes you need a fresh idea. Here are a few quick tools to pull out of your toolbox to make any gathering a little calmer, a little more focused, and a lot more fun. And if you need captivating preschool curriculum, check out our BigKidz materials.

Sing Everything

When it’s time to clean up, or line up, or anytime you want to get their attention, sing what you want them to hear. The words don’t even have to rhyme. Just sing what you want them to know to a simple tune like “Old MacDonald had a Farm.”

Sensory Play Doh

Any time you observe someone becoming anxious or aggressive, Play Doh does the trick. It is helpful to have out during arrival or to have on hand for anyone who may need to redirect their aggression. Busy hands calm minds. Studies have shown fine motor activity reduces anxiety. It is also a wonderful social interaction tool. Sit with the child and ask him or her to surprise you. Have kids create their favorite food and you guess what it is. Have fun with it!

See Them 

Talk at eye level. Wear your comfy pants when working with littles. You want to be able to comfortably get on their level. Any time you are talking one on one or wanting to communicate something important, get low. Squat to their eye level. You may even use the phrase, “Listen to me with your eyes.” “Show me the white on your eyeball.” We all listen better when we look eye to eye. Speaking of listening well, another fun tip is to have a pair of silly sunglasses with you or use your hands to make a funny upside down pair of sunglasses and say “I’m putting on my spectacles to see what I can see. OH WAIT! I see (Sally) looking at me. I see (Hudson) looking at me.” Kids all guaranteed to stop and look right at you. Now you have their attention. 

Stomp, Tip Toe, Hop

While traveling from one place to another, try getting there in unusual ways. “Stomp like a dinosaur!” (This helps get a little aggression out.) “Tiptoe like a quiet mouse,” is great fun when you need your group to walk quietly. “Hop like a kangaroo!” is another great way to spend a bit of energy. Use creative ways of walking when traveling down the hall or gathering everyone together to transition to the table for snack or circling up for a story.

Speak Life

Look for ways to encourage. “I love your shoes!” or “I saw how you gave Lily a turn with that baby doll,” or “I love listening to the way you and Eli pretend together.” “I see you trying so hard to listen today. I am really proud of you. I know it can be hard.” When you speak life, incredible things happen to the atmosphere of your group. Some days it’s harder to find the good. Look for it. It is there. Ask God to give you His eyes for the children in your care. He will give you the words.

Smile

A cheerful heart is good medicine. - Proverbs 17:22

Your smile is your greatest communicator of the love of Jesus! This simple expression reaches across languages, cultures and age. A smile communicates acceptance and delight. What is your face saying? Go ahead. Smile!

6 Ways to Express Gratitude to Your Volunteers

It’s unanimous. Children’s pastors agree that volunteers are essential. A solid volunteer base can multiply the capacity of a church staff exponentially. Volunteers are the ones on the front lines leading small groups and shepherding the hearts of the next generation. You as a children’s pastor know this, but do your volunteers know how vital they are and how much you value them? Here are a few habits you can adopt to ensure you’re expressing appreciation to your crew.

Handwritten notes
Begin each workweek by writing a note to a volunteer. Include specific observations you’ve made about that volunteer and how they’re knocking it out of the park. Remind them of the impact they’re making in the Kingdom of God. Include “note writing” on your calendar at the beginning of each week, prioritizing the five minutes it will take to write and drop in the mailbox. You can even use KidzLife postcards!

Seek their input
Include your volunteers in your decision making process. Since any change you make in procedures, environment or communication affects them directly, ask for their feedback before any executive decisions are solidified. By recognizing that your decisions affect them, you’re communicating value.

Treat them!
Holiday gifts are great (like this super quick Valentine’s Day Donut thank you), but so are “just because you’re awesome!” treats. This can look like treating your team collectively by bringing dessert to church periodically or treating them individually. Stock up on $5 gift cards to a local coffee shop or ice cream parlor and stick one in your handwritten note each week. These small deposits will add up to a feeling of being “seen” and cared for.

Build in breaks
Establish beginning and end dates to your volunteers’ commitments will recognize their humanity and give them the option of “opting in” or out for the next season. Everyone needs a break, so structure your annual calendar in a way that will avoid burnout. Over the summer, incorporate the sign up and show up method, inviting members of the congregation to serve so your core team of volunteers can have time off.

Develop authentic relationships
We all know someone who reaches out only when they need something. Don’t be that person! To the extent that it’s possible with the size of your team, get to know a bit about each person individually. If your volunteer team is massive, establish a team of leaders you can pour into who can then pour into a group themselves. Know something about their lives outside of their time with you at church. Ask questions about their families, jobs, hobbies or whatever it is that’s important to them. Invite a small group of them to coffee. Connect with them on social media so you can track with happenings in their lives as well. 

Extend grace, always.
Lastly and perhaps most importantly, be gracious with your volunteers. Unpredictable situations like sickness, traffic and family obligations will happen, causing occasional tardiness, absences or even a volunteer deciding to stop serving altogether. When – not if – these things pop up, choose to extend grace. Make sure your volunteers know that you view them holistically as children of God with very full lives that happen beyond serving with you. Honor them for the time they give, and never instill shame by being anything other than kind when life happens. Don’t burn bridges or be the reason someone’s heart hardens toward the Church.

Consider incorporating these practices in order to champion your volunteers and show them with your actions and your words just how much you appreciate their contributions.

Help Kids Recognize God's Gracious Invitation

Mary was the first – the very first to hear His name.

For decades, God’s people waited for the Messiah. We can almost hear the debates that took place at the synagogues as well as in the fishing boats. They speculated about when He would come and where He would come. And His name? Certainly people had their guesses. But Mary was the first to actually hear it.

You must name Him Jesus. – Luke 1:31

Jesus. Of course. “The one true God saves.” What other name could it be?

With wide eyes, Mary soaked in the plan, and in the quiet of her meager home, she knew the secret that scholars had debated for centuries. Who could have imagined: Almighty God entrusted a humble girl with not only this news, but with the very life of the newborn Messiah. There would be no hospital, no doctor, and not even her mother at her side–only an inexperienced young carpenter named Joseph. But God would be with them.

Mary was no one special. She wasn’t royalty; she wasn’t rich or famous. But the angel assured her that God was pleased with her. Hebrews 11:6 explains that faith–believing God–is what pleases Him. Mary’s faith was astounding; her response was total submission to God (Luke 1:35-38).

Mary’s life is intertwined with Joseph, Elizabeth and Zechariah, and the shepherds. They were simple people of faith who learned first-hand that God graciously invites people who believe in Him to be a part of His plan. This is a beautiful truth you can pass on to your kids through our Christmas lessons. We don’t earn our way into His plan. We don’t trust in our own strength. We simply believe the Lord and say “yes” when He calls.

Have You Taught Your Kids the Christmas Prequel?

For generations, God’s people had been told that at just the right time, God would send the permanent solution for the sin problem of mankind. The people waited. The time had come.

An old, childless, temple priest named Zechariah was the first to hear the news. He had waited a lifetime to fulfill his sacred duties in the temple. But what happened inside was far and away more incredible than he could have imagined. A mighty angel appeared through the smoke of the burning incense, and this angel had quite an announcement.

Zechariah had prayed unceasingly for two things. He prayed for a child and he prayed for God to send the Messiah. In one moment, God announced that both of Zechariah’s prayers were answered. This revelation was more than Zechariah could wrap his mind around. He faltered in disbelief. And because of it, he was unable to speak for the nine months that his aged wife carried their son. But Zechariah’s voice was restored when he, in obedience, named the child “John.”

All of this is breathtaking if we know what Zechariah knew. This old man had spent his entire life learning every jot and tittle of the law. He had memorized the holy instructions about the temple and the exact right way to offer a blood sacrifice to cover, albeit temporarily, the sins of his people. But now! Now sin would be taken away forever by the very act of God. The oppression would cease. Freedom at last!

Without the back-story, the coming of Christ (like a tiny lamb in a manger) loses so much of its meaning. Our kids must be taught–in terms they understand–the original sacrifice structure that God set up. Only then can they grasp the full impact of the announcement that Zechariah heard about his son, John:

“And he will prepare the way for the Lord.” – Luke 1: 17a

As we always strive to do at KidzLife, we use kid-friendly lingo and illustrations, but we do not water down the truth in our Christmas Mini Series. Kids will see that God graciously invites those who believe in Him to be part of His amazing plan of redemption.

How to Lead a Small Group Discussion for Kids

Kids need the same things that adults do from a small group experience. The goals of small groups are 1) to connect to each other relationally through discussion, and 2) to process and discuss questions so members will unearth what they really believe. This sounds wonderful, but spoiler alert: kids are unpredictable and easily distracted! How can we capitalize on small group time and make sure we are hitting the mark?

Prepare.
Before you meet with kids, meet with God. Intentionally set aside some time to first read the scripture passage and the small group lesson well before your time with the kids. Ask God what He wants you to know and what He wants you to do. Your small group lesson should be chock full of open ended questions. If it isn’t, be sure to come up with plenty of thought-provoking questions on your own. If your small group time accompanies a large group teaching time, listen intently while that lesson is taught, as kids may have questions about that content.

Use Scripture.
When facilitating discussion, use the words, “The Bible says…” God’s Word is life and power. Our words are merely our words; His words change lives! Refer to scripture often, and open a physical Bible rather than your phone to limit distractions.

Encourage participation.
Small group times are meant to be discussions, not lectures! Encourage everyone to participate, but realize that some may be hesitant to speak during the first few sessions. Tell everyone in the group that this is a safe environment to share, and that what’s said in the group must stay in the group. Encourage more than one answer to each question. Questions will have more than one possible answer, and each person in the group has her own unique perspective. So be sure to ask, “What do the rest of you think?” or “Anyone else?” until several people have had a chance to respond.

Be comfortable with silence.
Don't be afraid of silence. Kids may simply need time to think before they respond. If the silence persists, try rephrasing the question until you are confident that the group understands what you are asking. Remember that even an eager group will quickly “shut down” if they think you will do most of the talking. Of course, after everyone has had an opportunity to respond, you can share your own insights. Be careful not to ever dominate the discussion.

Respond positively.
Affirm answers whenever possible. Kids are often reluctant to speak up at first, but if they know you appreciate their comments they will warm up much more quickly. Simple words of affirmation such as, “That's a great insight,” “Excellent idea,” or “I hadn't thought of that before” are enough to show children that you value their comments.

Avoid shutting kids down.
Be careful not to reject an answer outright. When you reject a child’s answer, it is easy for him or her to feel rejected, and they may decide that it is too risky to give their opinion again. A better response would be to ask them, “Which verse led you to that conclusion?” Or let the group handle the situation by asking them what they think about the answer. This will stretch your group and help them grow deeper in God’s Word. Avoid going off on tangents, and guide them to see the big picture. If kids wander off course, gently bring them back to the passage and question being considered

Make it personal.
We're not interested in merely giving kids abstract information. We pray for life transformation! Whenever possible, steer the discussion in a way that makes the kids think of their own personal situation. Encourage them to develop action steps. How can they put these things into practice in their own lives today?

Pray.
To help kids hone in on requests that they can see answers to, ask for prayer requests that are current and pertain to the kids. Write them down and pray for them throughout the week. End with prayer and also encourage kids to pray on their own. Remind them how simple it is to ask God, "What do You want me to know? Is there something You want me to do?" then be still and listen and jot down what you hear. Be sure to ask for updates on the requests from week to week, and celebrate answers which will help grow your kids’ faith.

One Simple Focus That Will Grow Your Church

I was recently privy to a conversation among children’s pastors about how much of their church’s budget goes to the children’s ministry. By and large, I was very saddened by the answers. 0%, .005%, 3%, None. Several said the children’s ministry was funded strictly out of their own pocket, or whatever the director could fund-raise. (And this is sometimes without a salary!)

Even though the attendance numbers indicate that kids might compromise 30-40% of the congregation, they get little to nothing of the church resources.

I have heard it argued that the lion’s share of resources must go to adult ministries because, after all, they are the tithers. Really? Is that the way we run our homes? “Yeah, our kids are hungry, they need clothes and a warm bed at night, but they won’t get those things ’til they start pulling their financial weight around here.” Of course this is ludicrous. So why would anyone have this mindset at church?

We have a thriving, multi-campus church family, and we give 40% of our budget to our kids and students. We can assuredly say we haven’t grown in spite of our next-gen mindset; we have grown because of it. Here are just a few ways that happens: More than anything they look for in a church, parents want to know their kids are being taught the transformative truths of the Bible. Kids who love their vibrant, exciting church invite their friends and those friends bring their families. When your adult members are being taught accurately what God thinks about the next generation, they will be on board. They will give more and do more to be a part of a church that is boldly making a difference in the lives of kids. Before you know it, those kids you have invested in become your ambassadors in the community. Teachers and coaches see lives worth emulating in the kids they work with, and they want to know where that comes from. The list goes on and on. More on the specifics of our ethos here:

So, what if we budgeted proportionately, according to the attendance of kids and students? Or, better yet, what if we budgeted lavishly - even above the percentage of those who attend? What if we gave not just money to the next generation, but also our time and effort, and our best and brightest staff members?

Some might believe that in giving so much to the next generation, they would be sacrificing the growth of their local church to advance the overall kingdom. Well, that sounds noble, and we have the feeling that’s what we should do, but ends up being a pretty unnerving proposition. Is God really asking me to give up the growth of my church to sow seeds for the greater good even though I may never see the impact? No, in fact, He’s not! We are here to say this way of bugeting does both! It grows the kingdom AND it will grow your local church.

To be clear, growing our local church is not why we invest so much into the next generation. We do it because we are absolutely convinced that it’s God’s heart to do so (Deut 11:18-21). But isn’t it just like God to weave all things together for good and bless your local church in the process!

Benefits of investing more in your kid’s ministry:

- It grows the kingdom of God, Amen.

- AND it will grow your local church, Amen!

- It lets your kids’ workers know what they do is valuable.

- It sets your volunteers up for success (because they have what they need).

- It frees your Children's Minister to focus on... ministry.

- It opens up unending possibilities of how and where to reach kids (such as after school programs).

- It helps you pour truth into kids who NEED a firm foundation before they venture out from our homes.

- It draws new families in - the kinds of families who value kids and will help sustain growth.

- It guarantees long term growth of your church because your congregation continues with energetic new life. 

- It's just MORE FUN!

So if your church has been struggling to grow, or if you’ve been grappling with where to invest your budget, ask God if maybe He wants you to pour out a much greater portion on the fertile ground of the next generation.

Launching a Special Needs Ministry 101

The idea of launching a special needs ministry for kids is intimidating to some children’s directors, but North Metro Church’s Special Needs Coordinator, Erin Nason, and North Point Ministries’ Director of Special Needs, Karen Lamb, say anyone can do it.

“You just have to love on kids and treat them as if they were your own children,” says Nason, whose son has developmental delays. Lamb agrees. “If you can love a person, you’re qualified,” she says. “That’s it.”

Many who serve in this ministry area do not have professional experience with special needs children. They’re simply willing to show up consistently to provide a loving place for kids to learn about Jesus while their parents attend church.

This form of ministry can be approached in several ways: a self-contained classroom for the students, a “buddy system” where each of the students is paired up with a volunteer who can assist them with inclusion in average needs classes, or a combination of the two, with some time spent in a self-contained room and other time spent with the rest of the children. The size of your church - both physically and in congregation - may dictate which approach will best suit your children’s ministry, but consider where each child will learn most effectively.

Lamb and Nason say creating a self-contained environment, sometimes referred to as a sensory room, is relatively easy.

“Some people think you need a room with tricked out lights, but you can actually start really small,” Lamb says. She suggests equipping the space with comfortable seating like bean bag chairs and offering a mini trampoline for those who need to release energy. Stock the room with soft toys like foam blocks, cloth books and balls. If possible, install a closed circuit TV that streams the activity happening in the large group. Some children who are overwhelmed by lights, sounds and crowds and may learn better participating via livestream in the self-contained room.

Whatever approach you use, don’t forget that the goal is the same - it’s children’s ministry, not just “childcare.” While the methods that work best and the spectrum of what each child can absorb will vary greatly, make sure they are learning about Jesus. Send them off on Sundays not only loved, but with a new nugget of truth from God’s word. A few basic teaching tips are:

• Simplify. Make lessons and activities shorter and more concise. This will help decrease frustration for those who cannot concentrate for long.
• Repeat the main point often throughout your time together.
• Avoid teaching in abstract terms. Whenever possible, use concrete ideas. Bring in items they can touch, taste, and smell.
• Avoid using complex directions. Give instructions one step at a time.
• Allow each child’s strengths to dictate how you can best reach him or her.
• Give praise often for actions or work, and be very specific.
• For more information on teaching learning disabled children, check out the Learning Disabilities Association of America.

Consider other logistics that would serve these families best, such as timing. “We offer our special needs ministry at the Sunday gathering that’s the least busy so it’s less overwhelming for the kids,” Nason says.

Communication with parents is crucial. Make sure to collect relevant information about each child, and keep your questions positive whenever possible, Nason suggests. She asks about the child’s strengths, favorite topics of conversation, and the best ways to redirect behavior when needed. Lamb’s approach is to have volunteers follow the same redirection process parents use when the child is at home. “We want to be consistent and not confuse the child,” she says.

In addition to gathering information on the child, Nason shares details about the program to ensure parents understand what her team can do - and what they cannot do.

“We set clear boundaries and explain to parents that we want to love on their child, but we aren’t providing therapy. It’s important to set clear boundaries and not over-promise,” she cautions.

Once your special needs ministry is up and running on Sundays and you’ve recruited a dedicated volunteer base, consider branching out to serve these families at other times. You could offer a quarterly date night option to parents by inviting the special needs children to church in the evening, or offer an occasional parents’ morning out.

We all want to break down barriers that prevent children from experiencing Jesus. Establishing a special needs ministry ensures that every child has an opportunity to learn and worship.

How to Make a Small Investment Last Forever

Child development experts understand the value in repeating a concept. “The deepest aha's spring from an encounter and then a return. Repeating the encounter fuses it into one's awareness. One of the biggest mistakes a teacher can make is to forego the return or repetition.” – Robert F. Bruner, University of Virginia

In the best-case scenario, an elementary school child will be in your children's ministry for six years (K-5th), though some will be there for fewer. KidzLife’s 3-year cycle is intended to be repeated, allowing the child to go through each curriculum twice.

The second time through a series, the child will be three years older. His or her life will have changed a great deal, as well as his or her ability to contextualize the material. Small group discussions are question-based, so their answers and applications are very different, and much deeper. If you choose to use our journals with your kids, the child will move up into the older version of the journal for his second time through. These journals go a bit deeper too, with questions pertinent to his age, a longer portion of the passage to memorize, and additional passages for them to read from other parts of the Bible to broaden their understanding.

As an added benefit, the series can be repeated indefinitely. That means your ministry doesn’t have to repurchase the digital teaching materials. Invest once, and use forever.

BigKidz works the same way. Toddlers will be in the 3- and 4-year-old class for two years. You simply alternate between the two series we offer, without repurchasing. Each year of BigKidz lays a solid foundation by covering God's big plan of redemption, from Creation through resurrection, though we highlight some different stories each year.

Your sweet Kiddoz are only 2-years-old once, so there's only one year of Kiddoz material.

You'll be amazed at the depth your kids can grasp, and retain! At KidzLife we never, ever water down the Truth. But we present it in fun, memorable, kid-friendly language with real-life applications.