Talking with Kids About Baptism

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Baptism isn’t just taking a bath at church or playing in Holy Water fountains; it means so much more! When we are baptized, it is an outward sign of an inward change. We know that when Jesus died on the cross, He wiped away our sins and made us clean. Baptism is our way of showing others that we have been wiped clean of our sins. But baptism happens AFTER we have given our lives to follow Jesus. Your heart changes first; then you are baptized to symbolize the change in your heart. Seems simple, right? Then why is baptism often so confusing for kids? Kids are concrete thinkers and have a hard time with abstract ideas, so trying to understand that the baptism symbolizes our death to sin and new life in Christ can be tough! Kids often hear "baptism" and "becoming a Christian" as interchangeable phrases,...

Small Groups vs. Stations

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Most curriculums offer a large-group, small-group format for Sunday mornings, but as a mobile church with limited time, space, and resources for creating an exciting environment, I had to come up with a way to make our mornings more engaging for kids. So I adapted the big-name curriculum we were using to fit a new format: large-group time, then stations. Kids LOVED it! Stations allow more movement throughout the morning and mean that you need fewer supplies since only one small group will be doing the activity at a time. Since each station lasts 10 minutes, that one kid who HATES crafts knows that a new activity is coming soon, so it helps eliminate disengagement. Kids go through the stations in the same order each week, but start at a different station, leaving enough structure for stability but enough...

You’ve Been Egged – A Creative Way to Invite the Community to Your Egg Hunt

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Two years ago, I decided I couldn't be the only one inviting families to our Glow in the Dark Easter Egg Hunt each year. But how would I involve families in the process without adding stress to their schedules and without taking a big chunk out of my ministry budget? Thus, Easter Egging was born! It's simple, it's cheap (you only need some colored paper and plastic Easter eggs), and most importantly, it's so fun that kids will WANT to invite their friends this way![/vc_column_text][vc_btn title="I want to egg someone!" color="sky" align="center" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fdeeperkidmin.com%2Fproduct%2Fyouve-been-egged-printable%2F||target:%20_blank|"][vc_column_text]Here's how it works... Print and copy the free download, double-sided, on fun colored paper. Then make a plan of which families you want to egg. I...

Volunteer Dove Chocolate Valentine Printable

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Give your volunteers some love this Valentine's Day with a simple gift. It's always a good time to let your volunteers know how much you appreciate them, and with this week's free printable, it'll only take you a few minutes of prep work to thank them for being the heart of your ministry. I heard about this idea at a breakout session with Kathie Phillips, the brilliant KidMin leader and author behind KidMinspiration. What you need: Dove chocolates Glue Dots DKM Volunteer Valentine Printable Just print, cut, stick on the chocolates, and you're ready to go![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_btn title="Help me love on my volunteers this Valentine's Day!" color="sky" align="center"...

The KidMin Supply You Need But Probably Don’t Have

We've all been there. You turn around for one second and sweet little Johnny in the preschool class pours the bowl of glue all over his hands and is proceeding to lick it off his fingers. (You're also sure the 1 tsp of glue you put in the bowl has somehow multiplied in a twisted Jesus-feeds-the-5,000 kind of way.) Or you're cleaning up the elementary craft area and you have to throw away 3/4 of the glue sticks because the caps are either missing or not tight enough to keep the glue from drying out. The ones that ARE left are covered in hair, yarn, and every kidmin leader's favorite: glitter. Well hold onto your craft supplies, my friends, because these little inventions will change your life. Glue Dots are exactly what they sound like: small adhesive dots of glue that can be used for crafts, gifts, and so much more. They're like the...

How To Make A Prayer Labyrinth

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]In the past, I've shared 10 Prayer Station Ideas, and one of them included a prayer labyrinth. A labyrinth is a special kind of maze historically used to promote deep thinking and soul-searching. I like to use it to help teach kids (especially those who like to move) about prayer! What You Need: King size flat sheet Pencil Tape measure/ruler Sharpie (regular and thick) You'll need to do some measuring, but don't worry, I've done all of the calculations for you! Mark your checkpoints in pencil, lightly sketch the maze paths in pencil, then trace over the path marks with Sharpie. Add any extra details you want (I like to add directional arrows and a title, but that's the extent of my artistic ability). Throw the sheet in the wash to erase any stray pencil marks, and your prayer labyrinth is...