2024

Parent Resources Shelves: A Digital Interview with a Local KidMin Leader

Last week, we talked about moving beyond a vending machine mentality and into a meal kit mentality when it comes to our strategy for effectively partnering with parents (a month-long conversation you can join here). I ran across a Facebook post from Kelly Turner, a kidmin leader in Springfield, IL, about the success she's found with her parent resource shelves, and I knew we had to talk more! Kelly graciously shared ideas and pictures and even took the time to answer a few questions about her parent resource shelves. I love that they move beyond just a stagnant spot for resources to a deeper strategy for equipping parents. You might be asking: "But aren't parent resource shelves just like a vending machine? Isn't that what we're trying to move beyond?" Yes! We are trying to move beyond just resourcing parents, but an easy first step in...
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Filed Under Blog, Day-to-Day, For Parents, Leadership

Is Your Ministry a Vending Machine or a Meal Kit?

When I ask what leaders do to equip parents or to partner with them, most of them say they provide resources. Equipping parents has become synonymous with that; when we say we "equip parents," what we often really mean is "distribute resources." And while there's nothing wrong with that, if our strategy for partnering with parents stays ONLY in the resources lane, we've got an incomplete and ultimately ineffective strategy. The idea of equipping parents only through distributing resources has turned our ministries into vending machines and created a vending machine mindset when it comes to equipping parents. In a vending machine ministry mindset... The children's ministry leader operates like a vending machine by simply providing resources without much interaction.  Parents are expected to come to the church or ministry location...
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Filed Under Blog, For Parents, Leadership

3 Lies Parents Believe About At-Home Discipleship (And the Truths You Can Help Them Discover)

I've been eyeball-deep in research about today's parents - specifically Millennial parents - lately, and a common factor among parents is a list of reasons why they can't disciple their kids at home. But in reality, those reasons are often lies, and as children's ministry leaders, we can help parents replace those lies with important truths about their role as primary disciplers of their children. To speak into this discussion, I'm excited to share this week's guest blog post from Christie Thomas, author and one of our DKM Vendors, all about the 3 lies parents believe about at-home discipleship and the truths we can help them discover: If your efforts to equip families with the best family discipleship resources aren’t well received, know this: The answer isn’t to send home more resources to gather crumbs in the minivan, but to take one...
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Filed Under Blog, For Parents, Leadership

Family Discipleship 101 Free Sample

You want the families in your church to thrive in their faith, but it seems like your efforts don’t make much of a difference. You pass out take-home sheets, only for them to be stepped on and dirtied on the minivan floor. You plan out and send home fantastic Christmas and Easter kits, only to discover that all your hard work was used for two days and then forgotten in the busyness of the season. The only parents who seem to respond well to your family-equipping efforts are those who are already discipling their kids at home. But you want to reach those who feel like they’re too busy to pray with their kids, too ill-equipped to read the Bible at home, or too new in their faith to know what family discipleship looks like. The answer isn’t to send home more resources to gather crumbs in the minivan, but to...
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Filed Under Blog, For Parents, Free Weekly Downloads

5 Things KidMin Leaders Must Do To Effectively Partner with Today’s Parents

If you’ve been serving in children’s ministry for longer than a week, you’ve realized that children’s ministry is not just about the children. It’s about the parents and grown-ups in a child’s life too. That's why we'll be focusing on partnering with parents for the next 4 weeks and diving deep into how to effectively minister to this generation of parents.  To kick off our month-long discussion, we have to identify WHO today's parents are, and surprise: they're Millennials! Millennials may spark a variety of stereotypes in your mind: entitled young adults who eat avocado toast for breakfast and still live with their parents. But in reality, we Millennials are all grown up. The Millennial generation includes anyone born between 1981-1996, which means that in 2024, Millennials now range in age from 28 to 43 years old. (We're getting...
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Filed Under Blog, For Parents, Leadership

3 Tips for Celebrating Easter as a Family When You’re in Ministry

Ministry life means holidays look different for leaders and our families. You're at church earlier (and later) than everyone else. Special meals and gift times are shifted to accommodate service times. The days surrounding a holiday are often filled with leading special events you've spent months planning. So this week's guest blog post focuses on you, kidmin leader, and how to honor your family in the midst of a ministry holiday season. This week's guest blog post comes from David Reneau of Lead Well Ministries, and he shares honestly about his experiences and lessons learned when it comes to celebrating Easter as a family when you're in ministry...  Imagine: it’s the Friday before Easter. You’ve been busy with all the marketing, event planning, service prep, and inviting. You’re probably a little tired and the light at the end of the...
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10 Low-Prep Easter Craft Ideas

Easter is a busy season in the ministry world, and you don't have time to cut out thousands of tiny pieces of tissue paper or palm branches for an Easter craft. So here are 10 low-prep, easy Easter crafts that just require ordering, printing, and pulling together supplies you probably already have in your supply closet. Easter Craft Bundle (Includes a Palm Sunday craft, an empty tomb craft, and an Easter spinner wheel craft!) Suncatcher Tissue Paper Cross (Comes with tissue paper already pre-cut!) Easter Handprint Crafts (4 designs to choose from!) Easter Cross Scratch Art Palm Sunday Craft Printable (Freebie for DKM Subscribers) Gem Cross Suncatcher Easter Crowns (Just print, then kids color and cut!) Color Your Own Easter Slap Bracelets (Kids love these!) He is Alive Banner Craft (Freebie for DKM Subscribers!) ...
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Easter Handprint Craft Freebie

Use this Easter Handprint Craft Printable as part of a Sunday morning ministry time, as part of your special Easter event, or to share with families to do at home! Download the Easter Handprint Craft Freebie Here! This freebie is one of the four designs included in our Easter Handprint Craft Printables resource! The full resource includes 4 different designs, and some designs even have different wording. Learn more about the full resource of Easter Handprint Craft Printables...
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Interactive Bible Storytelling Technique: Treasure Hunts

You know I'm all about interactive storytelling, especially with today's digital native kids. That's why I'm excited to share this week's guest blog post from Jennifer Lake all about incorporating a treasure hunt or scavenger hunt into your Bible lesson: Bringing the Bible to life is not something new to any ministry leader, but finding innovative ways of engaging your audience is always a win. Treasure/scavenger hunts are both fun and interactive, helping younger learners deepen their knowledge of the Bible. Treasure hunts offer an immersive learning opportunity by inviting kids to hunt for something (an object, a picture, etc.) that relates to the story or helps tell the story. They are also a great way to explore deeper biblical themes and symbols. When you incorporate scavenger hunts into your teaching time, you bring the tapestry of...
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Palm Sunday Friend Parade Game

Play this active game to encourage kids to start thinking about Jesus’ celebratory entry into Jerusalem! Download a printable version of the game here! Supplies: Masking tape, cloth/pieces of fabric, palm branches (real or fake), music Prep: Use masking tape to draw a large rectangle/pathway in the middle of the room. Use masking tape to make a cross on the wall. Play: Say: Does anyone know what today is? (let kids answer) Yes! It’s Palm Sunday! Palm Sunday is the day Jesus began His journey to the cross. We’re going to learn all about what happened on Palm Sunday and why it was important. One of the things that happened was a big parade. To kick off our morning, let’s play a little Friend Parade game! Give each child a palm branch and a piece of fabric. Instruct kids to walk around the room. They have to...
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5 Family Easter Resources

Easter is always an important season in children’s ministry, especially as we help families connect with each other and with Jesus. Browse all of our Easter resources here, but check out our top 5 Family Easter resources below to help families engage and interact with the Easter story in a variety of ways! The Eggs of Easter Family Devotion - This 12-Day Family Devotion Kit leads families toward the true meaning of Easter through a Resurrection Egg kit. Learn more and download here. Preparing for Easter Family Devotion - In this family devotion, you will find ten unique hands-on experiences that walk your kids and families through the Easter story, starting with Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem and ending with the resurrection. Learn more and download here. Easter Story Shapes Kits -...
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Filed Under Blog, For Parents

18 Egg Hunt Alternatives

I've seen lots of questions in various kidmin Facebook groups this year about alternative Easter event options different from the typical egg hunt. I love the creativity those conversations are sparking! Based on the conversations I've seen with ideas from leaders like you, here are a few alternative egg hunt ideas to help you and your families celebrate Easter! Neighborhood Egg Hunt or Around the Town Egg Hunt - This idea requires neighborhood involvement, but it's so fun! Encourage families to hang a printable/poster of an Easter egg on their front doors. They could even have kids cut and color the Easter egg sign out of poster or even printer paper (craft time!). Then, as families walk around the neighborhood, they can “hunt” for the eggs on the front doors of their neighbors and see how many they can find. Find 5 free egg coloring...
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Messiah Mayhem Game

Play this fun game at Easter time to encourage critical thinking skills and teamwork! To play, each player will receive a card with the words “Jesus,” “Disciple,” or “Soldier” on it. Only the Soldier's card will be revealed at the beginning. The Soldier's job is to find out who Jesus is. All players except the soldier will try to act like Jesus. The Soldier will point to a player and say, "Resurrection Rumble." The pointed-to player must then reveal whether they are a Disciple or Jesus. The Soldier will keep guessing until they uncover which player is Jesus. The game's objective is for the Soldier to figure out who among the players is Jesus, while the disciples try to protect Jesus by pretending to be him. Download the game cards here! This game is one of the stations of the Journey with Jesus Easter Adventure...
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Feet Washing Family Activity

Share this simple but impactful Easter family activity and discussion guide with your families! It invites them to dive into the story of the Last Supper, ponder and discuss what it means for us today, and then participate in a feet-washing activity together as a family. Just print and distribute or share digitally! It’s sure to be a special time for your families to serve and love each other this Easter season. Download the Feet Washing Family Activity Here! This activity is one of the ten found in Preparing for Easter Family Devotions. In Preparing for Easter, families will find ten unique hands-on experiences like this one that walk them through the Easter story, starting with Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem and ending with the resurrection. Learn more about the full family resource...
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Filed Under Blog, For Parents, Free Weekly Downloads

Holiday History: Valentine’s Day

As we celebrate Valentine's Day this week, here's a little holiday history for you! This post is an excerpt from the Holiday History: Valentine's Day lesson for kids written by Samarah Vermeer. The origins of Valentine’s Day are surprising; A priest who believed in love, defied the emperor’s laws and was eventually killed for his faith. But what does history tell us about this holiday of love, and what does the Bible tell us about love? (Historical information is taken from americanminute.com.) HISTORY - WHAT IS VALENTINE’S DAY? Valentine’s celebrations go back to the 3rd century and a man named Valentine. History tells us that Valentine was either a priest or bishop in Italy. The Roman Emperor at that time was named Claudius II. Claudius II was in charge. He decreed that single men made better soldiers than men with wives and...
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Measuring God’s Love Object Lesson

Using different methods to measure different things, this object lesson will help kids think about Ephesians 3:17-19 and how God’s love for us is infinite and immeasurable! Download the object lesson here!   This object lesson comes from our Valentine’s Day: Holiday History Lesson. Teach kids the history of the man named Saint Valentine and help kids explore truths about God’s love with this 60-minute Valentine...
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10 Non-Candy Valentine Gifts for Kids

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]With Valentine's Day falling on a Wednesday this year, you may be considering a simple Valentine gift or treat to share with the kids and families in your ministry. But if you've worked with kids long, you know giving a room full of kids a bunch of sugar can lead to complete chaos. So I've been researching, and here are my 10 favorite non-candy Valentine gifts for kids along with some links to the printables when possible! (Trust me, the parents in your ministry will appreciate the non-sugary gift!) Scripture Valentine Cards + Heart Stress Ball (Kids are dealing with a lot these days! Remind them that they are loved and that they can count on God with this simple idea!) "I'm Stuck on You, Valentine" + Sticker Pack (Kids love stickers! Use Generic stickers or Valentine-themed stickers) "I think you are...
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Filed Under Blog, For Parents, Leadership

Valentine Bible Verse Bookmarks Freebie

Kids will have fun with this creative activity! These Valentine bookmarks are a fabulous project for early arrivers, a Valentine event, a special Valentine’s craft, or a take-home activity! Print on white cardstock, cut and color, layer them with colorful cardstock, or laminate them for a longer-lasting project or gift! This Valentine Bible Verse Bookmark set is a great activity for kids to grow in their faith, plant scripture in their hearts, and be creative! This set includes 8 2×7-inch bookmarks to create, color, and give away! Download the bookmarks here! Find matching Valentine Bible Verse Coloring Pages and Activity Pages...
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Hearts and Ashes: Navigating Valentine’s Day and Ash Wednesday in Your KidMin

As we gear up for February, we find ourselves facing a unique and exciting overlapping of two significant events on the calendar: Valentine's Day and Ash Wednesday. This year, these two special days fall on the same date (February 14), creating an opportunity for a rich and meaningful exploration of God's love and compassion.  Valentine's Day, traditionally celebrated as a day of love and affection, may seem worlds apart from the solemn observance of Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of the Lenten season. But as they coincide this year, it gives us a great opportunity to help children understand the connections between these seemingly unrelated occasions. Valentine's Day evokes hearts, candies, and talk of love of all kinds. In children's ministry, we can focus on God's love and sharing that love with others. Ash Wednesday invites...
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Proclaim Prayer Activity for Kids

Use this simple prayer activity to remind kids of the truths of the Bible. This makes a great prayer activity as part of an Ash Wednesday service, a series on identity, or anytime you want kids to remember what God says about them! Download the prayer activity here! Recommended time: 10-15 Minutes Supplies: - Strips of paper with Scriptures/Biblical Truths on them (included in this printable) - Chairs in a circle - A Bucket or Bowl Station Instructions: - Print and cut the strips of paper with Biblical truths on them. Place them in the bucket or bowl. - Have kids sit in a circle. - Say: We are going to proclaim together. To proclaim means to say something that you know is true. On these papers, there are things we know are true, like scriptures or things we find in the Bible. When it’s your turn, pick out a piece...
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4 Strategies For Supporting Young Parents in Your Church

As a young mom, Sundays are hard. Managing to get all of us dressed, fed, (and sometimes dressed again if breakfast took a turn) and out the door on time is a true feat of willpower, focus, and detailed scheduling. That's why I'm so thankful for leaders who are intentional about creating strategies that support and encourage young parents. We need it! :) This week's guest blog post comes from Susan McPherson from Esther Press as she shares 4 strategies for supporting young parents in your church... As a church leader, your dedication to the body of Christ correlates with a calling to encourage and support fellow believers. Young parents in your church can especially use this support as they navigate the new world of parenthood. As you welcome young families into your church, the best way to strengthen relationships with them is by offering...
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2024 Word of the Year: Habits

Do you have a word of the year? I used to think it was silly, but now I love it when God gives me a theme to shape my year. I use the word to guide my learning, my goals, and my daily interactions. My 2024 word of the year is habits. I've been praying about my 2024 word of the year since November 2023, asking God to reveal what He wants me to focus on. I threw around a few ideas and tried to give God suggestions of my own, but they were all grand words with grand expectations that just didn't seem to fit. When God whispered "habits" into my heart, my first thought was "God, that's not big enough." But once He placed the idea there, the word kept popping up everywhere and reminding me that small habits often have the biggest impact. My goals and desires for 2024 may not be as grand as they have been in the past (like writing/publishing a book,...
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Habit Tracker Guide + Printable

Use this Habit Tracker to identify, track, and solidify the habits you want to commit to each day, week, or month. When you complete the task or habit, color in the box. Choose 1 consistent time each day to update your habit tracker (when you get in bed, when you brush your teeth, right after dinner, etc.). Consider the questions and resources below to help jumpstart your habit evaluation and goals. Download the Habit Tracker Guide + Printable Here! Consider these questions: What habits do you want to form this year? What habits do you want to break this year? What habits do you want to see formed in the families you serve? What habits do you want to develop or encourage in your volunteers? What spiritual disciplines (holy habits) do you want to emphasize this year? Books I'm reading...
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