2025

5 Year-End Questions for KidMin Leaders

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=""]Take time before the new year begins or the first week of January to plan a quiet time to praise God for the past year and dream with Him for the new year. Print out the following page. Feel free to use your journal to add additional thoughts, ideas, and prayers, or use the back of the page. Create action steps to make what you plan happen. Know that we’re praying for you as you plan and prepare for a new year.[/vc_column_text][vc_btn title="Download the Questions here!" align="center" css="" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fdeeperkidmin.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2025%2F12%2FDKM-5-year-end-questions-for-kidmin-leaders.pdf|target:_blank"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_single_image image="170578" img_size="full" alignment="center" onclick="custom_link" img_link_target="_blank" css=""...
written by
Filed Under Blog, Free Weekly Downloads, Leadership

Walking the Line: Leading with Both Vision and Action

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=""]Ministry leadership is a balancing act. It’s about holding two very different kinds of work at the same time. In one hand, we carry vision: the big picture, the dreaming, the long-term planning, the God-sized thinking. In the other, we carry action: the details, tasks, supply bins, emails, and logistics that make ministry happen week after week. (Sunday is always coming, right?) And most of the time, you’re living in the tension between the two. There’s the pressure to make things happen right now and the responsibility to think about what’s coming 6 weeks and 6 months down the road. The need to meet expectations today and the desire to create something healthy for tomorrow. It feels like a tug-of-war sometimes, but that tension is actually a gift. Think about it like this: A tightrope only...
written by
Filed Under Blog, Leadership

Receive Before You Give: A Christmas Week Reminder for KidMin Leaders

Christmas week is one of the most beautiful and busiest times in children’s ministry. You’re juggling final lesson prep, family events, extra services, and all the last-minute details that sneak in when you’re not looking. You’re thinking about the parents who are stressed, the kids who are excited (or overwhelmed), and the volunteers who need encouragement. It’s a lot. But in the middle of pouring out for everyone else, I want to remind you of something simple and important: before you give, receive. Christmas isn’t just something you help others celebrate. It’s a gift meant for you, too. And while you may not have long stretches of quiet this week, you can carve out a few small moments to let God’s peace and presence meet you right where you are. Take five quiet minutes in your car before you walk into the church building. ...
written by
Filed Under Blog

Christmas KidMin Debrief Questions

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=""]Use these questions to pause, reflect, and learn from your Christmas season before jumping into what’s next. Take a few minutes to celebrate the wins, think through what worked (and what didn’t), and jot down notes that will help you next year. Tip: Save these notes somewhere you will remember to pull them out when planning for next year! You could even schedule an email to yourself for August or September to look back at these notes for next Christmas. Find all of our Christmas resources here, and find more admin/leadership resources here.[/vc_column_text][vc_btn title="Download the Questions Here! " align="center" css="" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fdeeperkidmin.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2025%2F11%2FDKM-KidMin-Christmas-debrief.pdf|target:_blank"][vc_column_text css=""] Celebrate the Wins ...
written by
Filed Under Blog, Free Weekly Downloads, Leadership

Praise Packs – Christmas Eve Edition

Anytime we have an intergenerational service where children attend with their families, I like to hand out Praise Packs – a goody bag with activities that help kids engage and participate in the service. These are great ways to help alleviate stress for parents who are worried about their child making it through the whole service, but more importantly, they help teach kids that “big church” is for them too. Praise Packs are more than just coloring sheets to keep kids distracted long enough for the service to be over. They are tools to help invite kids to participate in the whole service, not just the children’s moment designed for them. The key is to pick items that will help the kids listen for certain words or actions going on in the service – but they can’t make noise! No jingling, rattling, or squelching (I made the mistake...
written by
Filed Under Blog

5 Tips for Volunteer Appreciation

Christmas is the perfect time of year to shower your volunteers with a little extra appreciation and thanks for all they do in your ministry! But it can be tricky to come up with creative ideas year after year and not feel like you're stuck in a gift-giving rut. That’s why I’m excited to share this guest blog post from Jaden Howard, a DKM Vendor, on 5 tips for Volunteer Appreciation! These tips come from and helped create her Ugly Christmas Sweater Party Volunteer Appreciation Event.  What an honor to love and appreciate such an awesome team of volunteers! The goal of volunteer appreciation is to express gratitude and to make your volunteers feel seen and known. Although we all want to be like Oprah and shout out “you get a car…. you get a car” at all of our volunteer gatherings, we understand the limits of a ministry budget and the...
written by
Filed Under Blog, Leadership, Volunteers

Last Christmas

🎵 "Last Christmas, we shared these ideas & freebies, but some of you weren’t here. This year, to save you some time, I’m bringing them back in case you missed them." 🎵 Ok, so maybe those aren’t the lyrics, but it’s true! (And you already have my heart anyway, kidmin leader.) Here are our top posts and freebies from Last Christmas! Making Plans: Advent Devotional for KidMin Leaders Many of our resources and freebies are geared toward the kids and families in your ministry, but this one is for YOU, kidmin leader. It’s an overview and preview of a weekly Advent devotion written specifically with children’s ministry leaders in mind.  3 Candy Cane Games for Your KidMin SUBSCRIBER-ONLY ACCESS: Play these fun candy-cane-themed games in your kidmin this Christmas! They’re...
written by
Filed Under Blog, Leadership

3 Things to Do Weekly Between Now and the End of the Year

It's the final countdown of the year and the peak of the holiday season! Between Thanksgiving, Advent, and Christmas, it's a busy time of year. To help you stay focused on the reason for the season and stay sane amidst the chaos, here are 3 things to do weekly between now and the end of the year: Rest: What’s one way I can truly rest in the next 7 days? How can I be intentional to take time off and rest in His presence? Release: What’s one burden I need to hand over to God? What's something I can delegate? What feelings of guilt or stress do I need to let go of? Refill: What spiritual practice or activity brings me life? What sparks joy for me in this season, and how can I prioritize it this week? Each week, ask yourself these questions and set aside time to rest, release, and refill. Your heart, family, and ministry will be...
written by
Filed Under Blog, Leadership

4 Ways to Help Kids Slow Down this Christmas

The Advent season is all about waiting and preparing. Even if your church doesn’t lean into the traditional Advent themes of hope, peace, joy, and love, this season gives us a powerful opportunity to help kids (and ourselves) slow down and focus on Jesus. But let’s be honest. Slowing down in December feels nearly impossible. Between Christmas programs, family gatherings, school events, and sugar-fueled excitement, kids (and adults) are moving at full speed. That’s why Advent matters. It invites us to pause, breathe, and remember what we’re really celebrating. So how can we help kids embrace that slower rhythm of waiting and preparing their hearts for Jesus? Here are a few simple ways to help them do just that: Talk About Waiting - Kids don’t love waiting (and honestly who does?). But waiting is something God uses to grow...
written by
Filed Under Blog, Leadership

What is Advent? Printable for Kids

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=""]Share this printable with the kids in your ministry to teach them an overview of Advent! You could even send it home and encourage them to color a candle each week of Advent. Whether your church celebrates Advent in the traditional sense or not, this simple, overview printable is a great resource to share with kids and families to teach them about the Advent season![/vc_column_text][vc_btn title="Download the printable here!" align="center" css="" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fdeeperkidmin.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2025%2F11%2FDKM-What-is-Advent-Printable-for-Kids.pdf|target:_blank"][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width="1/2"][vc_single_image image="139422" img_size="full" alignment="center" onclick="custom_link" img_link_target="_blank" css=""...
written by
Filed Under Blog, Free Weekly Downloads

20 Creative Ways to Teach the Christmas Story

When you teach the Christmas story every year, it can be hard to find new and engaging ways to teach it. Here are 20 creative and interactive ideas for teaching the Christmas story in your children's ministry this year! Use these ideas during Sunday services, family events, on Christmas Eve, or anytime you want to help kids connect with the story of Jesus’ birth in a fresh way. Find a printable version of this list here.  Interactive Storytelling Ideas Story Stations: Set up simple stations that walk kids through each part of the Christmas story (announcement, journey, birth, angels, shepherds). This event turns the story stations into an "escape room" challenge for kids to decode and discover! Live Nativity Remix: Let kids act out the story using costumes, puppets, or even Lego sets. Christmas Escape Room: Create simple puzzles and clues...
written by
Filed Under Blog, Leadership

Fall Gratitude Journal Pages Freebie

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=""]Use these gratitude-focused, faith-filled journal pages in your children’s ministry this fall! They’re perfect for early-arriver activities, a small group activity, or even a worship response time. Or share them with your families to use at home![/vc_column_text][vc_btn title="Download the fall gratitude journaling pages here! " align="center" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fdeeperkidmin.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2025%2F10%2FDKM-Fall-Gratitude-Journal-Sample-Freebie.pdf|target:_blank"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_single_image image="163409" img_size="full" alignment="center" onclick="custom_link" img_link_target="_blank" link="https://deeperkidmin.com/product/my-fantastic-fall-gratitude-journal/"][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]These pages come from our...
written by
Filed Under Blog, Free Weekly Downloads

Gratitude + Generosity = The Full Picture of Thanksgiving

This post is sponsored by one of our favorite mission organizations: Rice Bowls. Rice Bowls offers a simple and effective way to feed hungry kids around the world, and their Rice Bowl campaigns are the perfect service project for kids! Order rice bowl coin banks (Rice Bowls will send them to you for free here). Families fill them with coins and money, then SMASH THE BOWLS (everyone's favorite part), and you return the money to Rice Bowls to use to feed kids around the world! Learn more about getting involved with Rice Bowls and hosting your own Rice Bowl campaign here. As children's ministry leaders, we love helping kids learn to be thankful. November is full of lessons, crafts, and conversations about gratitude, and rightly so. But if we stop there, we miss something important. Thanksgiving isn’t just about gratitude; it’s also about...
written by
Filed Under Blog, Leadership

10 Tips for Planning Christmas in Your KidMin

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] 10 Tips for Planning the Christmas Season in Children’s Ministry The Christmas season in children’s ministry is full of opportunity and activity. Between Christmas programs, family events, Advent lessons, and volunteer appreciation, it can feel like there’s always more to do. But what if this Christmas you could lead from a place of peace instead of pressure? Here are some practical tips to help you prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus with your kids and families, and join us on November 13 for an online workshop all about making Christmas manageable and meaningful in your kidmin. 1. Start early. Christmas always comes on the same day every year, but it still somehow manages to sneak up on us. The earlier you start planning, the more freedom you’ll have to stay organized and calm once December...
written by
Filed Under Blog, Leadership

Candy Cane Tag Printable

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=""]Use these candy cane tags in a variety of ways to help kids learn about the significance and symbolism of this special Christmas treat! Attach them to real candy canes as a take-home treat or attach them to candy cane ornaments (purchased or handmade by the kids)! We've even included a simple bead candy cane craft idea with the tags! [/vc_column_text][vc_btn title="Download here!" align="center" css="" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fdeeperkidmin.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2025%2F11%2FDKM-Candy-Cane-Poem-Tag-Updated.pdf|target:_blank"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_single_image image="139753" img_size="full" alignment="center" onclick="custom_link" img_link_target="_blank" link="https://deeperkidmin.com/product/candy-cane-christmas-4-week-elementary-series/"][/vc_column][vc_column...
written by
Filed Under Blog, Free Weekly Downloads

The Great 8! Celebrating DKM’s 8th Birthday!

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image="165535" img_size="full" alignment="center" css=""][vc_column_text css=""]It's our party, and we'll give away stuff if we want to. We are celebrating our 8th birthday this week with a special sale and a fun, limited-time bonus! October 19-25, get 30% off EVERY resource on the site! So whether you're thinking about Thanksgiving, planning for Christmas, or even looking ahead to Easter, save big this week in honor of our birthday!  Find our newest resources here, and explore all our resources in the DKM Marketplace here.[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image="165536" img_size="full" alignment="center" css=""][vc_column_text css=""]And if you spend more than $25 during the sale week, we'll mail you a set of our KidMin Stickers (a $9.99 value) for free! We don't often send things in the mail since...
written by
Filed Under Blog, Leadership

Switching Curriculum Without Losing Your Mind (or Your Volunteers): Lessons from a Leader Like You

Making a curriculum switch is no small decision for a children’s ministry. It impacts everything: your volunteers, your parents, your kids, and the way your church teaches God’s Word. I did a digital interview with Vicki Abbott, the Director of Children’s Ministry at Ada Bible Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan, to hear how her team navigated a recent curriculum change. Ada Bible is a multi-site church with 6 campuses, 16 kids ministry staff, and an average of 1,600 kids each weekend. Vicki has faithfully served there for 14 years, and her team recently walked through the big task of transitioning curriculum. Here’s what she shared about their journey and what you can learn if your church is considering the same move: Knowing When It’s Time for a Change How do you know when it’s time to change curriculum? According to Vicki, it...
written by
Filed Under Blog

12 Filters for Curriculum Evaluation in Your Children’s Ministry

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Leaders often ask about curriculum I recommend or how I choose curriculum. And while I point to Deeper KidMin and some of our series for special occasions or seasons, if you’re looking at various larger curriculum companies for your Sunday morning curriculum, the “best” curriculum will vary from church to church. Vicki Abbott, a kidimin leader in Michigan, shared about her experience with switching curricula, and they created these 12 filters for evaluation based on their ministry’s goals. Read about her full experience here, and explore the 12 filters below. Note: These lenses fit the priorities and goals of Vicki and her church. Use them as a brainstorming launch point, but then use your own ministry goals and priorities to create your own list of evaluation filters. [/vc_column_text][vc_btn...
written by
Filed Under Blog, Free Weekly Downloads, Leadership

20 Quick Wins To Serve Young Families in Your Church

I'm in Evansville, IN at the KidzMatter Conference this week, hosting the Deeper KidMin booth in the resource center and teaching 3 breakouts! One of my breakouts is all about how we can best serve young families in our church. My breakout session walks through a S-E-R-V-E acronym, with each letter highlighting a specific action leaders must prioritize with young families. While I'm saving the full details for those who attend my breakout at the conference, here's a little nugget from that session to help you serve the young families in your church... Families with littles are in one of the most demanding, exhausting, and spiritually significant seasons of their lives. When it comes to ministering to families with young children, one of the best things we can do as leaders is to SERVE them well. What does that look like practically? Here are 20...
written by
Filed Under Blog, Leadership

6 Ways to Use Pumpkins In Your KidMin This Fall

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=""] October starts this week, which means pumpkin patches, pumpkin spice, and of course, pumpkin-themed ministry ideas! (Are anyone else's kids as obsessed with pumpkins as mine are?) Pumpkins are fun, familiar, and full of potential when it comes to engaging kids with God’s Word. If you’re looking for simple and seasonal ways to bring pumpkins into your children’s ministry, here are six ideas (and some fall pumpkin resources) that make it easy. 1. Play with Pumpkins - Pumpkins aren’t just for carving. They can also be the star of your next game time! Kids love interactive activities that get them moving, laughing, and connecting with one another. Try a few ready-to-go options like Pumpkin Select, Pumpkin Peekaboo, Pumpkin Jokes countdown, or Pumpkin Shuffle to bring some pumpkin fun into your large...
written by
Filed Under Blog, Leadership

Prayer Pumpkin Activity for Families

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Share this simple but intentional pumpkin craft with your families this fall to encourage them to pray together and consider different kinds of prayer. Using easy-to-find supplies, families will write prayer requests on orange slips of paper and turn those prayers into a pumpkin to display in their home throughout the fall season![/vc_column_text][vc_btn title="Download the Prayer Pumpkin Activity Here!" align="center" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fdeeperkidmin.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2022%2F08%2FDKM-Prayer-Pumpkin-Freebie.pdf|target:_blank"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_single_image image="39441" img_size="full" alignment="center" onclick="custom_link" img_link_target="_blank" link="https://deeperkidmin.com/product/treat-street-to-go/"][/vc_column][vc_column...
written by
Filed Under Blog, For Parents, Free Weekly Downloads

15 Fall Service Projects for Families

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The fall season is the perfect time to encourage families to serve your church and your community! Here are 15 fall service project ideas families can complete together: Write a thank you note to your teacher Shop for and stuff a box for Operation Christmas Child (This event guide does the work for you!) Leave a snack & note for the mail carrier Clean something for someone else Raise & donate money for offering or a mission partner at church Pick up trash in a local park Visit a nursing home Donate used towels and blankets to a local animal shelter OR make no-sew blankets for your local homeless shelter or foster care (This event guide includes a fun way to celebrate the blankets with bananas splits too!) Send flowers to someone going through a hard time Volunteer at church...
written by
Filed Under Blog, For Parents, Leadership

Fall Reminds Us: God’s Word Never Changes

As we head into the fall season, it often brings change. Change of routines as kids head back to school. Change in the weather as the temperature cools down and the days get shorter. Maybe even a change of ministry rhythms and events. But one thing that never changes? God's Word. Which is why I'm excited to share a guest blog post this week from Tricia Machel, a DKM Vendor, who is passionate about helping kids dig into God's Word. Plus, we're celebrating that Tricia now has activity pages available for over 400 passages of Scripture!!! Find them all here or use the search bar to search for a specific passage, and read more about helping kids remember that God's Word never changes below.  Fall... autumn… a season that echoes the pattern of life. The pattern of change. Life is full of changes. We experience changes every single day: ...
written by
Filed Under Blog, Leadership

Starburst Candy Devotional Printable

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Use Starburst candy and this printable devotional to help kids learn about having the right attitude that comes from the Fruit of the Spirit![/vc_column_text][vc_btn title="Download Starburst Candy Devotion Here!" align="center" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fdeeperkidmin.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2019%2F09%2FDKM-Starburst-Candy-Devotion-Freebie.pdf||target:%20_blank|"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]Want even more candy devotionals? Check out the Sweet Thoughts Download: Quick devotions flavored by different candies that anyone can do! Click here to learn more.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_single_image image="12646" img_size="full" alignment="center" onclick="custom_link" img_link_target="_blank"...
written by
Filed Under Blog, For Parents, Free Weekly Downloads

From Resources to Relationships: Shifting Your Mindset in Partnering with Parents

When most ministry leaders talk about equipping parents, they usually mean one thing: providing resources. And while there’s nothing wrong with handing out resources (we love a good family resource here at Deeper KidMin), if our strategy for partnering with parents stops there, we’re missing the bigger picture. Equipping parents is more than just distributing resources. If our only strategy for engaging families is giving them materials (that don't even make it into the house half the time), we’ve slipped into what I call a “vending machine mindset.” In a vending machine mindset… The children’s ministry leader simply provides resources with little interaction. Parents are expected to come to us: our buildings, our events, our parent resource shelves. Families may not know how to use what we’ve provided (or may not...
written by
Filed Under Blog, Leadership
Copyright © 2017-2024 Deeper KidMin | chriscorbett.design | Privacy Policy | Terms of Services

Select Wishlist