Categories: Blog

6 Promotion Sunday Themes

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Promotion Sunday is one of my favorite days of the whole year! It always has such a great energy as kids are excited to move up into a new class. We host ours right before school starts, so there's the added excitement of the back-to-school season too! I like to make the morning extra special and something out of the ordinary to celebrate all of the new beginnings. Whether you're adding a fun theme to your already-planned curriculum or making the whole morning all about Promotion Sunday, here are a few fun Promotion Sunday themes! Promotion Sundaes - I've always wanted to host a giant ice cream party on Promotion Sunday and make special ice cream sundaes with the kids! Peel some bananas, scoop some ice cream, and drizzle some chocolate syrup for a tasty celebration. Then hand out "Here's the Scoop" print-outs...
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School Year Faith Bucket List for Kids

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]You have probably heard of a bucket list (earlier in the week we talked about making a bucket list for your ministry), but have you ever encouraged kids to make one for their school year that related to their faith in God? In this activity, kids will use the free printable and write down different things they can do to help grow their faith in God. On each clipboard is a different topic. They will use that clipboard to write down things they can do this school year to help grow their faith. After they fill it out, they can keep it in their Bible or hang it on the fridge or in their room so it will help remind them to do these things this school year.[/vc_column_text][vc_btn title="Download the School Year Faith Bucket List Here!" align="center"...
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Legos Creation Object Lesson

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Earlier in the week, we shared about Anne Marie Gosnell's Secret Sermon Object Lesson idea - it's brilliant, by the way - and she has graciously allowed us to share a free sample from her book: What God is Doing: Old Testament Object Lessons for Kids![/vc_column_text][vc_btn title="Download the Free Sample + Creation Object Lesson Here!" align="center" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dropbox.com%2Fs%2Fxqs55ofikssfkrk%2FPages%2520from%2520WhatGodIsDoing_PDFDL_SampleLesson1.pdf%3Fdl%3D0|target:_blank"][vc_column_text]This free sample includes the introduction and the very first object lesson on creation. It uses letter tiles and Legos to teach kids that everything was created by an all-powerful God who is the ultimate designer. Interested in connecting more with Anne Marie? She’s been in some sort of...
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Secret Sermon Object Lessons from Anne Marie Gosnell

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Do you use object lessons in your children's ministry? Have you ever heard of "Secret Sermon" object lessons? I learned about Secret Sermon object lessons from my friend Anne Marie, the creator of Future Flying Saucers. She uses them in their family services each Sunday morning to engage kids and teach them about God's Word. Here's how they work... During a specified time in the family service, the children are invited to the front to sit with Anne Marie. One of them brings a random, surprise object. Anne Marie has to use the object to teach a Bible truth, right on the spot! Anne Marie has posted about a few of her Secret Sermons on Facebook, and I've been so intrigued with the idea. It takes a lot of creativity, quick-thinking, and guts to pull this off well, but she does such a great job. She let me ask her...
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Color Prayer Spinner: Back-to-School Prayer Activity

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Share this prayer activity with the kids and families in your ministry to help them start the school year with intentional prayer! Kids can make the spinners as part of a back-to-school activity/lesson at church or complete the entire thing at home.[/vc_column_text][vc_btn title="Download the Color Prayer Spinner Back-To-School Prayer Activity Here!" align="center" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fdeeperkidmin.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2021%2F07%2FDKM-Color-Prayer-Spinner-Back-To-School-Prayer-Activity-For-Kids.pdf|target:_blank"][vc_column_text] Supplies (per child) Color Prayer Spinner Printable scissors brad/split pin paper clip coloring utensils How it works: Kids create the spinner, then spin it! Whatever color it lands on, kids pray that prompt and color in the wedge. They can do one wedge...
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Sermon Notes Printable for Pre-Readers

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]We both know how important it is to engage, not just occupy kids in a family service, and one effective way to do that is through Sermon Notes for Kids! But what do you do for the kiddos who can't read yet? This week's free printable may help![/vc_column_text][vc_btn title="Download the Pre-Reader Sermon Notes Here!" align="center" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fdeeperkidmin.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2021%2F06%2FDKM-Sermon-Notes-for-Pre-Readers.pdf|target:_blank"][vc_column_text]Share the printable above with the little ones in your ministry to help them engage in a family worship service. At the beginning of the service, parents will need to explain to their kids what to do, but then the pre-readers just listen for the words they're looking for and practice their writing/coloring skills! And if you're looking for...
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3 Ways to Make Families Hate Coming To Your Family Worship Service

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Family worship services offer a great opportunity for intergenerational worship and to teach kids what it means to be part of the body of Christ. But family services are often new experiences for families and leaders alike, and they can be intimidating for everyone involved. If you really want to make your families hate attending your service, just do these 3 things... Don't communicate with parents. Parents probably have a lot of questions about what a family service may entail. How long will it last? What if their kids are noisy? What if the kids can't sit still? Don't address any of these questions ahead of time; families will figure it out when they arrive. Work to keep kids quiet. Rather than engaging kids and inviting them into the service, do what you can to provide activities and busy bags that...
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Identity in Christ Self-Portrait

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Using Scripture, kids can understand who they are because of who God says they are. Unless kids hear and embrace the truths God declares about them, they will not come to a full understanding of who they are in Christ and will never reach their full God-given potential. Use this simple activity as a way to remind kids who they are in Christ! [/vc_column_text][vc_btn title="Download the Activity Here!" align="center" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fdeeperkidmin.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2021%2F06%2FDKM-Identity-in-Christ-Self-Portrait-Activity.pdf|target:_blank"][vc_column_text] Give a copy of the download above to kids and invite them to draw a self-portrait. Above and around their self-portrait, kids should write some of the words or phrases from the Identity in Christ Truths List included in the download. Kids...
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Identity Truths Kids Need to Know

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]In a world that is constantly telling kids who they are and who they should be, we have a vital responsibility as children's ministry leaders to teach kids about who they are in Christ. Unless kids hear and embrace the truths God declares about them, they will not come to a full understanding of who they are in Christ and will never reach their full God-given potential. Here are just a few important truths kids need to internalize... I am who God says I am. (“So God created human beings in his own likeness..." Genesis 1:27 (NIrV)) In Christ, I am REDEEMED. (“'For I have redeemed you,’ God says.” Isaiah 43:1 (NKJV)) In Christ, I am a NEW CREATION. ("When anyone lives in Christ, the new creation has come. The old is gone! The new is here!" 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIrV)) In Christ, I am a CHILD...
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Color-Themed Preschool Playdate

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Host a preschool playdate that invites little ones and their parents to fellowship with one another and learn about God's beautiful colors through storytime and play! Read the suggested book (or another book about colors), then set up the play stations and allow kids to enjoy time together while their parents fellowship too![/vc_column_text][vc_btn title="Download a Printable Copy Here!" align="center" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fdeeperkidmin.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2021%2F06%2FDKM-Color-themed-Preschool-Playdate.pdf|target:_blank"][vc_column_text] Supplies: Storytime book, items of various colors & matching color bowls (i.e. buttons, feathers, paper shapes, plastic blocks, pom poms, and pipe cleaners for sensory table), bubbles, wands, paper plates, colored streamers (cut into 4-inch pieces), glue sticks,...
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Books to Stock in your Church Nursery or Preschool

Reading books to babies, toddlers, and preschoolers helps them build language, learn about the world around them, and develop listening skills. Even reading to babies is important to help them begin developing the tone and rhythm of language. So as you're snuggling with babies and playing with preschoolers, here are some books I recommend for your church nursery or preschool classes. Are there any you recognize? Are there any you'd add to these lists? Nursery Books: Good News! God Made Me! by Glennys Nellist (this is one of my toddler's favorites!) Thank You, God from A to Z by Pamela Kennedy Baby's Hug-a-Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones First 100 Words by Roger Priddy Psalms of Praise: A Movement Primer by Danielle Hitchen and Jessica Blanchard All Day Long, God Loves Me by Mikal Keefer First I Say a Prayer by Crystal Bowman...
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Father’s Day Tie Goody Bags Craft

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Kids can make these cute bags in class and fill them with snacks to share or activities to do with their dads or father figures for Father's Day! (And find more Father's Day resources here!)[/vc_column_text][vc_btn title="Download the instructions here!" align="center" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fdeeperkidmin.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2021%2F06%2FFathers-Day-Tie-Goody-Bags-Freebie.pdf|target:_blank"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_single_image image="59115" img_size="full" alignment="center" onclick="custom_link" img_link_target="_blank" link="https://deeperkidmin.com/product/fathers-day-holiday-history-series/"][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]This craft is one of the activities in the Father's Day Holiday History lesson, The full lesson teaches kids about the history of...
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Sizzling Summer Resources for Your KidMin

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Things are heating up as summer rolls around, but that doesn't mean the spiritual life of your kids has to cool down! While summertime often means even more sporadic church attendance as families enjoy trips, vacations, and downtime, the summer can be an opportunity for spiritual growth for the kids and families you lead. Let us help you and your families dive into God's Word this summer with some of these sizzling summer resources![/vc_column_text][vc_toggle title="New for 2021" custom_font_container="tag:h2|text_align:left|color:%233ac1e1" custom_use_theme_fonts="yes" use_custom_heading="true"] Summer Social Media Challenges - We know that summer (and especially summer in a worldwide pandemic!) can be a tough time to try to connect with families, so this resource includes eight simple and fun ideas you...
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Hope in the Darkness Gospel Illusion Object Lesson

We're preparing for our VBS next week, and we're adapting one of the awesome tricks in Dynamic Dan's video Burning with God's Word to help teach kids about how Jesus gives us hope when life gets difficult! Here's how it works: Supplies:  Butcher paper on a canvas/board Thermochromic color-changing pigment Mod Podge Paintbrush Black Sharpie/something that writes in black permanent ink Water Blowtorch or hairdryer (something that gives off heat) Small bowl Prep: Use the black sharpie/permanent ink to write the word "HOPE" on the butcher paper. In the bowl, combine some of the thermochromic pigment with a mixture of water and Mod Podge. You may want to experiment with the water/mod podge ratio, but a good starting place is 50/50. Instructions: Pull out the butcher paper on the canvas/board so that everyone...
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Faith Spark App – Digital Discipleship Platform for KidMin

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]After digging into digital discipleship in children's ministry this April, I heard about a new app called Faith Spark and had to share! (Note: I have not paid to endorse Faith Spark, and I won't earn anything if you choose to check it out. It's just a really cool resource that I wanted to make sure you knew about!) Faith Spark is a discipleship platform and follow-up app that connects kids to their faith community. It was originally designed for camps to use to follow up with kids after leaving camp, but after spending some time on the app myself, (you can request your own free trial here), I can see so many great ways to use this app in your children's ministry! Small group (and large group) communications - The chat feature allows you to connect with kids and talk with them throughout the week. You can...
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Trinity Printable for Kids

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]With Pentecost Sunday coming this weekend, you may be thinking of ways to teach kids about the Holy Spirit. The Trinity can be a difficult subject to teach kids, but it's an important theological foundation for the Christian faith. Use this free download to help teach kids about the Trinity![/vc_column_text][vc_btn title="Download the Trinity Printable for Kids Here!" align="center" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fdeeperkidmin.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2021%2F05%2FDKM-Trinity-Printable-for-Kids.pdf|target:_blank"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_single_image image="53990" img_size="full" alignment="center" onclick="custom_link" img_link_target="_blank" link="https://deeperkidmin.com/product/the-trinity-preschool-pack/"][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]Want even more printables...
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Teaching Kids About Pentecost

Does your church recognize and celebrate Pentecost Sunday? It's a church holiday that I didn't even learn about until I was an adult, but recognizing Pentecost offers great value to kids in teaching them about the early church and the Holy Spirit. Use this resource and the ideas below to help your kids and families learn about and celebrate this special day in the Church! What is Pentecost? Pentecost is a Christian day that commemorates the descending of the Holy Spirit and the beginning of the church, also known as the birthday of the church. You can read about Pentecost and the coming of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2. Christians celebrate this day on the 50th day after Easter. And - because God's timing is so cool and He intentionally orchestrates events - Pentecost is actually a Jewish holiday, also called Shavuot, that happened 50 days after...
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Baby Dedication Gifts From Your Ministry

I'd bet there were a lot of baby dedications this past weekend for Mother's Day. What a perfect day to honor new babies and welcome them into your church family! But did you feel fully equipped to teach the parents what a baby dedication is all about? Because - plot twist - a baby dedication is not about the baby. It's about the parents and their commitment to raise their child in the church. It's about the church's commitment to partner with parents in the discipleship of their child. (Psst - If you want a full resource to help you communicate the significance of a child dedication, check out our baby dedication guide here.) Many leaders and churches also give a special gift to the family for a baby dedication to help them commemorate the day and start them off on their discipleship journey as a family. Here are some of the most popular...
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Types of Learners Digital Volunteer Training Freebie

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Earlier this week, we talked about connecting digitally with your volunteers, so now we're sharing a free resource to help you do just that! Use this free download to share information about different types of learners with your volunteers via social media. This free download includes 2 social media graphics for 5 different types of learners + a set of captions to use with them! These can be shared in your private teacher/volunteer Facebook group, on your website, as part of a digital training, and more! Please note: Because this freebie is a zipped folder with multiple files, it cannot be downloaded or viewed on a mobile device.[/vc_column_text][vc_btn title="Download the Digital Volunteer Training Freebie here!"...
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Connecting Digitally With Your Volunteers

We can't talk about ministry - even digital ministry - without talking about volunteers! Whether you use texts, emails, vlogs, blog posts, or social media, take advantage of our digital world to connect with your volunteers, especially in this season of COVID-19. One of the ways I connected digitally with my volunteers (especially since we were a mobile church and had no permanent space) was through a Volunteer Facebook Group. The Volunteer Facebook Group was a secret group, meaning volunteers could request permission to join, but only I (the Children’s Ministry Director) could approve their request. All posts in this group were private and only seen by members of the group. Volunteers could request to join the Facebook Group after training. We used this secret group to ask for subs/switching weeks of service, share news or funny stories...
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5 Social Media Tips for Your KidMin

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Mark 16:15 says, “He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.” With over 3.6 billion users worldwide, social media allows us to “go into all the world” in powerful and far-reaching ways. Churches and ministries that use social media well can create new and effective avenues for discipleship and sharing the gospel. But how do we do that? Be safe - We do our best to keep kids and volunteers safe when they walk through our doors, and we have to work to keep them safe online too. Consider creating a social media policy for your children's ministry that addresses how staff and volunteers should interact with and through social media, and do your best to maintain safety and integrity when posting online.  Be where your people are - I have some good news for...
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Double Feature Freebie: Emoji Prayer Activity + God’s Promises Cards

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Confession: I couldn't decide between 2 awesome freebies this week, so we're giving away BOTH![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_custom_heading text="Emoji Prayer Activity" font_container="tag:h2|text_align:center" use_theme_fonts="yes" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fdeeperkidmin.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2021%2F04%2FDKM-Emoji-Prayer-Activity-All-the-Feels.pdf"][vc_column_text]Invite kids to pray about their feelings using this Emoji Prayer Activity. Kids choose an emoji that describes their feelings, then color it in and write a prayer to God about their feeling(s) on the back of the paper. (This version is based off the original Back To School Emoji Prayer Activity). This activity comes from our 6-week zoom-based preteen study, All the Feels, that invites preteens to explore...
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5 Tips for Engaging Kids Through Video

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]As you're returning to in-person services, you may consider continuing your virtual lessons as part of your digital discipleship strategy.  Use the tips below to make it the best possible experience for your kids and families (and you)! Make a plan. Just like you wouldn't walk into a regular Sunday morning without a plan for the day, don't try to do that with a video either! Make sure you and your team know the order and flow of the video, and be sure to set any props off-screen but within reach. You may also want to have links ready to share, like links to a folder on Google Drive of activity worksheets that go with the lesson, links to worship videos, links to a video lesson, and more! (Just make sure your curriculum & worship songs allow sharing the resources in this way). Spend the time prepping for...
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Sample Social Media Policy for KidMin

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]We can all recognize that the world of technology keeps changing and the digital age is here to stay. Therefore, we should be committed to ensuring that we embrace modern methods of communication and sharing the gospel. But we also understand that some digital methods of communication require regulation so that they can be more effective and so we can ensure the safety and integrity of our teams and our families. This free social media policy template provides guidelines for church staff, volunteers, and leaders when using social media tools on behalf of or in the role of your children's ministry. These policies are set in place to protect the children, families, volunteers, and leaders of your ministry when engaging in digital discipleship.[/vc_column_text][vc_btn title="Download the Social Media Policy...
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Safety & Integrity in Digital Discipleship

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Safety and integrity are vital parts of a healthy children's ministry, and that applies to our digital ministry strategy too. So how can we keep our kids, families, and volunteers safe while engaging in digital discipleship?  Update your policies and procedures. We have policies for keeping our kids, volunteers, and staff safe in other areas of ministry, and our online presence shouldn’t be any different. This Friday, we'll share a free children's ministry social media sample policy template you can use to help you get started plus a few examples from other churches. When thinking about writing your digital/social media policies, think about identifying: What is allowed to be shared? (pictures, topics, names, etc.)? Who is allowed to share it? (Can volunteers post pictures from...
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