Categories: Blog

VBS Mad Libs Game For Kids

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Use the VBS-themed Mad Lib game in this week's free download for a fun activity to play with your kids! Underneath each blank line in the story, there is a prompt for the type of word you need. Make a copy for each child to make their own story, or use it as a group activity. To use in a small or large group setting: One at a time, call on kids to help you fill in the blanks, but only tell them the prompt, not the title, theme, or sentence. Write down kids’ answers in the blank, then read your Mad Lib VBS Story to the kids once all of the blanks are filled in. It’s sure to get some laughs! [/vc_column_text][vc_btn title="Download the Mad Libs Game Here!" align="center"...
written by
Filed Under Blog, Free Weekly Downloads, Leadership

Hoops: A Social-Distanced Kids Event

Jolie, the children's pastor at my church, came up with a BRILLIANT social-distanced kids event for the K-5th graders at our church, and she has graciously agreed to let me share her ideas with you! What is Hoops? A social-distanced event for kids that everyone loves (and that's easy to host)! How does Hoops work? Set up hula hoops 6ft apart in your church or ministry space. Invite kids to pack a lunch and meet you at the church (we divide up by small groups - each small group comes on a specific day to keep our numbers low). Hoops is a social-distanced kids event where parents drop their kids off at the church at 11:15 am for lunch, then pick the kids up again at 12:15 once lunch is over. Kids enter the building, find a hula hoop to sit in, and the fun begins! We talk, laugh, play a game, invite kids to share any prayer requests, and then...
written by
Filed Under Blog, For Parents, Leadership

Made in His Image Family Devotional

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Talking to kids about racial issues can be intimidating, but share this free devotional with your parents to help them start conversations about equality, race, and justice at home![/vc_column_text][vc_btn title="Download the free devotional here! " align="center" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fdeeperkidmin.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2020%2F06%2FDKM-Free-Truth-1-of-Precious-in-His-Sight.pdf||target:%20_blank|"][vc_column_text]The devotional includes Scripture verses, discussion questions, and an easy object lesson to help kids understand and apply biblical truths.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_single_image image="34486" img_size="full" alignment="center" onclick="custom_link" img_link_target="_blank"...
written by
Filed Under Blog, For Parents, Free Weekly Downloads

2020 Halfway Checkpoint

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]We're just about halfway through the year 2020. Have you seen those memes about how 2020 has gone so far? Here are some of my favorites...[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image="34544" img_size="full" alignment="center"][vc_single_image image="34545" img_size="full" alignment="center"][vc_single_image image="34546" img_size="full" alignment="center"][vc_single_image image="34547" img_size="full" alignment="center"][vc_single_image image="34549" img_size="full" alignment="center"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]These make me smile, but what a tough and strange year it's been (and I think we've all felt like Chandler at some point)! When God put the word "change" on my heart as my word for 2020, I had no idea how much things would change! I expected the changes that would come with life...
written by
Filed Under Blog, Leadership

Return-To-Worship FAQs

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]As you return to in-person worship services, your families probably have a lot of questions about what that means for their kids. Use this list of frequently-asked-questions about returning to worship to help communicate the changes with your families. Post these FAQs on your church website, as social media posts (download a set of editable pre-made Canva templates here), and/or in email communications with your families.[/vc_column_text][vc_btn title="Download the FAQs list here! " align="center" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fdeeperkidmin.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2020%2F06%2FDeeper-KidMin-Return-to-Worship-FAQs-Freebie.pdf||target:%20_blank|"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_single_image image="34461" img_size="full" alignment="center" onclick="custom_link" img_link_target="_blank"...
written by
Filed Under Blog, For Parents, Free Weekly Downloads, Leadership

Be a Traffic Light Ministry

One of the churches in my area, 12Stone Church, proposed a simple but profound analogy for talking about COVID-19 with its members and community. In the notes from their May 2020 message, they explain: A Traffic Light Green Light - Go Yellow Light - Proceed with caution Red Light - Stop There are 3 different groups of people and how they view COVID-19. Green Light - Don't wear mask or use hand sanitizer. Believes we should not shut down everything. Let people decide their own risk. Green will immediately return to church with no worries. Yellow Light - Believes there is a reason to be cautious and will abide by the rules set - will wear a mask and will obey social distancing. Yellow will return to church but not immediately. Red Light - Those who are afraid to leave their homes because the risk is not worth it. Red...
written by
Filed Under Blog, Leadership

Encouragement Challenge for Kids

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]With all that's going on in the world these days, we could use a bit of encouragement (and if you need some yourself, be encouraged here). Summer is a great time to help kids practice the discipline of encouragement![/vc_column_text][vc_btn title="Download the Encouragement Challenge Here!" align="center" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fdeeperkidmin.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2020%2F06%2FDKM-Encouragement-Challenge-Grow-Like-Jesus-Freebie.pdf||target:%20_blank|"][vc_column_text]Print or email copies of the pages in the freebie, share with your families, and challenge kids to encourage others and "fill up their hearts" this summer.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text] This freebie is an excerpt from the Grow Like Jesus Summer Growth Plan, a self-guided growth program that...
written by
Filed Under Blog, For Parents, Free Weekly Downloads

Encouragement for the Worn Out KidMin Leader

Usually, you're worn out by now because of all the excitement and energy that goes into prepping (or completing) VBS, but this summer, you might be exhausted for a completely different reason. Maybe you've finally got the hang of the technology you need to host Zoom calls and FaceBook Lives, but that doesn't mean it takes any less energy to be engaging over video. Maybe you feel like your creativity is spent when it comes to games that are Zoom-friendly. (We can help with that! See our best online-friendly games here.) Maybe you're wrestling with your own understanding of racial injustice and aren't sure how to equip your families to move toward racial reconciliation too. Maybe you're driving all over town to deliver Summer Fun Packs to every family since you can't yet meet in person. Maybe you're in the midst of reopening and...
written by
Filed Under Blog, Leadership

To The Best POP Father’s Day Printable

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Summertime means Father's Day, and you can use this printable to give a little gift to the men in your church this summer season! Hand out the gifts during service, offer them at a drive-through service, or make a few runs to deliver them right to your families' front doors! See other resources for Summer 2020 here.[/vc_column_text][vc_btn title="Download the Father's Day Printable Here!" align="center" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fdeeperkidmin.com%2Fproduct%2Fto-the-best-pop-fathers-day-printable%2F|target:_blank"][vc_column_text]Print the freebie on cardstock, cut out the circles, and attach to a bag of popcorn or a can/bottle of soda using ribbon or tape. For the popcorn, tie them around an unpopped bag or even a gourmet bag of popcorn like these. For the soda, purchase a variety of different sodas and just tie the...
written by
Filed Under Blog, For Parents, Free Weekly Downloads

Summer Resources for Your Children’s Ministry

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Summer 2020 will probably look different than any other summer in kidmin. Here are some resources to help you connect with your families, whether you're able to meet in person or not.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_single_image image="32588" img_size="full" alignment="center" onclick="custom_link" img_link_target="_blank" link="https://deeperkidmin.com/product/grow-like-jesus-summer-growth-plan-for-kids/"][vc_custom_heading text="Grow Like Jesus: Summer Growth Plan for Kids" font_container="tag:h2|text_align:center" use_theme_fonts="yes" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fdeeperkidmin.com%2Fproduct%2Fgrow-like-jesus-summer-growth-plan-for-kids%2F||target:%20_blank|"][vc_column_text]Grow Like Jesus is a self-guided, choose-your-own-adventure summer growth plan that gives children...
written by
Filed Under Blog, Leadership

Summer Fun Packs Details & Links Freebie

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Earlier this week, we shared about how our mission partners at Path Project are creating Summer Fun Packs for the kids in their various communities. As promised, here is a freebie of their plans with all the links and details so you can create your own Summer Fun Packs for the kids in your ministry too![/vc_column_text][vc_btn title="Click here to download the plans!" align="center" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fdeeperkidmin.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2020%2F05%2FDKM-Path-Project-Summer-Fun-Kits-2020.pdf||target:%20_blank|"][vc_column_text]This freebie gives you a full month's worth of weekly summer goodies for your kids that will help them connect with the church and their family. And let's be honest, parents will thank you for providing something for the kids to do! Use the ideas and links in the download as...
written by
Filed Under Blog, For Parents, Free Weekly Downloads, Leadership

Resources for Talking With Kids About Race

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Racism is a sin. In an episode of The Kids Ministry Collective Podcast, Mahogany Dudley-Finley labels racism for what it is: a sin. She encourages children's ministry leaders to recognize that and then approach teaching about racism the same way we teach children about other sins. (Listen to the full podcast episode here.) As we examine our own hearts regarding racism and equip the families we lead to do the same, here are some resources to facilitate conversations and change on a personal, communal, and global level:[/vc_column_text][vc_tta_accordion][vc_tta_section title="Resources to Share with Families" tab_id="1591196869353-de23a9f8-e82a"][vc_column_text] Resource Roundup - An entire blog post about talking with kids about race including developmental studies (babies as young as 6 months notice...
written by
Filed Under Blog, Book Shelf, For Parents, Leadership

Summer Fun Packs from the Path Project

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Because you chose to download resources from us here at Deeper KidMin in May, we were able to support our mission partners, Path Project, in their special Summer Fun Packs initiative! Like many of us, Path Project usually has camps, retreats, and more during the summer, which have all been canceled this year. So they created the Summer Fun Packs as a way to provide kids with resources to stay connected and have fun! We used a portion of our May sales to sponsor a Summer Fun Pack for 8 different kids in the Buford, Georgia community. THANK YOU for helping us make that possible!  I was so excited to donate 8 Summer Fun Packs, and the more I looked into them, the more I thought, "Well hey, that's a fun idea for children's ministry leaders too!" So I reached out to the community director of the Buford location...
written by
Filed Under Blog, For Parents, Leadership

“Why do we do it?” Helping Kids Understand Worship Practices

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Kids ask a lot of questions. And they might be asking questions about your family or adult service that their parents don't know how to answer. Share this printable with the families in your ministry to help parents teach their kids about worship practices. The more kids understand what they're doing and why, the more they'll engage in the service! [/vc_column_text][vc_btn title="Download the printable here! " align="center" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fdeeperkidmin.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2020%2F05%2FDKM-Why-Do-We-Do-It-Freebie.pdf||target:%20_blank|"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_single_image image="29708" img_size="full" alignment="center" onclick="custom_link" img_link_target="_blank" link="https://deeperkidmin.com/product/a-guide-to-family-worship/"][/vc_column][vc_column...
written by
Filed Under Blog, For Parents, Free Weekly Downloads, Leadership

Church in Cars? Drive In and Drive Through Church

As churches experiment with ways to gather their people in a safe and controlled environment during the pandemic, one popular idea is holding church in cars with either a drive-in or a drive-through service! What's the difference? A drive-in service typically involves participants driving to the church parking lot, parking their cars, and viewing the service from their vehicle. A drive-through service means the families drive through a designated route on the church campus, stopping by different stations to interact with the pastors or complete aspects of worship (like giving offering, taking Communion, picking up family devotionals from the kids department, etc.). Both offer ways for your church community to connect with you, see each other, and be on the church campus, all while staying safe.  Vanessa Myers, one of our DKM Marketplace Vendors...
written by
Filed Under Blog, Leadership

Emoji Sermon Notes for Kids

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Share this Emoji Sermon Notes printable with your kids to help them engage in a family or adult service! They're the perfect addition to your worship activity bags for kids! Find more ideas and printables for sermon notes for kids here, and dive deeper into the topic of including, not just occupying, kids in a family service with this online training.[/vc_column_text][vc_btn title="Download the Emoji Sermon Notes Printable Here!" align="center" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fdeeperkidmin.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2020%2F05%2FDKM-Emoji-Sermon-Notes-Freebie.pdf||target:%20_blank|"][vc_single_image image="30696" img_size="large" alignment="center" onclick="custom_link" img_link_target="_blank"...
written by
Filed Under Blog, For Parents, Free Weekly Downloads

Parent Note for Family Worship

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]As you're planning and preparing worship activity bags to help kids engage in your family services, don't forget to address the parents too! Attending a worship service as a family might be brand-new territory for your families, and parents may feel anxious or nervous about their child(ren) being disruptive during the service. Use this week's free download to help put parents at ease! For more resources to help prepare your families for an intergenerational service, check out our 5 practical tips for family worship, our Guide to Family Worship resource, and our online ministry training all about including (not just occupying) kids in a family service![/vc_column_text][vc_btn title="Download the Parent Note For Family Services Here!" align="center"...
written by
Filed Under Blog, For Parents, Free Weekly Downloads, Leadership

Worship Activity Bags: Praise Packs

As churches begin reopening after COVID-19, many will keep families together in one service for a while before opening their children's ministry. That means babies through adults will be worshiping together in one setting, and while that excites us as children's and family ministers, parents and senior pastors may not be so thrilled. In an interview with Michayla White from the International Network of Children's Ministry on FaceBook Live, I share some ideas for engaging (not just occupying) kids in your services. (This conversation turned into me teaching a breakout session on this topic at several children's ministry conferences + making the breakout session available online here.) One of my favorite ways is to provide worship activity bags, which we call Praise Packs! Praise Packs are a goody bag with activities that help kids engage and...
written by
Filed Under Blog, For Parents, Leadership

10 Free Zoom Game Ideas

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Here's a set of fun games to play together with your kids via Zoom! They are all simple and require no prep for the leader or the kids. It comes with a set of instructions for each game, and they are all simple enough for most ages. The instructions include special details for playing these games  (some very common) over Zoom in a virtual environment![/vc_column_text][vc_btn title="Download the Zoom games here!" align="center" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fdeeperkidmin.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2020%2F04%2FDeeper-KidMin-Digital-Zoom-Games-Freebie.pdf||target:%20_blank|"][vc_column_text]Games Include: Deserted Island Simon Says Two Truths and a Lie Six Minute Memoirs Most Unique Show & Tell Would You Rather? Virtual Scavenger Hunt Emoji Hunt Virtual...
written by
Filed Under Blog, Free Weekly Downloads, Leadership

Reopening Your Children’s Ministry After COVID-19

Here in Georgia, Governor Kemp has given churches permission to reopen their doors and resume services, as long as we maintain strict social distancing protocols. This announcement has pushed churches to begin the discussion that causes excitement and makes our heads spin at the same time: What will reopening in-person church services look like, and what does that mean for children's ministry? Whether you're reopening this Sunday or not even considering it until June, here are some ideas & resources from a variety of denominational backgrounds and organizations to help inform your decision and plan. I'm still trying to figure out what everything will look like too, but I hope this list helps inform your discussions in planning the best possible options for your ministry. Keep these tips in mind when creating your reopening...
written by
Filed Under Blog, Leadership

Periodic Table of the Books of the Bible

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Help kids see the books of the Bible from a cool new (sciency) visual perspective! A fun take on the books of the Bible, this resource is meant to be hung in the style of the scientific periodic table of elements and can be used in a variety of ways to promote Biblical literacy! [/vc_column_text][vc_btn title="Download the Periodic Table of the Books of the Bible here!" align="center" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fdeeperkidmin.com%2Fproduct%2Fperiodic-table-of-the-books-of-the-bible%2F||target:%20_blank|"][vc_column_text] Ways to Use This Resource: 1. Decoration – Hang this in your church as a reference to use during lessons. When you refer to stories, point out which book of the Bible it comes from. 2. Book Sorting Game – Shuffle up the Old Testament and New Testament books, separately. Hand one sheet to...
written by
Filed Under Blog, Free Weekly Downloads

Think Like a Scientist: Engaging Elementary-Age Kids

Whether online or in-person, if you want to engage elementary-age kids, you have to think like a scientist. I don't mean using beakers and lab coats in your teaching (although that can be fun), but by thinking and teaching concretely. It's Just a Phase (a book you need to have in your kidmin library if you don't already) goes into detail about how elementary-age kids "understand the world through concrete evidence" and learn "through repetition and clear application." They internalize new information best when they can see it happen in their every-day environment, so the more often you can connect a Biblical lesson to an elementary schooler's everyday life, the better. Elementary-age kids think concretely and literally, and they tend to see the world in black and white. Research shows that elementary kids have a strong sense of justice and...
written by
Filed Under Blog, Leadership

Spiritual Growth Assessment For Leaders

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]One of Deeper KidMin's goals is to help you grow kids deeper in their relationships with Christ, but we must be growing deeper in our own faith as leaders too. To grow deeper as leaders, we have to identify and evaluate where our faith currently stands. This week's freebie is a resource from LifeWay Christian resources that walks you through a spiritual assessment in 6 key areas: Abide in Christ, Live in the Word, Pray in Faith, Fellowship with Believers, Witness to the World, and Minister to Others.[/vc_column_text][vc_btn title="Download Spiritual Growth Assessment Here!" align="center" link="url:http%3A%2F%2Fblog.lifeway.com%2Fgrowingdisciples%2Ffiles%2F2013%2F08%2FSpiritual_Growth_Assessment.pdf||target:%20_blank|"][vc_column_text]This personal assessment tool helps you evaluate your spiritual growth in six...
written by
Filed Under Blog, Free Weekly Downloads, Leadership, Volunteers

6 Ways to Grow as a Leader During Quarantine

Whether life has slowed down or gotten even crazier since the COVID-19 quarantining began, you can use this unique season of ministry to grow as a leader if you... Make time to REST. Do this one first, and if you only pick one thing, let it be this one! As a ministry leader, your schedule is always go-go-go, so take advantage of this slower pace of life that we've all been forced into by social distancing and stay-at-home orders. Don't feel pressure to add something to your plate just because your normal schedule looks different or feels smaller, and don't let someone else's approach to online ministry make you feel guilty for the valuable way you're serving your flock. Repeat after me: It's OK if productivity looks different in this season. Enjoying a time of rest will help you reflect, recharge, and refresh so you can be the best leader...
written by
Filed Under Blog, Leadership

Mother’s Day Social Media Templates

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]We mentioned this idea in our list of Quarantine Mother's Day Ideas, and it's super simple! Lots of high schools are doing something like this to honor their 2020 seniors, and you can do it for the moms in your ministry too. Ask families to share a picture (and maybe even a short note/quote), insert their pics into your favorite template below, then share on your church’s social media pages throughout Mother’s Day weekend to honor the moms and women in your ministry! See more social-distanced ministry resources here. Click on your favorite graphic(s) below, and the template(s) will open in a new tab. Right click and save the template to your computer, then insert the template into your favorite graphics editor or even Microsoft PowerPoint to customize them, export them, and...
written by
Filed Under Blog, For Parents, Free Weekly Downloads, Leadership
Copyright © 2017-2024 Deeper KidMin | chriscorbett.design | Privacy Policy | Terms of Services

Select Wishlist