The Power of Little Moments: 10 Ways Parents Can Nurture Faith in Children At Home

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Earlier this spring, we dedicated our youngest in a Sunday morning church service. It was a sweet moment when even our toddler was included in the charge to raise up our daughter in the Christian faith. We stood before the church, the pastor held our baby girl to show her off to the congregation, and he shared words of wisdom, advice, and encouragement. We prayed together, asking God to help us as parents lead her into a life-giving relationship with Him. And I of course took lots of pictures of her in her sweet little dedication dress.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_single_image image="107370" img_size="full" alignment="center"][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_single_image image="107368" img_size="full"...

Certificate of Dedication

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]A family dedicating their child to the Lord is a special time of celebration for the church and the family. Many families may want a keepsake of the day. Use this free certificate of dedication to share with your families and help them remember this special time.[/vc_column_text][vc_btn title="Download the Certificate Here!" align="center" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fdeeperkidmin.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2023%2F07%2FDKM-Certificate-of-Dedication-Freebie.pdf|target:_blank"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_single_image image="102800" img_size="full" alignment="center" onclick="custom_link" img_link_target="_blank" link="https://deeperkidmin.com/product/parent-child-dedication-milestone-class/"][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]Want to help parents understand the true meaning...

Fruit Pizza: Fruit of the Spirit Family Activity

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]As you're encouraging families to taste and see God's goodness this summer, share this fun fruit of the Spirit activity with your families to do together this summer![/vc_column_text][vc_btn title="Download the Fruit Pizza Family Activity Here!" align="center" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fdeeperkidmin.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2023%2F06%2FDeeper-KidMin-Fruit-Pizza-Freebie-updated.pdf"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_single_image image="13453" img_size="full" alignment="center" onclick="custom_link" img_link_target="_blank" link="https://deeperkidmin.com/product/church-take-out-box-fruit-of-the-spirit-edition/"][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]Use the second page of this download to share the recipe with your families digitally or as print-outs. And if you really want to...

Father’s Day Ideas for your Children’s Ministry

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Celebrate the dads and men in your church this Father's Day with these fun ideas! TEACHING Father's Day Holiday History Lesson CRAFTS/PRINTABLES Father's Day Coloring Cards Father's Day Dad Joke Coloring Cards Father's Day All In One Pack Father's Day Tie Goody Bag Craft Father's Day Printables Father's Day Tie Craft Father's Day Coupons To the Best Pop (Soda or Popcorn) GAMES Does Dad Have Hair on His Chinny Chin Chin?  Double Vision: Father's Day Name That Super Dad Screen Game Father's Day Minute to Win It Games MEDIA Father's Day All in One Pack  I Love My Dad Because... Mini Movie Things Dads Say Mini Movie  Dad Jokes Mini Movie Dad You're the Best Version 1 (Title Graphics and matching Social Media Graphics) Dad You're the Best...

10 Games To Help Kids Memorize Scripture

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Here are 10 games to help kids memorize Scripture! Use these 10 ideas (and learn about 10 more) with these monthly memory verse cards for kids.  Echo-Game: Say the verse and have the kid repeat each phrase as an echo. To keep it interesting, the leader can use funny voices (loud, soft, sad, excited, tired, high-pitched, funny accents). Hang Man: Write the verse with all blank spaces (except fill in a couple words, such as “and” and “the”) and play Hang Man with the kids guessing letters one at a time to try and figure out the verse. Erase a Word: Write the verse on a chalkboard or white board, and say it with the kids over and over, erasing one or two words each time. You’ll get down to no words written out, and the kids will have to say the verse from memory. Mix It Up: Write or print...

Dive into these Summer Resources!

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Dive into these summer resources to make a splash in your ministry this summer! Explore the brand-new-for-2023 summer resources below, but find ALL the summer events, curriculum, family resources, and more here.[/vc_column_text][vc_btn title="Explore all Summer Resources here!" align="center" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fdeeperkidmin.com%2Fsummer-resources-2023%2F|target:_blank"][products columns="2" orderby="rand" order="ASC" ids="104365, 104647, 93366, 104582, 104624, 104615, 85144, 85245, 104510, 103635, 103637, 103815, 93849, 102938, 98406, 88074"][vc_btn title="Explore all Summer Resources here!" align="center" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fdeeperkidmin.com%2Fsummer-resources-2023%2F|target:_blank"][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Mother’s Day Digital Gift Card Template

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Use this free template to gift the moms in your ministry with a digital gift card to Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts, Chick-fil-a, or any restaurant that has an app or e-gift cards that let you simply scan a barcode on your phone to pay! Happy Mother's Day![/vc_column_text][vc_btn title="Download instructions + template links here!" align="center" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fdeeperkidmin.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2023%2F04%2FDKM-Mothers-Day-Digital-Coffee-Gift-Card-Template.pdf|target:_blank"][/vc_column][/vc_row]

How To Treat the Moms in Your Ministry to a Free Cup of Coffee!

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]What mom doesn't appreciate a little caffeine? This Mother's Day, give the gift of free coffee to the moms in your ministry in a fun and creative way! You may have seen businesses, leaders, and even other churches share a Starbucks gift card on their social media to buy their community a cup of coffee on them (we've even done this at Deeper KidMin a time or two). Here's how they did it and how you can do it for the moms in your ministry this Mother's Day! Download the Starbucks app to your phone and sign into (or create) your free account. (Lol let's be honest you probably already have it downloaded right? KidMin leaders appreciate some caffeine too.) Click on the Gift tab and choose a design for your gift card. The design doesn't matter too much, but we recommend choosing a simple or generic "Thank...

Bible Story Recipe Activity

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]This creative activity invites kids to create a "recipe" for a Bible story! It works with any story in the Bible and can be used over and over again. Use it as a small group activity at church or share it with your families to complete at home! Using the template provided in the download below, create a recipe using the different parts of the Bible story! For example... the title of the recipe could be the name of the Bible story. The ingredients could be the people and places in the Bible story. The directions could be a version of what happened in the story. Be creative![/vc_column_text][vc_btn title="Download the freebie here!" align="center" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fdeeperkidmin.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2023%2F04%2FDKM-BIBLE-STORY-RECIPE-FREEBIE.pdf|target:_blank"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column...

5 Resources to Help Families Celebrate Holy Week

Easter is a big celebration each year, for families in both our church and our community. But we often get so focused on Easter Sunday that we miss the opportunity to invite families into the full Easter story and the days leading up to Easter - Holy Week. Whether your church hosts Holy Week services or not, check out these 5 resources to help families celebrate Holy Week: Sunday to Sunday Family Devotion - This brand new resource includes a printable Holy Week devotion for families that invites them to ponder, pray, and play the events of Jesus’ last week on Earth. These devotions are simple enough for busy families to complete but deep enough to help families connect with our Savior in a meaningful way. We used real pictures (not cartoons or graphics) because we want kids to know these events actually happened. They were real. And so is...

Fasting Tracker Freebie for Lent

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Fasting is a spiritual discipline that even kids can participate in, and with this fasting tracker printable, you can help kids track their progress through the Lent season of fasting. Each week, kids are encouraged to give up (fast from) something. Each night of that week, they color in the corresponding box to show they completed the fast for the day. Kids have the option to change what they fast from each week, or fast from the same thing throughout the entire season.[/vc_column_text][vc_btn title="Download the Lent Fasting Tracker Freebie Here!" align="center" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fdeeperkidmin.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2023%2F01%2FDKM-Fasting-Tracker-Freebie.pdf|target:_blank"][vc_column_text] Find other resources for helping kids understand and practice the spiritual discipline of fasting...

30 Must-Know Bible Verses for Young Kids

Kids, even young kids, can memorize Scripture to help them learn God's word and apply it to real-life situations. If you're looking for a place to start, here's a list of 30 Bible verses (NIV) perfect for young kids... "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness," - 2 Timothy 3:16 "Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”" - Mark 10:27 "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." - 1 Peter 5:7 "But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”" - 1 Samuel 16:7 "Be still before the Lord and...

Valentine Resources Your KidMin Will LOVE

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Valentine's Day is a great opportunity to not only teach kids about God's love but to create space for kids to experience God's love too! These Valentine Resources can help...[/vc_column_text][vc_btn title="Shop All Valentine Resources Here!" align="center" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fdeeperkidmin.com%2Fproduct-category%2Fseasonal%2Fseasonalvalentinesday%2F|target:_blank"][vc_separator color="custom" border_width="5" accent_color="#3ac1e1"][vc_custom_heading text="Help Kids & Families Experience God's Love Through Prayer..." font_container="tag:h2|text_align:left|color:%233ac1e1" use_theme_fonts="yes" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fdeeperkidmin.com%2Fproduct%2Flove-one-another-valentine-prayer-stations-lesson%2F|target:_blank"][vc_column_text] God’s Conversation Hearts is a Scripture-based prayer prompt...

6 Ways to Make Scripture Memory Fun

Scripture memory can be a daunting goal to accomplish, even as adults, but the importance of hiding God’s Word in our hearts is undeniably valuable. Check out some of the ideas below for making memorizing Scripture fun (and therefore easier) for you and your kids. We’ve used several in our ministry context, and they are easy to apply at home or in your ministry too! 1) Make it a game! There are SO MANY ways to make memorizing scripture a game, and the more fun your kids are having, the more they’ll want to memorize! Check out some of our favorite scripture memory games here. 2) Sing it Out! – Make up your own song, chant, cheer, or rap using the words in the verse. You could also check out several resources that are readily available for you and your family. JumpStart3 and Seeds Family Worship both provide relevant worship music...

Scripture Snowball Fight Game

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]This is a fun winter game to help kids memorize scripture! Use it in your ministry setting, or share it as an idea for your families to play at home![/vc_column_text][vc_btn title="Download a printable version here! " align="center" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fdeeperkidmin.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2022%2F12%2FDKM-Freebie-scripture-snowball-fight-game.pdf|target:_blank"][vc_column_text] Supplies: white paper writing utensil music (optional) How to Play: After picking your verse to memorize, write one word from the verse on separate sheets of white paper. Then, wad the paper up to become "snowballs." When you say go, begin having a snowball fight with the paper wads (you can play music while you are doing this, too). When the music stops, everyone begins opening up the snowballs. Then kids must...

Christmas Connect 4 Printable Game

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Play this printable, Christmas version of Connect 4 to add a little fun to your Christmas celebrations! Print off and share with your families as part of a fun Christmas Eve activity to do at home, or print off several copies and use them in your ministry throughout December![/vc_column_text][vc_btn title="Download the printable game here!" align="center" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fdeeperkidmin.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2022%2F10%2FDKM-Freebie-Christmas-Connect-4-Printable-Game.pdf|target:_blank"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_single_image image="92634" img_size="full" alignment="center" onclick="custom_link" img_link_target="_blank" link="https://deeperkidmin.com/product/christmas-countdown-chain/"][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]This printable game is one of the...

Help Families “Treasure These Things in their Hearts” this Advent Season

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]This post is an excerpt from the family devotion included in the Family Advent Calendar Kit from Vanessa Myers of Family Faith Builders.  "But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart." Luke 2:19 When you think about Christmas, what are some things that come to mind? Your first response might be opening presents! Maybe you also said Christmas lights, candy canes, trees, ornaments, baking cookies, or traveling to visit family. How many of you said the birth of Jesus? As Christians, it's the whole reason we celebrate Christmas! We don't celebrate because we get gifts, but we celebrate because Jesus was born on this earth as a gift from God to save us from our sins so we could live forever with Him in heaven one day. As Christians, we also celebrate the season of Advent. This...

Nativity Trail Mix

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Everyone loves snacks, especially around the holidays, so why not share a special snack with your kids and families that reminds them of the nativity? This Nativity Trail Mix recipe and guide provides families with a fun, simple, and tasty way to remember the reason for the season all December long. Make it for them and send it home in goody bags at one of your Christmas events, or send home the printable with families and encourage them to make the snack at home together![/vc_column_text][vc_btn title="Download the printable version here!" align="center" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fdeeperkidmin.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2022%2F10%2FDKM-Nativity-Trail-Mix-Freebie.pdf|target:_blank"][vc_column_text]Nativity Trail Mix Ingredients Pretzel Sticks Mini Marshmallows Animal Crackers Hershey Hugs &...

Keeping Christ in Christmas at Home (Without Overwhelming Families)

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]I'm excited to share some thoughts from Christie Thomas, author and one of our DKM Vendors, today! Here's what she has to say about keeping Christ in Christmas at Home (without overwhelming families)... It was the same every November. The same woman in our church would strike up a conversation, which would inevitably lead to the question, “are you going to run a Christmas pageant this year?” I love a great Christmas pageant and was involved in many large-scale pageants and musicals as a child, but it never felt like the right fit for this church. The desire for a pageant seemed to come from a feeling of nostalgia, which, to me, isn’t a good enough reason to burn myself and our families out at Christmas. (Psst - check out a few reasons you should - and shouldn't - host a Christmas pageant here.) I...

Happy Birthday Jesus Banner Printable

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Share this colorable printable with the families in your ministry to help them decorate for a special birthday party for Jesus this Christmas! Or use the banner in your ministry setting for a special Christmas event/service or a regular Sunday morning. Just print, color, cut, and string up![/vc_column_text][vc_btn title="Download the Happy Birthday Jesus Banner Here!" align="center" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fdeeperkidmin.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2022%2F10%2FDKM-Happy-Birthday-Jesus-Banner-Freebie.pdf|target:_blank"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_single_image image="89383" img_size="full" onclick="custom_link" img_link_target="_blank" link="https://deeperkidmin.com/product/birthday-party-for-jesus/"][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]And if you really want to take your...

6 Benefits of Gratitude

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Happy November! This month is all about turkeys, family, and one of my favorite postures to teach kids: gratitude. There are countless verses in the Bible that help us express our gratitude to God, and when we can help kids develop an attitude of gratitude, we set them up for lifelong habits of success in a variety of ways. Here are 6 benefits of gratitude to consider as we head into a month-long focus on thankfulness: Emotional Health: Gratitude makes us more confident, leads to higher self-esteem, and can even improve decision-making. Mental Health: Thankfulness increases mental strength and resilience. It can even help reduce anxiety, a key benefit in a culture where kids and teens are more anxious than ever before. Physical Health: Even though gratitude is an attitude, it can affect our...

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...

5 Essentials for Kids with Special Needs in Your Ministry

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Does your ministry have kids with special needs? Even if you think the answer is "no," the answer is probably "yes" to some degree. When I say "special needs," leaders often think of the more prominent diagnoses, like autism or physical disabilities. But special needs ministry can also be relevant for kids with ADHD, dyslexia, and speech-language disorders, which can often be more difficult to identify because they're sometimes not as obvious. Special needs ministry is an area of ministry I do not have much experience or knowledge with, so this week, we're bringing in an expert to share their knowledge and ideas with you. Meet Laura Deeken, the creator behind The Adapted Word and printable resources for special needs ministry. Laura is a speech-language pathologist with 28 years of experience, and she has...

Back-to-School Worry Wall Prayer Activity

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Kids have so many worries when it comes to going back to school! Their minds are often filled with anxiety about what is to come in the year ahead. Share this Worry Wall prayer activity with kids (send it home or complete it together at church) to help them recognize their worries and bring them to God.[/vc_column_text][vc_btn title="Download the Worry Wall Prayer Activity Here!" align="center" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fdeeperkidmin.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2022%2F07%2FDKM-B2S-Worry-Wall-Prayer-Activity-Freebie.pdf|target:_blank"][vc_column_text]This activity is part of the Back-to-School Faith Time Capsule family resource, a family faith kit that will help kids create a time capsule for the new school year that is related to their faith in God. Check out the Back-to-School Faith Time Capsule as well as other...

Share This With Your Families: Kids Bible Experience

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]We all know this generation of digital natives requires a unique approach to ministry, and this is especially true for our preteens! I'm always on the lookout for new resources to share with families, and this might be one of my new favorites! You may already know about the Bible App for Kids, but YouVersion in partnership with OneHope has now created the Kids Bible Experience as the next step for preteens once they've outgrown the kid version. Designed for 7-11-year-olds, the Kids Bible Experience is the next level of scripture engagement for kids and preteens. It features new videos, questions, and scripture verses every day to help preteens cultivate daily habits of engaging with God's Word. In the experience, preteens will find… Fun, fresh perspectives - They’ll hear relevant insights from a...