Beyond Sunday: Equipping Families for Worship at Home

Last week, we talked about why summer is the prime time for connecting with families, and this week's guest blog post from Dylan Arms, a worship leader based in Greenville, SC, has a great resource + ideas for equipping families specifically in worship at home:  As someone who’s been in ministry for years—and now a new parent myself—I’ve come to recognize something simple but powerful: what happens inside our church walls is only a small part of a child’s spiritual formation. The songs they sing on Sunday can echo throughout the week, especially when we equip parents to carry the experience home. Music has a way of lodging truth deep in the heart. A child may forget a memory verse or a lesson summary, but they’ll remember the lyrics of a worship song they love. That’s why it’s so important that the worship moment doesn’t...

Summer: The Prime Time to Connect with Families in Your KidMin

Summer is a prime time to connect with families. I know what you’re thinking. “But they don’t come to church as often.”“They’re out of town more.”“I feel like we barely see our families in the summer!” Exactly. That’s why summer is the ultimate opportunity to connect with families. It may seem counterintuitive, especially when the rest of the church seems to hit pause until the fall. But when attendance gets sporadic and the normal rhythms fade, we’re handed a unique opportunity: the chance to reach families outside of our (and their) usual routines. Summer offers built-in moments for memory-making, creativity, and connection. And if we approach it intentionally, we can make a big impact on our families—even if we don’t see them every Sunday. Here's why (and a few ideas for how): Families spend more time...

20+ Father’s Day Ideas for Your KidMin

Celebrate the dads and men in your church this Father's Day with one or more of these fun 20 ideas! TEACHING/STUDIES Father's Day Holiday History Lesson Super Bible Father Figures Bible Study Guide for Kids CRAFTS/PRINTABLES Father's Day Superhero Soda Can or Chocolate Bar Wrappers Father's Day Handprint Crafts Father's Day Coloring Cards Father's Day Dad Joke Coloring Cards 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) Father's Day Scratch-Off Printables 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 I Love My Dad Because... Mini Movie Things Dads Say Mini Movie  Dad Jokes Mini...

3 Spiritual Growth Milestones to Celebrate With Kids

Sometimes it's hard to measure "success" in children's ministry. How do you know if what you're doing is effective? What can you share with leadership to show tangible results? Discipleship is a heart matter, so the numbers and the results are often hard to see, but there are 3 spiritual growth milestones you can celebrate in your children's ministry, and this week's blog post from Courtney Weaver from David C Cook helps us explore these important milestones to celebrate with kids:  As children’s ministry leaders, we aim not to regurgitate lessons from our curriculum but to truly teach kids in ways that deepen their faith. While every child’s faith journey is unique, there are key spiritual milestones that signal their growth—and we should be celebrating them! Think about the example that Abram sets in Genesis 12—God appears to...

5 Ways to Change Things Up This Summer in Your KidMin

Summer often means more sporadic attendance - for both families and volunteers. It's a great season to change things up and keep things exciting for the kids, but sometimes it means relying on volunteers who don't typically serve in your ministry. So what can you do to change things up to accommodate fluctuating numbers and give a more laid-back feel for you and your team? Here are 5 ideas: Take things outside (or at least change up your seating). If your weather, size, and space allows, invite kids to grab a chair or set up some picnic blankets and teach the lesson outside! They’ll love the change of scenery and it’s a much more casual environment that sometimes more easily allows for the next two ideas. If you can’t go outside, consider changing the seating to sit in a circle, on the floor instead of in chairs, etc. - something to...

4 Places to Find Summer Volunteers for Your Ministry

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Volunteers are hard to come by in the world of children's ministry, especially during the summer after your team has been serving all year long! When possible, it can help to give your regular volunteer team a break during the summer months so they can relax, recharge, and refresh. Our subscribers have access to a Summer Serve printable that can help them recruit a team of summer volunteers, and here are 4 specific places to find volunteers to serve in your ministry during the summer months... College Students - They're headed home for the summer and most of them will be looking for something to do! Invite them to be part of your ministry on Sunday mornings. They often get out of school earlier than local public schools, so try and connect with them early or mid-May when they're just getting home! Present it...

Summer Serve Printable

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Use this free Canva template (free Canva account required) to create a Summer Serve initiative for your children's ministry! Update the provided template with your ministry information, then share the flyer/form at your church, in the bulletin, online, ask if you can place one in every chair for a few weeks in May, etc. Find ways to encourage and recruit some extra help this summer to give your regular volunteers a break! (P.S. Here are 4 places to look for summer volunteers for your ministry.) Here's how to access and use the Canva template: Click Here to open the template in Canva (free Canva account required). Modify the wording and options to best fit your ministry. Save the document as a PDF. Print and distribute via your chosen method(s). Pray for God to fill your summer volunteer...

Children’s Ministry Mother’s Day Ideas for the 5 Love Languages

Moms are pretty special, and they deserve to be celebrated. But each mom is unique and feels celebrated in a different way. Use some of these ideas and resources to celebrate the moms in your ministry in the way(s) they feel loved the most. Offer a combination of the different ideas to hit all 5 love languages! (And find all of our ready-to-use Mother's Day resources here!) Quality time: Pass to a local family museum or fun family outing - Even as something simple as an ice cream coupon so the family can go on an ice cream date with mom! Mother/Son Prayer Journal by Christie Thomas - I don't have sons, but I bought a copy of this family devotional. Wow, what a resource! What better way to spend quality time together than by studying God's word as a family? It would make the perfect gift for the boy moms in your ministry! Bible Moms...

3 Correction Strategies That Work (Excerpt From Boundless Hope For Every Child by Kim Botto)

When I talk with children's ministry leaders about a top struggle in their ministry, one of the common answers is engaging kids and redirecting disruptive behavior. More and more leaders are struggling with the classroom management side of leading and teaching kids, and part of that is because kids learn differently now than they have in the past and because we're seeing a rise in neurodivergent kids. Whenever a leader mentions this sort of challenge, I always point them to Kim Botto's new book: Boundless Hope for Every Child. This book is a must-read for anyone passionate about making every child feel seen, understood, and welcomed. With practical and personal insights, this book strikes the perfect balance between heartwarming encouragement and actionable strategies. It's helpful without feeling overwhelming, offering real-world solutions for...

Easter Encouragement for the KidMin Leader

Hey KidMin Leader, You’re almost there! The final countdown to Easter Sunday is on, and I know what that means for you. It means extra crafts to prep, last-minute program changes, and either finalizing plans for your upcoming Easter event or reviewing the one that already happened. It means organizing lesson plans, confirming volunteers, and double-checking that every detail is ready for the biggest Sunday of the year. It’s exciting. It’s exhausting. It’s Easter. But before you dive into one more to-do list, can I remind you of something? You are doing holy work. Every plastic egg you stuff, every craft you cut out, every game you organize, and every Bible story you tell is a seed planted in a child’s heart. A seed that could grow into a lifelong faith in Jesus. This Sunday isn’t just another Sunday. It’s the day we celebrate...

10 Non-Candy Easter Prizes/Gifts

Easter season brings gifts, prizes, egg hunts, and more fun! But if you've worked with kids long, you know giving a room full of kids a bunch of sugar can lead to complete chaos. So I've been researching, and here are my 10 favorite non-candy Easter gifts/prizes/egg-stuffers for kids along with some links to the printables when possible! (Trust me, the parents in your ministry will appreciate the non-sugary gift!) Easter Slap Bracelets (These fit inside eggs perfectly when they're rolled up!) These rubber poppers + this fun rubber popper family activity that remind kids Jesus is alive! Cross Pop Its (Kids are still so obsessed with pop its and fidget toys!) Bible Verse Rubber Bracelets (Kids can wear these year-round, and it helps them learn scripture!) Easter Cards (To put in the goody bags or folded up into eggs with a little...

5 Tips for Sharing the Gospel With Children This Easter

Easter will soon be here, and as you're celebrating the life, death, and resurrection of our Savior, you're probably also sharing the gospel story (or at least some element of it) with the kids and families who walk through your doors. Easter Sunday often brings new families and visitors who may have never heard the gospel before, so it's vital we share it with intentionality and purpose. That's why I'm excited to share this guest blog post from Jaden Howard, a DKM Vendor, on 5 tips for sharing the gospel with children! These tips come from and helped create her Magnetic Gospel Easter Object Lesson. So as you're thinking through your Easter morning lessons, keep these 5 tips in mind:  Don’t Forget the Good Stuff: When I (Jaden) first started evangelizing to children, I would put so much emphasis on Jesus’ death on the cross, that I...

7 Ways to Prepare for Guests this Easter So They Want to Come Back

Easter is usually one of the highest-attended Sundays of the year, with lots of new families and guests visiting your church for the very first time. It’s a wonderful opportunity to welcome them, share the hope of Jesus, and invite them to become part of your church community. But if you want those families to come back after Easter, you need to be intentional about creating a positive and welcoming experience. Here are some practical steps to help ensure your children’s ministry is ready to make a lasting impact: Get your check-in ready. Make sure your check-in process is streamlined and guest-friendly. Offer online pre-registration solutions if possible. Double-check that you have plenty of sticker labels on hand, and pray that the technology works without a hitch. A smooth check-in experience sets the tone for a stress-free...

Tell Me You’re Planning an Easter Event Without Telling Me You’re Planning an Easter Event…

Tell me you're planning an Easter Event without telling me you're planning an Easter event. I'll go first. One time I experimented with roasting Peeps instead of regular marshmallows for an Easter-themed s'more snack. 😂 Your turn! I posed that question in some popular children's ministry Facebook groups + on Deeper KidMin's social media and had a BLAST reading through all of the answers! Here are some of my favorites: "I am trying to calculate the total weight of 1,000 filled plastic eggs and trying to decide if I can lift them myself (if they all fit in one container)." "I asked my congregation to donate over 10,000 plastic eggs." "I just bought around $200 worth of chocolate chips and mini eggs." "I took buckets of sand from the playground (so people can walk through a tomb with their bare feet)." "Instead of a ball...

Special Event Review/Evaluation Template

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Reviewing and evaluating your ministry events can often be just as important as planning them, but sometimes we get so caught up in the event itself that we forget to evaluate! Use this simple and easy special event review template to recap your special events, take notes for next time, and keep a record of your special event details.[/vc_column_text][vc_btn title="Download the Word version here!" align="center" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fdeeperkidmin.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2022%2F06%2FDKM-Special-Event-Review-Template.docx|target:_blank"][vc_column_text]Check out some of our favorite events below! [/vc_column_text][products columns="3" orderby="rand" order="ASC" ids="7039, 49656, 16784, 19953, 84335, 81303, 9476, 22133, 14214, 45338, 76761, 48447, 11075"][vc_btn title="Explore Easter Events here!"...

The Best Way to Reach Families this Easter

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=""]Several years ago at the Bible Creative Conference, one of the speakers, Dale Hudson of Building Children's Ministry, talked about one of the best ways to reach the families at our church: give them opportunities for shared, memorable experiences that point to a greater purpose. So this Easter, how can we give our families a chance to create a shared, memorable experience that points to a greater purpose? These ideas might help! Help them throw a family Easter party - Everyone loves celebrations! Even if you host an Easter event, you can provide ideas and supplies for your families to celebrate Easter at home too! Just like an in-person event, think through a special theme, games, family devotion, snacks, and fun for your families! This is a great opportunity to help your families host their own...

Lent Devotion for KidMin Leaders

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=""]Many of our resources and freebies are geared toward the kids and families in your ministry, but this freebie is for YOU, kidmin leader. Here’s week 1 from a 7-week Lent devotional written specifically with children’s ministry leaders in mind. So block out 15 minutes on your calendar during the first week of Lent, grab your Bible, print the following pages, and spend time with Jesus as you prepare to celebrate Easter. Just like your favorite snacks can be satisfying, these devotionals will satisfy your soul as you spend time with Jesus![/vc_column_text][vc_btn title="Download the free Lent devotion here!" align="center" css="" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fdeeperkidmin.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2025%2F02%2FDKM-Lent-Devotion-for-Leaders-Freebie.pdf|target:_blank"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column...

6 Ways To Honor Lent Without Fasting

Lent is a powerful season for reflecting on the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Traditionally, Lent is associated with fasting—giving something up as a way to focus on Christ. Fasting is a spiritual discipline, and we should teach kids about it, but not everyone in your church or ministry may feel called or equipped to fast, especially children and their families. Or maybe your church doesn't emphasize Lent and fasting at all. The good news? There are plenty of other meaningful ways to honor Lent and lead your ministry through this sacred season. Here are 6 non-fasting ideas to help you guide the kids and families in your ministry as they embrace Lent: Make prayer a daily practice. Help kids and families develop a rhythm of daily prayer during Lent. Provide them with a simple prayer guide, perhaps focusing on themes like...

3 Keys to Teaching Kids, Not Lessons

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=""]What would you say is the most important aspect of your lesson each week? The "hook"? The gamification elements? The life application? Plot twist! One of the most important aspects of your lesson doesn't even have to do with the lesson itself. It's actually the KIDS you are teaching and how well you know them! Effective and creative Bible teachers place as much value on knowing the children they teach as on the content of the lesson.  Yes, solid content and preparation are important, but if you're not taking a few characteristics about the kids you teach into account, your effectiveness drastically decreases. So here are 3 keys to teaching kids, not just lessons. Know your kids relationally. Kids learn best from people they know and love. Build relationships with your kids - both inside and...

10 Bible Verses About Love That Kids Should Know

The Bible has a lot to say about love, which tells us love is pretty important to God (it is a big part of His character after all). As we enter a season that focuses a lot on love, let's help the kids and families in our ministry know about the love found in Scripture and in our Heavenly Father. Here are 10 Bible verses about love that kids should know: 1 John 4:7 - "Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God." (NIV) Psalm 136:26 - "Give thanks to the God of heaven, for his steadfast love endures forever." (ESV) 1 Corinthians 13:4,8 - "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud... Love never fails." (NIV) (Psst - here's a Valentine lesson to help you teach this verse to kids through prayer stations!) Romans 12:10 -...

Bible Skills vs Bible Truths – Which Should You Focus On In Children’s Ministry?

As children’s ministry leaders, we carry the incredible responsibility of helping the next generation grow in their understanding of God’s Word. But when it comes to teaching the Bible, there’s often a tension we feel between teaching Bible skills and teaching Bible truths. Which is more important? Where should we focus our time? First, what's the difference?  Bible skills are the practical tools that help kids navigate and understand the Bible. These include knowing the books of the Bible, knowing how the Bible is organized (testaments, books, chapters, etc.), understanding how to find chapters and verses, and sometimes even recognizing different genres of Scripture (e.g., history, poetry, prophecy) or learning how to use a concordance or cross-references (for older kids). On the other hand, Bible truths are the foundational...

8 Ways to Shake Things Up in Your KidMin This Year

Children’s ministry can be full of routines, and while routines are good (and kids thrive on consistency), doing the same thing week after week can lead to burnout for leaders and boredom for kids. That’s why it’s so important to shake things up every now and then! Trying something new in your KidMin not only keeps things fresh and engaging for the kids but also reignites your own creativity and passion. A small change can make a big difference in your ministry’s energy and effectiveness. If you’re looking for ways to add a little spark to your KidMin this year, here are 8 ways to shake things up! Change your schedule. If your ministry time always follows the same order (welcome, worship, teaching, small groups), try mixing it up. Maybe start with small groups instead of ending with them. Or move worship to the middle. Changing...

12 Months of Volunteer Appreciation Ideas

Use this list and the links below to create a plan for appreciating your volunteers all year long! Download a printable version here! January: A can of soda or some fuzzy socks with the generic version of this tag printable! February: “Thanks for Being the Heart of Our Ministry” + some Dove heart chocolates! (Not free, but here’s a printable to help!) March: Have a surprise basket of baked goods/treats (or extra coffee) on time-change Sunday! April: For anyone who serves with your special Easter Event or on Easter Sunday, grab some Peeps and thank them for being “one of your peeps!” (Not free, but here’s a printable to help!) May: The Big Thank You, a church-wide volunteer appreciation event with food trucks or popsicles available for free for all volunteers after service(s). June:...

Non-Gift Volunteer Appreciation Ideas

Volunteer appreciation is a key part of retaining your team and creating a healthy culture. But remember to think beyond just gifts for appreciation! Think about your volunteers' love languages and how you can show appreciation without physical items. Here are some ideas:  Host a special event. Invite them out to dinner or host a special event at your church just for your volunteers. Maybe you bring in a Christian comedian? Maybe you host a game night for their families? Maybe you provide lunch after services one Sunday in the form of a fleet of food trucks? Maybe you host a Parents' Night Out that’s just for volunteer families. Bonus points if you can include their families in the event too!  Ask them questions, get their input, and gather feedback. One of the best ways to show volunteers you care and respect them is to reflect on the...

3 Steps To Mapping Out Your Ministry Year

The Lord guides our steps, but we can be good stewards of the time He’s given us through intentional planning. Planning ahead allows for a more balanced and sustainable year in ministry, and it doesn’t have to be complicated or overwhelming. (And you don't have to do it alone! Join us Thursday, January 2, 2025 for an online interactive workshop where we'll plan and pray for our year together. Save your spot here!) So grab your calendar and a pencil (because we never plan in pen), and let’s jump in to map out your ministry year! 1) Start with the big picture. Look at the vision of your ministry and use it to set goals for the year (use our Ministry Goal Setting Guide to help). Then create calendar events that help you accomplish those goals. Our goals give us the direction and boundaries for our calendar. Write down all the...