Categories: Volunteers

7 Ways to Break the Ice With Kids

Connecting with kids on Sunday mornings must be a priority in order to make Sunday mornings successful. Breaking the ice with the kids and forming personal relationships encourages them to be excited about coming to church and creates a better environment for them to learn more about God. While you may feel comfortable walking up to a brand-new kid, your volunteers might need some help in how to break the ice and build relationships with the kids in their small group. Here are 7 helpful hints to share with your team on breaking the ice with kids... Make an effort to see eye to eye with the kids! When the kids arrive in the morning, get down to their level to listen to them.  Give plenty of high fives because (appropriate) physical touch can go a long way. Engage in conservation with the kids and listen to what they have to say. That...
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Staying Motivated in Ministry

Let's face it. Children's ministry is challenging! There will be plenty of times when we will want to hit snooze on the alarm clock and call in sick or when we feel like we just can't handle it anymore. But the gospel will be the one thing to bring us back to where we need to be. The gospel is what will get us out of bed in the morning and into church so we can share the gospel with kids and lead our volunteers with integrity. LifeWay shared a post about leadership lessons from Paul, and they offered ideas for staying motivated in ministry and leadership and how the gospel kept Paul motivated through chaos like imprisonment, shipwreck, and more. Practice these things this month so the joy of the gospel can be your motivation to serve well and persevere. Spend time in the Word. (To be motivated by the gospel, you have to know the gospel!) ...
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Valentine Card Designs for Crew Cards

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]This Valentine's Day, help your volunteers and your team connect with kids through these 3 valentine Crew Card designs plus bonus "see you around more" design you can use to let kids know you miss them! (Not sure what I'm talking about? Learn more about Crew Cards here.) Update the look of your Crew Card postcards for Valentine's Day using one (or all) of the designs below. The download includes both a PDF file with 4 cards to a page (so you can print them yourself) and a .png file of each design so you can order postcards online from a place like VistaPrint.[/vc_column_text][vc_btn title="I want the designs!" align="center" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fdeeperkidmin.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2019%2F12%2FDKM-Valentine-Crew-Cards-January-2020.zip||target:%20_blank|"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column...
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2020 Word of the Year Printable

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Do you choose a word of the year for yourself or your ministry? A common theme in the way you want to see God work, or a reminder for yourself? Keep your word of the year front and center with this week's download! Print the download below, then write in your word for 2020. Hang the printable somewhere in your office or home where you'll see it every day. If you have a word of the year for your ministry, you could even make copies of your word for your entire volunteer team to join you in prayer around that word![/vc_column_text][vc_btn title="Download Word of the Year Printable Here! " align="center" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fdeeperkidmin.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2019%2F12%2FDKM-2020-Word-of-the-Year.pdf||target:%20_blank|"][vc_column_text]After some prayer and consideration, my word for both my personal...
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Last Christmas 2019

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]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 resources from Last Christmas (and Last Last Christmas too!)[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_single_image image="7171" img_size="full" alignment="center" onclick="custom_link" img_link_target="_blank" link="https://deeperkidmin.com/2-christmas-volunteer-appreciation-ideas/"][vc_custom_heading text="2 Christmas Volunteer Appreciation Ideas" font_container="tag:h2|text_align:center" use_theme_fonts="yes"...
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Have a Cup of Cheer Christmas Volunteer Appreciation Printable

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Thank your volunteers for serving in your ministry and invite them to "have a cup of cheer"  this Christmas season with this free printable![/vc_column_text][vc_btn title="Download the Christmas Volunteer Appreciation Printable here!" align="center" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fdeeperkidmin.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2019%2F11%2FDKM-Have-a-Cup-of-Cheer-Christmas-Volunteer-Appreciation-Gift-Printable.pdf||target:%20_blank|"][vc_column_text] Use the version with a pre-printed note at the bottom, or use the blank version to write in your own Christmas message of appreciation. Use page 2 and 3 to put together goodie bags with hot chocolate packs, instant coffee packs, tea bags, candy canes, and more for your team. You could even include a mug with your ministry logo! Use pages 3 and 4 as cards to attach to Starbucks...
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Pumpkin Spice & Everything Nice Fall Volunteer Appreciation Gift

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Use this printable to wish your volunteers "pumpkin spice and everything nice" this fall! Print, cut, and attach page 2 to a small bag of homemade Pumpkin Spice Chex Mix (recipe below). Or print and cut page 3, then use Glue Dots to attach a Starbucks gift card to the back![/vc_column_text][vc_btn title="Download Printable Gift Tags Here!" align="center" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fdeeperkidmin.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2019%2F10%2FDKM-Pumpkin-Spice-and-Everything-Nice-Thanks-a-Latte-Volunteer-Appreciation-Gift.pdf||target:%20_blank|"][vc_column_text] Pumpkin Spice Chex Mix Recipe INGREDIENTS: 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted 1 cup packed brown sugar 3 tablespoons pumpkin spice 2 tablespoons vanilla extract 1 (12 oz) box cinnamon chex cereal 1 (12 oz) box honey nut chex cereal ...
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Top Free Downloads from Year 2

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Deeper KidMin turns 2 years old this week, and we're celebrating with a day of free downloads, highlighting the top 10 freebies from year 2 (plus a 20% off sale in the DKM Marketplace). Just click on each picture below to access the post with the free download, and join our subscriber's list here to make sure you don't miss one of our weekly free downloads in year 3![/vc_column_text][vc_text_separator title="#1 - 10 Commandments Hopscotch Printable" color="custom" border_width="3" accent_color="#3ac1e1"][vc_single_image image="8877" img_size="full" alignment="center" onclick="custom_link" img_link_target="_blank" link="https://deeperkidmin.com/10-commandments-hopscotch-printable/"][vc_text_separator title="#2 - The Empty Cup: Object Lesson on Fasting for Kids" color="custom" border_width="3"...
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Host a “VIP” Volunteer Meeting

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Kelli, a kidmin leader in Texas, shared on Facebook about her "VIP" volunteer meeting and how she used several free downloads from Deeper KidMin to do it! She let me pick her brain on what the morning looked like, and agreed to let me share her thoughts so others could replicate this simple but effective time of connecting with your volunteers. "VIP" stands for vision, information, and prayer, and she met with her volunteer team 15 minutes before they needed to be in their classrooms for Sunday morning. She plans to hold these VIP meetings on the first Sunday of each month and uses the time as a way to, you guessed it, cast vision, share information, and pray for the kids in the ministry. This time not only allows her volunteer team to connect with each other, but it provides an opportunity for them to share...
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If KidMin Volunteers Were Candy

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]October means candy infiltrates the thoughts, minds, and dreams of kids as Halloween draws near. As candy fills the shelves and kids' stomachs, I started thinking... what if our volunteers were candy bars? Snickers - The volunteer who is sweet but firm (and a little bit nutty). Nerds - The volunteer who has their very own laminator at home and comes fully prepared (even with extra activities) every Sunday. Three Musketeers - This adventurous volunteer is up for anything! This is the one you contact when you need someone to drink a strange concoction or perform a random feat of courage on stage. Tootsie Pops (how many licks?) - Quiet and reserved at first, this patient volunteer sticks around for the long-haul. Skittles - This volunteer can do everything, and their skills span the rainbow. You can...
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Top Volunteer Resources

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]We're throwing it back this week to some of our top volunteer resources, posts, and freebies. Browse the list below and download everything you need to prepare your volunteer team for the school year ahead.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_single_image image="5005" img_size="full" alignment="center" onclick="custom_link" img_link_target="_blank" link="https://deeperkidmin.com/hostingallstarvolunteertraining/"][vc_column_text]Volunteer Training is a vital part of your ministry, but it can be difficult to pull off with excellence. It’s hard to get all of your volunteers in the same room at the same time, and even if you do that, how do you make a somewhat tedious conversation more exciting and informative for your entire team?[/vc_column_text][vc_btn title="Read 8 Tips for...
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Superhero Name Game Printable

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Earlier in the week, we talked about creating a culture of fun with your volunteer team, and one easy way to do that is with simple games like this week's free download. Help your volunteers find their secret superhero identity! Use this printable as a fun team-building/ice breaker activity at your Calling All Superheroes Volunteer Training, with the kids in your ministry, or just as a fun exercise for your volunteers! We invited our volunteers to share their Superhero name, their kryptonite (favorite snack or candy), and even used these names throughout the year![/vc_column_text][vc_btn title="Download Superhero Name Game Here!" align="center" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fdeeperkidmin.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2017%2F09%2FDKM-Superhero-Name-Game-Printable.pdf||target:%20_blank|"][vc_single_image image="14138"...
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Create a Culture of Fun with Your Volunteer Team

When people have fun serving in your ministry, they'll want to serve more often (Can I get a hallelujah?). So how do you create a culture of fun where volunteers WANT to stay plugged in and serving with your ministry? Give Gifts. Everyone loves getting presents, so whether you do one big gift each year or smaller gifts each semester, find a way to give unique and thoughtful gifts to your volunteers, even if it's just a handwritten note! Need some ideas? Here's a list of 24 appreciation gifts our followers have given (Tip: handwritten notes were the most popular and most appreciated, so you don't have to spend money!). Have team t-shirts. Nothing says "we're a team" like matching t-shirts. Whether you give out the t-shirts as gifts or you ask your volunteers to purchase a ministry t-shirt, offering this simple and fun option helps give your...
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24 Volunteer Appreciation Ideas

Last week, we did a giveaway for the latest KidMin Nation book all about volunteers. To be entered to win, you had to answer the question: "What was your favorite volunteer appreciation gift you ever gave?" I LOVED hearing all of your creative ideas (and I've taken notes to use some of them in the future). Here's what all of you shared, and congrats to Kim and Jessica for winning a free copy of the book! (Didn't win but still want a copy of Rock Stars: Inspiring a Team of Unstoppable Volunteers? Order your own copy here.)   One year I led VBS and asked all the workers what their all-time favorite snack was. At the end of the week, they came to the office and were gifted with it. One person wrote that they liked pickles, and they were completed shocked that I took the effort to find a single dill pickle! In retrospect, I think it all...
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Rock Stars Book Review and Giveaway

[vc_row 0=""][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_single_image image="12049" img_size="medium" alignment="center" onclick="custom_link" link="https://amzn.to/2CSaJ99"][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text 0=""] Rock Stars: Inspiring a Team of Unstoppable Volunteers By KidMin Nation (Editor: Tina Houser) My rating: 5/5 stars - It was amazing!     Read: April 2019[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row 0=""][vc_column 0=""][vc_column_text 0=""]This book is for you if... you lead volunteers, you want to encourage and equip your volunteers My thoughts: This book came at the perfect time! We just finished up Admin April 2019, focusing on all things volunteers, so I loved reading this book that gave me new ideas and perspectives on volunteers too. This isn't the first time I've been honored to have a chapter published...
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Super Volunteer Appreciation Gift Card Printable

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]If we want our volunteers to stick around, we have to celebrate them! Remind your volunteers how SUPER they are with this free volunteer appreciation gift card printable! (Gift card not included in download.)[/vc_column_text][vc_btn title="Download Super Volunteer Appreciation Printable Here!" align="center" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fdeeperkidmin.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2017%2F09%2FDKM-Super-Volunteer-Appreciation-Gift-Card-Printable-Final.pdf||target:%20_blank|"][vc_column_text]All you need is this printable, gift card(s) of your price and choice (my volunteers love Starbucks and Chick-fil-a), and some glue dots! Just print and cut the download, add your gift cards using glue dots or double-sided tape, then hand out to your volunteers as a way of saying...
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Celebrating (& Retaining) Volunteers

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]If we want our volunteers to stick around, we have to celebrate them! Here are some easy ways to celebrate (and therefore retain) the volunteers in your children's ministry. Say thanks. As often as possible, thank the volunteers on your team verbally or in writing. Send out weekly “thank-you” emails to all who served that Sunday, and try to write at least one handwritten note a week to a volunteer on your team. We even created superhero-themed postcards you can use to remind your volunteers how awesome they are! Download them here. Think of specific reasons you are thankful for the volunteer, and thank them for who they are, not just the job they fill (i.e. “thank you for using your creativity to help our preschoolers understand more about the story of Jonah today” instead of just “thank you for...
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Top Ten Volunteer Expectations Printable

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Your volunteers are the superheroes of your ministry, but that doesn’t mean they can read your mind! Use this free printable to communicate your expectations of volunteers and remind them what you need from them. Go into the details of each expectation at your annual training, then use this printable to remind volunteers throughout the year, post in your Volunteer Facebook Group, or hang up in your classrooms.[/vc_column_text][vc_btn title="Download Top Ten Expectations Printable Here!" align="center" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fdeeperkidmin.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2017%2F09%2FDKM-Top-Ten-Hero-Expectations-Printable.pdf||target:%20_blank|"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_single_image image="11077" img_size="full" alignment="center" onclick="custom_link" img_link_target="_blank"...
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4 Types of Volunteer Training

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Just like pie comes in a variety of forms, so does effective volunteer training. Each method described below uses the ingredients of prepare, inspire, and equip to reach volunteers in a variety of levels, formats, and times. Pumpkin Pie - Annual Training Much like we typically eat pumpkin pie once a year at Thanksgiving, your annual training is the special once-a-year training for your entire volunteer team. For rookie and veteran volunteers alike, this training happens every year, typically at the start of the school year, and it is the chance to prepare, inspire, and equip your team for the year ahead. It should include an overview of the ministry, an explanation of curriculum and teaching resources, explanation of policies, procedures, and expectations, child protection policies, discipline guidelines,...
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Volunteer Covenant

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Part of effective training is teaching your volunteers about your expectations for them. But sometimes it's hard to communicate your expectations with your volunteers. Here's what Julia, one of our Vendors (and the creator of this week's freebie), shared about her experience when she implemented a Volunteer Covenant as part of the application and training process: When I started in my kidmin role nearly 5 years ago, I was struggling with how to keep volunteers accountable and communicate expectations. While many of them were members and had filled out volunteer applications, what I needed from them weekly - both in our children’s ministry and in their lives outside of it - wasn’t being clearly communicated! So, I crafted this volunteer covenant. Each of our volunteers signs this covenant before serving in...
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PIE Them in the Face: Effective Volunteer Training

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Effective volunteer training will PIE your volunteers in the face. And I’m not talking about a whipped cream pie (although that could be fun). Effective volunteer training will prepare them, inspire them, and equip them to serve to the best of their ability based on their God-given talents and gifts. No matter what type of training you’re doing, you can incorporate these three ingredients to make your training more effective. Prepare Them Your volunteer training should prepare your volunteers to lead. That means sharing the nuts and bolts of the ministry, the safety policies, the expectations of a good volunteer, etc. What do volunteers need to know to serve and lead well? This element of training can be long and tedious, but I make it bite-sized and easier to digest by making a “top 10" list of the...
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Children’s Ministry Volunteer Application

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]A volunteer application is an important part of the volunteer screening process in children's ministry. It not only helps you collect important information, but it also helps you see a volunteer's heart for serving and passion for kids.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_btn title="Download Volunteer Application Now" align="center" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fdeeperkidmin.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2017%2F09%2FVolunteer-Application-Background-Check.doc||target:%20_blank|"][vc_column_text]Using a volunteer application helps ensure your volunteers want to serve with your ministry, are capable of serving with your ministry, and are safe to serve with your ministry. This week's free download is a volunteer application created from a variety of options and inspired by Smart Church Management....
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Volunteer Screening Process

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] As part of the volunteer recruitment process, it's important to take the necessary precautions to screen new volunteers and make sure they're the right (and safest) fit for your ministry. Here's the screening process I used in my ministry to help make sure our volunteers understand the importance and expectations of their role. Volunteers who serve with our kids should... Attend for 6+ Months. Serving is an important step in being part of the body of Christ. Before a volunteer steps into their role, you want to make sure that they are getting spiritually fed, getting connected, and – most importantly – desiring to serve at your church as a part of the commitment to making this church family theirs. *Requirement for lead volunteer positions only: Become a Member - Becoming a member means that they protect...
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Volunteer Recruitment Email Templates

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Recruiting volunteers takes more than just an on-stage announcement. You have to build relationships, communicate your vision, and make personal asks. So this week I'm sharing my email templates that invited rookie volunteers to join the team and asked veteran volunteers to recommit. (Note: This download is a zipped folder, which means you won't be able to open it on a mobile device.)[/vc_column_text][vc_btn title="Download the Templates Here!" align="center" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fdeeperkidmin.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2017%2F09%2FDKM-Volunteer-Recruitment-Email-Templates.zip||target:%20_blank|"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_empty_space][vc_single_image image="11077" img_size="full" alignment="center" onclick="custom_link" img_link_target="_blank"...
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Admin April 2019: Volunteers

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Happy Admin April! Every April, we focus on resources and strategies that help you rock the administrative responsibilities of our kidmin role. (Check out Admin April 2018 here - think budgets, behavior, and forms, oh my!) This year's focus is all things volunteers! From recruitment to training to volunteer appreciation, managing our volunteer teams is an administrative task we must do well in order to succeed. Here's a look at what we've got coming up this month, and check back here for a final compilation of all the Admin April Volunteer resources... Week 1 [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_single_image image="11123" img_size="full" alignment="center" onclick="custom_link" link="https://deeperkidmin.com/volunteer-recruitment/"][vc_btn title="Read Volunteer...
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