Shows
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastEngaging Volunteers: From Helpers to PartnersPlanning VBS last year all by myself. Spent weeks figuring out themes, decorations, activities, snacks, everything. Got to the planning meeting and presented my whole elaborate plan to volunteers.Can see their eyes glazing over as I go through my presentation. Lisa finally goes "Sounds like you got it all figured out. Just tell us what you need us to do."Today we're talking about planning events WITH volunteers instead of FOR them - from starting with blank slates to letting people own entire areas to why planning parties beat boring meetings every time. Plus...2025-07-3107 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastCultivating Enduring Volunteer Team CultureLast month I'm sitting in this meeting with other kids ministry leaders and this woman starts talking about her volunteer team. How they hang out outside church, cover for each other without being asked, absorb new people like they've always belonged.I'm thinking... that sounds amazing. And nothing like my volunteers who show up Sunday morning, do their thing, and leave without knowing each other's names.Today we're talking about building actual volunteer teams instead of just filling schedule slots - from creating real connection opportunities to handling conflict before it destroys everything to why...2025-07-3006 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastSmall Church Kids Curriculum GuideOur church has maybe thirty kids total on good days. Preschool through middle school, one room, budget that's basically my gas money, and volunteers who show up five minutes before service looking confused.Most curriculum assumes you've got separate classes for every age, professional teachers, and a money tree growing in the back yard. Right.Today we're talking about curriculum that actually works for real small churches - from the one that gets mixed ages to why expensive doesn't mean better to how I learned to stop feeling guilty about our tiny setup. Plus the...2025-07-2906 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastEngaging Bible Trivia Games for KidsTried regular Bible trivia once. Asked "Who was Moses' brother?" Dead silence. One kid raised his hand and said "Abraham?"That's when I learned that Bible trivia for kids can't just be adult trivia with smaller words and lower expectations.Today we're talking about Bible trivia that actually works when kids need to move around and can't just sit there answering questions - from four corners chaos to Bible baseball to why letting kids act out answers beats boring Q&A every time. Plus the kid who always runs to random corners just to see...2025-07-2805 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastUseful Outreach: Beyond Free Hot DogsWe spent $347 on hot dogs for our community cookout. Got the fancy ones, expensive bakery buns, checkered tablecloths like we were hosting a Norman Rockwell painting. Fourteen people showed up, most already church members.Meanwhile the fire station down the street was doing free car seat inspections with cars wrapped around the block. No food, no decorations, just something people actually needed.Today we're talking about outreach that actually works versus expensive events nobody wants - from parking lot oil changes that cost zero dollars to why laundromat church beats elaborate festivals every time. Plus...2025-07-2707 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastRetaining Volunteers Long-Term: Building Valued ConnectionsSarah comes up to me after service Sunday with that look - you know the one where someone's been chewing on something for weeks."I think I need to take a break."My stomach drops. Sarah IS our 4th and 5th grade group. Kids ask where she is if she's not there. But turns out she feels completely invisible, like just another body filling a ratio requirement.Today we're talking about what actually keeps volunteers around versus what makes them quietly disappear - from why "thanks for helping" doesn't count as appreciation to...2025-07-2607 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastSimple Strategies for Multimedia Bible TeachingSunday morning I'm feeling pretty smug about my David and Goliath lesson. Got slides, perfect YouTube video, everything's ready to impress some seven-year-olds with my technological brilliance.Walk into class and the projector is completely dead. Just sitting there mocking me while Tyler asks if we're gonna watch something cool.Today we're talking about using technology that actually helps instead of making you its slave - from why perfect videos don't exist to how your phone beats our fancy setup to the day I discovered kids like dramatic storytelling better than fancy animations. Plus why...2025-07-2506 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastIndoor Games for Energetic Kids on Rainy DaysRaining again this Sunday. Kids trapped inside bouncing off the walls like caffeinated pinballs while I stare at my ruined nature walk plans.Had this whole outdoor thing planned - collecting leaves, talking about God's creation, fresh air fixing everyone's attitudes. Now I'm stuck in the fellowship hall with twenty-three kids going absolutely stir crazy.Today we're talking about indoor games that actually work when kids are already wound up from being cooped up - from human knots that take forever to Bible charades that let shy kids shine. Plus why simple beats elaborate when...2025-07-2405 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastKids' Ministry Outreach: Lessons Learned from Event Planning2025-07-2306 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastTraining Volunteers When You're CluelessHonestly don't know why anyone trusts me to train volunteers. Half the time I'm figuring it out as I go and praying nobody notices I'm completely winging it.But I've stumbled across some stuff that actually helps people instead of making them more confused or terrified.Today we're talking about volunteer training resources that work in the real world - from short videos people will actually watch to background checks that don't require law degrees to buddy systems for the chronically lazy. Plus why long manuals are basically useless and nobody reads them anyway.2025-07-2207 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastInventive Storytelling for Engaged Children's MinistryMy kids know Noah's ark by heart. Also David and Goliath. Asked what they wanted to hear for Sunday school and one kid goes "something where nobody dies and there's no animals."Well then. Time to get creative because apparently we've exhausted the greatest hits.Today we're talking about telling Bible stories in ways that don't make kids' eyes glaze over - from working backwards through Jesus's life to interviewing Goliath about his perspective to turning ancient events into breaking news reports. Plus why my terrible stick figure drawings somehow help kids pay attention.2025-07-2106 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastGames for Small Spaces and Big CrowdsMy living room is ten feet by twelve feet. When my sister brings her three kids plus my two, it's basically a human sardine can where you can't move without stepping on someone's feet or Legos or emotional breakdowns.But kids still need something to do or they'll lose their collective minds and probably destroy what's left of my furniture.Today we're talking about games that actually work in tiny spaces when you're outnumbered and trapped - from musical statues that turn into wrestling matches to hot potato with whatever random objects you can find...2025-07-2005 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastFall Festival Fails and FixesOur fall festival last year was a complete disaster. Ran out of candy in forty minutes, the cotton candy machine literally exploded, and two volunteers just vanished into thin air. Still don't know where they went - maybe they're hiding somewhere until Halloween passes.This year I'm determined not to repeat that nightmare, which apparently means planning pumpkin events when it's still ninety-five degrees outside.Today we're talking about how to survive fall festival planning without losing your mind - from booking bounce houses before they all disappear to buying ridiculous amounts of candy to...2025-07-1907 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastManaging Volunteer Challenges in MinistryHad to tell a volunteer last week that kids were scared of her because she yells when they spill juice. She cried, I felt like a monster, but also those kids shouldn't be terrified of snack time.Nobody prepares you for these conversations and they're absolutely the worst part of ministry leadership.Today we're talking about how to have difficult conversations with volunteers without destroying relationships - from waiting until you're not furious to being specific about problems to knowing when someone just isn't cut out for kids ministry. Plus why avoiding these talks only...2025-07-1808 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastMess-Free Kids' Ministry ActivitiesUsed glitter once for a craft about God's glory. Worst decision of my life. Still finding sparkles three months later in places glitter should never exist, including my sandwich last week.Never. Again.Today we're talking about activities that actually teach Bible stuff without requiring hazmat cleanup afterward - from memory verse body movements to drawing with eyes closed to why walking around while talking somehow makes kids smarter. Plus the truth about why simple beats elaborate every single time.If you're tired of craft disasters and ready for activities that work without...2025-07-1706 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastCrafts That Teach (Without the Tears)Pinterest is a liar. Those perfect Sunday school crafts with coordinated colors and museum-quality results? Made by robots or people with supernatural patience because when I try them with actual children, everything becomes a glue-covered disaster zone.But somehow kids keep learning stuff even when our crafts look like they survived an earthquake, so apparently messy works just fine.Today we're talking about crafts that actually succeed without requiring art degrees or saintly patience - from paper plate creation wheels to cotton ball sheep that look like abstract art to the one craft that works...2025-07-1606 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastAuthentic Easter: Imperfect Family TraditionsEaster's coming and I'm already panicking because my neighbor's Instagram looks like Martha Stewart exploded while I can't remember if we still have plastic eggs or if the dog ate them all.My kids keep asking what we're doing for Easter and I keep saying "we'll figure it out" which is basically my parenting motto at this point.Today we're talking about Easter traditions that actually work when you're winging it - from resurrection eggs filled with goldfish crackers to living room church in pajamas to why three-dollar cinnamon rolls apparently count as a sacred...2025-07-1508 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastRecruiting and Retaining Kids Ministry VolunteersGetting volunteers for kids ministry is like asking people to donate organs. Everyone loves kids until you suggest they spend an hour with twelve of them hopped up on animal crackers and theological questions about whether Jesus liked pizza.I've been trying to staff our children's program for years and discovered that bulletin announcements are basically invisible and desperation isn't a recruitment strategy.Today we're talking about how to actually find people willing to wrangle small humans on Sunday mornings - from why asking specific people works better than general pleas to making it social...2025-07-1406 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastUnexpected Lessons From Kids Ministry ChaosMason ate a substantial amount of Elmer's glue while I was teaching about Jesus feeding the 5000, then went home and shared half his sandwich with his sister because "Jesus shared food with everyone."I don't understand children, but apparently glue consumption enhances spiritual learning? Three months ago I thought Sunday school would be easy - read stories, color pictures, sing songs. Sweet summer me had no idea what was coming.Today we're talking about what actually happens when you volunteer to teach kids about Jesus - from paper flames catching real fire to poop story...2025-07-1306 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastSunday School Survival: Games for Energetic KidsI volunteered for Sunday school ONE TIME because they were desperate and somehow I'm now the person who shows up every week to manage caffeinated seven-year-olds who think licking walls is a valid activity.Last Sunday my "carefully planned" Daniel lesson lasted exactly four minutes before twenty kids just stared at me with twenty-five minutes left until pickup. That's when I discovered that panic-googling "emergency Sunday school games" is apparently my spiritual gift.Today we're talking about survival tactics that actually work when you have no idea what you're doing - from the magic word "...2025-07-1207 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastStress-Free Christmas Party Hosting: A Practical GuideLast Christmas I hid in my pantry eating cookie dough at 6pm because my "simple" holiday party had become a complete disaster and my ham was still frozen solid.THE HAM. Who forgets to defrost the main course? Apparently me when I'm trying to hand-fold napkins into swans like some kind of holiday perfectionist.Today we're talking about how to throw Christmas parties that don't require therapy afterward - from the magic of slow cookers to why string lights fix everything to the life-saving power of having pizza delivery on speed dial. Plus the one...2025-07-1105 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastVolunteer Training for Kids' Ministry SuccessSweet new volunteer walks in Sunday morning, eager to help with preschoolers. Five minutes later she's standing in craft chaos looking like she might cry because I never actually told her anything useful.That's when I realized throwing desperate people into the deep end and hoping they figure it out isn't actually a training strategy. It's just cruel.Today we're talking about how to actually prepare volunteers before they have their first meltdown in your classroom - from coffee shop basics to buddy systems to explaining why we hide the good scissors. Plus the magic...2025-07-1006 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastTop 5 Kids Ministry Curriculums ReviewedSunday morning, 7:47 AM, sitting in the church parking lot frantically googling "Jesus feeds 5000 craft ideas" while kids are already walking into the building.This was my weekly routine for two years. Random internet lessons, mismatched coloring pages, prayers that YouTube videos still worked, and explaining why we somehow studied Moses three weeks in a row.Today we're talking about five curriculums that actually work - from the one that saved my sanity to the deep theology option for Bible nerds to the emergency backup that lives in my disaster binder. Plus why I finally stopped...2025-07-0908 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastPlayful Icebreakers Kids Will Love"Let's go around and share your name and favorite color!" I said to twenty third-graders who immediately went silent and started examining the carpet like it held the secrets of the universe.That was my first Sunday teaching. I'd googled "icebreaker games" and printed the most generic list ever. Tyler literally crawled under a table. Madison pretended to be invisible. I learned what soul-crushing silence sounds like.Today we're talking about fifteen games that actually get kids talking, laughing, and participating - from shoe pile races to human rock paper scissors to wrapping each other...2025-07-0807 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastBeyond Pirates: Fresh VBS Themes for Kids MinistryEthan called me out in front of everyone. "Didn't we do pirates when I was little?" Yes, Ethan. We did pirates when you were in kindergarten. And first grade. And apparently now in fourth grade because I panic-ordered the same theme again.Never ordering VBS curriculum in March again. Ever.Today we're talking about five fresh VBS themes that won't make you want to fake sick during registration week - from medieval knights with real armor pieces to a completely free circus theme that actually doesn't suck. Plus the one that tackles those impossible questions...2025-07-0705 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastHonoring Volunteer Service: Six Ways to Show You CareI almost lost my best volunteer because I forgot to say thank you. She'd been showing up for three years straight, dealing with glue explosions and second-grade chaos, and I was too busy recruiting new people to notice she was burning out.Turns out "World's Best Volunteer" mugs don't actually make people feel appreciated. Who knew?Today we're talking about six ways to show volunteers you actually see them - from recording random thank-you videos in your car to throwing real parties (not meetings in disguise). Plus the one thing that made my almost-quitting volunteer...2025-07-0607 minThe KidsMinistry.Blog Podcast10 Creative Ways to Teach the Parables of JesusI used to read Bible stories to kids who stared at me like I was reciting the phone book. Then I started getting weird with it. Bedsheets became roads. Legos became vineyards. My car keys became a lesson about the kingdom of God (don't ask).Today we're talking about ten ways to teach Jesus's parables that actually work - the messy, chaotic, sometimes ridiculous stuff that gets kids remembering these stories weeks later. From mystery boxes to sock puppet theater to letting kids draw while you talk.If you're tired of blank stares and ready...2025-06-0908 min