Shows
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastTeaching Trust With A Jar Of MarblesMy eight year old told me I talk too much. Ouch but fair. Do go on and on trying teach something important. By sentence three eye rolls start.Started stealing ideas from people who actually keep kids engaged. Sunday school teachers camp counselors that one mom at pickup who never yells. Secret isn't better speeches. It's props. Kids love doing stuff with hands.Crumpled heart happened by accident. Daughter being really mean to little brother. Usual "be nice" speech not working. Grabbed paper cut out wonky heart shape handed to her."Think of...
2026-03-0106 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastMaking Bible Geography Real for KidsKid asked last week where Israel is. Showed on map. He goes "why we care about some place far away?"Fair question honestly.Bible geography feels irrelevant to kids eating goldfish in suburban America.Kids think everything in Bible happened same town. Jesus born Bethlehem grew up Nazareth ministered Capernaum died Jerusalem.To them all sounds like same place. Just "Bible land somewhere."Pull up Google Maps. Show actual distances. "Nazareth to Jerusalem like driving from here to..." Name place they know.Suddenly clicks. That's far. Jesus...
2026-02-2605 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastWhen Bible Stories Teach the Wrong LessonTried teaching honesty last week using Ananias and Sapphira. They lied about money. Fell over dead.Kids terrified. Will I die if I lie?Probably not. But maybe don't lie.Great job me. Now they think lying causes instant death.Jacob age seven asks if lying about eating cookies will kill him. No. This was special situation.What makes it special? Holy Spirit was there? Holy Spirit is always there though right? Yes but different kind of there.Making no sense. Kids staring.Emma asks...
2026-02-2205 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastTeaching Kids About Biblical CulturesKids think everyone in Bible wore bathrobes and had beards. Also think they all lived same place same time doing same things.Tried teaching Biblical cultures last month. Total disaster mostly.Told kids Moses grew up Egypt not Israel. Blank stares. What's the difference?Egypt had pyramids. And pharaohs. That's about all they knew.Showed pictures Egyptian stuff. Fancy headdresses gold hieroglyphics.Kids way more interested mummies. Can we talk about mummies?No cannot talk mummies. Focusing on Moses.But Moses saw mummies right? Probably?
2026-02-1905 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastWhy Sitting Still Ruins Kids’ WorshipKids won't sing. Just won't. Standing there with eight dollar garage sale ukulele and eighteen kids staring like I asked them do brain surgery.Kid picking dried glue off fingers. Another one counting ceiling tiles yells "forty-two!" right middle of Jesus Loves Me.Voice cracks on word Bible which shouldn't even be hard but here we are.This is worship apparently.Made kids sit criss-cross three years. Hands in laps no wiggling cause that's what thought church was supposed look like.Said sit down seven thousand times every Sunday...
2026-02-1605 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastStop Reading and Start Performing Bible storiesTold David Goliath last week. Read straight from Bible. Kids stared at ceiling. One fell asleep on floor.Next week told same story. Used voices. Did actions. Made sound effects. Kids leaning forward entire time.Same story. Just told it different. Changed everything.Goliath gets deep voice. Really deep. David sounds young nervous then brave. King Saul old and worried.Kids laugh at silly voices. Don't care. They're listening. That's what matters.Kid told me my Pharaoh voice sounded like his grumpy uncle. Fine. At least remembered Pharaoh existed.
2026-02-1106 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastMinistry to the Impossible PreteenKid asked last week why Moses didn't just use GPS and I'm standing there like what do I even say to that. Nothing. Had nothing.Preteens think I'm stupid. Probably right half the time honestly.Talk for maybe fifteen seconds max before eyes glaze over. Thought was my fault til watched them do same thing to their own mom so apparently just how they are.Started asking random stuff instead trying explain things. "What David thinking when saw Goliath?" Then stand there awkward silence forever til someone finally talks.Kid goes "...
2026-02-0911 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastIdeas for Outdoor Ministry Events: Or How I Learned to Stop Fighting Nature and Start Working With ItSitting here with mud still caked under my fingernails from yesterday's outdoor disaster. Well not disaster exactly. Kids had fun. But I'm questioning some life choices.Three months ago our outdoor worship night was magical thing everyone's still talking about. Yesterday's nature scavenger hunt turned into me chasing escaped toddlers through poison ivy while parents pretended not to notice their kids having meltdowns.Outdoor ministry is weird like that. Same person planning same basic idea completely different results depending on factors you can't control.September family picnic seemed brilliant. Move monthly dinner outside...
2025-11-0406 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastBeyond Filling Slots Prioritizing People for Sustainable Volunteer EngagementSarah comes up after service looking stressed goes "I can't do VBS this year. I know you're counting on me but my mom's having surgery and I just can't commit to anything else right now."My first thought? Oh no. Sarah's one of my best volunteers. She knows all the kids. She's reliable. How am I gonna replace her for VBS?My second thought? Sarah looks like she's about to cry and here I am thinking about my volunteer schedule instead of caring about what she's going through.That's when hit me. Been...
2025-11-0206 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastHow to Measure Event Success: Beyond Counting Heads and Pretending Everything Went PerfectUsed to think event success was simple. Count how many people showed up subtract number of major disasters and if more good things happened than bad things call it a win.Turns out measuring success is way more complicated than that.Last spring had family movie night that looked like complete failure on paper. Projector died fifteen minutes in half the popcorn got burned and it started raining so hard we couldn't hear backup audio we switched to.But three months later kids were still talking about it. Not the movie nobody remembered...
2025-10-3106 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastMy Favorite Volunteer Appreciation EventsSitting in planning meeting and somebody goes "Let's do fancy dinner at that nice Italian place for volunteer appreciation!"Everyone nodding like this is genius idea but I'm thinking about my actual volunteers. Jessica's got three kids under ten and works full time. Tom hates dressing up for anything. Sarah's been so overwhelmed lately she can barely remember eat lunch.Fancy dinner sounds great in theory but honestly? Most my volunteers would probably see it as one more thing they gotta drag themselves to instead something fun.Started watching when my volunteers seemed...
2025-10-3006 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog Podcast5 Bible Story Dramas Kids Will LoveEmma raises her hand middle of my Daniel lion's den story goes "Can we BE the lions instead of just sitting here?"About to say no like always because dramas are chaos and take forever and someone ends up crying.But then look around and these kids literally falling asleep. Marcus making airplane noises with his pencil. Tyler staring at ceiling like there's movie playing up there.You know what? Fine. Let's try it."Okay Emma you can be lion. Who else wants to be lions?"Every single hand...
2025-10-2805 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastEffective Promotion Strategies for Events: Or How I Learned to Stop Overthinking and Start Actually Talking to PeopleSitting here looking at pile of leftover flyers from Halloween event. Spent probably two hours making them perfect. Nice colors cute fonts all the details lined up just right.Used maybe ten of them.Rest are going in recycling bin with all my other beautiful unused promotional materials from past three years. Whole graveyard of perfectly designed flyers in my desk drawer.But our Halloween party was packed. Go figure.Last month I'm rushing through weekly email Sunday morning not really paying attention. Sent announcement to sixty families about our upcoming "...
2025-10-2607 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastMastering the "No": How to Gracefully Redirect Volunteer Energy and Avoid BurnoutTom corners me after service bouncing on his feet like kid on Christmas morning. "Got amazing idea for VBS! Full theatrical production costumes sets choreography the whole thing! Been planning for weeks!"Heart sinking through floor because his idea is actually creative and look at his face he's so excited and I have to somehow explain we have three hundred dollars twelve burnt out volunteers and two weeks.Standing there frozen trying figure out how to not destroy this man's soul.Used to just say yes. Every time. Couldn't handle disappointing people so...
2025-10-2406 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastActivities That Teach About MissionsMissions week comes around and I'm scrambling trying figure out how teach kids about missions without just lecturing them about far away places they've never heard of.Last year was disaster. Found worksheets online about different countries. Kids colored flags learned couple facts. Emma asked why people in Africa don't just buy food at grocery store like we do. Tommy wanted know if missionaries have WiFi.Realized they had zero clue what missions actually means or why anyone would leave home help people somewhere else. Just seemed like weird grown-up thing that didn't connect to...
2025-10-2206 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastFrom Chaos to "Frozen Finale": What a Kids' Ministry Talent Show Taught Us About Embracing Imperfection and Celebrating GiftsSitting in church parking lot 11 PM Thursday picking dried glue stick residue off my jeans wondering what possessed me to think organizing kids ministry talent show was good idea.Three months ago seemed so simple. Kids love performing right? Parents love watching their kids perform. How hard could it be?Really hard turns out. Like "questioning life choices while scraping glitter off sanctuary pews" hard.Started when Marcus stood up during prayer time and started belting "This Little Light of Mine" like auditioning for American Idol. Other kids joined in. My disaster Sunday...
2025-10-2006 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastFrom Chaos to Confidence: The Power of Proactive Volunteer TrainingJessica texts me 10:30 PM night before VBS "umm what am I supposed to do tomorrow exactly? I know crafts but how many kids? What supplies? WHERE IS EVERYTHING???"Staring at phone in dark thinking oh crap.Spent three weeks planning every detail but somehow never told anyone what they're actually supposed to DO with my brilliant plans.Monday morning hits like slow motion disaster. Sarah asking where craft supplies are. Tom has no clue which kids belong to him. Mike wandering around trying to set up games looking completely lost.I'm...
2025-10-1807 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastFrom Magic Words to Real Talk Simplifying Communication and ConnectionSitting in church parking lot at 4 AM because apparently needed to return to scene of crime to process how badly I screwed up teaching prayer today.Was supposed to be simple lesson. Prayer equals talking to God. Basic stuff seven-year-olds should understand without needing theology degree.Somehow turned it into complicated formula with magic phrases and special rules God apparently requires or He ignores you completely.Started okay explaining prayer like talking to best friend. Then demonstrated using that ridiculous formal church voice nobody actually uses. "Dear Heavenly Father we come before You...
2025-10-1605 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastBeyond Be Nice Practical Strategies for True Inclusion and BelongingNew kid showed up last week stood by door looking terrified while my regular kids completely ignored him. Felt horrible watching him stand there invisible while everyone played like he didn't exist.Tried saying "everyone include Jake" but made it worse. Kids hate being told to be nice.Name games are torture for new kids. Standing in spotlight trying remember fifteen names while everyone stares sounds like hell. Do thing now where everyone says name plus something they like. "I'm Sarah I like tacos." Easy gives talking points.New kid said "I'm Marcus...
2025-10-1405 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastEvent Planning Elevated Digital Tools to Transform Chaos into ClaritySitting in office after another VBS disaster trying figure out where everything went wrong and Tom walks in goes "You know there's actual tools that help with this stuff right?"I'm like what tools? Got my notebook covered in coffee stains and post-it notes that fall off when I need them."Digital stuff. Apps. Software. Things that don't require nervous breakdown every time you plan event."Turns out I've been planning like it's 1995 while rest of world moved on to things that work and don't drive you insane.Used to write...
2025-10-1207 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastFeedback That Transforms: Turning Tricky Conversations into Growth (and Keeping Volunteers)Feedback That Transforms: Turning Tricky Conversations into Growth (and Keeping Volunteers)Tom's yelling at kids during craft time and I'm sitting here pretending it's not happening.Emma spills glue he goes "Emma come on be more careful!" in sharp voice and she starts crying. Other kids freeze up like oh crap Tom's mad. Parents looking at me like are you gonna do something?I'm standing there thinking I should say something but what if Tom gets offended? What if he quits? What if he thinks I'm micromanaging?So I do nothing...
2025-10-1005 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastThe Perils of "Relatable": When Modernizing Ancient Stories Goes WrongBasement storage room 2:43 AM eating stale birthday cake with plastic spoon cause apparently when you teach kids Jesus was basically doing content creation your brain demands carbs and dark spaces.Thought I'd be brilliant making Bible lessons "relatable" explaining Jesus was ultimate influencer who went viral with His message. Now Connor asking his mom if Jesus had YouTube channel and why we can't subscribe for daily blessing notifications.How do you explain to parent you accidentally turned Messiah into social media personality?Felt super clever about modern connection approach telling kids Jesus gathered...
2025-10-0805 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastGamify Your Learning: How to Make Dry Subjects Engaging (Even for Adults!)My kids hate Bible time. Really hate it. Emma asked if we could skip it do math homework instead. When kid prefers math over Bible stories you know you're doing something wrong.Started trying games. Some work most don't.Acting out stories kids love even when terrible at it. Jacob being Noah spent ten minutes making animal noises forgot actual story. Emma's David and Goliath involved lying on floor five minutes pretending dead. "That's what happens when you get hit with rock." Fair point actually.Musical chairs with Bible characters. When music stops...
2025-10-0607 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastBeyond the Screen: Mastering Church Family Movie Nights for Community & ConnectionCommittee meeting someone suggests family movie night. "Families love watching movies together!" I'm thinking sure sounds simple. Show movie people watch. How hard could it be?Way harder than pressing play and hoping for best. Choosing movie that doesn't offend anyone while still entertaining basically impossible. Plus equipment and making sure little kids don't have nightmares teenagers don't die of boredom.First attempt complete disaster. Picked movie thought was safe. Parents said too scary for preschoolers kids said too babyish. Equipment died. Half families left before movie started.Biggest nightmare picking movie works...
2025-10-0406 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastBeyond Thank You Cards: Rethinking Volunteer Appreciation That Actually WorksHallmark aisle yesterday. Twenty minutes picking thank you cards. Twenty minutes for cards cause I've been avoiding this for weeks.Janet mentioned she hit ten years in nursery last month. Just casually while cleaning up. "Ten years this month." Like nothing.Ten years and I'm just finding out cause she happened to mention it. Someone gives decade to your ministry and you miss it completely. That's messed up right?Tried certificates last year. Made them stand up during announcements while I read their service years. Sarah looked like she wanted disappear. Found out...
2025-10-0206 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastChristmas Lessons for Kids: Joy, Chaos, and WonderLet me try a completely different angle - maybe focusing on the desperation and confusion rather than the activities themselves:Christmas Lessons for Kids: Joy, Chaos, and WonderThat mom at Target asking how to make her kid care about Jesus instead of Christmas presents and I'm standing there with overpriced fake snow thinking I have no clue lady.December hits and I panic every year. Kids lose their minds over presents. Parents expect meaningful lessons about incarnation. I'm supposed to somehow compete with Santa Claus and Amazon wish lists.Tried...
2025-09-3008 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastBeyond Kids' Ministry: Finding Your Go-To Online Resources Under PressureSaturday night 11:47 PM frantically googling "Bible lesson plans for kindergarteners" cause completely forgot to prep anything for tomorrow morning.This is my life apparently. Professional children's ministry leader who can't remember to plan lessons until last possible minute.Been scrolling random websites for two hours trying find something that doesn't require craft supplies I don't have or activities ending in chaos. Half these sites look like designed in 1997 other half want monthly subscriptions for content that might be garbage.Just need something simple won't make me look like total amateur in front of...
2025-09-2906 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastBeyond Story Time: Engaging Kids with Interactive Narratives and Experiential LearningSo Emma asks if we can act out David and Goliath instead of me just standing there talking again.I'm like why haven't I been doing this already? Standing there for three years telling stories while kids sit there looking bored out of their minds.Started letting kids actually be the characters instead of just hearing about them. Game changer. Noah's ark story suddenly kids are making animal noises and moving around instead of just sitting there glazed over.David and Goliath one kid gets be tiny David another kid gets be giant...
2025-09-2706 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastFrom Chaos to Compassion Organizing Impactful Service Projects for KidsPastor says kids need learn about serving others. Let's plan service project.I'm nodding thinking sure sounds good until he looks at me like I'm supposed to figure out how to make this happen without everyone getting hurt or traumatized.Kids who can't sit still for story time now supposed to do meaningful community service? This seems like recipe for disaster but also know they need actually do something instead of just talking about being nice.Thought kids could help at soup kitchen like adults do. Showed up with twelve kids expecting to...
2025-09-2508 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastBeyond Barking: Orders How to Ignite Volunteer Engagement and Build Authentic CommunityLooking at our volunteer group text and it's literally just me barking orders at people."VBS meeting Tuesday." "Someone grab construction paper." "Who's covering for Jessica?"Like I'm their boss or something. No wonder nobody responds anymore. Sarah hasn't said anything in weeks. Tom just does thumbs up when absolutely has to. Mike left the chat entirely which made me feel like garbage but also wake up.We only talk to these people when we want something. That's messed up when I think about it.Had this moment like what if...
2025-09-2306 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastBeyond Pinterest Perfection Embracing Messy Learning and Art That Accidentally WorksMarcus threw his rainbow at my face yesterday told me God sucks.Standing there with paint dripping off my glasses thinking what am I even doing with my life. Kid's seven his rainbow looks like someone barfed crayons but honestly most second grader art looks like that anyway.We're learning about Noah's covenant through rainbow crafts cause apparently that makes sense to someone. Instead got kid having existential crisis over tempera paint while I question every choice that led here.Pinterest destroyed my will to live. Every project looks perfect with beautiful children...
2025-09-2106 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastRevolutionizing Kids' Prayer Engaging Hearts Through Creative ActivitiesWatching kids during prayer time Sunday and half are fidgeting quarter staring at ceiling rest planning escape routes.Traditional "bow your heads close your eyes" isn't working. They're not being disrespectful they're just kids. They learn differently move differently connect with God differently than adults.Started experimenting with prayer that actually engages them instead of making them sit still be quiet. Some ideas amazing others complete disasters but learned kids love praying when it's not boring.Now prayer time their favorite part. They ask if we can pray about stuff volunteer to lead...
2025-09-1905 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastFrom Chaos to Community Mastering the Art of a Stress-Free Trunk-or-TreatSo September's here and I'm already getting that stomach twist about Halloween planning. Why do I keep agreeing to this?Writing this down cause maybe if I admit how badly last year went I won't repeat same mistakes. Rain turned everything into mud wrestling match. Half my volunteers just didn't show up. Like where do people go? Do they fall into alternate dimension on event day?Ran out of candy by six-thirty which apparently makes me worst person alive according to parents whose kids didn't get full Halloween experience they demanded.Board keeps...
2025-09-1708 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastFrankenstein Spreadsheets to Flexible Solutions: Navigating Volunteer Management NightmaresSo apparently I'm the kind of person who creates seventeen-tab spreadsheets for church volunteers then can't figure out how to use them.Janet texted asking why she's in nursery and leading children's church simultaneously. Um because my system thinks she has superpowers I guess?Remember when this was just names on paper? Good times.Tried that signup website thing. Spent forever setting it up. Five people used it. Everyone else acted like I sent them instructions in ancient Greek.Group text for last-minute needs turned into neighborhood watch updates and recipe...
2025-09-1506 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastBeyond the Banana Costume: Finding True Connection Over "Magic Bullet" SolutionsKitchen floor. 4:23 AM. Cereal and curriculum emails. Found another one promising to "Transform Your Ministry in 30 Days!" Opened it like an idiot. Countdown timer and everything.Marcus asked today if we could just tell more stories like last week when I forgot to prep. Sat in circle told David and Goliath with sound effects. Kids more engaged than anything I've done all month.But my brain goes "what if I had CURRICULUM with actual slingshots and elaborate Philistine costumes?" Insane because zero-prop version worked better than expensive stuff.Target today buying toilet paper...
2025-09-1305 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastChaos Control Taming Large Groups and Making Fun ScaleWednesday night still recovering from whatever that was. Sixty-seven kids. Thought I could handle it. Wrong.Sardines worked last month with smaller group so figured why not try with everyone. Kids disappeared into building. Found three hiding in supply closet twenty minutes later. Two forgot we were playing game. One was crying.Human bingo became screaming match. Everyone yelling about pets and birthdays at same time. My ears are still ringing. Had to give up cause couldn't think straight.Tried freeze dance figured that's foolproof. Until kids started arguing about who froze first...
2025-09-1105 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastInnovative Christmas Pageant Ideas for Kids' MinistryStaring at November calendar having panic attack. Christmas pageant six weeks away and got nothing except same Mary Joseph donkey thing we been doing forever.Sarah mentions kids asking why we always do exact same boring show every year. Great question. Because I'm terrified of changing anything and having someone's grandmother stroke out over messing with tradition.But watching kids zone out during most important story we tell all year is getting old. There's gotta be something better that doesn't start church war.Tried modern day version once. Mary and Joseph young couple...
2025-09-0906 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastBeyond Boredom: Unlocking Teen Potential Through Personal Invitation and Real RolesEmma's mom basically cornered me after church. Emma wants to volunteer with kids.Emma. Who can barely make eye contact with adults. Who treats church like forced labor.But I keep thinking about last week seeing her on the floor with those little kids totally absorbed in whatever they were doing. Not the same person who acts miserable in youth group.Maybe I've been wrong about teenagers this whole time. Never asked any of them to help cause figured they'd rather sleep in or do literally anything else Sunday mornings.Talked...
2025-09-0706 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastGood Enough Is Better: Unpacking Simple, Engaging Activities for Kids (and Beyond)Target checkout line. Mom behind me sees craft supplies goes "Oh you must be a teacher that must be so fun planning creative activities every week!"Fun. Right.Wanted to tell her most weeks I'm googling "easy kids activities" at 11 PM Saturday cause forgot to plan anything till husband asks what I'm teaching tomorrow.This idea that kids ministry people naturally overflow with creative ideas is complete myth. Most of us just trying to survive Sunday morning with something keeps kids engaged more than thirty seconds.Started collecting stuff that actually...
2025-09-0506 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastSummer Outreach: Serving Community and Building ConnectionsPastor wants community outreach. Walks away. Budget's dead. How do you help people without being weird church recruiters?Panicked for weeks. Then learned popsicles solve basically everything.Set up stand at park. Marcus who never talks became popsicle distributor extraordinaire. Kids nicknamed him popsicle man. Parents started asking about church times cause we helped without strings.Movie night bombed when forgot parks don't have outlets. Tom saved us with garage generator. Projected on bathroom wall. Kids thought it was hilarious. Families loved the disaster more than perfect would've been.Water day...
2025-09-0406 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastRethinking Missions - From Charity to Global FamilyCan't sleep. Keep thinking about Sunday disaster and whether should quit before damaging more kids.Sarah texted asking about missions month. Almost threw phone cause how do I explain accidentally taught her daughter missionaries save poor brown people who don't know better.Set up continent stations like Risk board game. Africa with playdoh huts cause apparently I'm that clueless. Asia with chopsticks cause why not hit every stereotype. South America where butchered Spanish song from YouTube.Tommy builds hut goes "missionaries must be brave living with poor people who don't have real houses."...
2025-09-0305 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastEngaging Scripture Memory Games for KidsEmma's staring at ceiling during memory time. "This is so boring. Why can't we just read it off poster?"Ouch. But she was right. Standing there making kids repeat "Be kind to one another" twenty times IS boring.That night thinking about how I learned verses as kid. Can't remember formal memory work at all. But still sing ones from games that were actually fun.Started looking for ways that don't involve mind-numbing repetition. Found cool stuff. Tried it. Kids went from dreading memory time to asking for more.Scripture baseball...
2025-09-0206 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastAddressing Volunteer Burnout: Lessons from Sarah's StorySarah's been weird lately. Not dramatic weird just... off.Used to text back immediately. Now takes hours. Used to hang around after service. Now disappears before I can catch her.Finally cornered her in parking lot yesterday. Asked if she's okay.She completely lost it. Started sobbing between the cars. "I can't do this anymore but don't know how to stop."Turns out Sarah wasn't avoiding me. She was drowning and I was too oblivious to notice.Tonight we're talking about burnout warning signs I completely missed. How my "...
2025-08-3107 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastHandling Tough Questions in the ClassroomIt's 2:47 AM. Eating dry Lucky Charms on kitchen floor because I completely self-destructed in front of kids who trust me to know God stuff.Teaching Cain and Abel. Simple story. Done it thirty times. Can't mess this up right?Aiden's hand shoots up. "If Adam and Eve only had two boys and Cain killed Abel where did Cain find wife? Did he marry his sister?"My brain blue-screened. Fifteen little faces staring. I panic."Well actually God made lots of other people but kept them hidden as surprise for later."
2025-08-3005 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastCrafts for Lasting Lesson RemindersCleaning supply closet. Found fifteen foam crosses from some craft months ago. Just sitting there collecting dust.Made me think about all the crafts kids took home and probably trashed within two days. Maybe hit the fridge for week before disappearing.Such waste. Time money effort for stuff that doesn't stick around long enough to remind kids of anything.Started making crafts they'll actually use instead of just cute stuff that keeps them busy twenty minutes.Tonight we're talking about bookmarks they actually read with. Prayer rocks that go in backpacks...
2025-08-2906 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastThe Peril and Promise of Parent-Child RetreatsBob says we should do parent-child retreat. I'm like what are you smoking?You want me babysit entire families in woods where they can't escape when kids lose their minds at midnight? I barely survive Sunday mornings when parents dump kids and run.Pastor gets sad eyes. Committee starts planning. Great. No sleep for six months.Tonight we're talking about retreat disasters. How fancy places cost mortgage payments. Why weather hates church events. What happens when you trap families together without WiFi.Also food that tastes terrible. Parents going through phone...
2025-08-2806 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastThe Accidental Meeting: Pizza, People, and PurposeCalled volunteer meeting Thursday night. Had grand plans for team building and vision casting.Seven people showed up. Seven. Out of twenty-three.Linda fell asleep during my third slide about quarterly objectives. Tom left for soccer pickup. Everyone else stared at phones while I droned on about strategic initiatives.Then pizza arrived. Everything changed.We're talking about why formal agendas kill enthusiasm. How PowerPoint presentations make volunteers want to escape. What happens when you abandon your carefully planned meeting and just let people eat and talk.Plus why people...
2025-08-2706 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastChoreographed Scripture and Other Sunday School DisastersBathtub. 4 AM. Gas station donuts. Because Caleb did interpretive dance to Romans 8:28 during offering and I wanted to disappear.Two hundred adults watching this kid spin and jazz hand his way through "all things work together for good" while I'm dying inside.My brilliant idea to choreograph scripture memory. Now kids think bible verses need backup dancers.We're talking about how I accidentally turned memory time into TikTok auditions. Why Marcus beatboxes John 3:16 during math class. How freeze dance for "be still and know" convinced Sophie God only talks when you're completely motionless.
2025-08-2605 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastThe Unofficial Guide to Kids Ministry ConferencesBoard meeting. They want us to host kids ministry conference. I'm sitting there like what?Our ministry barely functions on good days and you want me to invite people watch this mess? Plus feed everyone coordinate speakers without giving anyone food poisoning?Pastor does puppy dog eyes. Course he does. Goodbye sleep.Learned more about conference planning than ever wanted to know. Like bathroom capacity calculations. Who thinks about that stuff until you have hundred people and two toilets?Tonight we're talking about how to not die during conference planning. Why...
2025-08-2408 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastMotivating Volunteers: Beyond Pep Talks and PizzaLinda quit today. Walked in sat down said I'm done.Linda who saves my butt every week. Shows up early organizes everything. Gets kids to listen when they should be bouncing off walls.Asked why."Feel like furniture. Nobody really sees me."Been staring at computer for hour trying to figure out how I screwed this up so bad.Tonight we're talking about my failed Tony Robbins phase where I tried being everyone's hype man. How I thought bagels would motivate people. Why Amazon gift cards made volunteers uncomfortable...
2025-08-2305 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastHow My Bible Games Completely BackfiredIt's 4 AM and I'm sitting in my bathtub fully clothed eating animal crackers because I accidentally taught kids that God runs elimination tournaments.Made Noah's flood into dodgeball yesterday. Now Marcus is asking his mom if God gets bored and starts target practice on neighborhoods with tornadoes.Thought I was revolutionizing Sunday school with interactive Bible games. Ended up with Emma having breakdown because she got eliminated from ark boarding game and thinks God personally selected her for drowning.Tonight we're diving deep into every creative Bible lesson that traumatized children instead of...
2025-08-2205 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastPicnic Games: Chaos, Laughter, and Life LessonsStill pulling burrs out my socks from Saturday's church picnic. That perfect field I picked? Basically a weed preserve with hidden holes waiting to destroy ankles.But kids loved it. Even when half my planned activities turned into something totally different because of wind and that one kid who breaks everything no matter what.Planned three-legged races. Got immediate face-plants and arguments about walking technique. Wanted sack races. Couldn't find actual sacks anywhere so ended up buying thirty pillowcases at grocery store like some bedding emergency.Tonight we're talking about why outdoor games...
2025-08-2106 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastPlanning the Perfect Easter Egg HuntEaster egg hunt last year was like watching world end. Kids stampeding everywhere. Big ones stepping on babies. Parents losing their minds at me because their precious child only found three eggs.Standing there thinking Jesus didn't come back from dead for this nonsense.Had no plan at all. Just threw eggs on grass and figured it would work out somehow. Obviously didn't because kids turn into animals when candy's involved.We're talking about why throwing all ages together creates gladiator situation. How I accidentally started parent war over plastic eggs. What I...
2025-08-2006 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastCrafting Clear Volunteer Roles: Beyond "Help with Kids"Nice lady walks up after service. Wants to help with kids ministry. Great right?"What would I be doing exactly?" she asks.I'm standing there making weird hand gestures going "You know just... helping. With the kids. During the thing."The thing. I called our entire ministry "the thing."She smiled and said she'd think about it. Week later still thinking apparently.Made me realize I have zero clue how to explain what volunteers actually do. Which seems like important information when recruiting volunteers.Tonight we're diving...
2025-08-1908 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastMy Easter Lesson Ideas That Completely BackfiredI'm eating discount Easter chocolate in my car at 5 AM because yesterday I accidentally turned the crucifixion into a Playmobil drama and now Tyler's asking his grandma if Jesus knew he was gonna become a toy.Security guard already checked on my mental state. Started explaining how eight-year-olds directed a stop-motion resurrection with superhero figures. He just nodded and walked away fast.Thought I was creating an "immersive Holy Week experience." Ended up with Emma making Jesus fly around going "whoosh resurrection powers activate" like he's religious Superman.Tonight we're diving into every...
2025-08-1807 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastGames That Teach CooperationTyler and Mason fighting over shepherd staff again. Course they are. These two compete over who breathes more oxygen probably.I grab the thing away from both of them. Nobody gets to be shepherd until you figure out how to work together for five minutes.They look at me like I asked them to solve calculus. Work together? What's that mean?Hit me right then. We spend all this time teaching kids to compete. Be first. Win everything. But when do we actually teach cooperation? Like never.Tonight we're diving into...
2025-08-1706 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastFrugal Fun: Creative Kids Ministry EventsPastor cuts our events budget seventy percent. Just like that. I'm sitting there thinking great now we're the church with stale goldfish crackers while everyone else has actual entertainment.But then Sarah mentions that dumb movie night we did with bedsheets and kids are still obsessing about it months later. Fifteen bucks total and they act like we took them to Hollywood.Made me realize I'm completely backwards about this whole thing.Tonight we're talking about why kids go insane for sheets hung between chairs but get bored at expensive stuff. How scavenger...
2025-08-1606 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastQualities of Great Volunteers in Kids MinistrySo Sarah walks in Sunday morning and kids basically tackle her. Like actual squealing and running. Tom's been helping just as long and kids barely look up from their coloring.What's that about?I started watching these two because it was driving me nuts. Same training. Same time commitment supposedly. But Sarah's like kid whisperer and Tom's just... there.Figured out it's not about being naturally good with kids or having some magic personality. It's simpler than that and also way harder.We're talking about why kids will follow some adults...
2025-08-1507 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastCore Bible Stories for Kids MinistryI'm sitting in my car after church frantically googling "Bible stories for kids" because Sarah's mom just ambushed me in the hallway. She wants to know which stories her seven-year-old should really know and I'm standing there like an idiot going "Uh... Noah?"Eight years I've been doing this. You'd think I'd have a better answer than that.But it got me thinking. What stories actually matter? Not the cute ones that make good bulletin boards but the ones that stick when kids hit sixteen and life gets messy.So I made a...
2025-08-1404 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastFun and Easy Science Experiments for Kids' MinistryI'm trying to teach creation and the kids look like I'm reading tax forms in Swahili. Marcus is examining his shoelaces like they hold secrets of universe. Emma's doing advanced hair styling. Tyler's making faces at the ceiling fan.So I stop mid-sentence and go you know what let's just make a volcano. Boom. Every head snaps up. Can we really blow stuff up in church?Well not really blow up but yeah it's gonna foam everywhere and be awesome.Tonight we're talking about why kids will lose their minds over baking soda...
2025-08-1305 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastRunning Events Smoothly: A Guide to Managing ChaosVBS last summer. Total disaster. No craft supplies. Sound system screaming like dying cat. Half my volunteers have plague. Two kids lost their parents. Some kid barfed on the snacks.I'm standing there like this is fine everything's totally fine while my brain's melting down. Then Sarah walks over and says you look like you're about to lose it. What can I do?Turns out I'd been running around like an idiot for twenty minutes while obvious solutions were right there. I just couldn't see them through my panic.Tonight we're talking about...
2025-08-1206 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastEmpowering Volunteer Leaders: A Practical GuideSarah asks me if she can move a chair. A chair. Like I'm gonna fire her for unauthorized furniture relocation.She's been with us two years. Kids love her. Parents love her. I love her. But she won't do anything without checking with me first. And I'm standing there thinking what did I do to this poor woman?Oh right. I never let her actually decide anything. Ever. For two whole years.So now I'm trying to undo the damage. Telling people just figure it out yourself. Which is harder than it sounds...
2025-08-1108 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastPuppets: Engaging Children in Ministry LessonsSo this hideous orange puppet's been gathering dust in our supply closet forever. I mean ugly. Like someone's craft project went horribly wrong. Always figured puppets were for people who couldn't teach properly.Last week I'm dying up there trying to get kids to care about honesty. Complete silence. One kid's literally asleep. Out of sheer panic I grab this ratty thing and start talking in this ridiculous voice.Boom. Every single kid perks up and starts spilling their guts to this piece of fabric. Stuff they'd never tell me in a million years. Jake...
2025-08-1007 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastTeamwork Games: Cooperation's Unexpected Challenges and TriumphsSo there I was, watching two kids have a complete meltdown over who gets to hold the balloon. Like, actual tears over balloon custody rights. And I'm thinking great, this teamwork thing is going super well.But then something clicked and they figured it out. Started working together like they'd been best friends forever. One minute they're enemies, next minute they're plotting world domination through superior balloon strategy.Today we're talking about teamwork games that sometimes work and sometimes turn into complete disasters. The balloon thing that ended in tears. The human knot game that...
2025-08-0906 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastHosting a Kids Ministry Game NightSo I'm sitting in this planning meeting and someone goes "We should do game night for families!" Everyone's nodding like it's brilliant, and I'm thinking oh great, another event nobody will show up to. Then I realized families actually want to hang out together - they just need someone to make it happen.Today we're talking about how to plan a kids ministry game night that doesn't turn into complete chaos (mostly). From figuring out which games actually work with mixed ages to managing the inevitable Uno meltdowns. We'll cover space planning that makes sense, food that...
2025-08-0805 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastOptimizing Volunteer Training: A Practical GuideMark starts helping with our 5th graders last month. Really nice guy, wants to help. So I hand him this fifteen-page packet - volunteer handbook, safety policies, behavior management, curriculum overview, emergency procedures, everything.Next week he shows up looking like I hit him with a truck. Admits he didn't read most of it because it was too much, too confusing, and he didn't know what actually mattered.Today we're talking about volunteer training that actually works instead of information overload - from starting tiny to letting people follow experienced volunteers to why stories stick...
2025-08-0706 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastInteractive Teaching Strategies for Engaging ChildrenHad this lesson last month I thought was gonna be amazing. Spent forever planning it - good story, clear points, everything organized perfectly.Kids just sat there staring at me like I was speaking ancient Greek. One kid asked if we were done yet after maybe three minutes.Today we're talking about getting kids actually involved instead of making them your captive audience - from building movement into everything to asking questions instead of lecturing to why letting them touch real objects changes everything. Plus how I learned that kids doing all the sitting while...
2025-08-0605 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastMy Go-To Quiet Time Activities for KidsNeed kids to be quiet sometimes. After games, before parents pick up, when someone's having a meltdown and needs space, rainy days when we're all stuck inside going slowly insane.Problem is telling kids "sit quietly" doesn't actually work. They don't know what to do with themselves, start poking each other, and drive everyone crazy including me.Today we're talking about quiet activities that actually keep kids engaged instead of just sitting there doing nothing - from detailed coloring pages to prayer journals for five-year-olds to why nature collections work better than telling them to...
2025-08-0505 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastBack-to-School Event Ideas for Kids' MinistriesIt's July and I'm already stressing about back-to-school stuff. Kids disappear for three months then suddenly they're all taller, forgot everyone's names, and act like they've never seen our building before.Last year was a disaster. Thought I'd just jump back into regular programming Labor Day weekend and everything would magically work out. Took six weeks to get any rhythm back.Today we're talking about back-to-school events that actually help families transition instead of just hoping everyone shows up - from backpack blessings to teacher appreciation breakfasts to why school supply shopping trips create better...
2025-08-0405 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastCommon Mistakes in Volunteer Leadership and RetentionCleaning out my phone yesterday and found this text from Jennifer, who used to help with 2nd and 3rd graders. "Hey I don't think I can keep doing this anymore. Just not working out."That was it. Gone.Today we're talking about why good volunteers really quit - from treating them like unpaid employees to only texting when you need something to throwing them into situations without preparation. Plus what I wish I could tell Jennifer now and the volunteers who stayed versus the ones who just faded away.If you're tired of...
2025-08-0306 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastSeven Keys to Kids Worship EngagementLast week during worship time little Emma asks me why we have to sing the same songs every week. And honestly? I didn't have a great answer because I'd never really thought about it.That got me wondering - do kids actually understand what worship means, or do they just think it's the part where we stand up and sing before the real lesson starts?Today we're talking about helping kids get worship beyond just singing on command - from explaining what "steadfast love" actually means to letting them move their whole bodies to why...
2025-08-0206 min
The KidsMinistry.Blog PodcastReal-World Wisdom for Kids' Ministry CraftsFound myself at Target last Thursday night buying fifty foam fish because I'd seen this "amazing" craft on Pinterest about feeding the 5,000. Looked so simple online - cute little fish with googly eyes that kids could decorate while learning about Jesus providing.What actually happened: thirty minutes of chaos, glue everywhere, foam pieces in the carpet, and one kid who made her fish look like roadkill with brown marker.Today we're talking about crafts that actually work versus Pinterest disasters - from why glitter is the herpes of craft supplies to how supply closet archaeology...
2025-08-0105 min
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
2025-07-2306 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