I still remember the first thing my mom taught me to cook. I was about five, and she pulled up a chair to the stove, gave me a wooden spoon, and told me to stir the scrambled eggs in the pan until they weren’t all watery anymore. She buzzed around the kitchen getting the rest of the meal ready and I felt so important that she trusted me to help her.

Not long after that, I graduated to ground beef, which is pretty much the same idea: stir it until the color and consistency has changed, then call mom. I was a little nervous about the added responsibility, but a life-long love of cooking was born. Not to mention the sensory skills of seeing something change into a different type of substance and the attention span required to focus on the task at hand.

These memories come back to me when I think about Zip for Kids — a customizable event, that gives you the flexibility and freedom to reach kids where they live. My favorite Zip for Kids track is Kitchen Concoctions! I think the reason I love to see kids engaged in the kitchen is that I remember what a confidence booster it was for me for my mom to entrust things to me that had once been too hard to do. As she taught me, we grew closer, and I learned vital skills for the future. I also had the chance to ask her questions about life in a low-pressure arena.

With home-cooked meals and time around the dinner table becoming a dying art, I hope that the Kitchen Concoctions track will cultivate a love for the kitchen and help inspire a new generation of kids that see cooking for their family as a ministry. One that nourishes them physically and gives them a chance to be nourished spiritually as they sit down at the table together each night.

Check out Zip for Kids — a one-of-a-kind event that is great for preschoolers through sixth grade.

Bethany Brown is a Production Editor for the Lifeway Church Resources VBS Team. She is a member of Hermitage Hills Baptist Church where she works with preteens and Backyard Kids Club. Bethany has seen kids ministry in many different cultures growing up in East Africa as a missionary kid. She loves helping kids learn how much they are loved and valued by God.

Kid’s eyes light up when they find out they’ll be watching a video. Zip For Kids Bible story videos give kids something fun and important to focus on. Here are three reasons to love them!

1. Kids love videos!

I don’t know if you’ve seen kids sit up a little straighter and get excited when they find out they’ll be watching a video, but I have! I love to see them getting excited about hearing a Bible story and if they can associate that with a medium they already love, so much the better.

2. Sometimes I feel inadequate as a volunteer teacher.

There are some weeks and some stories that I, as a volunteer teacher, don’t feel adequate to explain to kids on their level of language and understanding. These videos do that work for a teacher. They not only tell kids the story, but also provide teachers with kid-friendly phrases and explanations that they can adopt and reiterate as the session progresses.

3. A different perspective helps.

If kids get to hear a Bible story told by the video at the beginning of a session and then hear the story reiterated by you during a review activity later, they’re hearing it several times from different perspectives.It helps them adopt those words into their hearts more effectively.

Check out the sample video below!

Zip for Kids Bible Story Video: Jesus Helped Peter (Video)

Have you used Zip For Kids in your church? Send us your stories and pictures to Bethany.brown@lifeway.com and you might just wind up on the Zip Blog!

Bethany Brown is a Production Editor for the Lifeway Church Resources VBS Team. She is a member of Hermitage Hills Baptist Church where she works with preteens and Backyard Kids Club. Bethany has seen kids ministry in many different cultures growing up in East Africa as a missionary kid. She loves helping kids learn how much they are loved and valued by God.