preschool – Page 3

October 24, 2018

Experiencing the fun and foods of Bible-times

Many times as we teach, it is hard to get across that the people of Bible-times were real people just like you and me. Part of that is that the Bible sheds little light on what life was like for people during the time when Jesus lived. Help your kids experience the Bible by introducing them to some of the fun and foods of Bible-times.

Fun Times

What did kids do for fun during Bible-times? You might be surprised to know that many of the games boys and girls enjoy today had some of their roots in ancient times. As a matter of fact, some of these games had been popular for hundreds of years before Jesus was born. Hopscotch, jacks, and tops have all been around since before Jesus lived on the earth. It is possible that Jesus may have played catch with His brothers and sisters with a small leather seed filled ball about the size of a baseball. Many kids during Jesus’ day also played games with whistles, hoops, and rattles. While we don’t know specifics about some of these games, you can incorporate these items into games you play and let kids decide how they need to be used. If you have a checkerboard, you might want to let kids know that kids from Bible-times were playing a game very similar to what modern day checkers looks like.

Fun Foods

Not surprising, since games have changed very little since Jesus’ day it goes without saying that food is not different at all. Bible-times people have also eaten many of the foods that your kids love today. While ancient people did not have some of the candy confections we enjoy today they did have many of the common vegetables that we still eat. One thing your kids might enjoy knowing is that it was unclean for Jewish kids and their moms and dads, to not eat any pork products so … no ham, bacon, or pork chops. For fun, bring in some of the foods more commonly mentioned in Scripture and let your kids try some of those. Those foods include leeks, garlic, onions, bread, dates, dried fruit, fish, and even insects such as locust. While I wouldn’t recommend letting kids sample a locust it might be fun to show them a picture and let them imagine what that would have been like.

Enhance your teaching by introducing kids to the fun and food of Bible-times and help them see that people during Bible-times were not much different from today.

Tim Pollard teaches 3rd graders at Tulip Grove Baptist Church. He’s passionate about helping kids dig deep into Scripture, which he pursues through his daily work as leader of the Explore the Bible: Kids team. Tim lives with his wife and daughters in Mount Juliet, TN.

Bible Study, Kids Ministry, Leadership, Preschoolers

October 9, 2018

Help! What Do I Do with Preschoolers in Large Group?

By Landry Holmes

Chaos. Pandemonium. Loud. Hectic. Anxiety-inducing. Do these words surface like an enemy submarine when you think about leading preschoolers in a large-group experience? If so, keep reading. If not, go drink some hot tea or coffee and pray for the rest of us.

Most of us experience some level of anxiety, at least occasionally, when faced with the prospect of teaching preschoolers in a setting that requires squirming little bodies to “sit and listen” as a group. Perhaps armed with a better understanding of our purpose and recognizing how preschoolers learn best, we can thrive the next time we’re in front of eager faces.

Before reading further, recall your favorite Bible verse or passage on the subject of worship. Do you have one in mind? Moses often reminded the obstinate Israelites to worship God: “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you except to fear the Lord your God by walking in all his ways, to love him, and to worship the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul?” (Deuteronomy 10:12)

God doesn’t just want us to worship Him. God requires us to worship Him. Moreover, as believers, our desire to worship God comes not from obligation but from a natural response to what Jesus has done for us through His life, death, burial, and resurrection. Think about that. You and I are invited to worship the Creator of all there is. And, we are expected to teach children to love and worship God.

So, what does that look like with a group of preschoolers? Let’s start with what to avoid:

Expecting preschoolers to act like miniature adults
Being too rigid
Being too random
Forcing preschoolers to do activities beyond their abilities
Creating a miniature adult worship service
Ignoring the opportunity to prepare preschoolers for intergenerational worship experiences
Preventing yourself from worshiping with the preschoolers

Instead of attempting to lead preschoolers to worship the One True God like teenagers and adults, try doing this:

Building in predictability and structure, and allowing for flexibility of that structure
Providing for a variety of learning approaches
Alternating sedentary activities with activities that incorporate gross motor skills
Listening to background music
Singing
Praying
Listening to a Bible story
Giving an offering
Learning a Bible verse
Learning a Bible truth
Learning about missions
Playing games
Alternating small-group activities with large-group activities

Now, you may be asking how a preschooler who is not a Christian can worship God. I don’t know the complete answer, but this I do know: God has “prepared praise from the mouths of infants and nursing babies.” (Matt 21:16) So, the next time you dread leading preschoolers in a large-group environment, give thanks to God that He allows you to help facilitate “praise from the mouths of infants and nursing babies.”

Landry Holmes is the Manager of Lifeway Kids Ministry Publishing, Nashville, TN. A graduate of Howard Payne University and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Landry served on church staffs before coming to Lifeway. He is a church leader, writer, workshop facilitator, and publisher. Landry also teaches children at his church in Middle Tennessee. He and his wife Janetta are the grandparents of thee adorable grandbabies.

Family, Family Ministry, Parent Helps, Parenting

October 1, 2018

Making Memories

By Kids Ministry 101

Kids Ministry 101 welcomes this article written by Wynter Pitts. Wynter lived with a passion to introduce young girls to Christian values in a way that they’re able to understand, so they can walk passionately and boldly in who God has created them to be. Wynter authored For Girls Like You Tween Devotionals and founded For Girls Like You Magazine. We are honored to continue her legacy! #wynterslegacy

I imagine the conversation will go something like this:

“Mom, remember that time you wanted us to do a craft together and you looked on Pinterest?”

Silence – immediately followed by an uproar of contagious giggles and uncontrollable laughter.

You see, I am not the craftiest of girls, but God blessed me with four sequin-wearing, glitter-paint-splattering, and sugar-loving darlings, so I try.

The reality is, I am actually the mom who …

Has an entry-level Pinterest board named, “Projects I think I Can Handle.”
Buys a kit to create your own gum, only to burn it in the microwave.
Takes three days and a dozen YouTube videos to figure out how to turn rubber bands into a beautiful work of art and a colorful accessory using a “Rainbow Loom.”
Tries to bake an edible cookie bowl … I can’t even think of the proper words to describe how horrifically this ended. It was pure pandemonium as a party of 10 girls tried to scoop ice-cream into a pile of burnt crumbs.
Paints nails. And cuticles.
Always has to double the amount of suggested flour in order to stop the homemade play dough from becoming a permanent placemat.
Forgets to turn on the oven light when making a “Shrinky Dink.” Causing us to entirely miss the point—the shrinking.
Successfully bakes reindeer cupcakes (from Pinterest!) but then arrives too late to the class party … missing the unveiling and enjoyment of my labor.

And this is just the beginning! I am serious—this list could go on and on! Regardless of my many failed attempts, my ultimate goal is to never stop adding bullet points.

Let’s just call it a work in progress.

The specific activities may not be my proudest parenting acts, but combined they are what define the most significant contribution I give to my girls.

My time.

So, I imagine my girls will have endless stories from their childhood … and I am prepared to be the punchline for most of them! However, it’s the first few words of their stories that are the most important to me, “Mom, remember …”

Memories are not defined by perfect scenarios. It’s the present—the daily and the quality time we spend with our children that will guide and provide the substance of future conversations.

Enjoy the activities, but focus your best efforts on the memory.

Family Ministry, Kids Ministry, Leadership, Teaching Kids

September 26, 2018

One Big Story

By Jeremy Carroll

Few would argue that storytelling is a highly useful tool when working with or teaching kids. The availability of hundreds of thousands of children’s books gives testimony to the commonly understood reality that kids connect with stories. In fact, it’s not just kids. Storytelling is a powerful means of communicating with just about everyone. Whether you are 9 months old, 9 years old, 39 years old, or 90 years old, nearly everyone loves a good story.

Of course, there are stories, and then there is The Story—that is, God’s one big story. While we should be very careful not to place the stories of the Bible next to fictional stories of many children’s books, we can redeem the craft of storytelling for helping children begin to see and understand the most important story of all. It is to the next generation’s advantage that we lead children to begin understanding the Bible as one story with Jesus as its central figure. We must see the Bible as God’s story with a beginning, middle, and end. There is one focus throughout the narrative. His name is Jesus.

In Gospel Centered Kids Ministry, Brian Dembowczyk notes, “Jesus interpreted Scripture, not as a collection of random stories but as one big story about Him.” (p. 34) And just as Jesus began “with Moses and all the Prophets … [interpreting] … the things concerning himself in all the Scriptures,” we should too. (Luke 24:27) Jesus was communicating to the disciples of Luke 24 that it is only by understanding the whole story that we can truly understand His work on our behalf. In his article “4 Reasons to teach the Bible’s Storyline,” Trevin Wax put it this way: “The story of the Bible gives context to the gospel message about Jesus.”(1) To begin to grasp the fullness of our salvation, we must understand—and help the kids and families we serve to understand—that every story points to the One, making the Bible one big story about Jesus.

When we see the Bible as Jesus’ story, we are freed from implying (or outright expressing) kids carry an unrealistic, unhealthy, and impossible burden of being more courageous or more faithful or even more obedient on their own. We will begin to see God’s immeasurable grace radiate off every page as we look to His Son who loves us, took the punishment we deserve, and now empowers us to live holy lives for His glory. We will see that God is faithful to carry on what He began in the garden to its completion in the new heavens and the new earth—creation’s final restoration.

Toward this goal, we want to help kids ministry leaders and parents have a framework by which to read the Bible this way, as one big story. We have included a section in our new resource Big Picture Questions and Answers for Kids called “Seeing Jesus in the Bible.” In this resource, we have included six “lenses” that can help us when studying individual stories of the Bible. Each lens gives readers a way to understand both Old Testament and New Testament stories in light of the gospel. We pray this resource will be another tool your ministry toolbox as you point your kids to Jesus.

Jeremy Carroll is the team leader for Lifeway Kids Discipleship Resources. Before coming to Lifeway, he has been active in local church ministry for nearly 20 years in TN, TX, and AL. Jeremy earned a Master of Arts in Christian Education from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. A Middle Tennessee native, he and his family live in Murfreesboro, TN.

Why I Said No to Volunteering

By Klista Storts

As a former Preschool Minister, I know how vital volunteers are. I remember saying that if I ever left the local church ministry, I’d be one of the best volunteers ever and I would be ready to step up to the plate to serve.

I was wrong.

I’ve been reminded how hard volunteering can be and that, indeed, there are times I don’t want to join a team. This has been eye-opening, on a personal as well as a ministry basis. I wonder what I might have been guilty of during my ministry and where my heart is now that I’m not being paid to be at church every Sunday.

There really are some legitimate reasons for not volunteering. Sometimes it’s the minister’s fault, sometimes the volunteer’s, and other times it’s nobody’s fault. Here are a few of the reasons that have come to mind.

Track Record of Leader Asking. If the minister has a reputation of having no vision, a lack of passion for ministry, being ungrateful, and disorganized, volunteers are not going to be knocking down the door to serve.

Be sure that you share your vision and how it fits into the overall mission of the church. Show appreciation often to your volunteers. Drop by the classroom and say hi on Sunday mornings or send them a note every now and then. Everything counts! And very important—do your best not to complain! (At least not publicly!)

Lack of Training Offered. Have you ever been thrown into a classroom with no direction? I have. It’s not fun.

The days of weekly or even monthly training meetings are long gone. With today’s busy schedules, find unique ways to train your leaders. Consider alternative methods of training. Use technology—Media Grid, social media, email, links to podcasts, blogs, and the like can fill the gap in getting your teachers trained.

Feeling Overused and Burned Out. We’ve all done it. We find a fantastic volunteer and we ask them to do everything. But if you start asking people to serve in areas outside their giftedness, they’ll burn out and won’t want to do anything. Discover the passion of your volunteer and keep them in that lane. Ensure that your leaders have opportunities to worship and attend small group activities of their own.

Personal obligations. And then, sometimes, people just can’t serve. Try not to take it personally. Life gets in the way. Things happen. And it’s not really a no – it’s just “not now.” Give your volunteers a break when needed. When they have a passion for ministry, they’ll come back. And be even better when they do!

So, if you’re struggling with your volunteer base, know that you’re not alone. Take a look, make some changes, and keep up the good fight. Remember God’s promise in Philippians 4:19: “And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Blessings friends!

Klista Storts serves as an Editor for Lifeway Kids. Before coming to Lifeway, she served as the Weekday and Preschool Specialist at the Tennessee Baptist Convention and as Director of Preschool Ministries at churches in Oklahoma and Tennessee. Klista has a passion for equipping leaders to share the love of Christ and lay foundations for conversion in the lives of kids.

Bible Skills, Bible Study, Bibles, Kids Ministry, Leadership

September 12, 2018

Don’t Take My Word for It

By Landry Holmes

Ironic, isn’t it? We have access to more information than the generations that came before us, yet we distrust that information with increasing cynicism. There was a time when we believed what we read or heard until the information was proven false. Now, we assume most of the things we read on the Internet are suspect until authenticated.

This is the world in which our kids are living. However, there is one source of information that is absolutely true all the time—God’s Word. Our challenge is to teach kids the Bible is authoritative. It’s the one book we can trust and not question. Congruous to that challenge, is the need to guide children to accept as truth only that which they can verify for themselves in Scripture. Such was the case for people from Josiah to Timothy.

Kids need their own copy of the Bible. During a dark period of church history, common people were denied access to the Scriptures. What they knew of God’s Word was limited to whatever the professional clergy chose to tell them. People were not allowed to question what they heard, and they had no personal access to the Bible. This, however, was never God’s plan, as illustrated by both Josiah and Ezra’s public reading of the Scriptures. (See 2 Kings 23 and Nehemiah 8.) God intends for kids to hear and read the actual words of the Bible for themselves.
Kids can trust the historicity of the Bible. If you are like I am, you often may skip over the introductory matter of some Bible books. Doing so when reading the gospel of Luke can cause you to miss an important insight. God inspired Luke to write his gospel based on “carefully investigated” truth, in order for Theophilus to “know the certainty of the things about which” he had “been instructed.” (Luke 1:3-4) Every historical fact in the Bible is true, and many are based on eyewitness accounts.
Kids should learn Bible skills. One of my favorite, obscure Bible stories is the one of the Bereans in Acts 17. These synagogue-goers did not accept at face value what Paul and his companions taught. They refused to be gullible. Instead, the Bereans “examined the Scriptures daily” to make sure Paul’s teachings were true. (Acts 17:11) When we provide kids with practical Bible skills, they will be equipped for the rest of their lives to test what they hear against the truth of God’s Word.
We must teach kids the Bible. Paul gives a clear, yet indirect, mandate to teach kids the Bible while they are still young. What a gracious reminder Paul provides Timothy when he says, “But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed. You know those who taught you, and you know that from infancy you have known the sacred Scriptures, which are able to give you wisdom for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” (2 Tim 3:14-15) Don’t miss that last part. God’s Word points us to Jesus. The same Jesus who wants to rescue the kids you teach.

Ultimately, the reason you and I are called to guide kids to explore the Bible and understand the truths of God’s Word for themselves is so that they can meet and know the God of the Bible through His Son Jesus. We can and must accept this challenge. But, as in the closing words of that children’s television program, Reading Rainbow, “You don’t have to take my word for it.”

Family Ministry, Kids Ministry, Leadership

September 4, 2018

When Grandparents are the Spiritual Parents

By Delanee Williams

Many people recognize September as the beginning of fall. September is also the month we celebrate grandparents. National Grandparents’ Day is September 9. For the last few years, I’ve noticed a trend of more and more grandparents bringing their grandchildren to church. We as kids ministry leaders have the opportunity to minister to grandparents as they have taken on this responsibility. The following ideas can be used to minister to the grandparents in your kids ministry.

Encourage. Many grandparents may lack confidence in their ability to connect with their grandchildren. It can be as simple as listening to and encouraging them as they have taken on the role of spiritual parents to their grandchildren.
Communicate. Communicate with grandparents as you would with parents. Be mindful some grandparents would prefer a paper copy of a newsletter rather than an electronic version.
Pray. Ask grandparents how you can pray for them. They may have some of the same needs as other parents. They may also share prayer requests for their adult children.
Partner. Partner with the Adult and Senior Adult ministry in your church. Introduce yourself. Let them know you are a point of contact and resource for them. They are more likely to come to you when a need arises if you’ve established a relationship. One possible need may be scholarships for kids ministry events.

During this special month of celebrating grandparents, make sure to recognize them. Celebrate them. Encourage them. Communicate with them. Pray with them. Partner with them. Love them. You never know how God will use you in their life, as they seek to be the spiritual parents to their grandchildren.

Delanee Williams serves as a Ministry Specialist with Lifeway Kids. She is a graduate of Baylor University and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Delanee has served in kids ministry for over twenty years and is passionate about developing, equipping and encouraging leaders.

Kids Ministry, Leadership

August 31, 2018

Ways Teachers Can Connect with Kids and Their Families

By Delanee Williams

A new ministry year can mean new classes, new students, and new teachers. For me, this new ministry year includes teaching new students and a new age group. I’m looking forward to connecting with my new students in my class and their families in the following ways:

Send a welcome letter. In the letter introduce each teacher. Share your testimony. Through my experience, parents begin to trust you sooner, by learning your story. As a bonus, they are more open to sharing their story with you.
Greet each child at the door. The way you greet parents at the classroom door can set the tone for the morning and provide opportunities to connect with them. Specific ideas for greeting children can be found HERE.
Contact the families in your class regularly. This can be through phone calls, emails, or text. A simple hello or “How can I pray for you today?” can communicate care to parents. I’ve found relationships are built through these intentional contacts made through the year.
Send the suggested weekly email found on the curriculum enhanced CD as a follow-up to each week’s lesson. Each of Lifeway’s ongoing curriculums (Bible Studies for Life, Explore the Bible, and The Gospel Project) offer a sample email to send to parents. The emails share important parts of the weekly Bible story and give a suggested activity for parents to reinforce the lesson.
Write and send a postcard to each child. Kids love to receive mail. They may rarely receive a note addressed to them. Writing a short quick note with a few sentences communicates to parents and kids they are special.
Be intentional to greet families when outside of the classroom. Children love to talk to their teachers when they see them outside the classroom. They’re excited to recognize someone they know and who cares for them. Make an extra effort and be aware to speak to your students you may see around the church or in the community.

Connecting with families builds trust with the parents. It allows you an opportunity to more effectively minister to them. What other ways would you choose to connect with kids and their families this year?

Bible Study, Kids Bible Study, Kids Ministry, Kids Ministry Curriculum

August 28, 2018

Getting Take-Home Resources Home

By William Summey

We all know that it is disheartening to send home take-home pages, devotionals, letters, or announcements with kids after class on Sunday—only to find them in the pews or even trash cans soon afterwards. So the question is, how do we actually get the take-home pages home?

Unfortunately, this is the wrong question! The better question is, how do we connect with parents and equip them to lead their kids deeper into the Bible, life application, and theological discussion during the week? After all, just getting that take-home piece home isn’t a magic formula for success. Parents need to see the value of conversations that follow up with what you are learning on Sunday.

While many teachers report increased success by also using tactics to keep the kids on task with reading materials sent home, most kids need a gentle nudge—or more—to lead them into the Bible. Try the following to speed up success:

Invite parents for a Parent Sunday in your class—where they attend for the whole time or for a smaller time frame toward the end of class. Show parents and kids at the same time the resource you will be sending home each week and explain how to use it. Take it a step further and demonstrate how to use the resource together.
Mail the resource home when a child is absent to let families know the child was missed and explain that you will be sending one home with the child each week.
For younger kids, hand directly to parents as they pick up their child with artwork completed that week and point out a feature of the resource to the parent.
Send potions of the content via email, text, or social media.

No matter how you connect with parents, it will be worth it to get resources in their hands to help them grow their kids during the week!

William Summey is the team leader for Bible Studies for Life: Kids. Each week Bible Studies for Life: Kids not only provides a take home-page on the back of Kids Activity Pages but also provides social media and other digital resources HERE.

Kids Ministry, Leadership

July 30, 2018

4 Tips for the New Ministry Year

By Delanee Williams

It seems the summer months are busy, filled with meaningful events like Vacation Bible School and camp. At the same time, as a kids ministry leader, you’re planning and preparing for the new ministry year. Below are four tips to help you as you prepare:

Pray. Make prayer a priority and be spiritually prepared. As kids ministry leaders, we can’t neglect our prayer life and spiritual growth. It helps us set our priorities in our lives and the ministry we lead. It helps us focus on His will and direction. When you pray, do you pray “believing” God hears your prayers and will answer them? Pray with confidence. Involve others in praying for the kids ministry. Consider enlisting a prayer team. Ask them to prayer walk the kids space on Sunday mornings. There may be members of your church who are unable to serve in the kids ministry but would be honored to pray. Ask them to be a part of this team.

Invite current teachers to help enlist potential teachers. When it comes to enlisting volunteers, you may reach the point where you no longer have names of people to ask. Your current volunteer team knows other church members you may not know. Why not include them in the process of enlisting teachers? Ask teachers to pray about someone who can teach with them in the upcoming year. When you talk with the potential volunteers, make sure to communicate the church’s criteria for teachers.

Refresh and restock supplies in the classrooms and resource room. With all the different responsibilities of the summer and beginning a new ministry year, ordering supplies may not be a priority. Take time or enlist someone to find out what supplies need to be restocked in the classrooms and resource rooms. Are the markers and glue sticks dried out? Is there enough construction paper? The list goes on and on. This may seem not important to some, but I’ve found it’s the little things like making sure resources are ready and available for teachers that make a difference. We want teachers to be able to focus on teaching and connecting with families.

Plan trainings for the year. Update and communicate safety and security plans. Make training an integral part of the ministry. Plan how your teachers will receive training during the year. Consider offering live or video trainings, sharing blog articles, and podcasts. Kidsministry101.com is a great resource to find information for these trainings. Additionally, review your policies and procedures for the kids ministry. Update any if needed. Communicate to the volunteers any changes made.

As you begin the new ministry year, celebrate what the Lord is doing. Be intentional to take time each week to thank the Lord for His faithfulness and the many ways He’s working in and through the kids ministry leaders. Share the stories with the church staff and other leaders in the ministry. We all need to be encouraged and remember what a blessing it is to serve the Lord through kids ministry.

Experiencing the fun and foods of Bible-times

Help! What Do I Do with Preschoolers in Large Group?

Making Memories

One Big Story

Why I Said No to Volunteering

Don’t Take My Word for It

When Grandparents are the Spiritual Parents

Ways Teachers Can Connect with Kids and Their Families

Getting Take-Home Resources Home

4 Tips for the New Ministry Year

All Ministry Sites

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Lifeway Network