<![CDATA[New Chapter... children & family ministry

<![CDATA[New Chapter... children & family ministry - Blog]]>Tue, 31 Mar 2026 00:24:28 +1000Weebly<![CDATA[5 Ways to Play an Active Role in Your Child’s Education]]>Tue, 04 Jun 2019 23:29:39 GMThttp://www.newchapter.com.au/blog/5-ways-to-play-an-active-role-in-your-childs-educationAs a parent, it’s only normal that we want the best for our children. How and what you learned at school will be completely different to how the generation of today learn, so it’s important to be on hand as much as you can when it comes to helping your child with their education.

With that in mind, here are five ways in which you can play an active role in your child’s education.

5 ways to play an active role in our child's education. Find out how at NewChapter.com.au

Monitor School Work

If you haven’t got an idea of what your child is learning at school, it will be tricky to offer the right support and guidance. Therefore, one great way to be more active in your child’s education is by examining their schoolwork. Make sure to keep track of their progress and get to grips with the subjects he or she is studying.

If you feel that they are in need of a bit of extra help outside of the classroom, check out resources like www.preunicollege.com.au to help set your child up for academic success. When on their website, you can get a free assessment that will show where your child is with their numeracy and literacy skills.

Volunteer Your Time

If you are a stay at home parent or have some free time, why not use it effectively? Heading to your child’s school and spending time in the classroom can give you more of an insight into your child’s education.

Whether it be volunteering as a classroom assistant, or helping with an art project, there are so many opportunities that you should grab with both hands where you can gain more knowledge of what your child is learning.

Communicate with Their Teacher

Having open communication with your child’s teacher is incredibly important. At the beginning of the school year, it may be worth contacting their teacher and letting them know that you are interested in any comments or feedback that they have to offer.

When picking your child up from school, be sure to introduce yourself and give your contact details so you can get more information on the curriculum your child is learning. Most schools have scheduled meetings between teachers and parents, so ensure you note these down on your calendar in advance so you can make the time to attend.

Talk to Other Parents

Getting to know the other parents at your child’s school can be another great way to find out more about your child’s education. Getting yourself involved in the culture can be fantastic for breaking down barriers, as well as keeping an eye on your child’s progress.

Whether it be joining the Parent Teacher Organisation, or simply going for a coffee with the other parents, being able to express your thoughts and feelings with others in the same boat as you can go a long way in helping you to understand your child’s interactions.

Create a Routine

For your child to flourish, it’s important that you establish a routine that they adhere to. Whether it be allocating time for homework or setting up a bedtime routine to ensure they get a good night’s sleep, your child needs structure in order to do well at school.

It’s only natural that you will want your kids to flourish in their education. Therefore, keeping a close eye on their schoolwork, having a healthy communication with their teacher, as well as establishing a routine to keep your child focused are just some of the things that you can do to be more active in your child’s education.

]]><![CDATA[Recognising the Signs of a Learning Disability: What Should Parents be Looking For?]]>Thu, 02 May 2019 21:34:15 GMThttp://www.newchapter.com.au/blog/recognising-the-signs-of-a-learning-disability-what-should-parents-be-looking-for

A learning disability is a severe problem that can push a child towards anxiety and depression for the rest of their lives, unless it is recognised at an early stage. It is the job of the parents and the teachers to recognise the signs of a learning disability early on and take adequate measures necessary for securing the future of the child.

As we go through the following signs of learning disabilities, it is advised that you take an unbiased approach, because it is common for parents to live in denial and jeopardise the future of their children in the process.

Impulsive Actions and Inability to Judge Outcomes

Is the child repetitively acting in a way that causes distress to himself/herself or others? Do you feel that he/she doesn’t really understand the outcome of the action, even though it should be fairly obvious by now?

If the answers are yes, then your child is having trouble with impulse control that is not letting him/her think before taking an action.

Inability to Focus

A child older than five should be able to focus on something for at least some amount of time. If that is not happening, and you find the child getting distracted easily and often, it is a sign of a learning disability. ADD or ADHD are the common disorders in such cases.

Inability to Read or Write

There are a number of learning disabilities that keep children from learning to read or write, but that isn’t necessarily a sign of low intelligence. In fact, Keanu Reeves, Jamie Oliver, Christopher Knight, Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley are just some of the many famous personalities across all spheres of life who were born with learning disabilities but showed tremendous potential and intelligence once they were given the guidance necessary.
Speaking of guidance, the Arrowsmith Program at the Plenty Valley Christian College is specially designed to guide and educate children with learning disabilities, so that they can overcome the oddities in their neurological development and unleash the true potentials within them.

If you can identify your child with any of the symptoms we are discussing, the Arrowsmith Program could very well hold the key to their future success.

Problems with Numbers and Telling the Time

It may not always be the case, but people who have learning disabilities might find it especially difficult to solve maths problems and tell the time, even after being taught repeatedly.

Problem with Organised Activities and Following Instructions

A lot of antisocial behaviour in teens results from undiagnosed and/or untreated learning disabilities, because an inability to follow instructions often gives way to anxiety, anger and other negative emotions.

If you find a child of any age to be particularly unable or unwilling to stay organised or even follow simple instructions, a learning disability might very well be the culprit here.

Do remember that almost all the symptoms we just discussed are common to small children everywhere and therefore, there is no reason to worry, unless your child is at least five-years old.

If on the other hand, your six or seven-year old son or daughter is displaying any one or possibly multiple of the symptoms we just discussed, it is definitely time to consult with a therapist for a proper diagnosis.

]]><![CDATA[How to Meet Your Child’s Nutritional Needs as They Grow]]>Wed, 01 May 2019 22:23:51 GMThttp://www.newchapter.com.au/blog/how-to-meet-your-childs-nutritional-needs-as-they-grow

From birth to when they leave home, looking after your children’s nutritional needs is vital for many reasons, such as having strong teeth, maintaining a healthy weight and avoiding conditions and illnesses later in life.

This article will aim to show you how you can ensure that your child has a healthy diet throughout their childhood, with some top tips on how to do so no matter how old your child is.

1. Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding has many nutritional advantages for children, and so it is important that you breastfeed your children where possible. Although many new mothers are unable to breastfeed their child, breastfeeding has many benefits such as the right amount of vitamins for your child and antibodies to protect them from illness. Not only this, but it is easier for your child to digest and adapts to your child’s ages and needs.

2. Milk Supplements

If you are unable to breastfeed, you need to ensure that your child gets the right supplements that they need to grow healthy and strong. You should invest in quality and reliable formula milk for your child, such as Bubbahood’s range of S-26 products.

These products are scientifically tested to benefit the health of your child and meet all of their nutritional needs, whether you are weaning them off breastmilk or are looking for formula milk to give them at birth.

3. A Balanced Diet

As your baby gets older and becomes a child, you should ensure that you establish a balanced diet that can support them in all of their nutritional needs by providing them with meals that meet the five food groups. For instance, you should ensure that they do not have too much salt in their diet, as this can cause problems later in life.

Not only this, but you should establish a good dinner routine that includes the consumption of many fruit and vegetables, as these give your child many much-needed vitamins and minerals. Rather than allow them to have too many sugary snacks, you should save these for treats and special occasions and replace them instead with fruit and other healthy snacks.

4. Packed Lunches

As your child grows older and starts going to school, you should consider replacing school dinners with packed lunches. Through a packed lunch, you will be able to control better what your child is eating throughout the day and ensure that they are consuming enough fruit and vegetables.

School dinners have been known to be potentially unhealthy for children if eaten on a daily basis, and you should try to swap this with a healthy packed lunch. For instance, you could include sandwiches, a piece of fruit or carrot sticks and some dairy, such as a cheese snack.

5. Education

The only way to ensure that your child eats healthily throughout their lives is to educate them on the advantages of eating healthy meals and snacks. To do this, you should look online for printable worksheets on healthy eating and make learning about their food fun. You can do this by cooking healthy meals with them or by growing your own vegetables in the garden.

]]><![CDATA[How to Start a B2B Business in 2019]]>Thu, 21 Mar 2019 22:42:44 GMThttp://www.newchapter.com.au/blog/how-to-start-a-b2b-business-in-2019

A B2B business is a business which sells products or services to other businesses rather than customers (B2C). There are some great B2B ideas which can be started with very little investment such as a range of business consultancy services, copywriting, design, bookkeeping, corporate event planning or cleaning (to name just a few).

In many respects, a B2B business has to overcome the same challenges as a B2C business such as sales, profits, marketing, cash flow and, if you’re working with products, your supply chain. However, the solution to these issues may not be quite the same. Here are 4 key considerations for people starting a B2B business in 2019.

1. Finding Customers

The success of any business comes down to its relationship with its customers and when you’re starting out fresh, knowing where to find them can be a challenge. You’ll need a high-quality website, and you should try and learn as much as you can about SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) to maximise your online visibility.

Depending on the nature of your business, a social media presence can also be effective as raising brand awareness and building a potential customer base.

It’s important to remember that repeat customers are key to a B2B’s success, so you need to ensure that your customer service is top quality. It’s much easier to retain a client that acquire a new one, so running your business should always take priority over marketing to new ones.

2. Build an Ecommerce Platform

If you’re selling wholesale products, then a B2B ecommerce platform is definitely something you should consider. This will provide you with a virtual storefront where you can list your products with custom prices so customers can view and buy with a click. If most of your business is conducted online, you can easily adjust your product range or prices in line with industry trends, and it’s incredibly easy to collect and analyse data. Some customers may still prefer the face to face sales relationship, so your customer service needs to be on top form.

3. Consider the Future

Scalability and planning for the future is key when starting a B2B operation. You may start out with just a handful of clients who may only place small orders in the early days, but as you become more established, find more customers and the orders increase, you’ll need to be able to scale up your processes in order to cope.

For example, starting your business with a spreadsheet may be enough initially, but this can quickly become unmanageable. A wholesale ecommerce operation needs to be able to manage invoicing, shipping, inventory management online sales from one ecommerce platform with as much automation as possible. You don’t want to be spending your time in administration and manual processes when you could be focusing on growing profits and delivering excellent customer service.

4. Keep on Top of Costs and Profits

The more you can sell of your product or service the more you’ll be able to offer competitive prices or even introduce a sliding scale if you’re selling wholesale. This means you can calculate your break-even point for minimum order volumes in order to offer cheaper prices to customers ordering in high volumes. However, even businesses with huge turnovers can make a loss if they aren’t in control of their profits and costs, so always ensure you’re in control of the bottom line.

Here are 4 key considerations for people starting a B2B business in 2019.

]]><![CDATA[Make a Fresh Start: How to Change Your Life in 2019]]>Wed, 02 Jan 2019 21:30:31 GMThttp://www.newchapter.com.au/blog/make-a-fresh-start-how-to-change-your-life-in-2019

A brand-new year could provide the fresh start you have been looking for. If you want to avoid unrealistic resolutions you know you will never stick to, you must be committed to setting goals and changing your daily habits to ensure your success.

If you are tired of waiting for your life to change, there are some practical steps you can take to achieve your goals. Read the below tips on how to change your life in 2019.

Wake Up Earlier

Do you often feel there are never enough hours in the day? You might simply need to wake up a little earlier. If you don’t have time for exercise, breakfast, or daily chores, push yourself out of your bed an hour or so earlier than usual to improve your productivity levels. Even half an hour could make a dramatic difference to your day.

Make Small Tweaks to Your Finances

To enjoy greater financial security throughout 2019, simply make a few small tweaks to your spending habits. While that daily $3 latte might not seem like much at the time, it can add up to thousands of dollars throughout the year.

Carefully review your bank and credit card statements to identify exactly how much you are spending unnecessarily so you can make the appropriate changes to your finances. The money saved could increase your emergency savings or help to fund a summer vacation.

Launch Your Own Part-Time Business

While you shouldn’t quit your job come January 1st, you could always launch your own venture in your spare time. For example, if you have experience in retail, an affinity for numbers, or a flair for marketing, put your talent to good use by launching your own multi channel ecommerce store.

Doing so would allow you to sell your products on your website, as well as various other sales channels, such as Amazon, eBay, Facebook, and more. You never know, your small side hustle could turn into a full-time business.

Set Achievable Goals

There is no point sitting back and hoping your many wishes come true. Make them a reality by setting goals to pursue your dreams so you can live your best possible life.

For example, if you struggle to lose weight and can’t find a health and fitness plan that works, identify the steps you will need to take to overcome your problem, such as consulting an experienced nutritionist, hiring a personal trainer, and/or joining a local weight loss class.

Also, set smaller goals for how much weight you could realistically lose each week so that you will have an achievable target to work towards.

Prioritise Your Time and Money

Write a list of the top five goals for your life, and then say no to everything that will potentially stop you from achieving them.

For example, if you want to launch a business, but are regularly saying yes to frivolous activities, stop wasting both your time and money and start prioritising your goals as soon as possible.

10 things to add to your desk to brighten your day

How to add meaningful activities into every minute with toddlers

]]><![CDATA[A Thank You gift for your volunteers- give a gift with meaning]]>Mon, 21 Nov 2016 04:37:08 GMThttp://www.newchapter.com.au/blog/a-thank-you-gift-for-your-volunteers-give-a-gift-with-meaning

Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it. -William Arthur Ward

The proof of my book had arrived. I was so excited, and apprehensive, opening the box and lifting out the copies.

How wonderful, finally, and after so many hours of planning, work and effort, to be able to hold it in my hands.

If you haven't used a gratitude journal before, the Simply Grateful- a creative journal is the easiest way to start.

It encourages you with prompts, questions and suggestions to reflect on the many ways that you have been blessed. You'll find places to record lists or add notes.

You'll find spots to doodle and draw if you feel creative. And there are some colouring pages and quotes if you need to relax and de-stress. Check it out!

And now, you can get your own copy to use and enjoy. I've already written about and highlighted the importance of journaling and, in particular, gratitude journaling. And you can find out more about my Simply Grateful creative journal and how it's different from many other gratitude journals available.

But I've heard of some who plan to give copies of my book, Simply Grateful- a creative journal, as 'thank you' gifts to teachers and volunteers.

Naturally, I think it's a wonderful idea and yes, I'm thrilled! It's a gift that will continue to build a legacy of family fun and memories for the recipients of your gift.

So.... just as a suggestion, how about including a nice pen, a pack of colouring pencils and even a few stickers with the Simply Grateful journal for a truly meaningful gift.

If you're looking for packaging ideas, you can find plenty of suggestions for your gift plus thank you tags on the At Grandma's Place site.

(The information in this article first appeared At Grandma's Place.)

Finding the perfect gift for your volunteers or leaders. Looking for the perfect gift to thank your volunteers and leaders? Give a gift that will last.. a gift that will continue to provide a legacy of enjoyment and fond family memories.

]]><![CDATA[How to make more social media content by doing less]]>Thu, 02 Jun 2016 11:52:20 GMThttp://www.newchapter.com.au/blog/how-to-make-more-social-media-content-by-doing-less

So... have you checked your Facebook today? Did you see the latest cat video? I couldn't stop laughing and I had to share it with my kids.

The thing is, connecting and sharing on social media platforms is an integral part of today's conversations and relationship-building. And ministry, and in particular your family ministry, needs to be building online connection, too.

Sure, there are some negative aspects of social media and it's important to be aware of the dangers. But there are many positives, too.

Most of the people in your ministry, your leaders and your church family, are already using social media.

How to create more social media content by doing less- affordable packs to download and use immediately

Social Media has great potential for ministry

Social media has real potential for building relationships with families in your church and in your community.... and with your kidmin leaders, too.

While it's increasingly difficult to organise team meetings, online social interaction can help foster team connection.

It provides plenty of opportunities for discipleship in easy, non-threatening ways through thought-provoking posts, encouraging quotes, inspirational Scripture verses, training articles and shareable content.

Social Media platforms enable ministry to reach beyond the church

Christianity Today makes a comment on the way Focus on the Family uses social media to reach beyond their previous sphere of influence with ... 'their focus on real-time online interaction with people all over the globe struggling with family-related decisions, questions or regrets.'

Social media enables them to reach out online and help meet these needs. But yes, they employ a full-time team to handle this aspect of ministry.

So... what about your own ministry?

What are you going to need to make your social media plan work?

someone tech-savvy to set it all up. (Maybe you're able to do that yourself..??)
leaders who will answer parents' questions or start a conversation. (Yes... but you can work up to this. Start with developing an online presence.)
people who will help find great content
people who will update, post things, keep it fresh and happening.

Posting regularly shows people that your church, your kidmin, is active.

Use websites like PostPlanner or Hootsuite to schedule your posts in advance. It will save time.)

Now, while you have probably read that you should post numerous times a day, you'll quickly become disheartened if you have to find or create a large amount of content. Start small.. and build upon it.

Take some time to highlight and promote your upcoming events and programs on social media, too.

Monthly social media packs provide content to start posting immediately.

A number of people have mentioned how difficult and time-consuming it is to create content. So.. I've created monthly content packs to help you with this content creation. Each pack contains at least 8 quotes/ Scripture verse images plus editable powerpoint slides.

I've included a sample image file that you can check out below.

You can use these social media files to:

encourage one another
get the word out about your relevant, family-focused ministry
connect with individuals and families with content that is heart-warming, thought-provoking, encouraging, shareable.

You can purchase these packs at affordable prices. Or, a subscription reduces the cost even further.

Single pack

Subscription for Packs

building_strong_children.jpg
File Size:	90 kb
File Type:	jpg

Download File

Social media packs for your ministry. Make your social media plan work effortlessly with this pack of inspirational images, quotes, Scripture verses and more. Each pack contains at least 12 files- enough images and material for an entire month.

]]><![CDATA[5 winning ways to teach Bible truths using puzzles]]>Tue, 24 May 2016 22:55:52 GMThttp://www.newchapter.com.au/blog/5-winning-ways-to-teach-bible-truths-using-puzzles

No matter what children's ministry program or curricula you use for your Sunday morning lessons, there are winning ways to include creative Bible puzzles for your kids.

I had bought my small grandson a simple puzzle board and, as I took it out of the pack, I smiled and called out to him, "Here's a puzzle for you, Fletcher, but it might be a bit tricky for you!"

Instantly, he leapt to his feet and called out, "Not too tricky for me! Coming now!"

Whether it's jigsaw puzzles, Find-a-Word, Crossword puzzles or Sudoku everyone, regardless of age, seems to enjoy solving puzzles. Here are 5 simple ways that you can spark interest and include puzzles to interest and involve kids in learning Bible truths.

1. Use a puzzle at the conclusion of a lesson to challenge your kids and solve the Bible puzzle using important points from the lesson.

2. Home activity. Send home the puzzle with your students to complete at home for extra points, whether it's for individual prizes or for extra team points. The prizes don't have to be big- sometimes just a bookmark or a balloon or even to be the special helper or assistant for the day can be reward enough, plus the challenge itself of solving the puzzle before anyone else!

3. Include the puzzle with the weekly take-home resources that you provide for your kidmin families. This means that everyone in the family can be involved in solving the puzzle, while learning Bible truths at home.

4. Use a puzzle for your small group time on Sunday morning. It's a creative way to involve the kids and encourage their detective abilities in solving a problem that relates to your lesson.

5. Project the puzzle on-screen for everyone to complete together during the lesson time. It's simply done. Insert the puzzle image into a Powerpoint presentation slide. Then use the 'draw' feature of Powerpoint to add the letters, lines or information needed. You'll find that kids won't need too much encouragement to come up and help solve this large onscreen puzzle. Award points as you go, if you have a team competition happening.

So... how do you prepare puzzles for your lessons that doesn't involve big chunks of your time in planning and preparing?

Easy! Check out this Super-sized Book of Bible Puzzles. There are puzzles of all kinds and for all ages ready to download, print and prepare for your kids. You'll wonder how you ever managed without it!

5 winning ways to use the Supersized Book of Bible Puzzles

Bring out the detective in your kids with Bible puzzles that interest and involve them in learning and understanding Bible truths.

The Super Sized Book of Bible Puzzles has over 220 pages of activities provides ready-to-print puzzles for children 5 to 10 years. You'll find simple activities like matching, making connections and hidden pictures for the younger ones and word searches, crossword puzzles, mazes, word scrambles, connect-the-dots and so much more for those older kids.

I think the variety of puzzles included in this book is one of the things I like best. The kids won't be bored with the same type of puzzle- every one is a bit different.

There are puzzles for 20 Old Testament books of the Bible and 8 New Testament, so you're sure to find just what you need. Each puzzle includes the Bible story and, most often, a memory verse.

And yes, it's reproducible so you can make copies for your kids and, you'll find answers to the puzzles at the back of the book.

You can buy this book as a downloadable or hardcopy. What could be easier?

Please note: This product was provided for review but the evaluation, comments and ideas are my own.

]]><![CDATA[How to add meaningful activities into every minute for preschoolers]]>Mon, 22 Feb 2016 09:51:01 GMThttp://www.newchapter.com.au/blog/how-to-add-meaningful-activities-into-every-minute-for-preschoolers

How to add meaningful moments into every minute for preschoolers. Check out this reproducible resource. Book review by New Chapter.

Some slip in quietly with a shy smile. Others burst in with noise and excitement. Bright eyes- curious- full of full of fun and full of questions- anxious to please; who wouldn't want to work with preschoolers?

Well, yes.. they are also still working on developing that self-control, and they are still learning to play and interact well with others.

Perhaps, one of the most important things to keep in mind with preschoolers is their short attention span... and I mean short! They want to get going, doing stuff, feeling things, smelling things, tasting everything, even the play dough, and trying to make things work.

How can you present meaningful moments for busy preschoolers?
So, when it comes to planning and teaching lessons, all that bottled up energy means creating loads of short, hands-on, interactive segments that teach a Bible truth in a short amount of time. Interest tables, puzzles, setting up scenes with miniature figures, music and instruments, art and craft, blocks and construction, science with plants and animals... anything and everything that they can touch and feel and smell and listen to that will teach them a Bible truth.

That's a lot of planning
Now, I know that means a lot of organising for each lesson but it's worth it. And, you'll enjoy it, too.

But... at the end of your lesson there may be times when you have some minutes spare; maybe the pastor preaches overtime or maybe, a few parents stay back to talk or linger over coffee and they're late picking up the kids.

Don't panic!

Here's your answer.
5 Minute Sunday School activities for preschoolers- Jesus shows me, by Mary J. Davis.
This book is just made for those types of situations. You'll find it overflowing with five minute ideas for Bible lessons (44 in all) ready to print and use.

What's included?
It includes activities for The Lost Sheep, the Large Catch of Fish, Jesus Calms the Storm, Jesus Heals Blind Bartimaeus and many more.

Each lesson activity provides a reproducible activity sheet to print ready to use, a list of needed supplies, instructions for preparation and a step-by-step guide for presenting the activity... plus extra suggestions for extending the activity.

What types of activities?
Sometimes they'll colour and create a small booklet. They might glue on yarn or seeds to create a a collage picture, search for hidden pictures or make a simple windsock.

Never be caught short without a meaningful learning activity with these 5 minute Sunday School activities for pre-schoolers.

Plan ahead
I would suggest preparing a few of these activities ready to use at a moment's notice. Prepare 3-4 boxes of supplies ( I used clear acrylic document cases) and replace as necessary.

Label each box. I used blackboard labels so that I could easily edit the label according to the activity I popped into the box.

Fill each box (one box per activity) with enough copies of the printed activity sheets for your group plus the instruction sheet and any other needed resources eg yarn, sequins, seeds..

Then, simply take out a box and complete the activity when you need to fill in the occasional few minutes of unexpected activity time. It's easy!

The kids will love it... and so will the parents when they arrive to find their children engaged and having fun. And you'll love knowing that, regardless of what happens, you'll have plenty of activities to keep those busy, active little people happily occupied, learning and growing.

(Copy of 5 Minute Sunday School Activities for Preschoolers provided for honest & personal review purposes.)

Find this helpful resource '5 Minute Sunday School Activities for Preschoolers'_
Read more information about The 2016 Ministry Planner
Buy a copy of M y Brilliant Kidmin Planner.. see below
Like NewChapter
Check out NewChapter on Pinterest
Read the latest book review
Get regular newsletter updates about kidmin ideas and resources

Create meaningful moments from every minute for preschoolers. Check out this book review- 5 Minute Sunday School Activities for Preschoolers.

]]><![CDATA[5 Creative Valentine's Day ideas for your kidmin]]>Wed, 03 Feb 2016 02:56:10 GMThttp://www.newchapter.com.au/blog/5-creative-valentines-day-ideas-for-your-kidmin

Yesterday was a scorcher! The temperature hovered just above 34 deg Celsius and the humidity was around 80%. I checked the bags of beautiful, red, chocolate hearts that I'd recently picked up cheaply for Valentine's Day.

Sigh..... definitely soft! A melted heart is not exactly what I'd planned to use for our kidmin Valentine's Day gifts.

Why do anything for Valentine's Day?
I know that many churches and children's ministry leaders omit any reference to Valentine's Day in their programs or on their social media; and that's fine. It's certainly not a religious event or commemoration. But with the Valentine's Day focus of love, it seems a shame to miss the opportunity to shine the light on God's amazing love.

Not only is this a wonderful opportunity to encourage the kids to share God's love with others, it's also the perfect time to remind our volunteers of how much we love and appreciate their involvement in the kidmin programs.

Check out these ideas
So, if you're considering Valentine's Day gifts for the kids to make and share with others, or perhaps making some gifts yourself to hand out to your volunteers, you might like to check out these creative ideas.

Check out these 5 kidmin Valentine's Day ideas! You'll find more information about each idea below...

1.. Valentine's Day colouring verses
This is a simple activity for kids to complete. Download the printable here. Print and hand out to the kids in your groups to colour. They can be cut to size, mounted on coloured card and handed out to their friends and family.

2.. Mini Bible Valentine
The site claims that this is not as difficult as it looks: plus, it comes with an instructional clip. You can also download the free printable, as well as four other designs, as long as you sign up for the emails. Check out the clip below and you can find more information, as well as the printable, here.

Simple Valentine's Day for your kidmin: print, trim, frame and add a backing and a heart chocolate.

3.. Printable Valentine's cards with Bible verses
These are lovely and I wish I'd found them sooner. They can be downloaded from the website here and printed, ready for kids to personalise and hand out to their friends. Or... buy some simple frames (like the ones I found at Kmart). Mount the printables with the frames and add a coloured card backing. Then attach a small chocolate heart as a simple gift for a friend. See my sample ones.

4.. 'Thanks for putting your heart into teaching' gift for volunteers
This is a simple idea but still heart-felt. You can find the instructions plus the free printable on this site.
Hand these gifts out to your volunteers as a 'thank you' for their involvement in children's ministry. You also might like to check out these Valentine's Day ideas for your volunteers.

5.. Valentine's Day lesson for children's ministry
This lesson teaches kids that God has promised His love will never fail them, and that the very first fruit of the Spirit is love. If you're quick,you can pick this one up FREE. Find it here on ChildrensMinistryDeals.com

If you're still looking for more ideas for Valentines Day in your kidmin, then check out my growing collection on Pinterest. See below...

Follow New Chapter's board Valentine's Day on Pinterest.