I bought some magnetic blocks for my small grandson. He watched solemnly while I showed him how they clicked together. I gently slid some along the floor and he watched them spin around and stick to the block I held close. It took him some time before he tentatively tried it himself but now he clicks them together faster than I can. At 18 month old, he's on a big learning curve. Even as adults we continue to learn and I've certainly learned a lot as a kidmin leader. I'm sure you could list dozens of things you've learned through your work with kids and in children's ministry. Here's my top five:

1. Being a kidmin leader doesn't mean that I know everything. (Sigh..I wish!) 
Yes, I've put in years of formal study, read books, magazines and articles and listened to countless speakers. But no, there is still plenty that I need to learn. It's been said that, "He who dares to teach must never cease to learn." It's good advice, especially for those who work in children's ministry. 

Is that discouraging? Not at all... there are so many ready sources of information and learning now available: printed books, e-books, magazines, blogs, podcasts, training videos, conferences, ministry networks and more. 

I also need to learn from kids and families. Our culture is constantly changing and, if I want our ministry to be relevant to the needs and concerns of families and kids, I need to be aware of just what those needs are. I need to know what interests the kids and captures their time and attention. I need to present my content using language they will understand and relate to.

Not knowing everything also means that I need to encourage my leadership team to be actively involved in our planning meetings, participating in the discussions and sharing their own wonderful ideas and suggestions.

2. I must maintain a healthy, growing relationship with Christ.
The analogy here is the mandatory safety lecture we all receive from the flight attendant when our plane is about to depart. The speech is boring, but crucial: “In the event of a change in air pressure, please put on your own oxygen mask first before assisting the person next to you."

How can we teach children and encourage them to develop a vibrant, personal relationship with Christ if our own is lacking? This is especially important for kidmin leaders who rarely manage to sit in on 'big church.'
.”'Before I turn to my work in the world, I have inner work to do.' Parker Palmer

3. The most important thing I can give kids is my attention.
As children arrive for our midweek and Sunday morning programs, the first thing they do is rush over and talk. Some shout out their news while they're still half-way through the door. Others slip up quietly and wait until you ask them a question or two. Our message is important. Our teaching materials add excitement and interest. But it's our attention that kids want. Kids will listen and learn from us if we listen to them and give them our attention.

As I read the story of Jesus with the children, I've noticed that there is no recorded story or parable that Jesus told to those children. Though we know He spoke to them and blessed them, we don't actually know the words He said. But we know He certainly gave them just what they desperately wanted- His time and attention.

4. Regardless of how passionate I am about my ministry, I also need downtime.
Plan this in.. it's important. It doesn't mean working from home or putting my feet up while I read a ministry related textbook. It doesn't mean trying out a new kidmin program. It doesn't mean working on an online project with ministry potential.
It does mean taking time to do something I enjoy that is totally unrelated to ministry, enjoying time with family or even working in the garden... Sometimes I just need to relax.

5. The best way to grow my ministry is to grow others.
Invest time in the leaders of your leadership team. Encourage them. Develop their skills and talents. Provide hands-on training.  It's worth every minute. 

Leave a comment below with some of the things you've learned in kidmin.

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Our family ministry team organises regular, often monthly, outreach events that will connect with both the church family and the community. 

Family ministry events
We've planned some seasonal events- Easter, Christmas, Mother's Day, Father's Day. We've also planned a Enchanted Woods High Tea, a musical concert event with special guest artists, an outdoor movie night for the whole family and much more. We know that there are some in our community that have had no connection with churches. If some of these families attend our events and enjoy the experience, that's great. But we really hope and pray that their hearts will be touched and they want to know more.

Other ways we connect
We also provide helpful booklets, articles and leaflets that relate to families, children and parenting. We encourage families to take these home and read them. After school tutoring programs have been very helpful for students who need a little extra assistance with their studies.It's another way that we can support and encourage families.

Response forms
I know it doesn't seem like it, but a response form is another way to connect with families. I know that many churches do not like to provide response cards or forms. They may feel it encourages negativity or that it may discourage the volunteers and helpers who work so hard in the ministry.

But a response form sends that message that visitors are important. We want our visiting families to feel comfortable, that they matter and that we want them to return. I think, too, that it's helpful for us to know more about them and focus our  attention on them and their needs rather than feeling comfortable and complacent in ways we've always done things. 

We also ask how families have learned about our church and our events in the response card. It helps us decide how best to promote our events and how we can improve.  If you've never used these, it might be worthwhile considering. I've attached a simple form below that you might like to use or alter for your needs.

Can't see the graphics? Click here to view.

If you're like me, you're regularly encouraging church families and the community to check out the resources and information available on your church and kidmin website.

Highlight your kidmin website & social media
Maybe you also like to create a powerpoint to be included in the church announcements to highlight the websites or your Pinterest boards or Facebook page. 65% of businesses state that they have received customers directly through their Facebook page. Now, although we're not looking at our kidmin as a business, we are wanting to create interest and excitement in Sunday morning and midweek programs. We're also providing support and encouragement for parents as they nurture and develop faith in their kids. So, if we can connect with families from the community through our website and social media, we want to highlight and encourage others to check us out.

Free resource
So, I was interested to note a free online resource that will help you create an eye-catching photo for a church announcement slide or other promotion.

PlaceIt
The website is called PlaceIt and, using this site, you can insert an image of your website or Facebook page into an photo of a handheld device or computer.
Check out the samples in this post. I've inserted the New Chapter image into the top photo and our TweedKids Facebook page has been placed in the image on the right. 
The how-to is easy: 

1. Choose an image to insert your website or social media. (There are plenty of options.)
   
2. Click the wording on the image that states 'Grab screenshot from URL' and add the address of your website/social media page.( You can upload an image of your site if you prefer.)
3. The program will take a moment and then your site will appear.
4. Then, click on the image and save to your files.

Once you have your competed image, you can easily insert into a powerpoint slide and add a call-to-action similar to the image suggestion here.
EASY!  .. and fun, too.
Try it out. I'm sure you'll discover plenty of other opportunities to use this great little site.

Can't see the graphics? Click here to view.

If you've 'Liked' our Facebook page, you will know that there are less than 14 weeks until Christmas. How's your planning going for your kidmin Christmas events? 

So much happens for families in the last term of the year- grandparents day, concerts, recitals, family programs, break-up events, thanksgiving and halloween in some parts of the world, graduations and so much more. It begins to feel like there's something happening every weekend. Small wonder, then, that the Christmas period is potentially a very stressful time of year.

Christmas Event Kit
With this in mind, it may be worthwhile considering an easy Christmas Event Kit from VeggieTales. If you haven't used one of these event kits before, you'll be surprised to know that almost everything you need to present this special movie event is provided. The event guide is really helpful and includes games, crafts, colouring pages, decoration suggestions and more. We've previously printed up some cinema-style movie tickets for added excitement. 

I've usually found it helpful to break up the screening of the movie with some of the suggested activities. Many kids, especially the younger ones, just can't sit still for that period of time even if you're passing out popcorn etc. So plan in a few intermissions.

Kit includes:    

• Event DVD (with full show)
• Event Guide
• 1 Event Poster (24x36)
• 20 Balloons
• 5 Mini-Event Posters (11x17)
• 50 Kids Activity Posters.. more can be ordered separately
• 100 Stickers and More!  More can be ordered separately
• DVD Format: NTSC/Region 1 (Our ministry DVD player is an inexpensive brand and I've had no trouble playing these DVDs. Check that yours will play multi-regions.)

Value for money
The kit is great value- $24.99. But for international customers, it's the postage and handling that adds to the expense. So.. I'd suggest partnering with another church kidmin and sharing the costs, as long as you don't plan to screen the event on the same day. Just make sure that you order sufficient kids' activity posters and stickers. You'll find the event kit HERE.
Discussion guide below:

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As a leader and kidmin coordinator, I'm always looking for different ways to encourage and thank my leaders and volunteers. I've already shared a number of different ideas and pinned even more on our Pinterest boards.

Each member of your team is important
It's important to remember that, as well received as these little encouragements can be, volunteers like to know that they are more than just another name on a roster or a warm body completing a task. They appreciate being kept informed about all that's planned for children and family events and programs. And, you'll find that many will also like to be a part of planning meetings.

I've been told, by some of my helpers, that being a part of a team that cared about them personally, a team that sought to teach and equip them, was one of the most encouraging aspects of working in children's ministry.

So, as part of your encouragement of leaders and volunteers, consider each of your helpers on a individual basis. Take time to talk with them, take them out to coffee, learn about their skills and talents and encourage them to develop and use them. Schedule training sessions to equip them for the tasks. And.. involve them in your planning whenever possible.

Pray for your helpers
It's worthwhile to mention that your church family should be encouraged to pray for those volunteers and leaders who spend so much time and energy teaching and nurturing the children in your church family. 

Simple gifts of appreciation
Little gifts of appreciation, though, can be a great encouragement and this encouragement shouldn't be something that's left to the end of the year. Include such thanks throughout the year and especially whenever a leader goes above and beyond the call of duty.

A simple thank you card or card with a small gift is often all that's needed, and will still be greatly appreciated. This simple 'thank you' is made with a clear acetate pillow box filled with M&Ms and accompanied by a quality card. This card is one of the Aliroo card range.

Send a free e-card
You can send free thank you and encouragement e-cards through sites like DaySpring. It takes just a few moments to send but can really brighten and inspire a volunteer.

Small, fun notes
Another simple, but effective idea, is to print small encouragements, such as the encouragement slips pictured here, on light card stock or quality paper. Cut them out, laminate them if you wish, and slip them onto a volunteer's desk or leave on their pile of books.

You could also include these fun, encouragement slips with a voucher from the local coffee shop. They're not a big deal.. they're free... just a bit of fun.. but the little acknowledgement can really make a difference in the lives of those involved in ministry that regularly slips below the radar of others in the church family.

If you'd like to download and use these FREE encouragement slips, you can find the file below.

Can't see the graphics? Click here to view.

There is something special about a high tea and even small girls can enjoy the experience with their mothers and extended family if extra activities are planned into the event. 

The Enchanted Woods High Tea recently organised by our Family Ministry team was a popular outreach event for all ages. You can find more information about the format and activities included in our High Tea here. As mothers and daughters arrived, an area was set aside for the girls to create their own floral hair garlands. These look elaborate, but can be easily created, and look lovely. Wrist corsages were prepared for the ladies. (see below)

Instructions: Give each child a length of wire and eyelet lace. Encourage them to begin threading the lace onto their wire while gradually adding some of the other beads and other flowers. Once all the lace has been threaded onto the wire, measure around the child's head and twist the ends of the wire together to fit. Cover the twisted wire with a small piece of florist tape. Tie the length of ribbon in place over the taped wire closure. Any wired flowers can be twisted around the wire garland and butterflies added.

Materials:

• 60cm  x  18 gauge florist wire
  
• 115cm x white/cream eyelet lace
• pearl beads
• pony beads in colours to match theme
• silk roses pink/white
• paper flower and greenery cutouts
• 50cm pink/white ribbon
• small butterflies- silk or paper cutouts
• florist tape

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There are many times when you need to present a special kids' segment, whether it's a family- style worship service, a regular segment in big church, a school's chapel talk or presentation, a community outreach or a midweek event.

Considering the frequency that kidmin leaders are required to present these segments, I'm amazed that there really is a dearth of materials to help out. Sure, there are VBS resources, Sunday morning programs that can be adapted, puppet scripts that can be utilised, movie clips that can be included, but very little material for this specific need. 

With this in mind, I'd like to take a moment to remind you of the Lost Sheep resources. I know that I've reviewed these previously here but, with a number of kidmin leaders recently mentioning this need, I thought it might bear highlighting once again.

Lost Sheep is an Australian product grown out of the need for just this type of kidmin presentation. The stories are presented with style and humour.

The story material is available in a number of different formats.

1.  First, there are books: great for home-use, for parents to read with their kids.
   
2. Big books: oversized books that work well in small group, class environments.
3. E-books: individual use or at home

You can purchase the materials separately or, all the materials are available with a subscription.
Check out Lost Sheep here.

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Recently, we looked at online editing of your photos and images and in particular, checked out PicMonkey. If you missed this article, you'll find it here.

Why use PicMonkey?
While I usually use pixlr.com (another online editing site), PicMonkey has some interesting features and effects that you might like to consider: special themed features, tapes, background papers and notes, bunting, frames, cutouts and more.

Easy to use
It's so easy to use that you'll find the kids enjoy manipulating their images as much as you do. And, it's easy to add creative titles and quotes to your photos, too.

A Royale account
However, some of the features require a Royale account which amounts to a couple of dollars each month. You can still use PicMonkey without having a Royale account, but you just won't be able to use all the features.

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Special family events are an important part of our family ministry outreach and we try to organise an event for each month. 

Why hold special family events?
These events support and encourage families and provide non-threatening events for families from the community to attend. Usually, the planned event is something that the whole family can attend and generally, we plan the event to begin late afternoon, include a meal and finish early so parents to take the kids home and pop them into bed.

Recently, and following Father's Day, we held a special Father- Son event. The Wild Game Dinner event was very popular and the feedback, positive. You can read more about this event here.

Event for mothers and daughters
But the girls felt that they missed out so we planned another free event, a mother-daughter high-tea. Our theme was the enchanted woods, though with all our designs and decorations of pink and green with colourful butterflies, perhaps it should have been 'enchanting'.

Talented ladies from our church family contributed to create the sweet, dainty cupcakes, meringues, scones and tartlets, an important part of any high tea.

Planned activities
But we had planned other activities to excite and entertain both mothers and daughters.We'd seen a wonderful decorating ideas on Pinterest, creating huge flowers from coloured tissue paper so we made these in pink shades, added some large butterflies and created a photography area for mothers and daughters to have their portraits taken. The photos will be available for families to collect from the church on the following Sunday.

We also prepared hair garlands for the girls to make with wrist corsages for the mothers. There were also butterfly nets to decorate. Later, the girls used these to catch the small butterflies  from the Elefun Butterflies game from Hasbro.

Following the special afternoon tea, some of the talented girls from our church family, provided a small dance performance and face-painting was also provided.

What special family events have you organised? How did they go?

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The boys are jumping up and down with excitement at the mere mention of snakes and crocodiles, not to mention tasting the wild game food. The Wild Game Dinner has been  a popular outreach event providing an exciting opportunity to invite families from the community.

And there will be plenty of man-versus-wild activities for everyone: snake and reptile show with the opportunity to hold some of the creatures, competitions to test the sporting prowess of men and boys, wild game dinner of kangaroo, crocodile, venison, quail and hare. There will also be a clip of Top Moments of Bear Grylls including his testimony.

Adequate promotion of outreach events is important. Our church family is encouraged to invite friends and neighbours but it's helpful to promote these events in other ways, too.The event is highlighted in the church bulletin and in church announcements; flyers are handed out throughout the community; newspaper ads are also helpful; colourful poster draw attention to the event; images and information are posted on the church facebook page. All these resources are available to download below. Free tickets are available to help with catering for the event.