Home Archive by category "Kidology" (Page 51)

Category: Kidology

A Galactic Christmas Carol for You!

My favorite Christmas movie is A Christmas Carol. by Charles Dickens. But not just any telling of it. It has to be the The Muppet’s version. (1992) It is truly the best version ever made. If you have not seen it, you must. Even if you aren’t in kid’s ministry and yes, even if you typically don’t like puppets. It is as touching as it is funny. And Gonzo and Rizzo the Rat, as narrators make the movie. They are simply hysterical. Micheal Caine does a great job as the Scrooge as well. Of course, Kermit and the Gang all do great filling in the rest of the cast. So, in 2004, I created my own parody of the movie in ToyBox Tales fashion. If you are not familiar with ToyBox Tales – for several years I performed stories with action figures on a set in front of a live audience of kids at my church as a way to introduce lessons or re-introduce familiar stories in a new and fun way. (From 2001-2005) Long before the phrase “going viral” existed, the videos I made “went viral” and as people found them on my church website and I was forced to…

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Get a CLUE About Christmas!

Back by popular demand after the huge success of Resurrection Clue Hunt, it’s time to explore the true meaning of Christmas! Our family played this game last night and had a blast asking, “Do you have Joseph with the Gold?” or “Do you have Mary in the Manger?” or “What about King Herod in the King’s Court?” Mix and match different People, Locations and Objects and try to discover the missing clues to the Story of Christmas! When you are done – choose one of the complete devotionals to read to top off the play with some insightful Bible Learning! Your kids will learn some things about Christmas they probably didn’t know. With twenty different devotionals and different missing clues, the learning will be different each time you play! Ideal for church small groups as well as quality family time for the holidays. So turn off the TV! (The Grinch and and Rudolph can wait.) It’s time for another round of Christmas Clue Hunt! Your kids can learn more about the AMAZING TRUE STORY OF CHRISTMAS this season! Discover amazing facts from the Bible about: People (8 total) • Mary • Joseph • Baby Jesus • Wise Men • Shepherds…

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How to Teach Sport Stacking

As I hope you know – Sport Stacking – is one of the funnest* sports and activities that you can do with kids. It is a sport that kids of all ages and athletic abilities can do. When I was a full time children’s pastor, I discovered this amazing sport and incorporated into our children’s ministry and it became not only a magnet for kids, but a super relational tool for simply playing with and interacting with the kids in my church. Parents also found it to be a fun way to engage with their kids in a fun activity that they could do with children of any age – and of course, kids enjoyed beating their parents at a fun sport. Now, Sport Stacking has become an official part of the Awana Game Time. I launched it last week with a series of games using the Jumbo Cups. My goal there was a fast, easy introduction that would get the kids excited about the sport and the concept of stacking around the Awana Circle. But tonight, it was time to introduce them to the actual sport, and provide some training the stacking techniques. The Key is to keep the…

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Kidology Coaching is a Life Preserver

It is always encouraging to hear how Kidology Coaching changes lives as well as ministries. If you have ever considered getting a personal coach, read this letter from our most recent graduate, and pray about growing with one of our coaches. We have just added a woman to our coaching team, so for ladies who have been waiting for that, now is your chance! Dear Karl, Upon graduating from the Kidology Coaching Program, I want let you know that the Kidology Coaching Program has been a “life-saver” for me! Literally! The work that you and the coaches have put into the curriculum, the training you’ve had and all the components of this coaching program is exemplary. I want to tell you how this program has changed my life in hopes that someone else could relate and become a part of the program at a just the right time in their life. When I signed up for the coaching program I was at a “low” in my ministry. I had gone through the “honeymoon” stage of my ministry (where everyone was thrilled to have me there and helped me along with everything, because I was new and naïve) and was facing…

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“Problem” Kids – Aren’t Really a Problem After All!

This is a guest post, re-posted from itsyourbooknow.blogspot.com with permission. This week I had a Sunday School training with Karl Bastian, the Kidologist. The topic was discipline, and I was eager to learn. That’s one of the hardest things for me as a Sunday School teacher. I walked out with a lot of great tips. Grace based tips. Which I love, because I’m a big fan of grace. All new ideas I’d never thought of, heard of, or tried before. I’m eager to try this out. But the thing that struck me the most wasn’t so much a tip as it was a perspective. Which was pretty much the perspective that framed all the tips. You know those “good” kids? You know, the ones who bring you Christmas gifts and say please and thank you and never disrupt class? You probably aren’t going to make a difference in their life. Why? Because their lives are already on a good trajectory. They usually come from good homes, homes where parents are doing a wonderful job teaching them about faith and how to live like Jesus. If you weren’t in their lives, they’d probably still turn out to be wonderful Christians. You…

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