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Connecting with Today’s Digital Kids!

It’s no secret we live in a digital age! Take home papers are no longer the most effective ways to reach kids between Sundays. So how DO you connect with today’s digital kids? Pastor Karl Bastian, founder of Kidology.org talks about his three favorite ways to connect with kids in today’s digital world. Paper take-home handouts are no longer the best tool. You’ll love these modern options! See complete show notes and iTunes link at: Kidology.org/kidmintalk155

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Your iPhone’s SECRET Button!

Did you know your iPhone has a SECRET BUTTON? That cool logo on the back, you thought that was just a logo, eh? It is actually a SECRET BUTTON that you can use to do tasks that otherwise would take more time or more fingers to do! It’s so cool I just had to share it. How would like to just double-tap the back of your phone with your finger to activate Siri? Or take a screen shot? Maybe quickly lock your screen or even find your keys? Well, if you have iOS14 installed, you can! Here is how to do it: 1. GO TO SETTINGS 2. GO TO ACCESSIBILITY 3.  GO TO TOUCH 4.  SCROLL DOWN TO “BACK TAP” 5.  CHOOSE WHICH YOU WANT TO SET, Double Tap or Triple Tap. These are the only two options. Unfortunately, there is no option for 8 or 17 taps! 6.  THEN CHOOSE WHAT YOUR DOUBLE-TAP OR TRIPLE-TAP WILL DO! I choose Siri for Double Tap and Screen Shot for Triple Tap since those are two commands I use a lot! HAVE FUN! Let me know if it worked for you, and what commands you chose for your SECRET BUTTON on the…

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When Teaching a Large Age Range

I was reading a discussion over on the Kidology.org forums* about how to teach to a wide age range and there were some comments suggesting different age ranges to aim for. Some were suggesting “aiming for the middle” or “targeting the older kids” so as not to bore them, whereas others thought it better to teach to the younger ones so as not to lose them. I’d like to suggest a different approach after having taught over 1,000 children’s church services to first through sixth graders for over twenty-five years. It’s a rather simple suggestion: AIM FOR EVERYONE! The key in a large group with a large age range is to shift your focus constantly. The secret is to be highly visual and to be physically moving and animated to keep the younger ones tracking with you (don’t stand still and never sit, meaning you the teacher) and use humor constantly to keep a connection with your audience. Think about it: Senior pastors preach to a wide audience range of age and intelligence and education and world view and learning styles and they can do it! They don’t break their audience into groups! How do they do it? It isn’t…

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Top Three Kidology Tools for your Kidmin in the New Year

Top Three Kidology Tools for your Kidmin in the New Year Welcome to the 153rd episode of Kidmin Talk, the webcast show hosted by Karl Bastian, the Kidologist. Listen here on Kidology or subscribe via iTunes to listen on-the-go with your iPhone, iPod, iPad, or another mobile device. MENTIONED ON THE SHOW TODAY: The Kidology Way ebook All About Me Sheet for getting to know the kids Facebook Live about All About Me Sheet All About Me Blank Pic Form (for when kids turn it in without a picture) Kidology’s Ultimate Toolbox for Children’s Ministry Toolbox Zone Toolbox eTips for Volunteers WATCH THE PODCAST HERE: CONNECTING w/ KIDMIN TALK: E-mail: karl@kidmintalk.com Twitter: @KidminTalk or @Kidologist

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Shepherd or Sheepherder?

Shepherd or Sheepherder? Welcome to the 152nd episode of Kidmin Talk, the webcast show hosted by Karl Bastian, the Kidologist. Listen here, on Kidology or subscribe via iTunes to listen on-the-go with your iPhone, iPod, iPad, or other mobile device. KIDMIN TALK #152: Shepherd of Sheepherder: MENTIONED ON THE SHOW TODAY: Kidology Grants All About Me Sheets SHOW NOTES: FULL ARTICLE THIS PODCAST WAS BASED ON: Shepherd of Sheepherder Questions for Reflection: What do you think it means to be a Shepherd? What aspects of your ministry can be described as Shepherding? When do your children, volunteers or families feel shepherded in your ministry? (or do they?) What are your programs actually successful at? What does success look like and do you measure success? How do you measure success? What consumes your time? How effective is it? What are the tangible results that you can point to that merit the time invested? Is there a better way you could invest your time? What, if you stopped it, would no one notice? What do you do “just because?” If you listed everything you do in order of priority, what would be on the bottom half of the list? What if you…

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