Kidologists Zone

This is the place to find things written or submitted by the creator of Kidology.org, Karl Bastian.

Use Karl's creativity to your advantage! Browse his ideas, plans, games, and more, and use them as is or adapt them for your ministry!

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Guest Starter All Access
Level Title Topic
Free 'Hire Me' Resume!

You can put together a plain 'ol résumé, or you can create one that demonstrates the creativity and effort and zeal that you will put into your ministry once you are hired!

Job Hunting and Resumes
All Access God's Team 3 - Better Than Bubble Gum, Chew on God's Word

This lesson introduces the concept of meditation to children. While realistic practical application of meditation may be beyond most children, it is still valuable to give them a fundamental introduction to the concept. Those with more spiritual maturity will benefit from it.

Meditation
All Access God's Team 2 - Spiritual Discipline: The Bible

This lesson introduces the Bible, how to read it, and a challenge to be disciplined in reading and studying it.

The Bible
Starter God's Team 1- Playing On God's Team (INTRO)

This lesson is an introduction to a unit on spiritual disciplines. The spiritual disciplines will be compared to training to play well on a baseball team.

Spiritual Discipline
All Access Ministry Priorities

On my palm pilot I keep a simple file I use for self-evaluation. It is posted here because it is requested often after I mention it in workshops.

leadership - prioritizing
All Access CM Investment Guide

this is a children's ministry promotional peice from my church that is requested whenever I mention it at conferences. You are welcome to adapt the idea for your own church.

CM Promotion
All Access Baseball and Christianity

This PowerPoint compares Baseball to Christianity. Was made as an introduction to a unit we are doing on spiritual disciples with a baseball theme. The lessons will be added to the Kids Church Zone.

Christian Living
All Access Help! I'm Planning An All Nighter!

Some advice on planning an all-nighter!

Planning Night Events
All Access First Things First

Take care of the "Big Rocks" in your life, and then worry about everything else. If you can't, then you simply are doing more than God is asking you to, and you need to take a hard look at your life and ministry. It may require some heart-searching prayer about what God is asking you to do.

Priorities
All Access Give It Back To God

When you stress over your ministry, you have taken the ministry away from God and have made it your responsibility to solve its problems.

Stress in Ministry
Free Around the World in 80 Days Movie Review

Overall, a fun film to watch. Packed with fanciful inventions, multiple cultures, and traditional good guys and bad guys. If you are seeking a modern update on the Jules Verne book, you'll be disappointed. This isn't a "don't see" film, however I'd hesitate to recommend it to families in my church.

Movie Review
All Access Balloon on a String

OK, for wasting time, try to click on the balloon that is hanging from your mouse. :)

Fun Flash Game
All Access Lessons from a 'Rookie' Children's Pastor

What lessons did the Kidologist learn early on in ministry besides not playing games with marshmallows in a room with red carpet?

leadership / ministry
All Access Those Kids That Drive You NUTS

Most great leaders I meet had a tough time when they were kids because, while they had gifts, they hadn't figured out yet how to use them, and the misuse, or simply bad timing, got them in trouble...... they have potential!

leadership
Starter Aaron and Hur

A 'who's on first' style puppet show. Copyrighted, but you are welcome to use in local church ministry.

Moses and Aaron
Free The Passion of the Christ Movie Review

Pastor Karl was privileged to get to see a pre-release screening of Mel Gibson's new movie The Passion of the Christ on Jan. 20th, and responds here to its impact on him, and answers questions about it's appropriateness for children.

Movie Review
All Access Who Needs to be Saved?

The Bible says that everyone needs to be saved - only most people do not realize it. They think they are "fine," just like the man reading the book- he needs to look down and realize it isn't just a windy day. People need to see the things in this world that show that there is more to it, and that they are indeed in need of being saved.

Teaching
All Access Number Spell

Great boy/girl competition as kids try to decode a message by yelling out the letter based on numbers!

Teaching
All Access Kool-Aid Slurp Fest

Children race, one at a time, to a large cup full of Kool-Aid at the other end of the playing area and drink until the whistle blows. You will need:Kool-Aid, clear cups, a straw for each child, and a whistle.

Fun
All Access Guide for the Blind

People who do not know God are spiritually BLIND! There are a lot of "voices" yelling out instructions to us in this world, and it is hard to find the happiness and purpose for which we are looking. What we need is to have Jesus guiding us - but we need to be close to Him to hear His instructions!

Teaching
All Access Games with Bubbles

Playing with Bubbles has never been so much fun! You will need lots of bubbles and other equipment as detailed in instructions for each game.

Wet
All Access Hat Pass

A new twist to musical chairs only so MUCH BETTER!

Fun
All Access Clothespins

This works well for boy/girl competition as teams of 2 try to get the most clothespins. Beware! Running circles around each other takes on new meaning with this game!

Fun
Starter Battle of the Marshmallows

The object of the game is to stack twenty empty soda cans on top of each other. They can be working on several stacks. However, the other team is allowed to throw marshmallows at the other team in an attempt to knock down their cans.

Fun
All Access Blanket Drag Race

Each team of three gets a blanket and 2 children speed to the finish line pulling the blanket while the 3rd team member tries to stay on the blanket!

Fun
All Access Big Mac Stack

The hardest part of this game is collecting the Big Mac containers. Just ask for a few every time you eat at McDonald's and you'll have a bunch in no time! Better yet, if you know an employee, maybe they can ask the manager to donate a bunch to the church!

Fun
All Access Centipede Relay Race

You will need a backless Bench per 5-7 kids, optional squirt guns/head gear for this relay race that gets the kids to "centipede" across the room.

Fun
All Access Testament Tangle

Here is a fun game that will help children learn and review which books are in which testament.

Teaching
All Access Ornamental Memory

You will need a variety of Christmas ornaments - at least 20 DIFFERENT TYPES to help children learn that God never forgets Hebrews 6:10.

Teaching
All Access I Spy a Spy

This is a 90's version of the classic "Heads Up 7 Up." (If don't know that game, don't worry about it.) You will need Five (or more) 3 1/2" computer disks.

Teaching
All Access Stare Wars (and that's not a typo.)

This is a GREAT object lesson-type game that teaches Hebrews 12:2 "Fixing our eyes on Jesus" and not be distracted by the things of this world that try to get our mind off of God.

Teaching
All Access Cups Stack Attack

In short: You race to stack and unstack the cups according to a set pattern that is demonstrated ahead of time. Once you get the basic idea, you can make all kinds of variations. You will need Plastic Cups that stack well, and fit inside each other loosely

Fun
All Access Session Three: Your Puppet, Your Teaching Assistant

How to use your puppet to enhance your lesson.

Using your puppet to enhance your lesson.
All Access Star Date Zero

Some "Star Trek" puppet go through an anomoly and get to witness Creation!

Creation
All Access Year End Evaluations

This is a sample of a year-end interview form to use with teachers at the end of the year.

CM Evaluation
All Access Human Bowling

This is a very fun game that all will enjoy! The set-up depends on the size of your group, but the object should be easy to figure out!

Fun
All Access Find the Cookie Monster

A fun twist on Hide and Go Seek! In this version, the LEADER hides with a box of cookies and the kids go looking for him/her.

Teaching
All Access Wheel of Memory(Review Game Show)

This is a pretty simple review game show. (You can also just use Bible trivia questions.)You will need Spinning Wheel -wood or poster board.

Teaching
All Access Following Instructions Game

This is a great game that teaches the importance of reading the Bible carefully and following it's instructions instead of just trying to 'wing it' spiritually.

Obeying God's Word
All Access Bible Stack Attack (3 versions)

Here is an activity that will give you a way to use up those boxes of old books or magazines in the attic or garage!

Teaching
All Access Bible Book Scramble

Here is a game can be used to teach what sections of the Bible different books belong to

Teaching
All Access Ten Questions or I'm Thinking of a Bible Book

Here is another game to teach or review the books of the Bible.

Teaching
Starter 66 Seconds or Less Race

You've heard of 60 Minutes, well this game takes less than 66 seconds! You need a stop watch, or at least a watch with a second hand.

Teaching
All Access Win, Lose, or Eat!

This is "Win, Lose or Draw" without the paper or pens! Instead, have a supply of rope licorice on hand!

Teaching
All Access Team Bible Drill

The Team Bible Drill is similar to the basic Bible drill, except that it involves every child and more kids are rewarded.

Teaching
All Access You Can't Make Me Laugh

Each kid who answered review questions takes a turn sitting on the stool with a straight face while the leaders try to make him/her laugh.

Fun
All Access We're All Different

You can use this game as an introduction to how we are all different - but that God loves us all the same, or other similar applications

Teaching
All Access Paper Airplane Elimination

Each child will need paper to make an airplane and a steady hand to get their airplane through the hula hoop or in the target (which could be a basket or trash can.)

Fun
All Access The Mad Hatters

Similar to musical chairs - call it musical hats if you want! The child who is 'hatless' is removed, and the game begins again, but with one less hat.

Fun
All Access Kool-Aid IV Race

Doctor and Patient take on new meaning in this partner game. You will need Long surgical tubes, Kool-Aid and cups. (maybe paper towels too!)

Fun
Kidology Theorem Book - Right Recruiting Tools - Fishing KidCheck Curls FUNtastic Bible Activity Book PastorKarl.com Learn about DiscipleTown My Awesome Adventure DiscipleTown Unit 15 - Respect Next Steps for Kids Kidology Store
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