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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Membership Levels:
Guest Starter All Access
Level Title Topic
All Access Playing on God's Team Unit Overview

This is an overview of the GOD'S TEAM series with links to all the lessons.  

Spiritual Disciplines
Starter Thanksgiving Jokes

Some Thanksgiving themed jokes to help with your teaching, skits or puppet routines.

Thanksgiving Jokes
All Access Bible Story Mad Lib Idea

This is a super fun idea to teach on how amazing the Bible is by using a very fun introduction of creating a "mad libs" Bible story. It is funny, but has a teaching point on how God's Word came to be and what it means to be "inspired" by God.

The Good Samaritan / Inspiration of Scripture
Starter My Awesome Adventure: Lesson 1

This is a sample lesson from the Awesome Adventure Children's Discipleship Series. If you have 3D glasses, you can view the awesome background! This lesson introduces children to the character of God and the trinity.

How to Know What God is Like
All Access Dealing with Personal Criticism

Originally published in Children's Ministry Magazine Professional Edition, Karl Bastian shares insights on how to deal with criticism in leadership.  

Critism in Leadership
All Access Foretold Easter Single Lesson

Easter lesson by Karl Bastian & Stanley Mearse exploring the fulfilled prophesies that prove Jesus IS the Messiah.

Easter
All Access Gospel Rubik's Cube

A Rubik's Cube that explains the Gospel message!  

Gospel
All Access Feeding 5000 with Big Macs!

Karl reveals one of his favorite methods of telling this popular story, but pulling TONS of Big Macs and Apple Pies out of a single bag!  

Jesus Will Provide
All Access How to be Filled with the Holy Spirit (4 Videos)

Using balloon sculting as an illustration, Karl presents four steps to being filled with the Holy Spirit: Thristing, Repenting, Trusting and Obeying.  

Holy Spirit
All Access Hold on to Jesus' Teaching

Two gloves are out for some spiritual climbing, but it seems only one is a true disciple who is holding on to the Truth! Based on John 8:31-32      

True Disciples
All Access Video Professor on the Trinity

The Trinity is one of the most difficult to understand concepts of the Christian Faith. Professor Lufrednow Lrak reviews some of the traditional illustrations for understanding the Trinity as well as why all such illustrations fall short. Using props, magic and even a humidifier the Professor helps kids understand what the Trinity is and is not!  

The Trinity
All Access NoDuh the Wise One on Light vs. Darkness

NoDuh the Wise One is back, this time with some insight on what it means to walk in the Light and why we should never choose the Darkness.  

Light vs. Darkness
Starter Scope and Seekwhat?

Educators have long called it a Scope and Sequence. Every thoughtful Bible curriculum has one. If it doesn’t, you might want to re-evaluate the quality of the material or the intentionality of its creators. If there is no scope and sequence, then it is a haphazard approach to education, and that is dangerous.

Curricululm Writing
All Access Beyond the Classroom

If you minister to kids you have a powerful opportunity to impact lives in dramatic ways, and the small amount of effort it takes may surprise you.

Relational Ministry
All Access Resolute in the New Year

I think because New Year’s Resolutions often don’t last or are forgotten after several months, some people give up even making them. Others even encourage people not to for this very reason. I disagree. I think they are fantastic!

New Year's Resolutions
All Access Galactic Christmas Carol Downloads

Download Karl's Galactic Christmas Carol Muppet Parody, available only to All Access Members.

Christmas ToyBox Tale Downloads
Free Operation: Thanks Thanksgiving Super Sunday

A Thanksgiving lesson by Karl Bastian & Tom Bump that challenges kids to show thanks in creative ways. 

Thanksgiving
All Access Teaching Responsibility

A fun and interactive way to teach on the parable of the talents. This was originally taught in a school chapel on responsibility.  

Responsibility & Talents
All Access Prophesy Weather Wheel

This is an activity that illustrates in a fun way the difference between a prediction and a prophesy.

Prophesy vs. Predictions
All Access A Revolutionary Ministry Strategy

A document once thought lost forever in the archives of the Kidologist’s vast children’s ministry vault of hand written resources from before the dawn of the computer has recently been uncovered. Could it reveal a ministry strategy that will revolutionize your ministry today?

Ministry Strategy
All Access Draw the Church

Can you draw the church?

Creative Idea, Object Lesson
All Access God's Team Unit Overview

This unit is an overview of the Spiritual Disciplines that uses a baseball "team" theme. Features the popular "NoDuh the Wise One" videos by Karl Bastian.

Spiritual Disciplines
All Access Listen to the Holy Spirit Game

A fun game that illustrates the need to focus to listen to the Holy Spirit over other "voices" in our lives.

Holy Spirit
All Access Ticket to Heaven Game

A FUN interactive game by Karl Bastian that visually illustrates the eternal impact of sharing your faith. Includes a complete video of the game in action!

The Gospel
All Access Be Different - Be An Alien!

A preteen lesson from Karl Bastian featuring David and Goliath and what it means to be an alien in this world! Small Group hand out included.

The Power of the Gospel
All Access Thankful for Kidology Customers

Karl says "Thanks" while giving a rare glimpse at the history of Kidology.org

History of Kidology
All Access Ultimate Rock, Paper, Scissors

Everyone knows Rock, Paper, Scissors - this large group version is a LOT of fun and teaches teamwork, encouragement and the power of prayer!

Fun Game / Power of Prayer
All Access Pinterest Get to Know You Game

This is a "Get to Know You" game based on the popular website Pinterest.com. It helps a large group of kids or teens quickly find people with common interests.  

Ice Breaker Game w/ Pinterest
All Access Get to Know ME Middle School Version

An easy form for getting to know your Middle Schoolers.

Getting to Know Preteen
All Access Tips for Teaching Preteens (Middle Schoolers)

Karl Bastian provides some practical tips on engaging and keeping the interest of middle schoolers when teaching. (Bonus: Comes with a sample middle school lesson.)

Teaching Preteens
All Access Volunteer Evaluation Worksheet

An evaluation worksheet that can be used to help gain feedback as well as help volunteers evaluate their performance.

Volunteer Evaluation
Free You Don't Have a Recruiting Problem

I hear it often... "I'm having trouble recruiting." May I be so bold as to suggest your problem isn't recruiting. If you focus on something far more important than recruiting, you'll have all the volunteers you'll ever need. You may even have extras! Read on for the secret to building the largest team in the church!

Recruiting, Volunteers
All Access A Philosophy of Children's Ministry

Karl presents his Biblical Philosophy of Children's Ministry, why you should have one, and a Word doc version so you can modify it for your own ministry use.

Philosophy of Ministry
All Access What Happened to the Bible?

A tragedy is happening! The Bible is a rare object in most children's ministries today. What are the steps for action that we need to take?

Using Bibles in Children's Ministry
All Access Don't Blink!

We do not need to be afraid, because Jesus is our helper in times of need. Use this object lesson to communicate this important truth to children!  

Jesus, Fear
All Access Broken Toaster

Using a toaster to demonstrate to children that Christians do not need to be afraid of death!

There Is No Need To Fear Death
All Access The Water Race

Exciting relay that gets all the kids involved as they work as a team to pass the water.

water, relay
Starter Speak! Your Audience Listens!

Originally published in Groups CM Mag Professional Edition, Karl challenges your thinking about church communication from "How can I better get information out?" to "Why aren't they listening?"

Church Communication
All Access Impact of Reading!

Help kids understand how much what we read can shape us through this object lesson.

Reading, Bible, God's Word
All Access Hot Teddy

Here is a simple and fun game you can do at almost any time in your ministry.

Teddy, Fun
All Access The One Thing: Karl Bastian

Karl answers Greg Baird on what is the ONE THING that is most important aside from his walk with God.

Leadership
All Access What Matters Now: Relationships

Karl Bastian, the Kidologist, made this contribution to the book What Matters Now in Children's Ministry.

Relationships
All Access Repentance Game

Teach kids about repentance in a memorable way through this exciting game. Make your lesson visual and active.

Salvation, Repentance
All Access A Kidmin House of Cards?

Do you ever feel like your whole ministry is about to come crashing down? This may encourage you...  

Leadership Perseverance
All Access Gifts Make An Impact!

Help your kids understand gifts and the impact they make when you receive them at the right time.

Gifts, Need
All Access Sins Nailed to a Cross

Encourage the kids in your ministry to repent from their sins.

Salvation, Repentance
Free Review: Spiritual Parenting & BIG GOD!

Karl Bastian reviews Michelle Anthony's books, Spiritual Parenting and The Big God Story.

Spiritual Parenting
All Access Keepin' It Simple

Karl talks about ways to Keep It S.I.M.P.L.E. in your ministry when you are starting to feel overwhelmed (Post includes an MP3)

Leadership Volunteers
All Access Communicating When No One Reads

Ideas for communication with leaders and volunteers

Communication
Free The Hunger Games Titled Wrong?

Maybe The Hunger Games ought to have been titled Mirror Mirror, since in many ways it mirrors our culture today.

Movie Review
Kidology Theorem Book - Right Recruiting Tools - Fishing KidCheck YouthCheck Drummer Kid Conversation Cards 88 Games with 8 Objects Book Learn about DiscipleTown My Awesome Adventure DiscipleTown Unit 11 - How to Discover Gifts Order of the Ancient Kidology Store
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