Kidologist's 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. Use them as is or adapt them for your ministry!
‹ Back to ZonesLevel | Title | Topic | |
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Listening to God
This is an Object Talk Video created by Karl Bastian that teaches and illustrates the importance of listening carefully to God. Features the Bop-It electronic game. |
Listening to God | |
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Freedom from Sin
This is an Object Talk Video created by Karl Bastian that teaches and illustrates what it means to be Free from the bondage of sin. |
Freedom from Sin | |
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Magnify the Lord
This is an Object Talk Video created by Karl Bastian to teach about what it means to Magnify the Lord. Features several fun magnifying tools. |
Praising God | |
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Teen Training Session
Here is everything you need to hold a Teen Training Volunteer Session to inspire, instruct and instill confidence in your youth volunteers. |
Teen Volunteer Training |
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Clean Teeth
A fun game that takes an ordinary daily chore (brushing your teeth) and provide a spiritual application on obeying God's Word. |
Games, Teamwork, Obeying God's Word | |
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Barnyard Scramble
Help children understand how, in a church, everyone needs to find out what their spiritual gift is and use it together with others in the Body of Christ. |
Games, Spiritual Gifts |
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Vote with Your Feet
This opening lesson activity helps to illustrate that while we have many things that make us different... there are some things we can all agree on. |
Fun Lesson Intro | |
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Is Your Kidmin in Survival or Creative Mode?
I love Minecraft. I play it with my son and other kids. It also teaches me things about children's ministry. |
Leadership |
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No more Sinner's Prayer in Kidmin?
While we may have valid concerns to many of the practices associated with inviting children to receive Jesus into their hearts, Jesus' imperative to bring kids to him must be a priority for children's ministry. |
Evangelism, Spiritual Formation |
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How to be an AWESOME Small Group Leader
Many churches today use a Large Group / Small Group format. For small group leaders, here are FIVE TIPS to make your time as effective as possible. |
Small Group Training |
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Bible-O-Rama Super Sunday
For any 5th Sunday, use the Bible-O-Rama Super Sunday, including several fun games that help kids review the Books of the Bible. |
Super Sunday Stand-Alone Lesson with Games |
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Follow Up Letters for Kids
A bunch of kids accept Christ on Sunday - how do you follow up with them? In this post Karl shares the letters he sends out to both kids and parents. You are welcome to edit and adapt. |
Follow Up | |
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Who's Missing?
Webster's Dictionary defines memorizing as "committing (something) to memory," or "learning (something)by heart." Use this simple game to introduce a time of Scripture memory or show children the importance of memorizing Scripture. |
Scripture memory |
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The Gifts of the Puzzle
Kids will learn how spiritual gifts by themselves are incomplete and missing something. They are designed to fit together within the church and the Kingdom of God around the world. |
Spiritual gifts, The church | |
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Bible Formulas
A fun way to spark interest in the Bible or review Bible books. |
Bible books, Games, Science VBS |
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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 | |
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Thanksgiving Jokes
Some Thanksgiving themed jokes to help with your teaching, skits or puppet routines. |
Thanksgiving Jokes | |
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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 |
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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 | |
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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 | |
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Foretold Easter Single Lesson
Easter lesson by Karl Bastian & Stanley Mearse exploring the fulfilled prophesies that prove Jesus IS the Messiah. |
Easter |
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Gospel Rubik's Cube
A Rubik's Cube that explains the Gospel message! |
Gospel | |
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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 | |
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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 | |
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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 | |
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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 | |
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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 | |
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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 | |
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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 |
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Resolute in the New Year
I think New Year’s Resolutions are fantastic! Here's why! |
New Year's Resolutions | |
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Galactic Christmas Carol Downloads
Download Karl's Galactic Christmas Carol Muppet Parody, available only to All Access Members. |
Christmas ToyBox Tale Downloads |
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Operation: Thanks Thanksgiving Super Sunday
A Thanksgiving lesson by Karl Bastian & Tom Bump that challenges kids to show thanks in creative ways. |
Thanksgiving |
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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 | |
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Prophesy Weather Wheel
This is an activity that illustrates in a fun way the difference between a prediction and a prophesy. |
Prophesy vs. Predictions | |
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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 | |
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Draw the Church
Can you draw the church? |
Creative Idea, Object Lesson | |
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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 | |
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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 | |
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Ticket to Heaven Game
A FUN interactive game by Karl Bastian that visually illustrates the eternal impact of sharing your faith. Watch a complete video of the game in action! |
The Gospel |
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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 | |
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Thankful for Kidology Customers
Karl says "Thanks" while giving a rare glimpse at the history of Kidology.org |
History of Kidology | |
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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 | |
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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 | |
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Get to Know ME Middle School Version
An easy form for getting to know your Middle Schoolers. |
Getting to Know Preteen | |
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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 | |
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Volunteer Evaluation Worksheet
An evaluation worksheet that can be used to help gain feedback as well as help volunteers evaluate their performance. |
Volunteer Evaluation | |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |