Openings Zone
How do you make your lessons start with EXCITEMENT? How do you engage kids from the moment they enter the room? Karl, the Kidologist, believes that as a teacher you only have precious few minutes each week to invest in the spiritual lives of your students - so to waste any of those minutes with pointless games and activities is a lost opportunity.
This Zone provides lesson ideas that are designed for the beginning of children's church or as lesson introductions to engage kids right from the start and help to introduce your topic or theme and get children thinking about what you will be teaching.
It's time to have your kids start thinking about your topic, or at least start being primed for the subject matter, the moment they arrive. You'll be a much for effective teacher if you make every minute count - but in a FUN and entertaining way!
‹ Back to ZonesLevel | Title | Topic | |
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Confession List... For Others?!
As a lesson intro on Confessing Sin, a puppet (or actor) has a list of sins to confess... only they are OTHER people's sins! |
Confession | ||
King of Hearts Card Trick with Video Demonstration
This is a super easy and impressive trick that requires no sleight of hand. |
Gospel Magic | ||
Asking God
Open your service with this great and simple lesson, as the kids learn to go to God. |
Need, Ask, Prayer | ||
Bible Formulas
A fun way to spark interest in the Bible or review Bible books. |
Bible books, Games, Science VBS | ||
Bible Numbers and Facts
This is a fun activity for helping kids learn some amazing facts about the Bible! |
Bible Facts | ||
Bible Story Mad Libs
A FUN way to tell a familiar Bible story |
Bible Story Fun | ||
Candy Auction
Using children's love of candy to demonstrate that worship is a show of worth! |
Worship | ||
Charades Talent Show
Put on an INSTANT Talent Show as you talk about the gifts God gives us. |
Gifts and Talents | ||
Choose Your Lesson Order!
Let the kids choose the lesson order to learn about choices! |
Choices | ||
Christmas Tic-Tac-Toe
A Fun Free Christmas Game - Tic-Tac-Toe Christmas Style! Download this fun themed pre-service game that kids will love! |
Christmas Game | ||
Country Name Tags
This is a fun way to get kids thinking about different countries around the world throughout an entire missions program! Rename them the name of a country for a service! |
Missions | ||
FUN Choices Opening Game
This is a fun interactive game that gets kids moving and trying to solve a fun but easy puzzle. It's all about choices! |
Choices | ||
Grumpy Greeters
A fun way to open a lesson on attidudes or friendliness by having some greeters really put on the grumpiness. |
Witnessing, Attitudes | ||
Hidden Golden Coins
Teach your kids how to be missionaries and start your service off with this exciting activity. |
Missionaries, Evangelism | ||
Hidden Messages
This is a fun on screen word puzzle to get kids talking about biblical phrases. |
Puzzle | ||
How May I Serve You?
To introduce the topic of service, treat the kids like royalty as the enter kids church! |
Service | ||
Hug Love!
A huggable game that lasts the whole kids church service! FUN and memorable!! |
Showing Love | ||
Karl's Giant Square to Circle Object Lesson
A giant object lesson illustrating how God can do the impossible - as a teacher transforms a GIANT square made of metal brackets instantly into in a giant CIRCLE! |
God Can Do the Impossible | ||
Kid's Church Top 10 - Christmas
What are the Top 10 Toys that DIDN'T make it to market? This is a FUNNY lesson intro for Christmas time. |
Power Point Christmas | ||
Kids Church Ushers
For one Sunday show the kids what it feel like to be greeted like a celebrity when they arrive at church. |
Service | ||
List of Worries!
This is a humorous list of worries that a puppet or character has made. A leader talks them through it and challenges them to 'cast their cares upon Jesus.' (1 Peter 5:7) |
Worry Trust Faith | ||
Lost Sheep
Fun game to open your lesson with where kids go and search for the lost sheep. |
Game, Shepherd | ||
My Plan vs. God's Plan
A super cool Magic Trick / Object Lesson that illustrates why sometimes God says no to our plans. He has a bigger plan! |
Trusting God | ||
New Friend Seating
This is a simple way on one Sunday to gently force all the kids to make some new friends! |
Friendship | ||
Noah’s Ark Animal Mix-Up Game
A super fun mixer game that introduces Noah and the Ark. |
Noah's Ark | ||
Now or Later?
A fun (and yummy) lesson introduction that helps kids learn about delayed gratification. |
Delayed Gratification! | ||
One Now or Two When You Leave
A lesson on waiting the involves one of kids favorite things, CANDY! |
Waiting, Patience | ||
Perplex - The Last Shall Be First GAME
Kids hear "the last shall be first," this game helps them experience it! |
Service - Selflessness | ||
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 | ||
Place Jesus in the Manger Game
A twist on the classic Pin the Tail on the Donkey Game. |
Christmas Game | ||
Snake in a Tree Puzzle
Fun Floor Puzzle of Snake in a Tree |
Floor Puzzle | ||
The Bubble Wrap Bop
Jumping on bubble wrap while bopping to music that has children jump or stomp |
Music Activity | ||
The Good Friend List
Fun puppet or skit routine that bring the Golden Rule to life! |
Golden Rule | ||
The NO RULES Game
A game that demonstrates WHY God gave us commandments. |
Commandments | ||
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 | ||
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 | ||
The 7 Most Powerful Letters
This simple, fun activity will help kids discover the power of saying "I'm Sorry." |
Forgiveness | ||
Holy Spirit Balloon Game & Object Lesson
A fun game that also teaches four things the Holy Spirit does for us. |
Holy Spirit Helps | ||
Fidget Spinner Bible Lesson
How to use a fidget spinner (and other fad toys) to teach about the eternity of God! |
Object Lesson; God Endures Forever | ||
I Am Awesome!
A great opening activity to help encourage your kids. |
Encouragement, | ||
Teaching Kids To Hear The Voice Of God
Teach your kids how they can listen for the voice of God when choosing friends. |
Wise Choices, Hearing the Holy Spirit, Discernment | ||
STOP and GO Preschool Game
Class Stop and Go Game with printable signs to use |
Stop and Go Game | ||
3 Things You May Have Overlooked
A visual object lesson - the audience misses the obvious. Do we miss out on the most important thing in life? |
Christian Life |