When we built an addition on to the Hayward Wesleyan Church, I knew that I eventually wanted to install a bouldering/rock wall along the back wall in the new, large programming room. However, I didn’t know how to go about accomplishing such a task. Here is the process I went through to propose and have […]
How to Play the Frogger Game: place the group in a circle sitting down choose 1 person to be the “guesser” send the “guesser” out of the room choose 1 person to be the “frogger” bring the “guesser” back into the room The frogger’s job is to take everyone in the circle out. The way […]
Sally Lloyd-Jones on Parenting Children Into the Christian Worldview Story “If a story captures our children, then nothing else competes.” Stories from books seem to capture a sense of wonder, adventure, a “secret world escaped into.” Video games seem to make children worse and addictive. “PlayStation puts kids’ life on hold, while a book seems […]
Article originally appeared @ wesleyankids.org on May 14, 2014 Hayward Wesleyan’s discipleship pastor, Heath Davis, and myself have been trying to engage our church (and the community) in conversations about technology. We have learned a lot. During one of our conversations, we were talking about kids are getting cell phones younger and younger. One father shared […]
Article originally appeared @ wesleyankids.org on May 17, 2014 This past Monday my children’s ministry coordinator and myself hosted a post-op on our after school program called Followers. There were some opinions and suggestions voiced from some of our volunteers after the last day of Followers and we wanted to hear and evaluate them among […]
Article originally appeared @ wesleyankids.org on May 26, 2014 I think sometimes we parents get distracted from stewarding our children. We forget this deal is all about training. Training requires doing the same thing over and over again. When I was in art school, I spent hours working on the same vase. I sketched it […]
Article originally appeared @ wesleyankids.org on May 29, 2014 Jared Martin shared an amazing insight a while back. I’ve reordered the question: Are we stained or painted with the gospel? I think for many who teach children, we just teach kids the Bible and about Jesus and it sticks to them. It might stick for a […]
Matt Norman wrote an article a while back using a great metaphor: Football. I remember watching the Tampa Bay Buccaneers play. One of the players caught an interception and ran it all the way back, 91 yards, for a touchdown. This was a very exciting play to watch. The Bucs took the lead, and this […]
Dear Parents, I was recently talking to a mother of a 7th grade student who was sharing with me that her son didn’t want to come to Sunday school and Youth group at church. “Every Sunday morning and every Wednesday evening is a battle,” this Mom shared. “I make him go, even when he doesn’t […]
Six years ago, I wanted to clearly define a path forward in the discussion at Hayward Wesleyan Church regarding family discipleship. In order to do this, I wrote up a one-page document which clearly outlined our initial three initiatives: Read the Bible @ home with your children (at least once a week, or more if […]
A few years ago, I reviewed “What in the Bible?” curriculum for Wesleyan Kids: I have thoroughly enjoyed watching the unfolding process of the What’s in the Bible? videos over the last few years. Each time a new video was released I would buy it and think through how I could use it. I was always […]
Remembering names can be tough, but it is SO IMPORTANT when you’re both working with and ministering to people especially children. When you remember a child’s name it communicates that they are known. You can’t fake “knowing” someone. Either you do, or you don’t. When you remember someone’s name it tells them that they are known, […]
How to Play the “Hula Hoop Races” Game Grab two teams of 5 participants each. You’ll need 2 hula hoops. Give each team a hula hoop and ask the 5 participants on each team to hold hands and to not let go. The object of the game is to wind the hula hoop through the 5 […]
How to Play the “Bucket Tug of War” Game Items needed: 4 five-gallon buckets two 15-20′ ropes tied in the middle 4 participants Have participants stand on the five-gallon buckets that have been turned upside down and place one end of the rope in their hands. Have them tighten up on the rope so there […]
Carpetball is a fun game to have in your children’s (or youth) ministry area. Kids just love playing this game. I’ve been asked, quite a few times over the years, if there are any design plans for carptball tables. I came across one a while back and it’s what we used to build our table […]
I’m sorry, but the Chuck Norris jokes out there just crack me up and kids love ’em… especially preteen and middle school boys! So here is my ever-expanding list of Chuck Norris jokes Chuck Norris gets bit by a cobra. After 5 days of agonizing pain, the cobra dies. Chuck Norris doesn’t mow his lawn. […]
How to Play the M&M Hold Game Supplies needed: M&Ms enough straws for each participant two destination holders (plate, bowl, etc) The object is to race against a competitor trying to get a couple of M&M’s from one table to another while suctioning it to the end of a straw the whole way. No using […]
How to Play the “Cotton Ball Transfer” Game Supplies needed: 2 bowls per participant (size is discretionary) cotton balls (a couple of bags or so, depending on the size of the bowls) 1 spoon per participant Choose the number of participants to go head-to-head. Have each participant hold one bowl full of cotton balls and […]
How to Play the “Stocking Face Tug O War” Game I got this idea from funninja.org (they have many more games on the site). The only supply you need is a handful of stocking pantyhose. I bought thigh high sheer (so it would be as long as possible and nearly invisible) stockings. You can do two […]
How to Play the “Cookie Face” Game This game was made popular on Minute to Win It. You’ll need some cookies and some willing participants. We played this game in our children’s ministry and instead of just having a head-to-head battle against two people, we had all the students come up and try to do […]