Workshop Topics and Descriptions

A variety of workshops have been designed to meet the needs of Children's Ministry Leaders and Parents.

Workshop Descriptions

Resource Fair                               

You’ll love the hands-on experience in this session as you acquaint yourself with resources, teaching aids and materials that are sure to ignite your passion for teaching and excite the children you teach.

Measuring Spiritual Growth

Learn how to help children grow spiritually and develop lessons that will be spiritually challenging.

Team Building

Teams are essential to ministry! We’ll learn how to select team members and develop them into a well functioning team.

Children’s Ministry without a Children’s Director or Minister

Learn how to develop a balanced and well designed children’s ministry with volunteers minus a paid staff member.

Developing Spiritual Growth for Children

This workshop will explore how to challenge children in understanding prayer/intercession, meditation/Bible Study, telling your story and leadership development.

Raising Compassionate Kids

In our self-centered world, how do we help kids develop the heart of Christ towards others? How can kids be challenged to share that cup of cold water? Help kids understand a biblical foundation about compassion, and involve children in the lives of other kids and families.

Kids Involved in Missions

Help children experience God’s heart for the world through scripture, prayer, giving, serving, and international activities.

Coaching Your Leadership Team Toward Success

Coaching is defined as moving people onto God’s agenda. We will discuss the 8 R’s of coaching your leadership team toward unity, setting and fulfilling goals, and developing a ministry strategy that will move your team toward fulfilling God’s agenda.

God’s Design for Raising Kids Who Stand Strong

Why do so many Christian kids not stay “in the faith” when they leave the church? What can the church and parents do to better lay a foundation that will prepare children for a LIFE of knowing, loving and serving God? This message is applicable to volunteers but is especially focused on how parents can apply Deuteronomy chapter six.

Making Discipline Problems Disappear!

Learn how to PREVENT discipline problems, how to deal with them effectively when they arise, with special focus on what is going on in the minds and hearts of children when they misbehave so that you can better understand how to respond and mold them.

Object Lesson Explosion!

This is a fun, interactive, objects-in-hand, hands-on workshop. Give ANY object to the Kidologist, and he will instantly create a biblical object lesson from that object and then show you how to do it too! Discover why teaching with objects is so effective and why Jesus used object lessons when He taught! You will learn how to start with an object and form a spiritual lesson from it, or how to start with a topic and determine which object or visual will best teach it. By the end of this workshop you will know how to make an object lesson from ANY object, INSTANTLY!

Twitter My Facebook

O.K., so what’s the big deal with FaceBook and Twitter and social networking? Whether you already have an account, or are wondering what all the fuss is about, come learn what they are, evaluate which (if either) is right for you, and how they can benefit your ministry to kids, volunteers and parents. A lot of practical tips on using them as well as keeping them under control.

Tween Power

Ah, those awkward years, not quite a teen and not quite a little kid either. How do you reach out to this age range of 9-12 year old kids? Learn how to use this vital time in a kid’s life to encourage that kid to grow in his/her faith and learn how to serve in ministry. With practical suggestions and true-life stories of kids growing in their faith, you will learn how to maximize the potential of tweens.

Pantry Devotions

Have you ever struggled to find creative ways to teach children Biblical truths? Look no further than your pantry. From apples to dish soap, come learn creative ways to teach your children Biblical truths that will keep your kid’s attention and make a lasting impression on them.

Teaching Children Discernment

We can’t be with our kids 24/7 to protect and shelter them from this world, so how do we prepare them for a world that is constantly bombarding them with ungodly messages?  Learn some basic guidelines and practical ideas on how to build discernment in your children and how to guide them in making Biblical choices.

How to Put Together a Puppet Ministry

Audiences of all ages love puppets! In this workshop we will look at the elements of creating a puppet ministry. We’ll discuss materials, equipment and go over the basics of operating a puppet.

Easy Puppets Anyone Can Do

You don’t need a big team to use puppets in your ministry. This workshop will focus on small-scale puppet presentations, many of which only require one puppeteer.

An Introduction to Awana Ministry

Do you want to know more about Awana, and how Awana may be able to fit within the children’s ministries of your church?  Come learn the foundations of Awana, and how it can help churches reach boys, girls, and youth for Christ, and train them to serve him.

7 Myths of Volunteerism

Do you need more helpers for your ministry?  Come learn 7 myths that people typically believe about volunteers, and how these myths can keep people away.

Simple Illusions You Can Make

Some of the best illustrations and creative lessons don't cost a thing!  Learn captivating illustrations and amazing illusions, all budget-friendly, in this fun and hands-on breakout!

Introduction to Gospel Illusions

Gospel Illusions capture kids’ attention and helps them learn in a way they won't easily forget!   

YOU can do it- even if you have never tried an illusion.  Learn how to present fun and effective lessons with these great ideas!

Discipling Children: How to Build DISCIPLES for LIFE

This workshop outlines a proven strategy for churches and families to turn children into disciples for life. We will discuss:

•Lessons from Lost Generations

•Six influences that mold every child's worldview

•The one thing Christ calls His Church to do

•The hidden price tag

•What's YOUR strategy?

Needs of Children Today: How to Achieve Balanced Growth in Your Kids

Discipleship is often labeled a “spiritual” activity. Not true! Jesus Christ showed His followers that discipleship encompasses every aspect of life. Parents and teachers who hope to raise devoted disciples must balance their kids’ growth in three essential areas—knowledge + character + conduct. In this workshop, we will take a close look at seven different growth paths. You will identify your child's present path and ways to encourage him or her to break through barriers to become a "3D" kid!

Essential Building Blocks for Ministry to Babies, Toddlers and Preschoolers

Babies, toddlers and preschoolers learn more in the first years of life than they do the rest of their lives. And you get to be one of the first people to share Jesus’ love with them! We’ll give you some expert insights into how these little ones learn best and how you can tell Bible stories in ways that capture their attention! You will participate in activities that can be applied to teaching children the way they learn best and get some fresh new ideas where every activity has a purpose.

Touching Hearts and Changing Lives

As volunteers you are busy touching children’s hearts and changing lives each week. Sometimes though, you can get tired and you run on empty. In this workshop, you’ll be refreshed and renewed as you rediscover your calling to serve God and his children.  You’ll reconnect with God in powerful ways and get practical, meaningful tools to grow your passion for serving in children’s ministry. (Plus, you can use everything you experience to refresh your team back home!)

Sports Ministries

Ever wonder why USA Today has an entire section of its publication dedicated to Sports, or think about the reason every news cast has a Sports segment? It is because sports are a major part of our culture. UW Sports Ministry believes every church in the 21^st Century should have some form of sports outreach and they believe it could be a sports camp for children. This workshop will help any children’s leader understand how to make sports camp a ministry tool. When Biblical integration, top children’s music, evangelism and sports curriculum all come together, a dynamic event has been created that could be remembered as the place where a child’s commitment to Christ began.

Using Everyday Routines to Teach Your Child With Special Needs

Think back when you learned to drive a car.  How many different things did you need to think about?  How about now?  Does it take the same concentration as before?  Absolutely not!  That is because you have developed a “driving routine”.  Come learn about setting up simple routines to teach your child within your everyday schedule.  Leave with specific goals and a game plan to begin today.

Incorporating Special Needs Children Into the Sunday School Strategy

Research suggests we learn best by incorporating all senses.  Did you know that laughter also helps information stick?  Come learn practical strategies to incorporate into your Sunday school classes, which create a welcoming experience for both family and child with special needs.  Topics of discussion will include a special needs overview as well as Biblical Truths to be applied to your Sunday school philosophy.  Learn adjustments that can be made in your environment, curriculum, and teaching methods to best minister to both the child with special needs and his/her family.  Be ready to role play so you can put them into practice this week!     

5 Conversations You Must Have With Your Children

Let’s talk about the culture’s lies and how God takes on issues boys and girls face every day. Let’s talk about what you need to be saying to your son or daughter – and how to keep those conversations going. We will discuss the hot-button issues you’re sure to face and discover toos to navigate the land mines with confidence.

Kid’s Worship

We will discuss the basics of worship and how to teach and model that for children. We will consider the best resources for kid’s worship and how best to facilitate their use in your church environment.

Kid’s Fine Arts

We will be looking at ways to incorporate many different fine arts into your children’s music program, involving those kids that don’t love to sing or act in your musicals in fun ways and utilizing the multitude of resources out there to make the process easier.

Reducing the Risk

Reducing the Risk teaches churches how to be prepared to keep their children safe and their volunteers safe. Current conservative estimates suggest that between 500,000 to 1,500,000 children are sexually abused every year – although the actual number is very likely to be higher because many cases go unreported. Every year approximately 260 cases of child sexual abuse are reported by protestant churches. Churches must be ready to protect their children, their volunteers and their organization against the tragedy this crime causes. You will learn the steps you need to take to be sure you are ready.

How to Share the Gospel Message with Kids

Effective Storytelling

Effective Storytelling to Preschoolers