ONLINE HACKS
GROW KIDS | MAY 2020
HOW DO I ADAPT GROW KIDS CURRICULUM TO AN ONLINE-ONLY PROGRAM?
Hey, friends! We know you’re still trying to figure out how to do this “online church” thing, so for as long as this pandemic lasts, we’re going to be publishing monthly hacks for adapting Grow Kids Curriculum for an online-only program! These hacks are meant to be a starting point — don’t forget to add your own creativity to this outline!
INSTRUCTIONS
STEP 1: BUILD A WEEKLY STRATEGY
You’re going to need a weekly strategy that’s unique to your church. But don’t worry! We have some resources to help you decide what you’ll do and when. Check this out if you need some help building your new weekly plan for online children’s ministry:
- FACEBOOK LIVE | 10 Tips for Building a Weekly Strategy for Online Kids Ministry (with Elle Campbell): Join our kids ministry Facebook group to watch this 1-hour workshop with Elle, where you’ll learn to build a weekly strategy and learn what other kids pastors are already doing well. WATCH
- PODCAST | 10 Tips for Building a Weekly Strategy for Online Kids Ministry (from Kids Ministry Answers): Join our hosts TJ and Kellee for a conversation unpacking Elle’s tips and sharing ideas of their own. LISTEN
- TRELLO BOARD | A Template for Online Kids Ministry: Grab our free Trello template to give you a structure you can customize and repeat each week for your ministry. VIEW
STEP 2: PLAN YOUR ONLINE KIDS SERVICE
By now, you’ve figured out that what works in person doesn’t exactly work online. Here’s a basic outline for an online service that you can use each week, using the curriculum you already have:
- MUSIC: Sing two worship songs.
- THE BIG IDEA: Share the Big Idea of the week.
- SCRIPTURE: Tell the Bible story (or show the teaching video) and repeat the Big Idea.
- DISCUSSION: Give families at least one question to discuss.
You can always add more elements if you’d like, but this is the basic formula you need for an effective online service — and with Grow Kids, you already have all of the elements you need to make it happen!
STEP 3: BUILD A LESSON GUIDE FOR PARENTS
Instead of talking to parents as if they’re only observers of what’s going on in your ministry, invite parents to participate as teachers and discussion-leaders for their kids! While families are watching church at home, equip parents with a weekly lesson guide that contains bite-sized versions of your curriculum that parents can teach with ease.
To create a simple lesson that parents can teach, edit the Word documents provided in your downloads to create a simple lesson for parents each week that follows this format:
- THE BIG IDEA
- SCRIPTURE
- ACTIVITY
- DISCUSSION
- PRAYER
- MEMORY VERSE
To make things extra easy for you, at the end of this post, we’ve identified the specific modules each week of the curriculum that we suggest including.
STEP 4: REPURPOSE (OR SKIP) THE REST OF THE LESSON
With Grow Kids, you get tons of activities, object lessons, videos, and more in each lesson! It might be sad to think you won’t get to use all of them during an online service, but there are ways you can still make use of those ideas! You can still make videos of object lessons and post them online! You can send parents the instructions for activities and games so they can play them at home!
At the end of this post, we’ve identified a few specific modules for each week of the curriculum that we suggest repurposing.
HACKS FOR EACH WEEK
WEEK 1: God gave us a mission.
ONLINE KIDS SERVICE
Use these modules from your lesson to create your online service:
- MUSIC | Dance Party
- THE BIG IDEA | God gave us a mission.
- SCRIPTURE | Matthew 28:16-20
- VIDEO | Go! Episode 1
- DISCUSSION | Give families at least one question to discuss together.
LESSON GUIDE FOR PARENTS
Use these modules from your lesson to create a lesson guide for parents:
- THE BIG IDEA | God gave us a mission.
- SCRIPTURE | Matthew 28:16-20
- RESPONSE | Beautiful Feet (Elementary) or ACTIVITY | Tell Everyone (Preschool)
- DISCUSSION
- PRAYER
- MEMORY VERSE | Matthew 5:16 (NIV)
EXTRA IDEAS
Skip or repurpose the remaining modules in your curriculum however you’d like! But here are a few ideas…
- POLL | Following Directions Post this to social media and have kids respond with some fun emoji!
- ACTIVITY | Not-So-Secret Mission Send a copy of this printable along with instructions for how to fill it out
- ACTIVITY | Listen and Draw During the week, post the instructions to this game on social media so families can do it at home.
- SCRIPTURE | Romans 10:14-15 Using the graphics we’ve provided in your downloads, create an image of this Bible verse and post it on social media during the week, along with a suggestion for families to read and discuss it together.
- ACTIVITY | Coloring Page Send a copy of the coloring page to families and host a weekly coloring page competition! You can create an album of completed ones and even get people to vote on their favorites.
WEEK 2: God gives us the Holy Spirit.
ONLINE KIDS SERVICE
Use these modules from your lesson to create your online service:
- MUSIC | Dance Party
- THE BIG IDEA | God gives us the Holy Spirit.
- SCRIPTURE
- VIDEO | Go! Episode 2
- DISCUSSION | Give families at least one question to discuss together.
LESSON GUIDE FOR PARENTS
Use these modules from your lesson to create a lesson guide for parents:
- THE BIG IDEA | God gives us the Holy Spirit.
- SCRIPTURE | Acts 2:1-4, 42-47
- ACTIVITY | Ask For Help (Elementary) or ACTIVITY | Wind and Fire (Preschool)
- DISCUSSION
- PRAYER
- MEMORY VERSE | Matthew 5:16 (NIV)
EXTRA IDEAS
Skip or repurpose the remaining modules in your curriculum however you’d like! But here are a few ideas…
- QUESTION | Who will help us? Post this to social media and have kids type responses! (If on Facebook, you can have kids respond with a photo or gif.)
- STORY | All by Myself Ask a few of your volunteers to record a short video of them sharing their story.
- SCRIPTURE | John 14:25-26 Using the graphics we’ve provided in your downloads, create an image of this Bible verse and post it on social media during the week, along with a suggestion for families to read and discuss it together.
- ACTIVITY | Coloring Page Send a copy of the coloring page to families and host a weekly coloring page competition! You can create an album of completed ones and even get people to vote on their favorites!
WEEK 3: God gives us everything we need.
ONLINE KIDS SERVICE
Use these modules from your lesson to create your online service:
- MUSIC
- THE BIG IDEA | God gives us everything we need.
- SCRIPTURE | The Armor of God: Ephesians 6:10-18; (2 Corinthians 10:3-4)
- DISCUSSION | Give families at least one question to discuss together.
LESSON GUIDE FOR PARENTS
Use these modules from your lesson to create a lesson guide for parents:
- BIG IDEA | God gives us everything we need.
- SCRIPTURE | The Armor of God: Ephesians 6:10-18; (2 Corinthians 10:3-4)
- ACTIVITY | Act Out the Armor (elementary) or ACTIVITY | Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes (preschool)
- DISCUSSION
- PRAYER
- MEMORY VERSE | Matthew 5:16 (NIV)
EXTRA IDEAS
Skip or repurpose the remaining modules in your curriculum however you’d like! But here are a few ideas…
- POLL OR QUESTION | Post this to social media and have kids type responses! (If on Facebook, you can have kids respond with a photo or gif.)
- ACTIVITY | Coloring Page Send a copy of the coloring page to families and host a weekly coloring page competition! You can create an album of completed ones and even get people to vote on their favorites!
- MEMORY VERSE | Memory Tower Suggest families host a game night and play this version of Jenga.
WEEK 4: God will protect my heart and mind.
ONLINE KIDS SERVICE
Use these modules from your lesson to create your online service:
- MUSIC | Worship
- BIG IDEA | God will protect my heart and mind.
- SCRIPTURE | Joy and Peace: Philippians 4:4-9, 13
- DISCUSSION | Give families at least one question to discuss together.
LESSON GUIDE FOR PARENTS
Use these modules from your lesson to create a lesson guide for parents:
- BIG IDEA | God will protect my heart and mind.
- SCRIPTURE | Joy and Peace: Philippians 4:4-9, 13
- ACTIVITY | Create a Superhero (elementary) or ACTIVITY | Build-A-Prison (preschool)
- DISCUSSION
- PRAYER
- MEMORY VERSE | Matthew 5:16 (NIV)
EXTRA IDEAS
Skip or repurpose the remaining modules in your curriculum however you’d like! But here are a few ideas…
- SCRIPTURE | Philippians 4:11-13 Using the graphics we’ve provided in your downloads, create an image of this Bible verse and post it on social media during the week, along with a suggestion for families to read and discuss it together.
- QUESTION | What Do Superheroes Do? Ask families to film their own short video answering this question and share to your ministry’s social media page.
WEEK 5: I can help others when I pray.
ONLINE KIDS SERVICE
Use these modules from your lesson to create your online service:
- MUSIC | Worship
- THE BIG IDEA |
- I can help others when I pray.
- SCRIPTURE | Peter’s Miraculous Escape: Acts 12:1-17
- DISCUSSION | Give families at least one question to discuss together.
LESSON GUIDE FOR PARENTS
Use these modules from your lesson to create a lesson guide for parents:
- BIG IDEA | I can help others when I pray.
- SCRIPTURE | Peter’s Miraculous Escape: Acts 12:1-17
- ACTIVITY | ACTIVITY | Text God (Elementary) or ACTIVITY | Catch a Prayer (Preschool)
- DISCUSSION
- PRAYER
- MEMORY VERSE | Matthew 5:16 (NIV)
EXTRA IDEAS
Skip or repurpose the remaining modules in your curriculum however you’d like! But here are a few ideas…
- VIDEO | Peter Escapes from Prison Post this video link for families to watch together
- SCRIPTURE | James 5:16, John 14:13-14, Matthew 21:22 Have families do a Bible scavenger hunt or sword drills to locate the verses
- ACTIVITY | Coloring Page Send a copy of the coloring page to families and host a weekly coloring page competition! You can create an album of completed ones and even get people to vote on their favorites!
SHARE YOUR IDEAS!
We’d love to hear how you’re adapting Grow Kids Curriculum to work for an online format! Come join us in the Stuff You Can Use Children’s Ministry Facebook Group and share what you’re doing — we’d love to learn from you.
