ONLINE HACKS
GROW KIDS | August 2020
HOW DO I ADAPT GROW KIDS CURRICULUM TO AN ONLINE-ONLY PROGRAM?
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:Â 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 promised to fix what was broken.
ONLINE KIDS SERVICE
Use these modules from your lesson to create your online service:
- MUSIC | “Holy One”
- THE BIG IDEA | God promised to fix what was broken.
- SCRIPTURE | Genesis 1:26-30; 3:1-13, 21-23
- VIDEO | Promise, Episode 1
LESSON GUIDE FOR PARENTS
Use these modules from your lesson to create a lesson guide for parents:
- THE BIG IDEA | God promised to fix what was broken.
- SCRIPTURE | Genesis 1:26-30; 3:1-13, 21-23
- ACTIVITY | Broken World (Elementary) or ACTIVITY | Broken Heart (Preschool)
- DISCUSSION |Â Give families at least one question to discuss together.
- PRAYER
- MEMORY VERSE | Joshua 21:45 (NIV)
EXTRA IDEAS
Skip or repurpose the remaining modules in your curriculum however you’d like! But here are a few ideas…
- SCRIPTURE | Psalm 145:8-9 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.
- ACTIVITY | Pipeline Creations Have families use pipe cleaners or other items around their house to create hearts. Have them post photos with the Big Idea:Â God promised to fix what was broken.
WEEK 2: God promised us mercy.
ONLINE KIDS SERVICE
Use these modules from your lesson to create your online service:
- MUSIC | “Who You Say I Am”
- THE BIG IDEA | God promised us mercy.
- SCRIPTURE | Genesis 8:15-22, 9:8-17
- VIDEO | Promise, Episode 2
LESSON GUIDE FOR PARENTS
Use these modules from your lesson to create a lesson guide for parents:
- THE BIG IDEA |God promised us mercy.
- SCRIPTURE | Genesis 8:15-22, 9:8-17
- ACTIVITY | Rainbow Prayers (Elementary) or ACTIVITY | Rainbow Name (Preschool)
- DISCUSSION | Give families at least one question to discuss together.
- PRAYER
- MEMORY VERSE | Joshua 21:45 (NIV)
EXTRA IDEAS
Skip or repurpose the remaining modules in your curriculum however you’d like! But here are a few ideas…
- SCRIPTURE | Psalm 85:8-13 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.
- 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.
- OBJECT LESSON | Make a Rainbow Film a video of yourself doing the object lesson and post it on social media during the week. Have families discuss at home promises God has made.
WEEK 3: God’s promises are for now and for later.
ONLINE KIDS SERVICE
Use these modules from your lesson to create your online service:
- MUSIC | “Saturn” (start at 2:25)
- THE BIG IDEA | God’s promises are for now and for later.
- SCRIPTURE | Genesis 12: 1-3, 15:1-6
- VIDEO | Promise, Episode 3
LESSON GUIDE FOR PARENTS
Use these modules from your lesson to create a lesson guide for parents:
- THE BIG IDEA | God’s promises are for now and for later.
- SCRIPTURE | Genesis 12: 1-3, 15:1-6
- ACTIVITY | Bid Idea Star Craft (Elementary) or ACTIVITY | Star Blessing (Preschool)
- DISCUSSION |Â Give families at least one question to discuss together.
- PRAYER
- MEMORY VERSE | Joshua 21:45 (NIV)
EXTRA IDEAS
Skip or repurpose the remaining modules in your curriculum however you’d like! But here are a few ideas…
- SCRIPTURE | Psalm 67 Have kids memorize the text of verses 3 and 5 (they are identical). When they can say it without help, ask parents to read Psalm 67, pausing after verses 2 and 4 to allow kids to stand and recite their part.
- 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.
- POLL | Ask the Stars Create a poll online and ask families to take the poll.
WEEK 4: God’s promises might take time.
ONLINE KIDS SERVICE
Use these modules from your lesson to create your online service:
- MUSIC | “Haven’t Seen It Yet”
- THE BIG IDEA | God’s promises might take time.
- SCRIPTURE |Genesis 37:1-28
- VIDEO | Promise, Episode 4
LESSON GUIDE FOR PARENTS
Use these modules from your lesson to create a lesson guide for parents:
- THE BIG IDEA | God’s promises might take time.
- SCRIPTURE | Genesis 37:1-28
- ACTIVITY | Dream Board (Elementary) or ACTIVITY | Dream Big (Preschool)
- DISCUSSION |Â Give families at least one question to discuss together.
- PRAYER
- MEMORY VERSE | Joshua 21:45 (NIV)
EXTRA IDEAS
Skip or repurpose the remaining modules in your curriculum however you’d like! But here are a few ideas…
- SCRIPTURE | Psalm 138:4-8 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.
- VIDEO | “I’ve Got a Dream” Post the link to this video. Have families discuss the questions together and invite them make their own song about dreams they have.
WEEK 5: God keeps promises.
ONLINE KIDS SERVICE
Use these modules from your lesson to create your online service:
- MUSIC | “Promises”
- THE BIG IDEA |Â God keeps promises.
- SCRIPTURE | Genesis 40:1-41:40; 45:1-8
- VIDEO | Promise, Episode 5
LESSON GUIDE FOR PARENTS
Use these modules from your lesson to create a lesson guide for parents:
- THE BIG IDEA |Â God keeps promises.
- SCRIPTURE |Â Genesis 40:1-41:40; 45:1-8
- ACTIVITY | Stressed for the Best (Elementary) or ACTIVITY | Gathering Grain (Preschool)
- DISCUSSION |Â Give families at least one question to discuss together.
- PRAYER
- MEMORY VERSE | Joshua 21:45 (NIV)
EXTRA IDEAS
Skip or repurpose the remaining modules in your curriculum however you’d like! But here are a few ideas…
- SCRIPTURE | Psalm 26:1-3 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.
- RESPONSE | Promise Wall Create a digital wall on social media or your church website. Ask families to type their answers, in the corresponding colors, about a promise God has made.
In this post, here’s what we’ll cover: