Home » Ministries » Kids Friendly » Resources and Reviews

Resources and Reviews

Establishing a family ministry resource

When churches “contract” to become Kids Friendly they agree to share their experiences and resources with others.  I am excited to offer you our latest resource developed in collaboration with Jill Rangeley, director of family ministries, Clevedon Presbyterian.  Jill shares her extensive experience and ideas in this resource to help others establish a ministry that connects with children and families in their communities.  If you would like a copy of Establishing a family ministry resource.

please email me and let me know if you would like it emailed or posted.

Caring for our Children Study

New Zealand used to be known as a great place to bring up kids. Sadly, our reputation has slipped in the last few years. According to UNICEF reports, New Zealand is now near the bottom of the class of developed nations when it comes to our children’s wellbeing.

This booklet is not a political manifesto or a parenting manual. It’s designed to raise awareness of the status of children in our society and stimulate an effective response, based on these foundations:

  • Children are people too
  • Children are our future
  • Children’s voices are not easily heard so they need others to speak and advocate on their behalf
  • As the family of God, the Church has a responsibility to protect and serve the vulnerable, including children. As Jesus said, (Matthew 25:40).

Click on the "Caring For Children" study, found on the Social Justice Resource Page here.

A Kids Friendly Sunday Resource 2008

Kids Friendly churches welcome children and families effectively, engage and involve children in worship and provide stimulating and educational children’s programmes.  I have just updated this resource to include more practical ways to help you be “Kids Friendly” on Sundays. Download the Kids Friendly Sunday Resource.

2008 Kids Friendly Planning Calendar

2008 is a leap year which gives you 366 days for ministering to and with children and their families. There are 52 Sundays in 2008.  36 Sundays lie within regular school terms. If you don’t offer a children’s programme during holidays consider inviting people who don’t normally lead Sunday School to run an activity according to their gifts eg games day, crafts day, woodwork day, cooking day etc. Discourage your children from giving God a holiday. Click here to download.

Kids Friendly Resource Manual

  • Preschool teaching resources – songs, rhymes and prayers for preschoolers NEW!
  • Establishing a family ministry - NEW!
  • Kids Club - Connecting with community children - NEW!
  • Kids Friendly Resource Manual
  • The Kids Friendly Self-Review
  • Safety in Children’s Ministry
  • Employing a Children’s Ministry Worker
  • Branding Your Church Kids Friendly resources
  • A Kids Friendly Sunday
  • Strategically planning your Children's programme
  • A Kids Friendly advent
  • A Kids Friendly calendar

we encourage you to join the Kids Friendly Network (download an application form here). Network members also receive “Hands On”, the Kids Friendly newsletter, The Kids Friendly Diary and advice, ideas and resources from the Kids Friendly Coach as required. Your joining fee of $75 covers the cost of producing the manual and the Kids Friendly newsletter.

Children’s and Families’ Ministry Library

Check out the titles available by going to this page and follow the instructions to loan them.

Books, DVD's, CD's and websites

Books

Messy Church by Lucy Moore

This book shares the experience and learning’s of St Wilfred’s Anglican Church in Portsmouth who created Messy Church as a “fresh expression” of being or doing church.  “Messy Church aims to create opportunity for parents, carers and children to enjoy expressing their creativity, eat a meal together, experience worship and have fun within a church context.”  The book is bursting with easy-to-do ideas to draw people of all ages together and help them to experience what it means to be part of a Christian community outside of Sunday worship. www.messychurch.org.uk

Purchase from www.barnabasinchurches.org.uk or borrow from Kids Friendly.

Worshipping together with children

Children at worship. Congregations in bloom” by Caroline Fairless www.childrenatworship.org

I love this book and am always recommending it and lending it out so it's become quite dog eared but that doesn't detract from its ability to inspire me. Author Reverend Caroline Fairless  shares her extensive experience in involving children in worship to create “blooming congregations” .

Purchase from the website or borrow from Kids Friendly.

DVDs

Expressions DVD

The DVD tells 14 stories of fresh expressions (new initiatives) of being and doing church from Skater Church to Messy Church.  These are stories from the UK but inspiring and helpful to us too. 

Purchase from Church House Publishing or borrow from Kids Friendly.

Introducing the Kids Friendly DVD

The Kids Friendly vision can now be shared with even more churches with an “Introducing Kids Friendly” promotional DVD. The 10 minute DVD features the Kids Friendly Coach, photographic and video footage to introduce churches to Kids Friendly including “What is Kids Friendly?”; “Why Kids Friendly?” and “Becoming Kids Friendly?”

“I have personally shared the Kids Friendly vision with 70 churches this year, but this DVD will enable so many more churches to catch the Kids Friendly vision”, says Kids Friendly Coach Jill Kayser.

To order a copy of the DVD, email me at kidsfriendlyjill(at)sthelierschurch.org.nz.

CD's

The gift conference CD

We recorded  all of Rich Melheim’s sessions from the Auckland GIFT Conference available as MP3 files on a single CD.  Topics include:

Day 1 – Friday:  Taking Children Seriously, Every Night in Every Home, Calling, Equipping, Training and Motivating Parents, Rewiring Your Sunday School, Connecting with Your Community

Day 2 – Saturday:  Exploring Gifts, Exploring Bible Song Sunday, Interview Panel, Head to Heart, Exploring Faith Stepping Stones, Dealing with Crocodiles

You can purchase these by completing the order form (here)

Faith formation

www.faithink.com: An inspirational site that explores faith formation and offers creative and engaging resources for the church to effectively partner with parents as "faith inkubators".

"Parents are the primary faith teachers, mentors and role models for their own children with church as reinforcement - not replacement - of the parents duties."

Worship

www.worship.ca  - For inspiration on why and how to involve children in all age worship.

Websites

  • www.barnabasinchurches.org.uk - A fantastic site full of ideas for Sunday children’s lessons, all age service material and resources.
  • www.dltk-bible.com -  A great site for bible activities, songs, stories especially for younger children.
  • www.childrensministry.com -  A comprehensive source of children's ministry articles, ideas, and curriculum from Group Publishing available on the web or as a magazine.
  • www.homiliesbyemail.com/leaf/activity-sheets.html -  Free weekly children's activity sheets based on the revised common lectionary.
  • www.faithink.com - An inspirational site that explores faith formation and offers creative and engaging resources for the church to effectively partner with parents as "faith inkubators.
  • www.worship.ca  - For inspiration on why and how to involve children in all age worship.

Children's talks websites

www.childrensermons.com - Choose from 145 free Christian children's sermons that take less than five minutes to give. Each sermon has a summary and bible reference

www.sermons4kids.com: A great resource for children's talks. And check out the art and ready-to-go Powerpoints on lots of favourite bible stories. A wonderful resource for sharing the scripture with children in church or Sunday School due to the generosity of artist Henry Martin.

Curriculum

Max7 www.max7.org.: free curriculum downloadable from the web  Shelly Marks, children's minister at Kaikorai spotted it and is trialing it at her church this year. She says its quite good, needs a little adpating like most curriculum, comes with some video clips and other creative gizmo's.

Lectionary based curriculum:

Roots. www.rootsontheweb.com.
Seasons of the Spirit (mediacom)
Living Stones by Susan Sayegh.

Home-grown curriculum

First Kids

For 8 years the team at First Church, Papakura ( under Warrick Baty) have been developing their own curriculum. Says Warrick:  “If you want a programme that teaches children solid Biblical principles and excites them and motivates them to come back again and again each week, then FIRST KIDS is for you. Download a promotional pdf flyer.

New from First Kids 

A 4-week Olympics programme called “Run the Race”.  Based on hebrews 12:1-2 “And we must be determined to run the race that is ahead of us”, it focuses on being a winnner in the greatest race of all, the Human Race.  Costs $20 for 4 lessons.  To order download the order form.

Kids In Touch (primary) and Under 5 Alive (preschoolers)

Is curriculum developed by Neil and Rachel Carter of St John’s Rotorua and made available free of charge to us.  If you would like to order this, email jill(at)sthelierschurch.org.nz for pdf or hard copies (photocopying charges apply).  Thank you Neil and Rachel for being truly Kids Friendly and sharing your resources for the glory of God.

Children's bibles

The rhyme bible story book published by ZonderKids (a division of Zondervan) recommended by

Kaila Pettigrove.

"I've seen loads of baby bibles, toddler bibles, and kid's bibles. Some are decent paraphrases, and some are so watered down... I wonder what the message is. This one is wonderful. The rhymes are not forced and very clever. The paraphrase often gets right to the heart of the story... even some of the more difficult ones."

Also great from Zonderkids is the "See Me Bible" with fantastic pics that you can scan to tell the story and the "Read Me Bible". These are especially great  for preschoolers but the pictures will appeal to any ages.

Every church should invest in a really good children’s bible with great illustrations.  I like the Barnabas Children’s Bible that can be ordered from www.barnabasinchurches.org.uk .

My son Blake (10) really enjoys reading stories from the Lectionary Story Bible by Ralph Milton and illustrated by Margaret Kyle.available from Woodlake Books.

Email kidsfriendlyjill(at)sthelierschurch.org.nz with your Kids Friendly recommendations.

Kids Friendly Organisations:

Kidsreach

Kidsreach is an inter-denominational Christian organisation with a mission to train, resource, equip and encourage people who minister to children. www.kidsreach.org.nz

Light Party

A complete concept, 'how to', and networking website for those interested in hosting a positive alternative event on Halloween. www.lightparty.co.nz

Scripture Union

An inter-denominational childrens outreach organisation with exciting curriculum, resources, camps, ministry training, and programmes. www.scriptureunion.org.nz

Mainly Music

An organisation that supports churches reach out and minister to children and families of their communities through preschool music and movement sessions. For a free promotional DVD go to www.mainlymusic.org.nz

Contact us:

Jill Kayser
Kids Friendly coach
Telephone: 09-5850959 / 5759836
Mobile : 027-2103784
Fax: 09-5754827
kidsfriendlyjill(at)sthelierschurch.org.nz
100 St Heliers Bay Road, Auckland 1071

To top