Review: Instant Bible Lessons for Nursery (Give Thanks to God)

The church nursery is often thought of as simply a place to babysit children so they do not disrupt the church service. However, it is so much more than that! The church nursery is where babies and toddlers begin to form their perception of the church, experience God's love, and learn foundational truths about who God is and what He has done.

Obviously with this age group, caregivers will need to be flexible and allow freedom to spend time exploring the activities that especially capture the children's interest, but I appreciate a curriculum that is designed just for the youngest members of the congregation and that is intentional about teaching God's truth to them through systematic lessons.

The simple concepts and foundational truths in this curriculum are perfect for young children to grasp, and the activities provided take into account their developmental abilities, providing activities that will stimulate them with sights and sounds, and challenge and encourage their fine and gross motor skills. The lessons teach Bible stories that this age group can relate to and concern things familiar to them such as family, home, pets, food, and clothes, through activities and objects they will enjoy such as building blocks, snacks, songs and rhymes, pictures and visuals, reading books, and coloring.

One concern I had with the curriculum is that although it is listed for ages 0-18 months, some of the activities include supplies such as yarn, paper, and paper fasteners that would not be appropriate for a young baby and could even be choking hazards. Hopefully, the caregivers using the curriculum would be wise enough to choose appropriate activities from those listed based on the age of those in their care and provide appropriate supervision.

Disclosure: I received a free electronic copy of this curriculum for review as part of the Rose Reviewer Program from Rose Publishing. 

My Children's Ministry Experience

Let the little children come ...
This is the call of Jesus and my life mission. I have worked with diverse groups of children in a variety of settings. I have had the privilege of serving as Vacation Bible School director for four years. I have developed curriculum for our VBS programs as well as Sunday children's programs. I enjoy finding interactive, engaging methods to help children discover the truth of God's Word and of His great love for them, helping build a foundation of faith in their lives. I have directed special outreach events for children and taught both large and small groups. I have also had experience recruiting and leading teams of volunteers. On the administrative side, I have created and managed budgets, established safety policies and procedures, tracked attendance, created promotional materials, and prepared mailings to families. My calling is to give my life in service to others and proclaim God's truth. I want to help families and children know and grow in Jesus. Let the little children come to Him!

VBS Evaluation - Sky by Group

Group VBS curriculum is always a popular choice, known for its rotational format and "easy" preparation.

This year's theme is "Sky," where children discover that all things are possible with God. This unique theme means that decorations will include such things as clouds, stars, birds, airplanes, hot air balloons, kites and even a flying pig! Cotton balls may become a cheap decorating tool to use as clouds.

I like the repetition in the Daily Bible Points, teaching children that they can trust God no matter what. The experiential lessons will help children understand the Bible stories, which include accounts of Jesus' miracles as well as a presentation of His death and resurrection.


Instead of a craft station this year, Group's VBS features an Imagination Station at which children use fun science "gizmos." I think children enjoy expressing their creativity through craft projects and it is hard for me to imagine a VBS without traditional crafts. However, I think that children will definitely enjoy the cool science activities, such as launching Fizzy Fliers and making their own bubbles, and will still have something that they can take home.

The program includes a separate preschool track, featuring age-appropriate activities and lessons, presented in a simple, clear and easy-to-understand manner for these youngsters. A corresponding program for teenagers is also available.

Other activities include a missions project to help protect kids in Mali, Africa, from malaria; God Sightings, which encourage children to look for ways they see God at work each day; and a get-to-know-you activity to help children build relationships with others in their group. 

Multimedia resources, including several DVDs, are included in the starter kit. The music DVD includes contemporary and traditional songs with videos featuring the motions to accompany the lyrics. I have always liked Group's volunteer recruitment commercials, which are available on the training DVD. An online registration and organization tool is available to help VBS administrators. Children will enjoy watching Chadder the chipmunk in the movie that goes along with each day's lesson. This year the Chadder video features cartoon animations instead of real-life characters and puppets.

Group offers many items children can take home to reinforce what they have learned at VBS including characters with the memory verses printed on them, conversation starter cards, a prayer clip and take-home science experiments. There is also a family-friendly Web site to visit and enjoy after VBS.

There are lots of items available for purchase including tattoos, water bottles, wristbands, picture frames and hats; however, for limited budgets, these items may be cute, but not affordable.

Through Group's Sky VBS program, children will discover that when they trust God, all things are possible! Mark 10:27

Disclosure: I did NOT receive any compensation or products in exchange for this review. I simply wanted to present an evaluation of this curriculum, which may be helpful for children's ministry leaders.

Summer Programming and VBS Curriculum

The groundhog may have seen his shadow, but summer may still be closer than you realize. It's that time of year again when many in children's ministry are considering their curriculum options for summer programming.

There are several things to keep in mind when making this important decision:

• First, pray and ask God to guide you and your team in this process.



Vacation Bible School!

• Survey the needs of your ministry.
• Will your program be focused on outreach?
• Who do you hope to reach?
• What are the needs of these children and families? 
• What truths do you want them to learn?
• What is your budget?
• What is the size of your group?
• What ages will be included?
• How many volunteers will be available? 
• As you browse the various options, your answers to these questions will help you make an informed choice.

In upcoming posts, I hope to provide you with some evaluations of this year's Vacation Bible School (VBS) curriculum offerings, highlighting the unique features and my opinions of each.