Children's Activity Book Review...Noah's Ark Playtime

 http://store.kregel.com/productdetails.cfm?PC=3035

I am so excited that christian publishers are giving parents more options in kids activities that have a christian theme.  My three year old and I snuggled up on the couch to read the 'story' of Noah's Ark with a huge variety of activities!! It not only has stickers, a game, a spot the difference, counting fun, a recipe, a poem, what's that animal, etc.   It was not your ordinary sticker book!    It is a bit advanced for my three year old, but that is delightful that a 'consumable' book isn't consumed in one afternoon!!  We 'stickered' a few pages, read most of it, but will have to revisit it later to do more of the activities.

There are light spots in the same shape where a sticker should go, and the sticker page easily pulls out from the middle of the book to pull them off and put them right on.  My daughter was delighted.  Now that we have read it, I will add it to our church bag, and she will finish it mostly independently!!  I was impressed that the sticker page was easy to get the stickers off of, my daughter is the queen of stickers these days and often I have to pull ALL the stickers of their backing for her. So this was a huge plus.

The content of the book was a very simplistic version of Noah's story.  It was very sound with preschool age skills- colors (spelled colours), animals their sounds, counting, seasons, etc.   It is an excellent educational tool and it is engaging.  It has bright colors and warm people/animals to look at.  My one criticism is the storyline which can be easily fixed by the parent or teacher reading aloud.  You will have to add in the deeper theological content.  Here's my take:

Please note: I am a bit of a critic and like even two year olds to hear doctrine directly.   I wished that it was more direct and had stated that the people  had sinned and caused God to destroy the people who did not seek Him.  I wished it had pointed more to who God is and why we had a flood.   It was very simple.  It said that God said "The rain will flood this bad old world."  That was it.  It did end the story by saying that God said "I will never send another flood."  I wished it had mentioned the promise God made and that it was a covenant! Like I said. I am a critic.

I would still use this book with kids.  I found the activities delightful, entertaining, and not a one afternoon thing, this book would be revisited several times to be completely done.   I think it is good for the 3 year old to even 7 or 8 year old range.   Older kids would complete it faster, maybe in one or two afternoons, but the game and some activities could be revisited. 

 I was given this book to review this activity book by Kregel Publications.  All opinions are my own. 

ISI seminar on salvation

http://padlet.com/wall/salvation

Created with Padlet

Imparting God's Word to the Next Generation ISI 2013

Our goal as (parents, leaders, teachers, friends) of children is to:
Let the children we come in contact with see us:

• Defend God's Word, 
• Live the Word, 
• Look to the Word for our lives
• Integrate the Word in ways they can see it.  
• Make God's Word relevant (or point out it's relevancy)
• Be in the Word ourselves so we have something to share.
• Help SHOW them that God is our God.
• Show them who God is:  He is real and He is Sovereign.  He is important to me!

one minute, one interaction, can impress a child in ways we cannot imagine.  With the Holy Spirit's help, it can change a life completely.  Will you set a goal to let kids see the Word in you, and see your relationship with God, even when it's awkward to 'think out loud' your faith.  Kids need modeling. Kids need direct instruction. Kids need to know your passion and priorities and then SEE those lived out.

Help children see the Bible is history (not just a story, make sure they understand it is TRUE).  Point them to the Metanarrative of Scripture, seeing one God through it all, and His marvelous plan as the Gospel is from OT to NT.   

Then use strategies that make children critical thinkers... teach them different Bible study methods, use Bloom's Taxonomy, ask comprehension questions with the main 6 or 4 strategies, help them learn the way they learn- visual, auditory, kinesthetic, or with the Multiple Intelligences.  I could do a whole course on how children learn...but the links on my googlesite will give you an idea!  If  you want more info on any one of these, I can get it,  just comment here or email me.


Resources and links to help you along the way....

ONLINE

 Livebinders to Help...

Whispering the Word Livebinder

Memorizing God's Word Livebinder

Pinterest
http://pinterest.com/sarah_poling
look for the children's Bibles, holidays like Easter and Advent, and spiritual disciplines for many resources... and then my Children's Minstry Board

Documents I've Shared with my Children's Ministry Course

Salvation Resources on Padlet

Groups to help spiritual formation of children in the home and church...

Homefront Magazine from David C Cook Publishing, a FREE family magazine with Biblical concept ideas. 

http://homefrontmag.com/

Focus on the Family Thriving Family Magazine
http://www.thrivingfamily.com/

Gospel Light Homelight Magazine (free)
 http://www.myhomelight.com/

d6 Minisitry
http://www.d6family.com/

you can get a free Splink weekly (devotional ideas to connect biblical truth with your family)

Faith Begins At Home (books and resources for Family ministry)
http://faithbeginsathome.com/
http://www.raisingupspiritualchampions.com/

Strong Families (John Trent)  The Blessing, even has a section for teachers
http://www.johntrent.com/tools

Focus on the Family
http://www.focusonthefamily.com/

Family Ministry

http://childrensministry.com/articles/developing-a-family-ministry-in-church

http://childrensministry.com/articles/building-faith-at-home

main list:   http://childrensministry.com/leadership/family-ministry

http://ministry-to-children.com/family-worship/#gsc.tab=0

 http://ministry-to-children.com/4-ways-to-build-relationships-with-parents/

http://kidmin360.com/5-ways-to-partner-with-parents-in-raising-spiritually-healthy-children/

Watch Me 
Vimeo video that will inspire....

Books to look for:

Read alouds:
If You Give a Boy a Bible 

Big Thoughts for Little Thinkers: (a 4 book series) The Scripture, The Gospel, The Trinity, The Mission. 

Dr. Craig's What is God Like? 12 volumes...  God is Spirit, God is All Powerful, God is All Knowing, just to name a few!

Family Read Aloud or Indpendent Read by Older Kids:
Children Desiring God has three books: Gods's Names, God's Promises, and God's Providence
Thoughts to Make Your Heart Sing by Sally Lloyd Jones

Family Devotions:
Long Story Short

Devotional:
 The Dig (Luke)
Jesus Calling for Kids

DVD and a CD
What's in the Bible (Phil Vischer)
JellyTelly.com  a subscription (like netflix) for streaming Christian progams.  Check out Theo the theologian... many of the resources here can be purchased as DVDs on amazon or at familychristianstores.com (they do $5 specials quarterly)

Want to teach your kids about serving God and Missions work?

Missions materials are all over the place. The best way to help children learn to serve, to lead and to give sacrificially is through role models.  So missionary visits when they are home on furlough are helpful, as well as local adults/teens who serve right where they are, visiting and sharing a story or testimony can be a bigger motivator than any curriculum on serving God.   But there are some great tools out there for direct skill teaching and even role playing or simulations!  Here are some I am aware of, this is just a few!

New Tribes Mission

Children's Resources  Some are free, most are purchased.

Wycliffe Translators

Kids Resources  Many are free downloads, but can also be purchased, and they have picture books and curriculum guides as well.   Fact pages, games, centers, and lessons!  They even teach kids about Bible translation. 

Recommended

Akebu to Zapotec a book of Bibleless people

CEF (Child Evangelism Fellowship) has stories of famous missionaries and also christian life/ doctrinal materials. 

Southern Baptist has a blog, and resource directory.  Haven't fully explored it, but I will some day!

Slavic Gospel Association has a free mission kit. The lessons are engaging and teach different dimensions of service.

Public Schools use materials from Free Spirit Publications for social and emotional needs.  They have some great ideas of what kids can do as service at different ages/stages in their materials which many public libraries have. 

Salvation Resources

Children Desiring God... Sunday School Curriculum

To Be Like Jesus... a study for children on following Jesus
for grades 3-4-5
emphasis: sanctification, but the first 11 lessons explain salvation doctrine/words.
Some of the lessons are very Calvinistic, it doesn't come out in the lesson for children, but some would be concerned with the reformed perspective. The link above will share the scope/sequence and a sample lesson.

Books:  

Big Thoughts for Little Thinkers by Joey Allen

a review from Ministry to Children (of the 4 book series)
Gracie tells you about salvation in the Gospel book.  My children really enjoyed this book and the teaching is clear and child friendly.

Cassie & Caleb Discover God's Wonderful Design by Susan and Richie Hunt
a book from Moody Press that I won!  I've only read part of it, but it has several lessons that focus on the gospel.  It's set up as a story first and then a let's talk portion with scripture, questions, and prayer. (Some lessons have first catechism question/answers as suggested memory work). I think my children will like it. I hope to read it with them this summer.

Review of Cassie & Caleb... from Beyond Bathtime that has more information. (ignore the giveaway it's over)

Salvation, a Bible study workbook, for children
a very simple fill in booklet emphasizing being a part of God's family.   I haven't used it with my children, I think it is a nice concept for a child who doesn't have a very broad biblical foundation.   If I were counseling at camp, and a girl was saved, this would be a great booklet to talk through together. 

God's Mighty Acts in Salvation by Starr Meade
This one is a study of the book of Galatians for children in 40 lessons. It could be read independently or as a family.   Each two page reading ends with an 'as for me and  my house' some questions and passages to look up. I've not read the whole book yet, but I like the fact that she is really teaching children about the Bible and she tells them about the author, his message to the people, she defines words. Her talks give information that we might find in a commentary but it is written for children.  From what I have read, it models how to think and what you should know about a book of the Bible as you read it, so pedagogically it is a good model.   I don't believe we will have doctrine issues, but I haven't read it all yet.  
 review by timberdoodle on this page is helpful


God, Should I be Baptized? by Laurie Donahue
a book designed for a parent/child to read together. It is focused on why you are baptized, but the initial lessons discuss your relationship with God and some salvation concepts.  I have read through this with my oldest and so have several friends, it's a nice logical way to help your child grasp the concepts and you can add your own references and questions as you like.  (there is an excellent companion on the Lord's Supper that we have enjoyed as well.) 

Children's Ministry Bible  created with input from Child Evangelism Fellowship.  Wordless book included. NKJV with many teaching ideas as resources. 

AWANA TnT Books
Asks questions like: What do I need to know about God? or What do I need to know about the Lord Jesus Christ? They learn answers to the questions with scriptures that help explain the concept.  The gospel truths are clearly presented across the books. 

Online Resources:

Ministry to Children Coloring Pages. A Good News Series

Gospelhall.org has a wide variety of children's lessons, teachings about salvation, etc... this link will take you to a list and you can choose from three different options.   But I remember lessons at camp as a child, with this poster across the back, and how clear the gospel was when the roads were explained...  Be aware that not all the posts are well edited or proofread, it just depends.  My Great Grandmother and my Grandmother were raised in a gospel hall still connected to this site.  Two Roads Images

Printables for 2 Corinthians 5:17 
I especially like the card that matches, with NEW defined!  also printables for SAVE Many cute ideas and bible resources!

Wordless Book you can get a free 30 minute training from CEF to learn how to use it. The store also has a whole selection of gospel tools for evangelism.

Romans Road 
I don't know who gets credit for the 'road' technique. But this link has a list of the verses!

ABC salvation
Many versions of this-- but Admit, Believe, and Choose or Count or Confess (Jesus is Lord!) are the most common.

The Bridge  I like these pictures for children!  This site has 3 versions (the middle one is for kids) and better scripture references.  I believe the Navigators are the ones who made the original published tract.

The one verse evangelism technique.

Gospel in the Bible  a post about showing your kids Jesus, and a 2 page handout that shows the stories in the OT to NT that show Jesus is coming. 

Titus 2:11-13 a theme verse for teaching about salvation

a salvation theme verse... all that God has done, is doing, and will do to keep us from the penalty, power, and presence of sin....

Teaching your kids about the gospel....

Whispers from the Web...

Getting ready for a seminar on teaching kids about the doctrine of salvation, and I LOVE how God orchestrates the bloggers I follow to share some of their favorite links on MY topic for next week....

Please note I haven't fully read all these posts yet, but am marking them to investigate as I have time, and the bloggers who shared them, I follow because I normally love and agree with their favorites and theology!

3 ways to share the Gospel with your kids... a new series at inspired to action

Teaching Kids about Salvation (oh Amanda!)
and her series on this topic...http://ohamanda.com/2011/02/03/salvation-for-kids-part-1/

Don't Just Ask Jesus into your heart...at the Mob Society

Some teachings for younger kids...these are VERY simple and more skill oriented than teaching, but you could enhance the Bible references with the concepts and make it more relevant to scripture than just early childhood skills. 
Apples to understand the Savior and trinity...

Readers, reviewers... tyndale rewards program

I stumbled on this today... you can earn free books by joining Tyndale Rewards program. 

http://tyndalerewards.com/

use this link to join and I earn more points~!
http://www.tyndalerewards.com/signup/?pc=1k9a-fybt-xjwx-hm5h

Just by joining, and sharing I have enough for at least 1 free book, maybe 2, depends on what I choose. So cool! I love being in the know.  I hope they pick me to help review and promote children's Bibles since my collection is over 75 now and I'm teaching about it so often!!