Kidco Labs - Resources

RESOURCES FOR LEADERS
AND TEACHERS

We're only as good as the resources we have available.
Why not use some of the best.

Whether you are in charge of a small group, a large group or one of those that has to wear many hats, the following resources can help you out. Each link contains solid materials on related topics to help you save time, effort and energy with the administrative side of ministry so you have time for what really matters—ministering to children and having fun doing it.

	KIDOLOGY.ORG http://www.kidology.org (members site)
			For a small annual fee, your membership give you access to literally hundreds of games, object lessons, lesson materials, craft ideas and other teaching materials. If you are in a pinch looking for ideas or even a starting point for something different, this is a great place to start. For non-members, there is monthly newsletter, a resource directory and a few downloads of samples from each of their teaching zone categories. In my opinion, it is well worth the cost.

	BIBLEGATEWAY.COM http://www.biblegateway.com (free site)
			When it comes to personal quiet time, I use my Bible, but for lesson planning, I use this site to find the right verses for my lesson. Each verse can be viewed in numerous versions—including foreign language. There are also topic searches and key word searches that make finding information fast and easy. The best part is that you don't have to type it all out once you've found what you're looking for, because you can copy the text from most Internet browsers and paste it into your document.

	SERMONCENTRAL.COM http://www.sermoncentral.com (membership site for full access, some info is free)
			If you regularly address adults or youth, you may be familiar with this site already. It's a great place to research sermons that have been submitted on many topics by some very renowned speakers. It is also a great place to look for topics to speak to children if your looking for a short series or single topic message. This is a great place to find the raw materials to set a foundation, then add games, object lessons, or whatever you like to give it your own flair.

OPERATION LIGHT FORCE
http://www.operationlightforce.com (online resource for 40-day ministry events)

Operation Light Force started in the greater Tampa Bay area many years ago and offers a forty-day community-changing event for the entire church. They started with strong programs for adults and youth and now have a full 13-week series that can be used to get school-aged children actively involved as well.

Operation Agape:
40 Days with Jesus

We worked together with OLF to create Operation Agape:40 Days with Jesus; an exciting, 13-week spy-themed children's church curriculum that comes with everything needed to make the series a success. For more information about the series, either visit the Operation Light Force web site, or go to the Curriculum area above and select Operation Agape.

	HILLSONG MUSIC http://www.hillsong.com/music (online resources for purchase)
			Hillsong Music is best known for producing dynamic worship music for years. Now they offer worship resources for children's ministry in CD and DVD format. They also offer additional resources for ministry on the church site.

	GROUP PUBLISHING INC. http://www.group.com (online resources for purchase with free sample downloads)
			As a resource, Group Publishing, Inc. offers a wide variety of materials and resources. I have used many of their materials in the past and found them high quality, very creative and easy to use. They also offer books on leadership, discussions and devotional materials and a download area to sample some of the materials that they provide for Sunday school, classrooms and more.

	ORIENTAL TRADING COMPANY http://www.orientaltrading.com (online resources for purchase)
			Where would we be without a place like this! There are so many great prize and theme ideas for cheap that this is one place everyone involved with ministry has to go to. They offer party prizes, themed gifts, games and even loads of VBS materials.

	DISCOVERY EDUCATION http://www.discoveryeducation.com (free site with login area for teachers/educators)
			This site is sponsored and maintained by the Discovery Channel and is created for teachers to use as a supplement. There are images, puzzle makers, games and more that can be helpful in creating activity sheets for children or for decorating your environment. On the main site, there's also a lot of information about animals if you are studying creation and want to share some fun facts.

	ANSWERS IN GENESIS http://www.answersingenesis.org (free site with no login required)
			As I was working on this new series about creation, I wanted to make sure that I had enough scientific proof ad facts before speaking on specific topics. This site offers many articles by topic with links to many different resources and also contains information about the source. It is a great source of information to prepare lessons, to answer children's questions and to support your personal faith.

	CREATION SCIENCE http://emporium.turnpike.net/C/cs/ (free site)
			Although it is not the most attractive site, there is a lot of helpful information with regard to creation versus evolution. Some of the documents can get technical, but all of the information is helpful in answering questions about creation when asked.

	CHRISTIAN ANSWERS.NET http://www.christiananswers.net (free site)
			This is a great resource for leaders, teachers and parents across the board. On the main page, there are hundreds of topics that can help you start your search. There is also an area dedicated to children that offers downloadable coloring sheets in PDF format that you can print for your children as needed.

	ENCHANTED LEARNING http://www.enchantedlearning.com (lots of information for both members and non-members)
			This site is well known to teachers and educators in the public school system. There are coloring sheets, activities and a lot of factual information broken down by topic.

	PAPA JAN.COM http://www.papajan.com/ (free site with no login required)
			This site has hundreds of coloring sheets that can be downloaded and printed from your computer. Its sheets for the various holidays, as well as sheets for most of the common Bible stories and characters. Simply click on the picture and print the larger version.

	FIRST SCHOOL.WS Link text here (free site with no login required)
			I found this site originally looking for information about dinosaurs, but there are hundreds of coloring sheets about animals and nature. They are intended for children of preschool and younger children.