20 Must Haves for KidMin Leaders

What do you need in the world of Children’s Ministry?

I have been serving in the ministry for 22 years. The last 13 of them have been in Children’s Ministry, which I absolutely love! When I first began serving as a Children’s Minister in the local church, I started with the bare minimum. I had the curriculum needed to lead lessons on Sundays, a few books to help me with leading children in the church, the basic supplies to do some crafts, and the excitement to begin building a successful children’s ministry. Over the years, I have come to find some supplies to have in children’s ministry that I wish I had in the beginning. So I thought I would share with you 20 of my favorite items that I believe every KidMin Leader should have in their ministry!

1. Wagon

No one prepared me for the amount of lifting and moving things in Children’s Ministry! My back has suffered over the years, but then I got smart and bought a wagon! It has been a lifesaver. I am constantly moving and carrying things up and down stairs or down the hallway. The wagon has been so very helpful at transporting boxes and bins, plus minimizing trips to my car to retrieve all the things I buy from Walmart!

2. Laminator

Our church preschool has a big laminator (like they do at schools), and I use that for really big projects that require a lot of laminating. Years ago I purchased a Scotch laminator that uses 8.5×11″ sheets. But sometimes I have bigger pieces I need to laminate and I found this laminator that can laminate up to 11×17″ sheets. It is awesome and works so well!

3. Organized Supply Closet

I consider myself an organized person and can’t stand when I am not able to find things in a room full of supplies! Over the years I have learned to label everything and put a lid on it if you can! I have cabinets where I store all the supplies and everything is labeled with a supply list on the outside of the cabinet. I love to have things organized!

4. Storage Room

One thing we need as Children’s Ministry leaders is storage! I’m not just talking about a supply closet, but a storage room where you can put all your seasonal items you use once a year. You don’t need to buy the same stuff every year! Put it in a bin, label it, and store it away for next year!

5. Board Games

If you have a program where you have time to go outside to play, you will know there will be days when it rains or snows or is too cold to go out. Having a stack of board games on hand for elementary kids is excellent and fun! You can get inexpensive ones at Walmart. Or if you are looking for some fun Bible-based board games, check out Bible Games Central.

6. Treasure Box or Prize Store

I like to have little items on hand to give away as prizes to kids when we play games, memorize Bible verses, or just to give away for fun! You can find fun little trinkets at Oriental Trading. But my favorite place to stock up is Five Below! You can find great stuff that’s still inexpensive, but better than the dollar store.

7. Bibles

You’re probably thinking this is a no-brainer, right? But I am talking about having extra Bibles on hand so you can give them away when kids come to church and say they don’t have a Bible at home. That way you aren’t giving away the ones you use at church, but have extras so kids can take them home and keep forever! If you want to buy Bibles in bulk, I always buy from Bibles in Bulk.

8. 30-Second Dance Party Button

My friend introduced me to this at a conference we attended together. I went home after that and bought it and have LOVED it! I use it mostly in our weekday preschool classes when they need that 30-second break to get their wiggles out! They love coming by my office and asking me to come to their classroom with my dance party button! It’s so much fun!

9. Candy

I’ve been known as the “Candy Lady” at church. I always have a stash of candy in my office for kids and adults (like the youth ministry staff!). Sometimes it’s a small piece of candy that can turn that frown upside down!

10. Portable Speaker & Spotify Playlist

I love to play music! I use music to welcome people into the church and create excitement when they arrive. I have found over the years that a little speaker hooked to the Bluetooth on my phone with music can be heard a long way! I use this for preschool chapel times, hallway or classroom music, or outside if in a small space. We do have a bigger portable speaker that we call “Samson” that we use for bigger events. It has a wireless mic that comes with it and is awesome to use! It projects well when in a bigger space like outside for events.

11. Family Resources

One thing I have found is that it’s so important to equip the families with resources to spend time with their kids in the Word at home. Here at Family Faith Builders, I create resources that are simple and fun and allow kids and parents to dig into the Bible at home. If you have the space at your church, create a family resource wall stocked with books for kids, printable resources, and other things.

12. Plastic Tablecloths

I have tons of rectangle plastic tablecloths that I keep on hand (in many colors). I use these for events, in regular programs I do, and I love to use these as a simple backdrop for a photo booth! So easy to put together! You can buy in multiples on Amazon or get one for .97 cents at Walmart!

13. Quarter Size Cake Sheets

I use them for a couple thingss. They are great as dry erase boards in small groups when we need something small. I also use them as a mat for painting to keep tables from getting paint all over them. And you can just wipe them down and re-use them, too!

14. Better Than Paper

I am sure all of you who serve in children’s ministry have bulletin boards! And you may hate having to change them out! I have found that Better Than Paper is, well, better than paper! It doesn’t rip. It doesn’t fade. It doesn’t show staple holes. And you can tape something to it and it will come off easily! Seriously a game changer for me with all the boards I have to keep up with!

15. Kraft Bags

These are great to use to put crafts in when you need to send them home. I also use them in sending home my family faith kits I create.

16. Straw Builders

These are great to have on hand for pre-service activities! Kids love to build with them! And they are great visuals for Bible stories where you talk about building (like the Tower of Babel or Nehemiah building the wall around Jerusalem). You can find these on Amazon.

17. Jesus Toys

I love to collect Jesus figurines and toys to have on hand for kids to play with. I have a 6-ft Jesus, a Squishie Jesus, a 13″ Jesus plush, a Jesus egg, a Jesus figurine with wheels, and Jesus nesting dolls! Kids know where these are in my office and come get them to play with. One little 3-year old LOVES to come in and get the baby Jesus nesting doll every Sunday. And he ended up taking Jesus home in his pocket and Jesus got washed with the laundry! He loves baby Jesus!

18. Olive Wood Crosses

I encourage kids to carry a cross in their pocket or backpack when they go to school. And at times I include them in family faith kits. These olive wood crosses are my favorite because they are easy to clutch in your hand and be reminded of the presence of Jesus with you at all times.

19. Mentor/Coach

Find someone outside your church that serves in the ministry (as they best understand what you go through), and have them mentor or coach you. It’s important to have someone you can talk with and who can encourage you in your ministry.

20. Leadership Training

Find conferences and local trainings to help you grow in your leadership in the church! You can attend National Conferences like the Children’s Pastors Conference, The KidzMatter Conference, D6 Conference, or the Etch Family Ministry Conference. Or you can find locally-based trainings offered around you. Take advantage of these trainings as they help you become a better leader!

I hope you found something on this list that you don’t have and can use! These are some fun supplies to have in children’s ministry as you serve the Lord and help kids come to know Him!

What would you add to this list of “Must Haves in KidMin?” Leave your comment below!