This quote was accredited to G. K. Chesterton but I couldn’t track it down.  However, it got me thinking.  Remember Christmas when you were a kid?  The anticipation, excitement and wonder that lasted for days?  Then we grow up. 

Christmas was not the same when my siblings and I were in our late teens to early twenties.  Then we married and began our families and suddenly we regained Christmas through the eyes of our children and nieces and nephews.   Now I see Christmas through my grandchildren’s eyes! 

10 Great Qualities Kids Share

Of course, children have more than 10 great qualities but in the interests of time lets go with these!

• Curiosity (a strong desire to know or learn something)
• Wonder (feeling of amazement and admiration)
• The ability to laugh easily (it comes naturally, frequently and readily)
• The ability to live in the moment (fully and freely enjoying themselves)
• Being active (ready to engage in physically energetic pursuits)
• Faith in their abilities (confident they can handle things)
• Love of fun (light-hearted amusement and pleasure ) 
• Love of play (for enjoyment and recreation not for serious or practical purposes)
• Excitement (feeling great enthusiasm and eagerness)
• Loving sincerely (intense feelings of deep affection) 

Adulting (Being a Grown-Up!)

Adulting is behaving and acting in ways that are considered typical of adults, not children or young people.  It’s the serious, important behaviours like working, paying bills and eating healthy.  Working with children in Kid’s Ministry is a serious undertaking.  It has to be.  We must have policies and procedures in place to protect them. 

When it comes to creating engaging programs that fill children with wonder and create excitement we cannot become “too grown up for our own good”.  It’s in our best interests to remember what it was like to be a kid.  Look at your lessons through their eyes so that your teaching will engage children and thereby benefit them and strengthen their relationship with Jesus.  (That was a very grownup sentence!) 

Cooee Kid’s Christmas

I have written a lot of Christmas lessons over the years and you’ll find them on the Cooee Kid’s Ministry website under the Special Occasions banner here: https://cooeekidsministry.com.au/special-occasions-2/christmas/

While writing I’ve always tried to remember to see Christmas through children’s eyes and recall my own special Christmas memories. There’s a wide range of plays and lessons, some of which my children were involved in.

So have fun with your children in your Kid’s Ministry this Christmas Season!  Peak their curiosity, and make them laugh.  Fill kids with awe as you tell the Nativity story.  And if you need to you may regain your childlike self in the process!