When beginning the search for a curriculum to replace the one we had been using for 8 years, I started in a few of the the children’s ministry forums and Facebook groups to see what the buzz was. You go into this knowing everyone will love what is working for them, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it will work for our ministry.
After hearing all the pros and cons of the popular programs, I came to the ultimate realization that most children’s ministry leaders feel like there is something missing from their curriculum but “that is to be expected.”
I often heard things like, “I love this curriculum’s core values and beliefs, but their graphics and videos are outdated.” “This curriculum is amazing, but I find myself needing to supplement elements that fit our needs.”
I knew that I did not want to begin the transition to a new curriculum unless it was something I knew would completely upgrade the experience we give kids and families at our church.
Finding the Right Curriculum Fit
After spending time going through all of the suggested programs I decided to simply google “Children’s Ministry Curriculum” to see what was out there. Surprisingly, I ran across a curriculum I’ve never heard of before, Wonder Ink.
The moment I clicked on the website, I was met with the core values. “Known by God”, “Loved by Jesus”, “Led by the Holy Spirit”, “I am a child of God.” And I will tell you, that’s when I knew I stumbled across a good thing.
What we found in Wonder Ink exceeded our expectations.
When looking for a curriculum it needed to be something that prioritized truths that our kids would not be able to forget. I wanted to be sure that they knew who they are in Christ and what the Holy Spirit can do through them. Although our previous curriculum provided biblical lessons and values, it did not feel like we had an ultimate plan for a child’s journey through our ministry.
Wonder Ink’s clear path for the spiritual progression for every developmental stage of a child was exactly what I was looking for. When I personally felt like Wonder Ink was the choice for us, I printed off the sample lesson provided and filled a table with a team of volunteers and parents to hear what they had to say.
Wonder Ink’s 3-year, 52-week children’s ministry curriculum offers kids space to fully find their place in God’s Big Story. Children discover they are Known by God, Loved by Jesus, and Led by the Holy Spirit.
Evaluating Together: Volunteers
What I wanted to hear from my volunteers was that this is a curriculum they can adequately prepare for and execute on a Sunday. While my volunteers are top notch, we only have so much time with our kids during a service and we did not want to return to the hassle of puzzling together and rushing through our teaching and activities because we just don’t have enough time.
We were immediately drawn to the fact that Wonder Ink provides variations of their lessons based on the length of your service. The 30-minute version is what best suits our ministry, and although it is the shortest lesson provided, the spiritual impact each element would have on our kids was obvious.
We want every minute spent serving to feel intentional and purposeful for our volunteers and Wonder Ink helps us accomplish that. There is never guessing room on what we are teaching, why we are teaching it, and even our newest volunteers feel adequately equipped by the guidance Wonder Ink provides.
Evaluating Together: Parents
I am thankful to have so many parents who are active spiritual leaders in their children’s lives within our ministry; their opinions are highly valued. For parents I not only wanted them to be excited about the biblical values we want to instill in their kids’ hearts, but also wanted them to feel that the content would be relevant and relatable in their home.
What we found in Wonder Ink exceeded our expectations. The amount of attention put towards parent communication and tools to encourage Christ centered conversations in the home has been a catalyst for growth within our church.
We quickly began having frequent conversations with parents about the discussions they are having as a family and the new things they are learning in God’s Word together. The kids are eager to go home and share what they learned at church, and parents are prepared to facilitate that conversation.
This curriculum has allowed us to prioritize creating relationships with our kids that point them to Jesus.
What We’ve Seen
In the 12 months of using Wonder Ink in our ministry, we have seen a higher level of engagement and comprehension of God’s Word. Our kids have become more comfortable reading the Bible out loud and declaring God’s truth.
We have kids taking ownership of their faith and holding their parents accountable to attend church because they want to hear the next part of God’s Big Story. Children are growing more confident in who Jesus is and what that means for their life.
And relationships are being fostered through intentional moments that Wonder Ink has placed throughout each lesson.
The thought put into this curriculum has allowed us to prioritize creating relationships with our kids that point them to Jesus. It is so obvious Wonder Ink was created by people who know children’s ministry and the evolving needs of families in the Church.
Every Sunday is a unique, fun experience from the moment we greet our kids to the moment we send them off to continue to Wonder@Home and we always look forward to doing it again the next week.
Free Download: Known, Loved, and Led: Helping Children Know Who They Were Created to Be
This simple, 2-part guide will:
- Give you language to share with children to teach and remind them of who they were created to be.
- Equip you, the parent or ministry leader, with ideas for theological guideposts that will help you share Scripture with the children in your care.
