Summer is here. Online school has ended. Your kids might not be all that interested in online worship. There are not many places that you can or want to take your children for entertainment. And all of this while you still may be working from home.
The NC Conference Media Center has Christian resources to entertain your children that can be borrowed from us and mailed to your home. Read on for recommended activity books, videos, Bible lessons, picture books, and more.
Do you also have preteens or teenagers at home? See our list of books to read, movies to watch, and fun activities that you can borrow for them.
If you see something you would like to borrow, all you need to do is fill out the Resource Request Form. The NC Conference Media Center is a free service open to anyone involved with a United Methodist Church in the North Carolina Conference.
Activity Ideas
The Media Center has many activity books for children of all ages. These books include a wide variety of games, crafts, interactive Bible stories, and reproducible activity pages. From Bible Origami to Food Fun Devotions, you are sure to find something that will keep your kids busy and teach them about their faith. See the full list of activity books available for borrowing in our Children’s Activity Books pathfinder.
Videos
Incorporate these fun and educational Christian videos into your kids’ screen time. All of them come with off-screen activities to supplement the videos.
Veggie Tales Sunday School Lessons. This series of videos includes a guide to lead you through each lesson, a DVD with the video clips, and a CD-ROM with coloring pages. The easy-to-follow lessons include an exciting introduction, fun VeggieTales video clips, engaging experiences that tie-in to the video, interactive coloring pages, and a closing that wraps up the lesson. We also have DVDs with just the full episodes of Veggie Tales based around themes. For ages 3-8.
Friends and Heroes. This animated series uses creative storytelling and high-quality animation to teach, entertain, and inspire children through exciting adventures and life-changing Bible stories. Pop the DVD in your computer to download games, adventures, Bible applications, and creative prayers for each episode. For ages 6 & up.
Kids Ten Commandments. Kids will be enthralled by this complete collection of five action-packed mini-movies as they learn about God’s “rules for life.” Each episode centers around two of the Ten Commandments and shows kids how the Ten Commandments are important for their everyday lives. The activity book offers creative material, crafts, and games that reinforce the video series. For grades K-5.
Action Bible Songs. This DVD is an activity in itself. Watch your kids dance along to these seventeen back-to-back live-action music videos for kids. Includes classic songs such as “This Little Might of Mine,” “Zacchaeus,” “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot,” and more. You can also turn off the TV, and just play the audio version. Includes split-tracks in both English and Spanish.
Bible Lessons
Are your kids missing Sunday School? Use these books to plan fun activities and teach easy-to-follow lessons during your time at home.
God Talk: 52 Fun Activities to Teach Children by Rita B. Hays. A practical, easy-to-use guide with activities that center on a scripture verse children can read and memorize that engage children’s senses. The activities require minimal preparation time. For ages 3-10.
Jesus Loves Me! 13 Lessons Introducing Preschoolers to God. In this easy-to-use lesson book, you’ll get fun, interactive lessons featuring Bible story activities, singing, snacks, and crafts that will keep your wiggly little ones active and engaged. For ages 3-5.
My Testament: Guiding Kids Through Creative Journaling and Holy Conversation by Mark Burrows. Each My Testament session has an Old Testament story and a New Testament story that are woven together around a main theme. Throughout each session, the children are given opportunities to respond to scripture. There are opportunities to creatively write, illustrate, pray, and to ask difficult questions as children enter into a deepening understanding of scripture. My Testament is more than just “journaling.” Each child will create a one-of-a-kind document of what they believe to be true about their relationship with God. For grades 3-5.
All-in-One Sunday School. Do you have multiple kids of different ages? This book is full of creative ideas for Bible-based classes with kids ages 4 to 12. Just gather a few common, inexpensive items, photocopy the handouts, and you’re ready to teach creative Bible lessons your kids will love. Includes tips on how to help kids of multiple ages work together as a team. For ages 4-12.
All-in-One Bible Fun. Keep it simple with these Bible lessons that contain a plan with opening, story, activity, and craft. The books in this series are divided between preschool and elementary grades with different themes. For grades PreK-5.
Picture Books
The Media Center has lots of children’s picture books that you can borrow to provide new reading material for your kids and help them continue to grow in faith and character. View the complete list on our Children’s Picture Books pathfinder. It includes books about Bible stories, Christian practices, multiculturalism, social issues, and more.
Chapter Books
For older children and preteens, we also have chapter books that they can dive into over the course of the summer. Delight your child with these stories from the Bible and Christian history.
- For Such a Time as This: Stories of Women from the Bible, Retold for Girls
- The Story for Kids: Discover the Bible from Beginning to End
- John Wesley: The World, His Parish
- Francis Asbury: Circuit Rider
Request These Resources
These resources can be borrowed for free by anyone involved with a United Methodist Church in the North Carolina Conference. We will mail them to your home! All you need to do is fill out the Resource Request Form.
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