RELEVANT CHILDREN'S MINISTRY

The list of the current top 10 YouTube kids' videos was recently released.

This is a great way to get an inside look at what today's kids like.  Watch the videos and then make a list of the elements in the videos that you believe make them so popular with kids.

You can then implement some of the approaches and strategies found in the videos to connect with today's kids.

Remember, our message never changes, but our methods must change to connect with today's kids.  One interesting note to start out, most of the top 10 kids' videos are music videos.  I find that interesting.  Music plays a big role in getting today's kids involved.  Notice what kind of songs appeal to today's kids.  Notice the graphics that are used to appeal to today's kids.  What if you find Christian songs that have the same type elements?  Perhaps more kids would join in worship songs then?

So...without further ado, I present to you the top 10 kids' videos. FYI - many of these videos are geared for nursery to preschool, so if you oversee early childhood, play close attention. 

1. CocoMelon - This is the Way + More Nursery Rhymes & Kids' Songs

2. Ryan's World - ABC Song Learn English Alphabet for Children with Ryan

3. Peppa Pig - Peppa Pig Goes to Digger World! Parents' Day

4. Nick Jr. - Junior Dress Up Party! PAW Patrol & Shimmer & Shine Episode 6

5. BabyBus - "No No Potty Song / Play Safe Song / Nursery Rhymes / Kids Songs / Toddler Songs

6. Sesame Street Nursery Ryhmes Songs Compilation with Elmo and Friends

7. Mother Goose Club Playhouse - Dinosaur Stomp and More / Pretend Animal Dance Song

8. Disney Junior - PJ Masks / The Easter Egg Hunt

9. Super Simple Songs: If You’re Happy And You Know It | Kids Songs

10. Little Angel: Baby's Visit to the Doctor

It is truly amazing what kids can do if they are only given an opportunity.

We talk about kids being the church of tomorrow, and yes, that is true.

But they are also the church of today.

And it's time we start giving kids more opportunities to serve at church and in the community.  For way too long, we've told kids to sit still and be quiet in church. Then we wonder why, when they grow up, they are sitting on a church pew and not making an impact for God's kingdom.  It's because we told them to sit still and be quiet.  Habits formed early in life tend to transition into adulthood.

I am listing these top 10 You Tube stars to show what kids can do when given the opportunity.  They can bring creativity and freshness to the table.  They can bring new perspectives, if we will step back and let them lead strong.  They can create amazing content.

1. Ryan's Toys Review



Ryan is a 6-year-old who reviews toys for viewers multiple times a week.  He is the most subscribed child on YouTube with 9.4 million subscribers and more than 16.5 trillion video views.  


2. EvenTube



Evan, is a 12-year-old toy reviewer.  His earns over $1.3 million dollars a year through his channel. His channel has over 4.6 million subscribers.

 
3. Kids' Toys



Kids' Toys features two sisters, Quincy Faye and Laurice, who review the latest children's toys.  They live in the Philippines and have over 2.4 million subscribers.  They've had 2.9 trillion video views in 4.5 years.


4. Seven Awesome Kids

   
Seven Awesome Kids shows the lives and thoughts of girls 0-12 every day of the week.  It showcases the girls wild imaginations through funny skits. They have 1.8 million subscribers.


5. EthanGamer



Ethan is 10 years old and has become a social media star.  He has 1.7 million subscribers.  His content is age-appropriate and he has an enthusiastic attitude which draws a new generation of social media users.


6. BabyTeeth4
 

Jillian and Addie, ages 12 and 9, are the stars of  babyteeth4.  The two sisters are famous for their kid candy reviews, which feature their funny, honest reactions to candy. They also have two other series which have drawn in tens of millions of views.

 
7. B2CuteCupcakes


 
This channel is ran by a 12-year-old social media star named Bee.  Bee has a bubbly personality and demonstrates DIY's, trends, toys reviews and kid life hacks.  


8.  Hulyan Maya

 
Hulyan and Maya are the stars of the YouTube channel called Hulyan Maya.  They have over 1.4 million subscribers.  They test toys out.  They are bringing in over a million dollars through their channel and have been featured on NBC's Today Show.
 

9.  Hailey's Magical Playhouse



Hailey’s Magical Playhouse is where 6-year-old girl Hailey comes to play.  She does things like toy unboxings, surprise eggs, costume dress-ups, and other indoor and outdoor play activities.  She has 1.3 million subscribers.  She loves Disney as well and brings characters into her show.


10. Naiah and Elli Toys Show



Naiah is 5 and Elli is 6.  They have a toy parody channel.  They love doing silly skits and funny 
commentaries when they unbox toys.  They have 1.2 million subscribers.

When we begin turning kids' attention to making a kingdom impact,  we will see many of them rise to the challenge.  As we give them the space and time they need to express themselves creatively, we will see them turn thousands of people into followers of Jesus. 

Kids love YouTube.  Millions of them watch it daily.  And many create content for YouTube that generates millions of views.  Some of the largest YouTube channels were created by kids.  Something that has captured the attention of kids in such an extraordinary way should be studied by children's ministry leaders.  The question must be asked, "Why do kids love YouTube and what can kid's ministry learn from it?"  Let's look for some answers and takeaways.

Kids love YouTube because it gives them the opportunity to connect with people of like interests.   No matter what the topic, subject, game, cartoon, or interest, kids can type it in the search line and immediately be connected with people around the world who have the same shared interest.  Whether it's Minecraft, Harry Potter, video games, fashion trends for girls or whatever, they can become part of a community that is built around that.

Children's ministry take note: kids long to be part of a community that has a shared interest.  It's all about belonging, fitting in, being accepted and having a shared experience with others.  Are we providing kids the opportunity at church to be part of a shared interest?  Perhaps instead of grouping kids together by grade, we should group them together by interests?  Doing so could help kids feel more connected and in community.

Kids love YouTube because it is engaging entertainment.   YouTube features entertainment that engages kids.  Much of this is done through storytelling.  Storytelling that features characters, adventure, suspense, risk-taking, heroes, villains and more.

Children's ministry take note: kids love stories.  And the Bible contains the most exciting, true stories ever written down.  Stories that deserve to be told with excellence.  And excellence doesn't have to mean big budget.  Many YouTube videos are not generated with a big budget, but from people with little to no budget, taking time to be creative.  You can create content that engages kids.  It simply starts with getting in a room together and brainstorming creative ideas.  You'll be surprised what you can come up with and create if you'll just take time to do it. 

Kids love YouTube because it gives them the opportunity to create content.  YouTube gives kids the opportunity to use their imagination, creativity and artistic abilities.  They can use their gifts and talents to influence and impact other people through what they create.

Children's ministry take note: kids love the opportunity to use their gifts and talents.  Give them opportunities to use their creativity for God's kingdom.  If we want to see kids become lifelong followers of Jesus, we've got to let them move from just being consumers to being contributors.  

Your turn.  The floor is yours.  Are there any other reasons why kids love YouTube?  What other takeaways can we learn from kids' love for YouTube?

There is a new trend on YouTube that is mesmerizing kids.  One of the channels that features this trend is getting over 100 million views a week.  And a family of channels that feature this trend has attracted over 5 million subscribers and over 4 billion views to date.  What is this trend that has captured the attention of so many kids?  Maybe not what you'd expect.

The trend is adults dressed up in superhero costumes acting out skits that play out like a silent movie.  Nothing fancy or spectacular.  There are a few special effects, but they are simple...almost to the point of being shoddy.

So why are kids mesmerized by these videos?   A studio executive says kids love these videos because of...

• silent film - kids internationally appreciate that there are no spoken words / this also forces the characters to represent the story physically and broadly

• surreal story lines

• using superheroes that kids already know and like

• using elements that kids like including candy, fun music, squirt guns, lasers and flying.  

He says when you wrap all these things together, it captivates the attention of children.

Davey Orgill, a Christian father who makes YouTube videos with his wife and kids, came across this trend last year and was blown away by the number of views it was getting.  So he ordered some costumes for his family, opened the YouTube channel SuperHero Reality TV and started making videos using this format.  In just 3 weeks, the channel was clocking 20 million views within 48-hour periods.

Children's ministry leaders who want to grab the attention of kids and get their message to them should take note of the success of this trend.   

What if you used this format to tell Bible stories and share Biblical truth?   This could be done live or by video.

Do you have shared experiences for kids and parents together?  The format the Orgills are using with kids and parents being in the video together would no doubt be a big hit for this.

Are you looking for ways to extend the weekend lesson into the home during the week.  What if you had a contest for families to make videos in this format about the lesson and then post them on a YouTube channel you create?

Below are some examples of this video trend that kids are loving.  What do you think about this trend?  Share your thoughts with us in the comment section below.

YouTube has rolled out an app for kids.  It's meant to help kids enjoy kid-friendly videos.

The app is available for iOS and Android.  It also gives parents the ability to set time limits. 

The channel will allow ads.  People who want to "advertise" to kids, now have a great avenue to get their message across.

I am praying there will be inroads for children's ministries to be able to put outreach content on the channel as well as purchase ads that share the Gospel. 

Here is a look at the app.