RELEVANT CHILDREN'S MINISTRY

Children now spend an average of 7 hours a day using technology.  "Play" has moved onto devices.

The American Academy of Pediatrics says this can lead to obesity, erratic sleep patterns and difficulty concentrating.

As kids connectivity to the internet through screens becomes more pervasive, many parents are grappling with how much technology is too much?

Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple, banned his children from using the iPads and iPods his company produced.  Many parents in the Silicon Vally send their children to screen-free schools.

But other parents believe cutting off their kids from technology will limit their ability to cope with modern life and hinder their future careers.  They do have a point.  Exposure to technology increases our ability to scan and sort information, a skill that's increasingly useful in the modern workplace. 

So where can parents find a balance?

One important distinction to make is the difference between active and passive screen time.  Active screen time involves creating, reading, and interacting with content.  Passive screen time is just vegging out in front of a video or game.

Proponents for active screen time say kids are growing up in a technology environment and will be using it for the rest of their lives.  They want to give their children a solid technological foundation to build upon.

The floor is yours.  
What do you think?  
How much technology is too much?  
What is the best balance?  
Share your thoughts with us the comment section below.

One of the big reasons apps and games are so good  today is because developers have the ability to constantly improve them through updates.  Through pouring over the game themselves and feedback from users, they are able to implement suggestions, fix bugs and make improvements.

There is a great principle in this for us.  If we are going to stay relevant and operating at peak level, we must constantly be updating our ministries.  Every week we must be actively looking for ways to fix bugs and make improvements.

How can we stay on top of updating our children's ministries?

Ask for feedback from users.  App and game developers are constantly looking for feedback from users.  They know one of the best ways to make their product better is to listen to the people who are using it.

Don't just wait for feedback...actively seek it out.  Here are a few ways you can do this.

• Parent Focus Groups
• Kid Focus Groups
• Volunteers

Constantly evaluate what you're doing.  Here is an example of how Disney does this.

Make time to update.  It's easy to ignore updates for a variety of reasons - too busy...procrastination...being satisfied with the way things are.

Normally, when I haven't updated the apps and games on my devices, it's because of one of those reasons.  I can get by with this for awhile, but eventually it catches up with me.  One of my devices is an iPad 1.  There are many apps and games that won't work on this iPad because the operating system is out of date and the new stuff isn't compatible with it.  The result...I am limited on what I can do with this device.

What if app and game developers refused to change?  What if they ignored what wasn't working and refused to address the bugs?  In order to stay relevant, they have to be willing to change and update.

Children's ministries must be willing to change if they are going to continue to reach kids and families at an optimal level.  Show me a ministry that is dying and I'll show you a ministry that has refused to update.

What needs updating in your ministry?

Last year, I shared in this post that preschoolers are leading the way in using touchscreen mobile devices.  38% of kids two and younger have used mobile devices, 47% of three to five-year-olds can navigate a smartphone and 57% can operate an app.

Nick Jr. recently released a new iPad app for preschoolers that's a huge hit.  It's a free app that has video episodes, learning activities, crafts and funny surprises.  You can get more info. about the app here. 

We are ministering to kids who are digital natives.  Who will lead the way in creating apps and content that will teach them God's Word?

Are there any apps out there that teach preschoolers God's Word?  If you are aware of any, share them with us in the comment section below.

Teach us the Bible is a solid children's curriculum.  I recently reviewed it and here are some of the things that stood out to me.

• It is grounded in childhood development principles.
• It's designed for today's technology.  Lessons are available to download online.  Teachers can print lessons ahead of time or simply access them on their iPad or laptop during class.
• 104 (2 years) of chronological Bible story lessons.
• 1 year through the Old Testament and 1 year through the New Testament.
• Meaningful activities that reinforce the lesson.
• Children get each lesson 3 times by the end of 5th grade.
• Students learn a new Bible verse every 4 weeks.
• Each lesson includes supplies and preparation steps, as well as coloring sheets that will get your kids excited.
• Teachers use Children's Storybook Bibles to make sure lessons are comprehended.
• It's cost effective.  Prices start as low as $119 per quarter.

Our friends at Teach Us the Bible are going to give away a free quarter of the curriculum.  You can enter by emailing me at dalehudsoncm2@gmail.com.  I will announce the winner here next Friday, August 24.

Congratulations to the winners of the Pilgrim's Progress iPad apps.  Thanks to everyone who entered the contest. 

Jenn Vintigni
Gaylin Stuart
Christine Murphy
Susan Coai
Ethan Davis
Matt Norman

Watch for more giveaways coming soon.

Seattle-based Nation9 is a next-generation digital and interactive publisher. 

Nation9 books come to life on a tablet and allow kids to move objects on the screen, uncover hidden facts and read-along with narrative functions.  This helps the reader stay engaged while still keeping the story intact.  It’s making reading cool and fresh.

I am excited about one of the projects they recently released....Pilgrim's Progress.  Nation9′s adaptation of this classic features custom 3D animation, story-line interactivity, captivating original music, and optional narration that will be sure to captivate young readers time and time again.  I am excited to announce there is now a version available in Spanish as well.

We are giving away 6 free, downloadable copies of the iPad app (1 English version and 5 Spanish versions).  You can enter by dalehudsoncm2@gmail.com.  We will announce the winners next Monday, June 3.

Here's a sample of the app.

If you use an iPad for your ministry work, here's 20 apps recommended by Time Tech that can be very beneficial. Most of these are free. Links to the apps are included.

Calculator for Ipad Free

Kids are growing up in a world that has very few quiet times.  

Mobile devices buzz almost non-stop with texts, email, tweets, or phone calls.  24/7 television channels are on most of the time in our homes.  Earphones plugged into ipods pipe music into our ears.  In the car, we have music, the dvd player, or the radio cranking.  The noise of the latest "viral video" coming from our iPad or tablet constantly catches our attention.  The sound effects from video games can be heard for hours a day.  The audio from commercials or advertisements come at us like a flood.

The other day, I was reading the story of God speaking to young Samuel and something jumped out at me.  When did Samuel hear God's voice?  It was while he was lying in the "quietness" of his bed.  In the quietness, he was able to clearly hear God's voice.
 
I wonder if kids would hear God's voice more often if provided them with more quiet?

It's something you will have to be very intentional about in our busy, noisy culture.  

You'll have to teach kids to unplug from the noise on a regular basis.  And that's not easy.  Because we all get addicted to the noise, don't we. 

You'll have to help kids find a quiet place.  Somewhere away from the noise.  Maybe in the backyard under a tree.  Maybe in their room.  Maybe in the living room with the tv and computer off.

You'll have to teach kids how to get alone with God.  Alone is where they'll find the quiet place.  

And the quiet place is where they'll hear God's voice as they spend time with Him. 

Seattle-based Nation9 is a next-generation digital and interactive publisher.  The company, founded in November 2011 and based in Kirkland, publishes its own line of tablet-based children’s books and also has a collaboration platform that helps writers, designers, developers and others come together from around the world to build titles.

Nation9 books come to life on a tablet and allow kids to move objects on the screen, uncover hidden facts and read-along with narrative functions.  This helps the reader stay engaged while still keeping the story intact.  It’s making reading cool and fresh.

I am excited about one of the projects they recently released....Pilgrim's Progress.  Nation9′s adaptation of this classic features custom 3D animation, story-line interactivity, captivating original music, and optional narration that will be sure to captivate young readers time and time again.

We are giving away 5 free, downloadable copies of the iPad app.  You can enter by dalehudsoncm2@gmail.com.  We will announce the winners next Monday, January 28.

Here's a sample of the app.