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Zip for Kids Testimonial

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Janetta Holmes used Zip For Kids for preschool aged kids on Wednesday nights this summer. Janetta had been using Club VBS for this purpose, but changed to Zip when Club was no longer an option LifeWay offered.
In addition to the Bible content, she used the Discover It and Make It tracks with her kids.
Earlier this summer, I asked her a few questions about her experience:
What was your favorite thing about Zip? I like the fact that we have one Bible Verse throughout the whole 10 sessions. As a teacher, it has been really refreshing to focus on that Bible Verse.

Would you recommend Zip to others? I would definitely recommend it to someone else. There are so many different activities that you can’t run out of things to do.

Did anything interesting happen during your Zip event? Any funny stories? Any moments where you saw kids grow in their faith? I was asked Sunday morning during Preschool Worship if we could sing the Color Song! They really enjoyed that song! The kids have enjoyed making the craft each week. We are going to do the Flying Rockets tomorrow night. I think they will really enjoy that activity. We made the bubbles last week and we enjoyed going outside to blow the bubbles.
To see Zip’s options for Preschoolers click here.

Guest Post: Zip for Kids in Moldova

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2014Moldova-97We are happy to have Rachel Trammell share about her recent trip to Moldova with Justice and Mercy International.
 
 
 
Be honest: if someone challenged you to locate the country of Moldova on a map, would you even know what hemisphere to start in? Most of us wouldn’t. Moldova is located in eastern Europe, and is the poorest and smallest country of the former Soviet Union. This past June, I spent a week in Moldova, but 3 months ago, I couldn’t have told you what continent it was on, much less find the tiny nation on a map.

In addition to the widespread poverty that marks the country, Moldova is also considered ground zero for all human trafficking in Eastern Europe. Currently, Moldova finds itself affected by the civil unrest and political turmoil that is taking place in neighboring Ukraine. Needless to say, Moldova is a place that yearns deeply for the life-giving hope of the Gospel.
In late June I, along with a team from Nashville, TN, took off to spend the week in Risipeni Village, a rural community in western Moldova. Risipeni is settled in beautiful rolling countryside — a common sight in Moldova. A lush garden can be found in nearly every backyard, meaning that delicious fresh tomatoes are a part of many Moldovan meals. Moldovans depend on the land for sustenance, and they are a hardworking, determined people.
Our task for the week in Risipeni was to conduct a kids camp to which all children in the village were invited. This meant that we had little to no idea how many kids might show up. Since most of us were simply hoping that someone, anyone would come, it is safe to say we were all a little surprised when our bus pulled up to over 100 kids waiting for us on the first morning of camp. The good news was that we were prepared! Well, as prepared as you can be when you’re facing 100+ kids who speak a vastly different language from your own. With our ZIP curriculum, a suitcase full of craft materials, and some recreation equipment in tow, camp began.
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Our team leader had supplied us with the ZIP material ahead of time, meaning we had everything we needed to study and adjust the material to our particular setting, age group, and time frame. Obviously, our environment for camp was different than the typical VBS or day camp setting; we had limited resources, an unknown group size, and major language and cultural barriers to overcome. Yet, ZIP made it easy to adjust. Because of it’s customizable nature, we were able to pick and choose what activities worked for us, without minimizing the Gospel message that is the core of the ZIP curriculum. Guided by ZIP, we spent the week looking at the relationship between Peter and Jesus, challenging kids to see Jesus as a Savior who loves them deeply and who is worthy of our trust.
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Though at the surface it seemed that I had nothing in common with a group of Romanian-speaking kids in rural Moldova, I was quickly reminded that our deepest need is the same: a desperation for the love and rescue of a Savior. It was an exciting and full week getting to speak truth into these young lives, many of whom who hadn’t heard the Good News of Jesus before. I am grateful for the ZIP curriculum that assisted us in carrying the message of the one true King to the nations.

A Zip Snapshot

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Cornerstone Church in Cheshire CT has taken to heart one of the central goals of Zip for Kids to be completely customizable.
Neisa Nuñez, who with her husband Freddy leads the Cornerstone kids ministry, started using Zip with the church’s kids in April. Cornerstone was starting a mid-week program, Faith Factory Kids Club, to mirror its Faith Factory children’s church ministry, when Neisa learned about Zip. She says it has fit their need for something customizable.
“We only had a window of an hour and a half and Zip seems to offer so many options to fit into that time frame,” she said.
Zip’s many tracks made it an interesting option for Neisa. The church offers Kitchen Concoctions, Sign Language, Art, Percussion and Musical Performance.

Musicians make noise at the Percussion track.
Musicians make noise in the Percussion track.

 
In all, the program will last 10 weeks at Cornerstone, every Wednesday night from 6:30-8 with an average attendance of 27 children each week.
“The kids are excited about Zip and look forward to it every week,” Neisa said.  “Upon arrival we do one Energizer, a Huddle (Up), the Bible lesson (via DVD) and then we break up into tracks. We come back together again for worship and then we do the drive it in activity. Afterwards, I give out the quiet time card from the Live It track pertaining to that week’s lesson. I like for them all to go home with something to read.”
 
A Huddle Up activity at Cornerstone.
A Huddle Up activity at Cornerstone.

Neisa said she’s seen teachers have fun with Zip, especially on the Art and Kitchen Concoctions projects. She has enjoyed it herself.
 
Yummy things are mixed up at Kitchen Concoctions.
Yummy things are mixed up at Kitchen Concoctions.

“I have enjoyed Zip very much,” Neisa said. “I like that there is the option for the Bible lesson to be done on video because kids really love that kind of stuff. I also love all of the different tracks you offer and all the activities within one Bible lesson allowing us the opportunity to use it multiple times without it seeming repetitive.”
 
Beautiful creations emerge in the Art track.
Beautiful creations emerge in the Art track.

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How are you using Zip for Kids to fit your unique church situation? Let us know in the comments or email bethany.brown@lifeway.com and we might just feature you on the Zip for Kids blog too!

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