Our church has maybe thirty kids total on good days. Preschool through middle school, one room, budget that's basically my gas money, and volunteers who show up five minutes before service looking confused.

Most curriculum assumes you've got separate classes for every age, professional teachers, and a money tree growing in the back yard. Right.

Today we're talking about curriculum that actually works for real small churches - from the one that gets mixed ages to why expensive doesn't mean better to how I learned to stop feeling guilty about our tiny setup. Plus the brutal truth about prep time when you're a volunteer with your own kids and a full-time job.

If you're tired of trying to make big church curriculum work in your small church reality, this one's for you. Fair warning: you might have to admit that simple and cheap often beats fancy and complicated.

For small church leaders, volunteer coordinators, and anyone who's discovered that "one size fits all" curriculum definitely doesn't fit your actual situation.

Check out KidsMinistry.Blog for more ideas, tips, and resources to help your Children's Ministry thrive!