I recently took over at the puppet director for the local church that my wife and I attend.
I am used ot working with kids as young as 12 on up to adults as old as 60. Unfortunately, the previous director had no ambition for teaching professional puppetry to older students to create a viable ministry. The class curently consists of kids ages 8 to 10. I am assuming that I can teach them the basics, and not expect them to pic up more than that since some of the puppets I am used to working with probably weigh more than half of the students. Anyway, once I get everything going and show them I do really know what I am doing, I want to work it out so that I can get an advanced group in there to teach concepts of script writing, vantriliquism, etc., but for now, I have to work with what I got.
Has anyone out there ever tought a class on puppetry to younger members of our species? Not sure where "too advanced" would come into play.
Thanks for any advice.

One Way Street has a number of resources for the puppet team director which you will find helpful.  They also have a number of script ideas that are pre-recorded and a good place to start out.  If you go to their website and look through their resources you should find a lot that will be helpful.  Also they hold regional training festivals which have classes for team directors.  The website will list locations and you just may be able to attend one of those too!  Good luck!  As a team director myself I can say that while it is a lot of fun it is also a lot of work and sometimes very frustrating!!  But the rewards of seeing the kids have fun with their puppets and have fun performing are VERY well worth the difficulty.
www.onewaystreet.com

OWS has a great training DVD. Puppet Ministry Basics & Beyond DVD
It covers the basics as well as many other aspects of running a puppet ministry. I would suggest this for your team. 
Your kids can do more than you think, have high expectations, encourage them and give them the tools they need to succeed. It takes work on your part and as a dear friend of mine once told me. Practice, Practice, Pray.

Thanks alot for the advice.

Personally with some basics covered I find most kids pick it up easier and better than most adults.  No hard feelings to us all just that kids are more open to this art form since it falls under creative play...which most of us give up at about the age of 10...and I stress MOST not ALL! 

It seems that you have some great resources above but as I said stick with the basics of puppetry get the kids use to them and you will be surprised at how much they already know and fall naturally into puppetry.

Good luck with the ankle biters....LOL

Daryl H