The key to success for any kid’s ministry starts with the environment. From a kid’s point of view, they want a fun environment full of color and energy. They don’t want to hang around in a place that’s drab and depressing. From a parent’s point of view, they want to see a safe and orderly space that lends itself to learning. So, as kids ministry volunteers, you need to take into consideration both points of view.

Make a good first impression

As volunteers, start your day by looking at your classroom. Make sure it’s clean and stocked with fun toys or activities that can engage the kids right away. Greet kids at the door and call them by name. If they’re new, introduce yourself. If you can, interact with the parents so they get to know you, too.

Follow your policies and procedures

This is of paramount importance. In order to ensure the safety and security of the kids in your care, you must follow your policies and procedures. This ensures the safety of both the kids and the volunteers. So, make sure you know how your check in and check out system works and understand the bathroom protocols work at your church. Read through them so you can understand them and then be committed to following them.

[Related: When it’s time to page a parent]

Church should be a safe place for kids to learn about Jesus. Following the policies and procedures will help to create that safe space for kids and will give parents the confidence to know that their kids will be okay.

Faithful kids church volunteers are the best! After all, a successful kids ministry is dependent upon its volunteers. You guys are the face of the ministry. You’re the ones that interact with the kids and bring the Bible lesson alive every week. So, your mindset and prep work will either make or break the experience.

Remember to have a servant’s heart

Serving can be hard sometimes. You might wake up not feeling well or just not in the mood to come to church. If that happens, just remember how your actions affect the whole. So, when you can’t serve, find a sub or give enough notice to your coordinator so they can make the appropriate adjustments. And, every time, come with a good attitude. God loves a cheerful giver which includes giving of your time.

Lead with excitement and energy

No one likes to listen to a monotone person, especially kids. Come to your class with a smile and an infectious energy that gets the kids excited to learn about Jesus. After all, they will follow your lead. So, if you model that it’s fun to worship Jesus by singing songs and learning about him in the Bible, the kids will think it’s fun, too.

Preparing before class is the key

Our lessons are short and concise so that means your prep time is easy. Just read through the lesson overview and take note of the Big Idea, Key Question and Memory verse. This will help you to lead with confidence and clarity so that you can help kids discover more about Jesus and his love for them.

[Related: How to Use the Leader Guide in Kids Church]

[Related: Being the KC Large Group Leader]

[Related: How to Create Your Large Group Presentation]

Working with kids is a privilege. Teaching them about Jesus is an honor. So, as you serve, remember to show your love for Jesus through your energy and effort.

The heart behind all of our resources at PG Kids is to empower parents to talk to their kids about matters relating to faith and life.  The reason we believe that parents are ultimately the pastors of their kids, so even though church is an important part of a child’s spiritual development, we feel that it solidifies and deepens in the home. We believe this happens through conversations where kids discover God’s truth and then learn how to apply it to their lives.

The conversation starts at church, but finishes at home

As volunteers, your job is to start the conversation. You present the lesson in a compelling way and help kids discover the biblical truths for that week’s lesson. But then, your job is to pass off the responsibility to the parents. Every week, make sure to remind both the kids and parents to take their Family Guide home and re-watch the bible lesson video and go through the questions as a family. Repetition is a good thing as it gives kids a chance to really understand the lesson and provides them the opportunity to apply the lessons in a more personal way.

Our world is getting scarier by the day and our culture is moving further and further away from biblical values. We need to equip the next generation to know how to stand for Jesus. In order to ensure that this happens, we need churches to do their part and we need parents to do their part.