As the Kids Ministry Director for a church with a high percentage of children, I love to create spaces for kids to explore their faith and connect with God in a variety of ways. From the conceptual to the practical, here are some of my favorite ideas for setting up a classroom that invites worship, connection, and reflection.
Our Physical Space:
Our Kids Wing has 5 classrooms, which are divided into flexible age groups as follows: Toddler, Early Childhood, PreK–K, 1st–3rd grades, and 4th–5th grades. Each classroom has an area for gathering as a group, a table for art and messy play, a sensory table or bin, a reading area, and toys and games. Your space and classrooms may vary, so this list includes ideas for all ages and stages.
Creating a Culture of Curiosity
Before we think about activities and stations, we start by establishing a culture of curiosity—about who the kids are, what their needs are, and what they wonder about. We also encourage them to practice that same curiosity about who Jesus is, what God is like, and what the Bible stories can teach us.
Inclusive language
From the moment kids arrive, we are intentional about honoring their families. One simple example is choosing inclusive language, such as saying “parent” or “grown-ups at home” instead of “mom and dad” when referencing a child’s family. This acknowledges that families come in all shapes and sizes, with different arrangements of caretakers and children, and does not presume an expected “standard” that may not fit.
The Practice of Wonder
After each Bible story or book we read, we end with a time of curious wondering together. Rather than guiding kids toward a predetermined moral or conclusion to each story, we invite them to respond with their own perspectives and questions. Teachers listen and support the conversation, reinforcing our values:
- Questions are good and valuable.
- God invites our wonder and isn’t offended by it.
- Bible stories are complex, with many possible takeaways that can be added to over time.
Respond & Reflect
After we tell a story and wonder together, we offer several options for kids to further explore the stories and respond in different ways. These response options are invitational, and kids are welcome to move between them as desired. A sign or instruction sheet at each station explains and guides the process while teachers move around to support as needed.
Story pieces
Our Bible stories are often illustrated using props, such as wooden peg people, felt backgrounds, and miniature pieces. One response option is for kids to use these story pieces to reenact the story or engage in dramatic play.
Art
We always have a way to respond to the story through art, which may be open-ended with a variety of materials or an invitation to follow a guided craft.
Movement
For those who need to move, exercise, or use their bodies, we try to include an option to participate in physical movement. Balancing stones, a mini slide, and mindful movement cards are common favorites.
Books
Our reading area is stocked each week with a display of books related to the topic or theme. Kids who want a quieter, individual experience might choose this area.
Service
One of our church’s values is to partner with God in bringing love and justice to the world around us. One way we do that is to invite our kids to participate in service projects, such as making tie blankets for children in need, coloring welcome signs for refugees, and sending congratulation cards to people who recently earned their citizenship. We hope these practices create a connection between our faith in God and the work of loving our neighbors.
Prayer Scaffolding:
With prayer stations and simple instructions, we offer the scaffolding that helps kids discover and develop their own prayer lives and connect with God in a variety of ways.
Magnet Prayers
A simple magnetic bulletin board, a roll of magnet strips, and dry erase markers are all you need to create this station. We wrote a few prayer prompts, such as “God, you are . . . ,” “Thank you for . . . ,” “I need help with . . . ,” and “Please be with . . .” Kids can use dry erase markers to write responses to these prompts on blank magnets. We also include magnetic poetry words for kids to arrange or add to their prayers.
Prayer Tree
A simple prayer tree station can be created with a tabletop tree, small paper tags, and pens. Kids can write or draw their prayers on the tags and hang them on the tree as a symbol of giving them to God. Optional: add a sign with different prayer topics or prompts.
Prayer Beads
There’s no need to limit prayer time to written or spoken language. Kids of all ages and abilities can design a set of prayer beads to guide their prayer practice. Offer a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors of beads, and invite kids to choose beads to represent their different prayer needs. They might turn the beads into a bracelet or keychain. A worksheet can be used to track their choices and help them remember.
Sensory Experiences:
Sensory experiences are fun and open-ended, allowing kids to process their thinking and engage their senses at the same time. Sometimes our sensory bins follow the theme or Bible story for that day, and sometimes they are simply a place to play and de-stress.
Sand Tray “Zen Garden”
In our older classrooms, the sand tray functions similar to a zen garden, with tools for raking, smoothing, and creating patterns in the sand. Other natural materials and small pieces are added to follow the story or theme, and we might include a sign to challenge kids to create something specific.
YouTube for background music/visuals
As kids choose which stations and response options to participate in, we like to have background music and visuals playing to set the tone for engagement and reflection. We often choose YouTube videos of natural wonders set to music, favorite worship songs, or live nature cams from around the world.
We want to invite kids to explore who Jesus is and what God is like within a safe and caring community. By encouraging curiosity, offering a variety of response options and prayer practices, and practicing inclusive community, we can create a space for our children to connect with a gracious God, who is real and accessible in all the mysteries of life.
Lianna Cornally is the Kids Ministry Director at Sanctuary Community Church in Coralville, Iowa. With a degree in elementary education, Lianna loves to create inclusive spaces where kids can practice wonder, create art of all kinds, and connect with God and each other. She lives with her husband and three kids on a little hobby farm in the country.