Thank you for assisting us in Kids Church. Both the parents and children are enthusiastic about
the service and you are a big part of our success. Since you may have never assisted in a large
group setting before and to help you understand our ministry, here is a list of things that will help you help us and help the children.
Remember why we're here: this is church! We want to celebrate, praise, worship and study God's
Word together. But also remember these are kids. We're going to talk about things kids need to
hear, and we're going to do it in a way kids can enjoy and understand.
Assume the role of a shepherd. One of your most important responsibilities is to make children
feel welcome and to help parents feel comfortable about leaving their children. To a little child
entering Kids Church, this can look like a big, unfamiliar room. Once the service begins they will probably quickly "fit in" and enjoy the service. So be a big, loving smile as the kids arrive. Be sure each child is sitting with a friend.
Work to make each child feel loved, accepted, secure and happy. Put yourself in the mind of a
child and try to experience what the children are experiencing.
Remember to participate in the service. Children copy those around them. It's easy to stand
around the walls and communicate with other leaders, forgetting that this is Sunday morning
church for you, too! If the children are singing, you sing, too, remembering not to sing so loudly that your deeper voice will sound louder than the kids. If the group is involved in a clapping song, then you should clap. If the children are to look up front, then you look that way, too! In other words, you should be the best example of what the children are supposed to be doing at any given time. Participate in everything happening in the service. Your lack of participation and attention in any part of the service tells the children that what is happening up front isn't really important at all.
Draw attention to the front. If a child is obviously paying attention to another child rather than the service, usually a short point toward the curtains will do. The best way to draw attention to the front, of course, is to look that way yourself. Never walk between a child and what he is watching. We will lose the attention of the children that way. If you must move around, do it behind the line of sight of the children.
Handle problems quietly. If a child needs to be removed (which should be seldom or never), do it
quietly. If such a disturbance arises, handle it discreetly. Never handle a disturbance in such a way as to cause more disruption than the disturbance you are handling is causing. Don't feel it your job to deal with every little thing the kids may do. Most minor problems are best left alone to allow me to handle as I draw attention to the front. Never deal with children in a harsh manner. It's better a child cause a mild problem and feel loved than to be "squashed" in spirit and never want to return.
Do not talk. Your talking, even if to handle problems, causes a buzzing undercurrent that greatly
disturbs the entire service. Communicate non-verbally or go out in the hall with the child, parent or other leader. Once the service begins, the door should remain closed.
Do not block the view of children. You should be seated during most of the service and it is
usually best to sit on the outside of the row to prevent blocking a child's view. Sitting on the aisle also prevents children on your row from leaving and facilitates your getting up to handle
emergencies.
Do not let the children leave. Only in cases of a bona fide emergency should a child leave, and
then only with an adult. If a child requests to go to the rest room, use your own judgment. Never
let children leave in pairs unattended. They're not going to the rest room: they're going for a
stroll!
When seating latecomers, help them blend quietly into the crowd. Don't bring them to the front
row as that would disturb the service. Help them quietly find a seat and become involved in the
service.
Pray for the service. As you sit there, think of individual children and their individual needs. Ask God to use what we do and say in their lives. Our goal is life change, and we have clear, specific objectives each week.
Again, we thank you for your help and ministry. What we are doing is so important it just may
have eternal results. I'm honored you're a part!
--Source Unknown
