11 Ways for Children to be Engaged in Church

Many churches have services just for children.

Other churches believe families should be together during the service.

And some churches have a combination of both. They have children’s church during the winter months, but kids sit with parents during the summer, etc.

The truth is, we would all like our children to know how to sit quietly through a church service … and get something out of it at the same time. We don’t want our children to be “bored,” but rather to learn something. That’s kind of up to us. No worship team/choir can sing everyone’s favorite song. No pastor can come down and talk one-on-one to every person in the congregation.

So what can we do to make a church service a learning place for kids?

1. Be positive about church. Make it be something your family does naturally like eating or brushing your teeth. Sundays shouldn’t start with a debate about whether or not you should go. Positive (non-critical) adults go a long way toward encouraging positive (non-critical) kids.

2. Ask kids questions about the music and the message in the car on the way home. If kids get all the answers, they receive a sticker, special treat … or whatever is age appropriate for your kids.

3. Discuss the message at the dinner table in a positive way, challenging kids to consider what was said. Think up thought-provoking questions to ask your kids. “How would you explain Christ’s death to your friends?” “What do you think Daniel was praying before he got thrown into the lions’ dean?”

4. Ask your pastor to include verses from the Awana handbooks in his message. Kids get extra points at club if they “catch” the pastor using one of the verses. (Of course, that means leaders have to listen, too.)

5. Challenge your kids to list questions they have about the message. Parents then answer the questions or look up the answers with their children. (If you can’t find the answer, ask the pastor for his answer.)

6. Draw what the pastor is saying using stick figures and a minimum of words. (I’ve done this with younger kids and they are fascinated.)

7. Purchase notebooks for your children. You could even go scrapbook-style and allow kids to design pages around the messages or a verse your pastor uses. Even very young children can list songs that are sung or words that they heard.

8. Make a list of words they might hear in church and have them put a check mark by the word each time it is said. This keeps them listening.

9. Encourage kids to look up any verse the pastor mentions. Or, allow them to look up the verse on an electronic device. (Check out one of several Bible apps.)

10. Involve your child in church. Is it your job to take down the chairs in the gym so the room is ready for Awana? Allow your kids to help. Are you the usher who holds the door open for people as they come in from the parking lot. Allow your child to hold the doors. Do you walk through the auditorium, picking up trash after the service? Your six-year-old is very capable of helping you. Let your children feel as if they’re part of the big picture.

11. Don’t be negative about church. Threats such as God doesn’t like that or you can’t run because you’re in God’s house, make your child hate both church and God. Instead say, You need to sit quietly because people are here to listen, or Walk, don’t run down the hallway. You don’t want to knock anyone over.

Even younger children can get something out of a church service. Yes, that might take effort of the part of us (the parents), but isn’t it worth it?