Beyond Babysitting: What the Church Gets Wrong and Right About Kids Ministry

I’m here to change the narrative about kids' ministry – because I’ve lived the old one.

When I was a high school student, I remember being pulled into the children’s ministry at my church almost by default. It was the natural place to serve if you were young, available, and good with glue sticks. It felt easy and familiar, like the entry-level spot on the church volunteer chart. 

It also felt a lot like babysitting.

I don’t say that lightly. I know the work that goes into children’s ministry. But at the time, I didn’t understand what I was part of, and no one really told me. I wasn’t trained as a disciple-maker, and I wasn’t invited into a bigger vision. I was simply filling a spot and hoping the animal crackers didn’t run out during snack time. (If you know, you know!)

Kids' Ministry is Kingdom Work

Now, years later, I see how wrong my framing was.

Kids ministry is not the easiest place to serve, and it certainly isn’t a backup plan or time filler. It is one of the most spiritually strategic areas of the church. It is where the foundations of faith are laid and where discipleship begins.

We must stop treating children’s church like the warm-up act to Sunday morning. What happens in the children’s wing of your church building isn’t just supervision. It is the Kingdom work of spiritual formation, and it deserves our very best!

Seven Ways to Elevate the Culture of Kids' Ministry

1. Create Space for Awe and Encounter

Children are more spiritually aware than we often give them credit for. Kids' ministry should always hold space for awe, offering big truths to small hearts. It should invite children to encounter God in a way that speaks to their imagination, curiosity, and trust. 

When we sit on the floor with a preschooler and talk about prayer, we are shaping their understanding of God’s closeness. When we tell a story about Jesus and watch their eyes light up, we nurture their relationship with the Savior. When we respond to their questions with care and honesty, we help them discover that church is a place where their voice matters.

2. Rethink the Language You Use

If there was one thing I wish every church leader understood, it’s that language shapes perception. When we call volunteers “helpers” or refer to kids' ministry as “childcare,” we subtly communicate that it is less valuable than the rest of church life.

If you want to elevate the culture of your kids’ ministry, it’s crucial to shift your language to match your church’s mission. Call volunteers what they truly are: leaders, disciple-makers, and spiritual mentors. Refer to classrooms as places of worship, learning, and formation. When we speak with purpose, we elevate both the ministry and the people in it.

3. Start Every Volunteer Meeting with a Story

Let’s be honest. Kids' ministry can feel like a blur of check-ins, snack bins, and keeping tiny humans from climbing furniture. That’s exactly why your team needs regular moments to zoom out and reconnect with the purpose behind the routine.

Start by consistently gathering your volunteers. These don’t have to be long or mandatory, but rhythm matters. When you create space to connect (even briefly!), you reinforce that kids' ministry is essential to the church's calling. 

When you gather, tell stories. Stories are fuel. Share the whispered prayer from a preschooler, the deep question from a fourth grader, or the quiet moment of kindness that revealed God's presence. When volunteers hear what God is doing, they remember why their role matters. That reminder will sustain teams through long Sunday mornings and spilled juice boxes!

4. Equip Volunteers as Disciple-Makers

Children’s ministry training is essential, but should go beyond safety protocols and check-in procedures. Your volunteers need tools to engage kids spiritually. 

Help them learn how to guide prayer with confidence. Give them practical ways to respond to kids’ faith questions with honesty and grace. Show them how to bring biblical truth to life in ways that connect with children of every age and stage.

When volunteers begin to see themselves as spiritual leaders rather than classroom supervisors, it deepens their commitment and transforms the culture of your ministry.

5. Build a Bridge Between Church and Home

Parents are the primary spiritual influence in a child’s life, which means the church’s role is not to replace them but to come alongside them. When families and ministry leaders work together, discipleship flows throughout the week, not just on Sundays.

Offer simple tools that make it easy for parents to engage like a take-home question, a weekly verse, or a quick email with what their child learned and how to continue the conversation. These small moments of connection show families that they are seen, supported, and not alone in the spiritual formation of their children.

6. Let Kids Be Seen By the Whole Church

I personally love seeing children running around the lobby and spinning in circles during worship. Children aren’t meant to be tucked away or brought out only for special performances. They are active participants in the body of Christ, and their presence strengthens the church.

Give kids visible roles in the life of your congregation. Let them read Scripture, offer a prayer, or lead part of a worship set. Tell stories from the kids ministry during announcements or share their reflections in church-wide communications.

When children are seen, they feel like they belong. And when the church sees them, it begins to understand the beauty and depth of generational faith.

7. Be Intentional with Your Kids' Ministry Curriculum

The content you teach matters. A well-chosen curriculum helps kids understand who God is, how Scripture connects to their lives, and what it means to follow Jesus, not just in theory but in practice.

Choose a kids ministry curriculum that balances theological depth with developmental appropriateness. Look for resources that include interactive storytelling, Scripture memory, worship, and space for conversation. Whatever you use, make sure it serves your team well. The curriculum should empower volunteers, not overwhelm them.

Sunday school lessons should never feel like filler. With thoughtful planning and intentional teaching, your lessons can become moments of deep spiritual formation for children and leaders alike!

Leading Children’s Ministry With Purpose

Children are the church of today, and you have the incredible opportunity to help shape their faith in this very moment. Kids' ministry is vibrant, meaningful, and full of potential. It is an invitation to disciple the next generation with love, creativity, and joy. And the work you are doing matters more than you know.

If you are looking for fresh ideas to make your ministry even more engaging and spiritually rich, check out this conversation with Jessica Bealer on the Tithely blog. It is packed with inspiration for building a fun, intentional, and faith-filled environment where kids can thrive.

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