Ministry-To-Children.com » Church Nursery

Who is God Calling to the Church Nursery?

Jenny Funderburke — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 13:50:47 +0000

Philippians 4:19 tells us that our God will “meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” What an awesome verse. Did you notice that it said “ALL” your needs? Do you think this even means your need for nursery workers?

If we believe that God provides for the needs of His church, then we should expect every church has people called to minister in the nursery. Here are some groups that we have identified who are often called to serve.

- Grandparents: These days many families do not live close to each other. Grandparents may not have the chance to grow up close to their grandbabies. Now, don’t be tempted to think just 80 year old grandparents. Recruit from the generation that are in their 50′s and 60′s. While you may need to train them on some of the things we do differently today, they should be very comfortable with little ones.

- Mamas who need a baby fix: Lots of times moms with older preschoolers or elementary age kids start feeling the need for a baby to hold, but they are not in a life stage where they want to add another one to their home. However, snuggling babies once a week can take care of that “baby itch”. Also, they are well aware of how parents want their little ones cared for.

- College kids: While they will require some training, college aged kids usually love cute little ones. And what better preparation for their future than having experience with babies early on? If you can help them catch the vision early on for the importance of nursery ministry, you could create a volunteer who impacts babies for generations to come.

- Parents of teenagers: Parents of teens need a break from backtalk and drama. Working in the nursery can remind them that their own kids were once sweet. :) Though you may not want to mention it to them, it can also prepare them for grandparenthood. Give these parents an opportunity to be refreshed by little ones who still need them, while their teenagers are becoming more and more independent.

What other groups come to mind when talking about the church nursery? Leave a comment below to share your ideas.

How to Decorate a Church Nursery

Mimi Bullock — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 10:19:15 +0000

Besides being safe for kids, the church nursery should be a vibrant, colorful, kid-friendly area. The nursery is no place for “untouchable” furniture or decorations; it needs to have lots of touchable textures that are easy to clean. A tough prescription you say?

Not really.

Decorate the church nursery with your kids in mind. Take a kids’ eye view before getting started with your decorating plans. Add your safety knowledge and you’ll have a winner!

You may choose to go generic with the decorations. That is decorating without a specific theme. Just clean, colorful shapes and images that interest kids or may be a plethora of Bible images. Most nursery leaders I know choose a neutral theme for the walls and carpet but pick a specific theme, like Noah’s Ark for the decorations. Using themes makes it easier for donors to know what to give and themes excite the actual workers too.

Try these decorating themes when decorating your church nursery or pick your favorite elements from each.

Block, Blocks and More Blocks

Lego toys are fun, for boys and girls. Legos don’t just come in teeny tiny pieces, the toy company offers the large variety too. Go for a building block theme for your nursery. Create a written motto like, “Building On a Good Foundation” or “Building Our Futures With God.” You could be “The Builder’s Nursery.”

Decorate cribs and changing tables with solid, primary colored sheets and blankets. Put all the red linens in one area and all the blue in another. Buy large block tables with sturdy legs for toddlers to play at. Have plastic tubs of large blocks for building and creating. Cardboard blocks are fun for house building too. Paint or trace images of Lego builders or characters on the walls.

Flower Garden

A flower garden nursery decorating theme is a fun way to personalize your ministry. Start with a soft green color on the walls to represent “God’s Garden.” Paint tall flowers with long 3 and 4 foot stems on the walls. The painted blooms are the perfect place to add children’s photographs of the children who visit.

Use floral printed linens and colorful flower shaped rugs on the floor. Hang tissue paper butterflies from the ceiling high and out of kids reach. There are tons of other garden details you could add too like painted flowers on trash cans or stapling plastic white picket fence to the bottom portion of the wall. Do secure the fence tightly to avoid children’s fingers getting stuck. You may wish to put the fence outside the nursery on the walls leading to the room.

Need More Ideas? You can read our advice on gathering nursery supplies and keeping your church nursery clean. You can also leave a comment below to share your ideas with other readers.

What Are Some Good Activities for Church Nursery Kids?

Mimi Bullock — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 10:19:10 +0000

The church nursery isn’t meant to be the “crying zone.” You know the place–where parents and children tearfully part for a few hours during service. The church nursery can be the most popular place in the church, at least amongst the children.

Be ready for faith-filled action by providing upbeat activities for the kids in your care. Activities will allow children to learn about God and be entertained so that Mom and Dad can enjoy all the events on the church’s event calendar.

Musical Games

Music speaks to the soul, even little ones. Who hasn’t caught themselves humming a tune from their childhood? Place a CD player in an out-of-the-way place. Buy or burn a CD collection to use during nursery time. While some attendees will be too little to clap their hands and stomp their feet the older ones will love it. Songs like “If You’re Happy and You Know It” or “This Little Light of Mine” are easy to teach children. You should sit on the floor or rest on your knees when demonstrating bouncy hand and foot movements. Smile and don’t forget to show expression with your face.

Dress Up

Use your CD player to play a narrated Bible story or show a Bible video. To complement the lesson, offer children dress up clothing. A big box of dress up clothing will make a fun activity for children in the nursery. Make sure the clothing is size appropriate and safe. Don’t offer kids clothing with buttons or embellishments they might swallow. Encourage kids to dress up like King David or Queen Esther.

Puppets

Nursery age children love puppets. Buy or make puppets from socks and act out Bible stories. Keep in mind the “Minute Rule.” Kids that are 1 will have a 1-minute attention span. Children that are 2 will have a 2-minute attention span etc. Keep your storytelling simple and exciting. Avoid reading from a script that is long on conversation but short on action. Kids like to laugh!

Edible Activities

Coordinate your snacks with a Bible theme or lesson. For example, if your nursery theme is Jesus feeding the five thousand have lots of Goldfish crackers. Teach little ones about building their house on God with peanut butter and pretzel sticks. Serve animal shaped bread pieces or sandwiches for Noah and the Ark. Always check with parents before serving snacks. Some children may have allergies to certain foods like peanuts or milk-based products.

What to Do When Head Lice Are Found in the Church Nursery?

Mimi Bullock — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 11:19:11 +0000

Concerns about head lice can greatly disrupt your church nursery.

The church nursery is the place for sharing fun, faith-filled moments–not lice. Head lice or “Pediculous humanus,” only live on the heads of people. Pets have fleas, kids have lice. Not only do parents have to worry about the creepy, itchy bugs but their sticky eggs called nits too. Lice don’t hop–they are transferred head to head when kids put their noggins together. They can also be contacted by using someone else’s hair brushes or borrowing a jacket.

Lice won’t just go away and if they show up in the nursery you have a responsibility towards to your church and your kids. Do you know what to do when one of your children shows up with head lice? Follow these steps for dealing with lice in your nursery.

Remain calm and keep a confidence. You don’t want to embarrass your children or parents. Separate the child in another area like the bathroom or a holding room until parents can be summoned. This should be immediate. Greet the parents with a smile and notify them of what was discovered. Assure them that this kind of infection happens to children regularly and it is not a reflection of their parenting skills. Explain to parents or guardians that you can’t be sure where they lice came from. In most cases, there is no way to tell who had lice first. Try not to speculate or encourage others to do so.

Provide information. Provide treatment information to parents. Explain to them what lotions and shampoos they can use. Be helpful and encouraging by reminding parents they should wash all the child’s clothing and bed linens. Towels and hair brushes will need to be cleaned also.

Give guidelines. Let parents know what the church nursery policy is in regards to lice. A good rule of thumb for skin infections of this type is to allow 36 hours before children return to the nursery. Since most nurseries are only open a few times a week, this will not likely be a problem.

Conduct lice checks. Examine the scalps of other children to verify that the bugs have not spread. Do this immediately after the initial discovery of lice and several times during subsequent visits. Lice can reappear quickly despite a parent’s or worker’s best efforts. Your staff will need to undergo lice checks regularly too. Snuggling with little ones may lead to contacting lice.

Clean the facility. All sheets, blankets and fabrics will have to be cleaned. This includes fabric toys too. Vacuum carpets and wipe down all surfaces.

Inform parents and teachers. Next tell your teachers and parents about the discovery. Do this in person if possible then follow-up with a letter. Extend your apologies and explain what your procedures are. This will encourage your parents to bring children back.

Dealing with lice can be touchy. Many parents take offense or become fearful about lice infestations. Be patient with everyone. Your good behavior will be remembered long after the lice are gone.

What Supplies Do I Need in a Church Nursery?

Mimi Bullock — Sun, 29 May 2011 10:19:15 +0000

The church nursery is a fast-paced, fun place to work and minister to little children. Unlike other ministries, you can’t get just get by with whatever is on hand. You won’t have time to track down important materials and keep an eye on busy hands. You should ask yourself this question, “What supplies do I need in a church nursery?” While most nursery supply lists will contain much of the same needs, your ministry may be a little different.

Fill your cabinets with these items and practice regular inventory checks to prevent a lapse in supplies. Here are some general supplies for the church nursery. Click here to leave your comments about this list.

Church Nursery Supply List

Diapers in all sizes
Baby wipes
Antibacterial soap
Receiving blankets
Fitted crib sheets
Crib blankets
Changing table sheets or covers
Diaper pails
Diaper pail sleeves
Garbage cans
Garbage bags
Goldfish snacks
Plastic food storage containers with lids
Small refrigerator
Juice
Water
Digital ear thermometer
Toys
Sippy cups

Cleaning Supplies You’ll Need

Plastic pails
Bleach
Vacuum cleaner
Vacuum cleaner bags
Broom
Dust pan
All-purpose cleaning wipes
Toilet wand
Disposable wand pads
Rubber gloves

Suggested Church Nursery Furniture

Rocking chair
Rocking chair pads
Cribs
Changing tables
Television
DVD player
Christian DVDs
Pagers
Visitor information cards
Volunteer training manuals
Training toilets

Gathering everything you need for a church nursery may seem challenging at first. Involve other church members with fun ideas to get your nursery up and running. For example, you could have a baby shower for the nursery once a year. Hold a small party to say thank you for the new nursery equipment and gifts. Don’t just invite parents of the nursery children–invite everyone! Other ideas are holding an angel tree for nursery supplies or advertising a needs list in the church bulletin.

Store extras safely away. Unfortunately, supplies can come up missing if they are not hidden away. By supplies quarterly at wholesale places like Sam’s Club to get the best deals for your ministry.

Click here to leave a comment about this church nursery supply list. We would love to hear what other items you keep on hand at your church.

How to Keep the Church Nursery Clean

Mimi Bullock — Tue, 10 May 2011 13:19:10 +0000

A growing church nursery can become messy quickly. Anyone who has ever entertained a toddler or two knows that little ones can keep you on the run. Who has time to stop and tidy up the place when it is time for ministry? With the right procedures in place, you can control the mess and insure that your nursery ministry is a safe place for infants. Parents and grandparents will feel better about leaving their kids in a neat area.

Put it in writing. Your nursery team needs written guidelines to keep them on the track. Also, parents and guardians will like having a copy of how the nursery works to keep their precious cargo safe. Include your nursery wellness policy in these guidelines. It is important that workers wash their hands continually, especially after every diaper change. This is key to curbing germs.

Regular cleaning routines. You’ll need a deep cleaning monthly but regular cleanings should occur every time the nursery is used. Here’s a list of what to include:

Disinfect toys in a bucket or sink using clean water and bleach
Spray toys with disinfectant spray
Wipe down all surfaces like large toys, rocking chairs and diaper changing tables
Empty garbage cans and take out the trash
Replace sheets and changing table covers
Sweep or vacuum floors
Empty potties and flush toilets
Place items left behind in the lost and found

Follow the checklist. Every now and then, it doesn’t hurt to revisit the guidelines yourself. Ask yourself these questions about your nursery.

Do we have extra copies of the nursery guidelines to give to new parents and workers?
Are we offering our volunteers regular training classes for this specific ministry?
Do spills or biological liquids get cleaned and disinfected properly?
Are hand washing reminders posted near bedding stations and bathrooms?
Do we keep hand sanitizer and towels stocked?
Are our carpets steam cleaned regularly?
Do our parents and workers feel they can communicate with us?

Having a cute name and perky, safe decorations are just the beginning of nursery needs. To keep everyone safe, you’ll need to care for the kids by dealing with germs. Besides cleaning, adequate supervision is needed and regular hazard reviews from kids-eye level need to be conducted regularly.

Seriously??? Making Disciples in the Church Nursery?

Guest Writer — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 17:11:59 +0000

This guest post was written by Wanda Parker, the founder of KidTrek.

Too often the church nursery is thought of as “only childcare.” What if it come be something more? What if the infant and toddler ministry was a prototype for the rest of your children’s ministry? If you want to take today’s child to the place where he will be a Christ-changed, hope-filled, productive adult we must begin in the nursery.

To start, both men and women must serve in the nursery. Kids need to learn, from their first Sunday in church, that men walk with God not just women.

God has given infants a very important task – learn to trust. However, when there is a different adult in the nursery every Sunday how can the child learn to trust in relation to the Body of Christ?

A “Discipler” is intentional in building a relationship with a child and with his parents. She knows everything there is to know about this child. She visits the child in his home and has their family to her home. On Sunday morning it isn’t a stranger who greets the child it is someone the child has grown to trust.

One Sunday I was getting out of my car when two families pulled up next to me. One dad had just gotten his six month old son out of the car seat and was walking to the back of the car when the other dad walked by. The six month old lunged out of his dad’s arms and the other dad just barely caught him. That other dad was in the nursery every week with the child – they had connected.

The adults who serve with the kids are trained to get to know each child beyond name and what family she comes from.

Because a “Discipler” is building a relationship with the parents too he knows what the needs and wants of the child are.
The “Discipler” knows the hopes and dreams of mom and dad for the child.
The “Discipler” has thought through and written out a plan of how each child to whom he is committed will be discipled in the coming year.

Add to this the value of indirect parent training that happens when your nursery volunteers come to the Children’s Ministry trainings – not only are they learning to disciple someone else’s kids, they are learning to disciple their own kids. Parents are studying the concepts that are taught in children’s ministry because they are serving in children’s ministry so it much easier to naturally continue the discipleship at home.

This approach will minister to each child as an INDIVIDUAL and we must be INTENTIONAL in everything we do. This begins in the nursery and is carried through the entire children’s ministry.

Does Your Church Nursery Make a Good First Impression?

Amy Brown — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 13:45:30 +0000

Your church nursery can have a bigger impact on church growth than you realize. When young families visit your church usually the first place they stop is at the nursery. A visitor’s first impression of your church may be what they observe in your nursery. Your volunteers may be the first church members they meet. A young family’s experience with the nursery may be a large contributor to their decision to stay at your church or to leave. Of course we hope the nursery would not their only reason, but it could be of great influence.

Are you doing all you can to ensure your nursery department makes a great first impression?

Below is a quick self-evaluation checklist to reflect upon how well you are doing.

1. Approach with fresh eyes

Exit your building and reenter as if you were a visiting family. Can they easily find where to take their children? Are there signs posted to help them know where to go? Once they find the nursery, does it look welcoming? Is the registration desk organized and free of clutter? Are the walls painted in warm and friendly color

2. Think about guest check-in

Does your child check-in system instill trust in a new family? Do they have confidence the nursery department will be able to keep track of their child and know where they are at all times? Are visitors confident you will be able to locate them if a problem arises and they are needed during the church service?

3. What do your volunteers communicate?

Do you remind your volunteers to come early and be in their rooms waiting for the children to arrive? A visiting family would not be encouraged when they arrive at their child’s assigned room to find it empty of any children or adults. Are you diligent to record how many children are in each room every week to ensure you maintain a manageable child to adult ratio? Are your volunteers well trained so they are on the same page as to how they will properly care for the children? Maybe now, at the start of a new calendar year, would be a good time to revisit your volunteer training program.

4. Consider safety and cleanliness

Are your rooms kept safe and clean? Do you regularly and systematically check for broken toys? Do you have a system for restocking the rooms with supplies such as snacks, tissues, wipes, cups, etc? A suggestion for keeping the rooms clean would be to recruit a team of volunteers to deep clean the rooms once a month or quarter. This can be done in a few hours on a Saturday. The parents will be glad to see their children have a sparkling room to play in and your team of volunteers will enjoy a time of fellowship as they clean.

5. Walk through the check-out process

How do parents check-out their children at the conclusion of the church service? Is there a way for your room volunteers to check that a certain adult is permitted to pick up the child? Your system for checking-out is just as important as the system for checking in.

With the nursery it can be easy to fall into a rut and let things like routine cleaning and volunteer training slip, but this cannot be the case. Children are precious in the sight of God and they are precious in the sight of their parents. A well run, friendly, and clean nursery will be a welcome comfort to a family visiting your church for the first time and will be a blessing to your members and regular attendees, as well.

Funny Video to Encourage Church Nursery Workers

Tony Kummer — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 06:17:20 +0000

I found this funny video on YouTube about the real heroes who serve in the church nursery every week. It looks like a video clip produced to encourage church members but you might just forward it to your nursery volunteers. I could also imaging showing it in your next early childhood ministry training meeting. Click here to share it on Facebook.

12 Practical Strategies for Toddler Temper Tantrums

Kristin Charles — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 12:37:22 +0000

It’s almost inevitable. If you’ve spent any time with toddlers and preschoolers, you’ll get to diffuse a temper tantrum. I suppose you can view it as one of the perks of the business… responding creatively to little challenges who may or may not be thrashing on the floor. Though tantrums typically peak around 2 or 3 years of age, preschoolers also wield tantrums to gain control and assert independence. When older children do not learn coping mechanisms for anger, tantrums also occur.

“Temper Tantrums” generally serve as an outlet for a child who is frustrated over a particular physical, emotional, cognitive, or social challenge. A 15 month old might have a tantrum because he or she is hungry or thirsty and lacks the ability to communicate their felt need. A two year old may respond in a similar fashion because their familiar routine has been compromised. Likewise, a three or four year old may erupt in a tantrum because their desire for independence clashes with their inability to complete a task. He/she wants so badly to find success and yet the lack of skills and/or parental control stands as an obstacle.

My heart always goes out to both the child and the adult in a toddler tantrum situation. Uncontrollable emotions can be frightening and overwhelming for children. For adults, a child’s tantrum in the middle of the grocery store or the church service is embarrassing. Some parents are quick to judge their son or daughter’s response as a reflection of their own parenting skills. Sometimes, family members and random bystanders exacerbate the situation by acting in judgment over compassion. I suppose no one wins in that case.

So what can you do as a parent when you have a child who is consistently throwing tantrums? What can you do as a childcare worker when a tantrum has erupted? How can we prevent them in the first place?

In this post, I’ve included some practical strategies for responding to tantrums. However, in an effort to provide full disclosure, may it be known that my three -year old threw a tantrum just last week…. over wearing a pair of shorts in 93 degree weather to the zoo. (His mom thought that this was a sensible idea, but he would have preferred the thick blue sweatpants.) So there you have it. Tantrums are still an occasional struggle in our home, but we have made a good bit of progress with the following strategies.

Practical Strategies for Preventing Temper Tantrums

Ensure that the child has his or her physical needs met. Address issues of hunger or thirst, lack of sleep, and/or ill fitting clothes or shoes, etc.
Prevent tantrums with consistency, organization, and structure. Children thrive on routines.
Provide constant encouragement and positive attention. A tantrum can result when a child is frustrated by the lack of time spent together.
Always prepare children for transitions verbally or with non-verbal cues. Make transitions fun with songs, games, and dramatic play.
Empower children with choices – not too many as to be overwhelming, but two or three so that they exert a sense of control and independence.
Teach coping mechanisms or healthy ways of expressing anger: tearing up paper, crumpling up newspaper, artwork, physical movement, praying, verbalizing emotions (“I’m really mad.”), etc.

Practical Strategies for Responding to Temper Tantrums

Remain calm and find a quiet spot for the child to process his/her emotions. Crouch or sit down to get on the child’s level so as not to assume a threatening stance. Speak quietly.
Encourage the child to use words or sign language to communicate the specific frustration.
Acknowledge the child’s feelings or emotions. “It sounds like you are angry that ______ took your toy. You were having fun playing with it.”
Differentiate between anger and an inappropriate response. “It’s okay to be angry. It’s not okay to hit your friend and scream on the floor.”
Establish an age-appropriate consequence for behavior. Follow through with grace and compassion. Pray with the child.
Above all else, respond with the unconditional love that Jesus modeled so beautifully. We have no greater example than He.

Clearly, this is not an exhaustive list of strategies. What practical tips have you used to prevent and respond to tantrums in either your own home or ministry setting?

Need More Ideas? Learn about rewards in children’s ministry or catch up on saftey issues in children’s ministry.