6 Ways to Reach More Kids

I love ministering to children! Giving away hugs, seeing the “light” come in during lessons, witnessing heart changes. All of these things make my job worthwhile. This calling truly comes with its own rewards.
Besides loving the baby chicks in my ministry “nest” I’ll admit there are times when my heart burns for the chicks that haven’t arrived yet. When I feel the evangelism fires burning in me, I take out my evangelism list. On my list are tried and true methods that help me bring little sheep into the fold.
Over a decade of teaching and reaching, I’ve found some ideas successful and others not so much. Here’s a few from my list. See which ones suit your budget and manpower then get busy! Surely out of six ways to reach more children you’ll find one or two that works for you.
Referral Drive: This method takes some work but it is all worth it. Once a year, I have a referral drive. I order printed t-shirts that say, “I Told Everyone” on the front. On the back it says, “All About Jesus.” To get their own t-shirt, each child had to provide the names, addresses and phone numbers of their five closest friends. We add these names to our mailing and call list and get loads of chances to invite and meet new kids. I reach more kids this way, I love it.
Art Museum: I’ve only done this once but it was a fun vehicle for meeting new faces. For one afternoon in the summer, we transformed the children’s church into an art gallery. We hung and displayed art works that the kids worked on in previous weeks. We sent invitations to relatives and friends to come attend the museum and vote for their child’s artwork. We had “museum” tours and at the end of the event announced the blue ribbon winners. Met tons of kids!
Games Tournaments: Have a game night and turn it into a tournament. I didn’t allow electronic games, but you could if you like. We had an area for Checkers Champions, Super Sorry Players and Millionaire Monopoly Guys. This is a laid back way to get to know new kids.
Puppets in the Park: Load up your puppet team and put on a show at the local park. You’ll meet tons of kids there.
Best Friend Day: Having your best friend near is so much fun for children. We encourage kids to bring their best friends at least once a year on Best Friend Day. I usually announce BF day several weeks in advance, send invitations and make personal phone calls to friends.
Free Tutoring Help: If you’ve got professional teachers on your staff this idea may work for you. Offer tutoring classes after school once or twice a week. You’ll be helping parents and kids and you’ll build great relationships with kids.