Getting Families Connected on Facebook

Everyone has a Facebook page. I knew when my Dad, retired Navy Seal and lovable curmudgeon, created a personal Facebook account that social networking could work miracles (not literally, of course).
In a practical sense, connecting to families through a social networking site just makes sense when you operate a children’s ministry. You can send reminders, make announcements and interact with families with just a few clicks. That’s helpful when you want to build stronger ties and higher attendance. These creative ideas are working for me:
The Kid of the Week: I mentioned the Kid of the Week before but in case you missed it,  it’s a program I use to reward children for demonstrating the Golden Rule. I snap a photo of the winner during kids church and poof! The child’s photo appears on the kids church Facebook page and the parents’ pages. I’ve never had parents fuss about that and they always share the picture with others.
Take Goofy Polls: Post a fun poll question like: “What’s your favorite ice cream topping?” It’s an online icebreaker that can help you build relationships with parents and grandparents.
Pet Costume Contests: You’d think it would be just seasonal but nope. People love putting their pets in costumes and posting pictures. We’re always soliciting for pet pictures. Pets are a big part of a child’s life and we want to get to know them.
Fun Fridays: Each Friday, I post a funny YouTube clip like three-minute sketch from an old Muppet Show or a Pixar Short. Always review the clip before you post it though. You can’t trust everyone. On Fridays, I post a funny clip for the kids to watch their family.
Saturday Previews: Once the room is decorated and the weekly “minute to win it” games are on display, I snap a photo with my iPhone. That goes right to the Facebook page. Kids love getting a sneak peek of what’s going to happen on Sunday.
Put those Facebook kids min pages to work!
Read more from Mimi by visiting her blog at Tools for Kids Church.