Spring Break and Kids Ministry

Today’s post is from guest blogger, Alan Wilson.  Alan, a former Children’s Minister and Childhood Specialist with Lifeway, is now an Administrator at Longview Heights Baptist Church, in Olive Branch, MS. However, he still has a passion for sharing the Good News with kids, and always will!

Spring Breaks will be breaking out soon. Many times the kids are out of school with “nothing” to do. A children’s minister can take that “nothing” and make it into something. The kids will enjoy it – and the mammas will L-O-V-E you for giving the kids something to do! Here are some ideas for ministry during spring break.

• Have a week-long mission trip without leaving your town (and, best of all, without having to provide sleeping arrangements). Pick out ministry opportunities your kids can do in your community – raking leaves for the elderly, working at a food pantry, passing out hot chocolate or water bottles at a mall, cleaning up the church, preparing Easter invitations for church services and passing them out, playing board games with senior adults at a nursing home. The ideas are endless. Pick out a ministry for each day to spend 2-3 hours performing.
• Have a Colossal Spring Break VBS. Who says VBS is just for the summer?
• Have a play day at your church or park. If you really want to impress the kids, see how high you can get on the swing!
• Rent a skating rink or some other venue to have a play/fellowship time. The parents would also appreciate the “adult interaction.”
• Have a week-long “music camp.” Work on a children’s musical or have local artists come in to teach kids about their instruments. Of course, a celebration night would be very important for the kids to show off their talents!
• Have a “community day” where you invite fire, police, and other community helpers to your church. Allow the kids time to check out all the cool vehicles and find out more about what these great heroes do.
• Have a bike day. Cordoned off church parking lot. Kids with their bikes. Minimum investment for a huge return! Don’t forget your 10 speed from the 80’s!
• Fun Day! Karaoke, crafts, outdoor games, board games, video games, bounces, fun, fun, fun! Plan a day just to play with your kids. It’s always interesting how something so boring at home becomes fun at church with your buddies.
• Visitation Day – Visit kids in the hospital or kids that haven’t been to church in a while. Great time for your kids to learn more about caring for others.
• Plan a fun day for an orphanage or a children’s home near you. These homes are often looking for churches to interact with their kids. Not only will your kids have fun, they will minister to other children their age and possibly create new friendships. Most of all, you will be helping your kids fulfill Scripture by not forgetting the orphaned.

As you can see, there are a ton of ideas for Spring Break – these are just a few. Take time to pray over your Spring Break and start making plans for what God wants to do through you and your children’s ministry. Most of these will not cost you or your families any money, just time and organization. Let’s make this Spring Break different for God’s Kingdom.