The fact that you are reading a kids ministry blog post indicates that you probably want to grow your preschool ministry, not kill it. However, there may be things you are doing, or not doing, that in essence may be keeping your preschool ministry from reaching its potential. Take this brief quiz to see how your preschool ministry is doing.
- Do all of your preschool rooms have at least two, unrelated adult teachers who have passed a background check? More than one qualified adult teacher in a room protects children, teachers, and the church. This is a must.
- Is every first-time guest parent greeted either in the parking lot or as soon as he enters the building, and do greeters know where the preschoolers meet?
- When parents take their infant to the baby room, is the lighting in the room at an appropriate level? We may think that if a child is sleeping, the room should be dark or semi-dark. If I walk into a dark restaurant, I wonder what the manager is trying to hide. Keep the lights on.
- Are your preschool rooms clean, and do they look and smell clean? I admit that I’m anti-germs to a fault, but who wants to leave their young child in a dirty room or one that looks dirty?
- Are your preschool rooms clutter-free? Unless you’re a certified hoarder, would you want guests to see your house in a mess? I’m not sure why preschool teachers are notorious for keeping resources that are 50 years old, but perhaps it’s time to close your eyes and throw stuff away. And, don’t give it to another church. They don’t need clutter either.
How did you do? If you answered, “yes,” to all five questions, congratulations, you’re on track to attract young parents and keep them coming to your church! If you answered, “no” to any of the questions, ask yourself what is keeping you from creating a preschool environment that says, “We welcome you and your child to our church; we are ready for you; and we value you and your child because Jesus values you”?
Landry Holmes is Manager of Kids Ministry Publishing, Lifeway Christian Resources. He teaches preschoolers and elementary kids at his church in Middle Tennessee. Landry and his wife Janetta are the parents of two adult sons and a beautiful daughter-in-law. When they’re not working or at church, they’re entertaining their rat terrier Ranger (named after the Texas Rangers baseball team).
