You can see this scene in your head. You have done everything on your service order; you gave the small group leader more time and extended the prayer request time as long as possible. Every child has prayed for their dog and their grandma. The children are restless and hungry; if you don’t do something soon, they will do something!

This toolbox is a mental and physical resource that offers pre-planned activities to extend your service with fun and engagement. There will come a time when you’ll need this toolbox of no-prep activities. And having these ideas will be a game-changer so you don’t have to rely on goldfish and a prayer.

10 No-Prep Children’s Ministry Activities

1. Snacks

I know I just joked about goldfish, but if you are serving young kids, and it is getting close to lunch, a simple snack might be needed. Make sure you let parents know that snacks could be an option, but sometimes carbs just have to be your go to.

2. Worship

A great way to extend your service is with extra worship. Reserve a few extra fun songs with lots of motions and actions for just this time. High-energy songs are a great way for kids to get the wiggles out while they wait.

3. Bible Time

This is an oldie but goodie no-prep activity. Sword drills have been done for ages but saving them for special occasions definitely makes them more of a goodie than an oldie. Have children hold their Bibles. Call out a passage of Scripture—the first child to find it wins. The real win is that you are teaching Bible study skills while having fun!

4. Books of the Bible

This is a fun game for older children. Line up the kids in two lines. Say a letter and see who can name a book of the Bible that starts with that letter. If they get it right, they go to the back of their line and keep going. If they don’t, they are out. The line that empties first loses.

5. Dance Freeze

This is a super-fun-no-prep activity for younger children to have extra worship time and get their wiggles out. Play a worship song and encourage them to dance. When the song pauses, have them freeze. When they freeze, you can use it as a moment to share the big idea from the lesson. Then play again and again! This is an easy way to get kiddos to soak in worship music without even realizing it.

6. Limbo

This is a worship game you can play with older children. Play worship songs and let the children Limbo. While they go as low as they can, they will also learn worship songs that they might sing on repeat at school next week

7. Art Time

If you want to extend your small group time, use art. Lay out plain paper, crayons, colored pencils, and markers. Ask younger children to draw a picture of the Bible story and ask older children to make a comic strip showing their favorite part of the story.

8. Trivia

This can be done in a large group or small group. Every week when you prep the curriculum, add a few trivia questions that a small group leader or stage speaker can ask if the service is running long. Make it super fun by giving the children noise makers, buzzers, party horns, or clapping hands to help them chime in with the answer.

9. Prayer Stations

This is for when you know the service is not over, but transitioning to a fun activity would not be appropriate. This is great for children who understand the power of prayer. You can easily set up different stations.

The first station is for a prayer of thanks, which can be done by writing on a small index card and putting it in a gift bag or box. The next station is a prayer for someone else. Children can write someone’s name on a sticky note and post it on a wall or window.

The last station can be a prayer for themselves. Children can use whiteboard markers to write their name on a full-length mirror. Having these few supplies ready and available for when the Spirit is moving makes it easy to have this in your toolbox.

10. Games

Structured games are a key tool in your no-prep activities toolbox. Whether it’s Four Corners, Keepy Uppy, Rock Paper Scissors, Charades, Cup Stacker, or another children’s favorite, having a back-up plan in place ensures fun is structured.

Regardless of what you include in your toolbox, the key is to be prepared. It’s not a matter of if but when a service is going to run long. No matter how fantastic your service was, what a parent sees at pick-up is what they believe represents the entire service. This is why a structured moment, even an unplanned one, is the best approach. By being prepared, you can take control of the situation and ensure a positive experience for everyone involved.

Don’t let unplanned time be wasted time. We are accountable for how we spend our time, and while we may not be able to control the service length, we can control what we do with the time we have.

By infusing joy and excitement into these activities, we can keep children engaged and make the service a memorable and enjoyable experience for them.

Have fun, build skills, worship in new ways, pray in unexpected moments, and indulge in some animal crackers. It’s all holy, and it is as important as whatever is going on and on and on and on in the adult service.

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Security and safety may not be fun, but having set policies and procedures is fundamental to a growing kids’ ministry. Why? As we know, kids’ ministry is usually the first place a family experiences your church and a child connects with God and His people.

And on top of that, I cannot overstate the importance of having a plan for kids’ ministry security practices. By prioritizing safety, we protect our kids and safeguard the integrity and reputation of our ministry.

You see, classroom safety and security is not just about preventing harm; it’s about creating an environment where children feel safe, supported, and free to learn and grow.

“Let everything be done in a fitting and proper manner that is organized and well-planned.”

1 Corinthians 14:40

Security Practices: Ways to Protect Children

Volunteer Ratios

Establish clear guidelines for how many adult volunteers should be in each classroom. The minimum should be two. From there, look at your state ratios and then go under them so you have more adult volunteers than technically required.

Why do I personally go under state ratios?

• We believe in small groups. Teaching God’s Word is important, and we believe it is done best in small groups.
• We are not all professionals, and we do not require our volunteers to be professionals or early educators. We cannot do what early educators do, so we cannot use the same ratios they do.
• Teens are not adults. We love having teenagers serving on our teams, but we must remember that teens are not adults and do not count toward the adult total in the ratio.

Bathroom Policies

Develop strict bathroom policies, such as requiring two unrelated adults to accompany young children to the restroom.

You may need a diaper-changing policy. Some churches do not change diapers, and some do. Before you decide whether or not you need a policy in place, discuss it with your staff, insurance company, and some faithful parents.

Close the Doors

I get it. Having to close a room feels like the worst thing. Some senior leadership may say this is not even allowed. However, if your ratios are out of whack and the number of children in the space violates the fire code, then make it stop.

Close the room.

It would be best if you made it clear to your senior leadership that you will close rooms, so you don’t endanger the children you serve.

One Way

Of course, you want to have many exits, but as a security practice for entry and parent pick-up, you should only have one. Make all parents funnel through one entrance.

I was known for having “bouncers” at our primary drop-off and pick-up point. We limited parent pick up to one person. The only way you got through the bouncers was if you had the pick-up ticket. If you did not, you had to return to the front desk for a reprint.

Parents said this system made them feel very safe, and teachers noted that they did not feel overwhelmed by multiple family members coming to pick up.

Never Alone

No adult should ever be alone with a child. This includes an adult being alone with a teen team member. Some churches call this the “Rule of 3.”

• 2 adults and 1 child
• 1 adult and 2 children

Here’s an example on how to follow the Rule of 3: if one adult and one teen reported to a room to volunteer, I would ask the adult to stand in the doorway, visible from the hall, until more children or adults arrived.

Emergency Procedures

Regularly communicate about emergency procedures, including fire, lockdown, and evacuation drills, so volunteers know how to respond calmly and quickly in a crisis.

Have a paper roster and a sign-in sheet printed for each class. This paper seems so old school, but in an emergency when the computers do not work, or you need a prompt response, the lead teacher will always know who is in their class.

Surveillance Cameras

A key security practice is to install cameras to strategically monitor activity and deter potential threats.

Make sure you have a list of those approved to review the footage and that it is never reviewed alone. Two people always. Keep a log where you can note the date and time you are viewing, who is viewing, why you are viewing, and what the outcome was.

Write It Down

Ensure you have a blank incident report in every room and that every room leader knows how and when to use them.

We always immediately get the parent for:

• Anything neck up
• Anything bleeding or open skin
• Anything swollen
• Anything broken or bruised
• If the child asks for their parent

My rule for when to fill out an incident form—

• If the child is hurt. Ouch is enough!

Ways to Protect Your Ministry

‘Make Them Wait’ Security Practice

The best practice is to have a standard waiting period to serve. Some churches have one month, and some have six months. Whatever the waiting period is, enforce it consistently.

If someone wants to join your team for the wrong reasons, they will likely not remain if you make it difficult.

Call References

Call at least two non-related references.

Background Checks

Conduct thorough background checks on all volunteers and staff to ensure they are suited to working with children.

Documentation

Keep detailed records of incidents, training sessions, and security measures to legally protect you and the ministry.

Insurance

Ensure that your ministry has comprehensive liability insurance to protect against potential claims. Be diligent to follow their requirements and any of their suggested best practices.

Practical Implementation Ideas

Implementing these security measures can seem daunting but breaking it down into manageable steps can make the process smoother.

Security Practices: Start with an Assessment

Conduct a security assessment to identify potential vulnerabilities and prioritize actions. Do not rely on your eyes alone. Ask volunteers, security team members, and even local police to walk through and give you a list of weak areas.

Develop a Plan

Create a detailed security plan outlining procedures, responsibilities, and needed resources. Each item on your plan should include a point of contact, the deadline to implement a new procedure, and a date to review.

Communicate and Train

Clearly communicate the plan to all staff and volunteers, put it in writing (in a handbook), and provide regular training sessions.

Evaluate and Adjust

Regularly review and update the security plan based on feedback and changing best practices.

Encouragement for Leaders

Safety is felt upon arrival, seen in the building, heard in the hallways, and read throughout policies. It is a hard thing to do, but it’s the thing you must do first. Safety comes before growth, safety comes before the curriculum, and safety comes before everything else! And when your space is safe, it makes growth, teaching, and volunteer recruitment easier.

Safety builds trust. Trust is the foundation of a good children’s ministry program. Build trust through safe practices, and your ministry will stand secure on that foundation for years.

Jesus used questions repeatedly to teach His disciples. Questions are excellent for engaging in deeper thought, shifting behavior, and returning to the mission.

A four-year-old will ask approximately 300 questions a day. A doctor in the United Kingdom compiled the top 10 questions they ask.

Included in the list are:

• Why do people die?
• What is God?
• Is Santa Claus real?
• Why do I have to go to school?

And if you have worked in children’s ministry for any number of years, you know that around Christmas time, you might even get asked what a virgin is.

We know how to deal with the hard questions from kids!

Even as a child, Jesus was found in the temple asking questions, and I can only imagine those would be tough ones.

Maybe you have even been asked questions by parents. These could range from How will you keep my child safe? to What curriculum do you use?

We are the professionals at answering questions.

Becoming Question-Askers

But I want to challenge us to become question-askers for a change. I want us to learn the position of curiosity from the children we serve.

Jesus used questions repeatedly to teach his disciples. Questions are excellent for engaging in deeper thought, shifting behavior, and returning to the mission.

If we ask these ten questions each month, our ministries will flourish. As we submit to the position of a learner, our leadership will grow.

So, here’s the question: Are you ready?

1. What is my big goal this month?

Make sure you can quickly and efficiently answer this question. The answer to this question is the goal on the wall that everything you do is aiming at.

Knowing what you want to accomplish gives you a better chance of doing it. Nothing done in children’s ministry should be by chance. The mission is too critical to leave to chance.

2. Who is missing?

Do you have a team member who has been ghosting you, a family that has not been consistent, or a child refusing to come to class? Find out who is missing and then kindly and sensitively go after them. Let them know you miss them and would love for them to return.

Knowing who is there is good, but knowing who is missing is another way to care for the families you serve.

3. What do I need to stop doing?

It is so easy in the church to always do what we have always done. But what if we stop doing good things to make room for the great? What if we decided that if something no longer supported the mission, we would let it die?

I challenge you to look at everything you are doing and to strategically let go of things.

4. If my kids’ ministry disappeared tomorrow, would my community miss us?

I want you to evaluate your role in the community. Do you add value? Do people even know you exist, and if they do, are you seen as a valuable resource in the community?

If all you ever do is kids’ ministry within your four walls, that’s the extent of your reach. Brainstorm this week how you can go into your community and allow yourself to be a resource for them.

5. When was the last time I read the Bible, and it wasn’t for my job?

Are you in the Word? As ministry leaders, it is so easy to tell ourselves that we are constantly in the Word or worship because we work at a church. That could not be more wrong. We pour out consistently and daily.

So, if we do not devote ourselves to getting filled, we will eventually run dry.

Making an Impact in Your Children’s Ministry

Why Your Curriculum Matters and How to Choose the Right One
This guide was created to help you dive into some of the topics facing your ministries today and lead into why your curriculum matters and how to choose the right one depending on your needs.

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6. How do I view the families I serve?

Do you have a God-like view of those you serve? Do you see them how God sees them? I know it is difficult, but I think you should decide that you believe that every parent wants to be good, is made in God’s image, and deserves your attention.

Check your biased, negative thoughts and wrong beliefs so they don’t start creeping into your ministry.

7. What is a win from this month?

If you want to make it long-term in children’s ministry, you must focus on the good and zone in on the wins. Put the wins in the front of your mind to remember. Kids’ ministry can be difficult, but remembering the wins helps make it more bearable.

8. Am I having fun?

Every month, ask yourself if you had fun. You are in the most fun ministry of all. So, if you find the answer to this question is a no—if you find bubbles do not make you smile, or hugs from littles don’t make your heart explode—you might have lost your joy.

Get it back! Enjoy your ministry and be glad you get to use your gifts.

9. What about my family?

We are moving so fast, sometimes we unintentionally sacrifice our family on the altar of ministry. Have you consistently been late coming home? Have you been working too much at home and on your day off?

Your first ministry is your family. God did not give you too much; He gave you what He knew you could handle with His help. Ask Him to show you where the imbalance is.

Cut away the unnecessary and focus on the mission critical. Work hard to disciple your team and delegate to them. Your gifting should not be what hurts your family.

10. Who do I need to forgive?

Has someone hurt you, betrayed your trust, or made you feel bad? Ministry is working with and serving people. So, if this has yet to happen, it will. People will hurt you, and you cannot control that, but you can manage your reaction.

I read that unforgiveness is like someone drinking poison and waiting for the other person to die. Forgive and ask God to help you move on.

Do not get weary with all the questions that come at you or even the ones you ask yourself. Decide to do a monthly rundown of these challenging questions. It is not easy, but it’s good. You are doing good work, and there is no question about that!

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time, we will reap the harvest if we do not give up.

Galatians 6:9 NIV

What happens when the thing that they seem to disagree on is what we know to be true?

We know God is real, loves us, and wants a relationship with everyone. And we also know that the wages of sin is death. We don’t want anyone to live a life without Jesus.

As ministry leaders, we live and do our daily work to point people to Jesus. However, a quick look on social media and the news will tell you that the trend is to walk away from the truth and even take our faith and break it down, question it, or belittle it.

So, how do we reach and serve a community that disagrees with us on something as big as God and His love?

When dealing in an increasingly divisive world, I think we need to look in, out, and up!

Looking In

Looking in makes us examine our true feelings.

We must identify our biases, any thoughts of superiority, or thoughts of false confidence. We cannot lead anyone who disagrees with us by forcing them to agree. The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 3: 1-3, that we are a letter from Christ for all to see and read as we live.

The challenge is whether our ministry self and personal self both show the truth. Do we live in a way that is authentic and points people to Jesus?

I am not claiming that we can live a perfect life, but I am saying we need to examine our life to see if it is:

• Consistent
• Authentic
• Transparent

When we know what we believe, live what we believe, and speak what we believe, it becomes increasingly more appealing for others to listen to, follow, and trust.

How to Guard Yourself from Ministry Burnout

There are moments in every leader’s journey that defines whether they move forward or give up. Things happen, life gets hard, and opportunities come and go. Download this guide to be encouraged in your leadership walk with the Lord!

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How to Guard Yourself from Ministry Burnout

There are moments in every leader’s journey that defines whether they move forward or give up. Things happen, life gets hard, and opportunities come and go. Download this guide to be encouraged in your leadership walk with the Lord!

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How to Guard Yourself from Ministry Burnout

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Looking Out

We must be honest. I want you to know I understand. Serving and leading people is challenging and can take a toll on us over the years. That toll can easily show up in our feelings, beliefs, or assumptions about the people we serve.

Those who always disagree or question statements of truth can wear us down. The enemy would love to discourage us, or even more, he would love to have us disengage.

He wins if he can get us to believe someone is too gone, wrong, complicated, or just too annoying.

I served in kids’ ministry for over ten years, and I used to say, “I love the kids, but it’s the parents that are difficult.” What wrong thinking! I was looking out at the parents who attended sporadically, were disengaged, threw their child’s paper away as they walked out the door, came late, left early, and always gave me pushback.

I looked at them and judged them without seeing their needs. And in this, I forgot that part of my ministry to the children included their families. I had to change my mindset drastically. They were not the enemy.

Made in His Image

If we look out to see those hard people we serve as sons and daughters of God, made in His image, then we will treat them as brothers and sisters in Christ, not enemies.

I have seen this quote from Karen Purvis: “Underlying behaviors are needs,” and it has helped shape how I see those I serve.

• Argumentative – might need to be heard.
• Angry – could show a need for unconditional love.
• Disrespectful – this is usually a need to feel respected.
• Questioning – shows up as the need for clarity.

As shepherds, it is our job to find the need and to fill it. Please don’t get so focused on the 99 who may agree that you forget our job is to go after the lost sheep too.

Our goal when we find the sheep is not to force them to stay but to welcome them back with joy, acceptance, and care that they choose to stay.

“Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? 5 And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6 and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ 7 I tell you that in the same way, there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.”

Luke 15: 4-7 NIV

Look Up

Look to God! I know that I should have listed it as the first step, and though these are in no particular order, we need to look up and claim that we have done all we can do.

We have been witnesses with our lives; we have decided to go after the lost and see them as brothers and sisters, yet we still disagree. The disagreement is getting more expansive, and the list of things we disagree on gets longer daily.

If you and I sat down, we would find we disagree on something.

The agreement gap seems to widen more and more, but we would agree that we love God and understand our need for a Savior. We could both look up!

Start there, friends, and look up to God, to His salvation for everyone.

Agree on that, and then ask God what to do next.

Disagreement is a gift! It is a moment to connect, learn something from someone, reevaluate your stance, show unconditional love, and live a testimony of transparent authenticity.

Use any disagreement you face as a moment to prove your love.

Look in and examine your thoughts and feelings, look out and change how you see the opposition, and look up to ensure you focus on the right main thing. And then agree to love and serve those who disagree!