Summer is the peak season for new families moving into your community.
According to real estate trends posted on Trulia.com, home sales around the country peak in the month of June. That means your best opportunity to make a positive impression on new families is during the summer months.
One of the key findings in our State of the Church report, published in Children’s Ministry Magazine, concluded that “a healthy children’s ministry attracts families to your church.” The article goes on to say “Our research revealed that families place a premium on their kids’ children’s ministry experience. The majority (66%) said the children’s ministry program was ‘very important’ in their overall consideration when they chose their current church. Parents also ranked ‘the children’s ministry’ as the third most important reason they joined their current church—only marginally behind ‘the church’s emphases’ and ‘preaching.’ ” You can download the full article here.
So how do you keep up the momentum in your ministry when attendance lags and volunteers are scarce? Here are a few ideas:
- If your current Sunday school program is age-graded, consider trying out a children’s church program that combines kids of all ages together in a single room. KidsOwn Worship is a great option that helps kids encounter God through a weekly Bible point, fun activities, and engaging worship.
- Another summer option that works for any size church is Living Inside Out. This large-group/small-group format is very volunteer-friendly as only the large group leader needs to prep for the lesson. Kids are split into small groups by age—Preschool, Lower Elementary, and Upper Elementary—with small group leaders to facilitate discussion.
- Group also offers lesson books like our Kids Travel Guides topical studies, All-In-One Sunday School series, or All Together Now
Regardless of your budget or situation, you can find a solution that meets your particular summer needs at group.com/curriculum. Let’s craft a summer program that will keep your children’s ministry fresh, exciting, and filled with opportunities to help kids grow closer to Jesus!
