Our design philosophy for our children's classrooms is simple: keep it simple. We want parents to feel good about leaving their children with us for an hour, and that means rooms that are clean, organized, and fun. We also want kids to look forward to coming to their classrooms, and surprisingly, they want the same things their parents want: clean, safe, colorful classrooms.
To cut out clutter and potential injury, we don't use a lot of shelving, cubbies, or furniture in the kids' rooms—only enough to keep leader supplies organized. This minimalist style extends to our hallways, too. Removing loud, bulky, complicated elements like puzzles, toy instruments, and jungle gyms helps young minds focus on the worship and teaching.
Color and fun are top priority in one area though: the room's theme. Our rooms have colorful names, wallpapers, and murals. Children love to identify themselves as part of a team, and as they grow, they look forward to joining a new themed room with their friends. For example, one of our early childhood rooms features sparkly, yellow Shine the Star from the Bible App for Kids Curriculum for preschoolers. Other rooms have a Noah's ark, zoo, or jungle theme.
Open Idea
Children’s ministries want to keep kids safe and engaged. Cutting down on toys and furniture in the room helps meet both goals. Ramping up the color and themes on the walls give kids a sense of place and camaraderie.