9 Tips For Volunteering In Kid’s Ministry For The First Time

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People are often more hesitant to start volunteering in kid’s ministry than in any other area of the church. Which is crazy! We have games, crafts, and snacks, and often you can wear a t-shirt and jeans to church and no one will even think twice about it. If you are a new volunteer, sacrificing your time in “big people” church to share the gospel with the next generation, you are in for an exciting new adventure! Like any good adventure, this one may come with some uncertainty, fears, failures, and probably at least one giant mess. Your role in this adventure of Children’s Ministry is an important one, and worth taking some time preparing for.

What Does A Volunteer Role In Kid’s Ministry Look Like?

Children’s Ministry volunteers look a little different in each church. The frequency you serve, the areas you are in charge of, and how much teaching you are responsible for, are all dependent on what your Children’s Ministry Leader needs. However, no matter where you serve or how you serve, you are helping the spiritual growth of both the children in your care and their families who are able to attend their own classes and services focused on teaching and worship. No matter what your church’s ministry looks like, these 9 tips will help you feel confident and ready to take on your first Sunday morning!

9 Tips For Volunteering In Kid’s Ministry For The First Time

1. Show Up Early (On Time Is Late!)

If your leader tells you “10:15” that means be ready to go at 10:15, not rolling into the parking lot. Plan to come early enough to do your chatting, grab your coffee, etc. The worst thing for new people to see when they drop off their kids is an empty classroom. Especially for your first time serving, show up early so you can get your bearings before starting. 

2. Dress For Success (And Play!)  

I wasn’t joking about the T-shirt and jeans! This might not be the Sunday to wear your new dress and heels or your suit and tie. It’s ok to be a little more casual with the kids than you would be with the adults. Make sure you are able to sit on the floor, run around, and be with the kids without worrying about what you are wearing. Make sure you check any dress codes or expectations your ministry has, but do your best to dress for the job you are doing.

3. Ask Questions Early (Lots Of Questions!)

If you are unsure about anything, try and think through those questions early in the week and reach out to someone. Sunday mornings can get crazy fast, and it’s helpful to have time to have some conversations without the pressure of church starting. If you are able, you can even offer to meet someone at the church during the week to walk around the space, talk through questions, and review the material. You’ll feel so much more ready for the following Sunday, and your ministry leader will be glad to know you are so well prepared. 

4. Ask To Be Partnered With A Veteran (They Know More Than You Think!)

This is often common practice, but for your first Sunday serving, ask if you can shadow a current volunteer. It’s helpful to watch someone else do it, and they’ll tell you invaluable “tips and tricks” of their own. Little things that won’t be in your training, like “Sam and Macklin will make guns out of everything and play cops and robbers, but it makes Lucy cry so you have to redirect them quickly”. You may even ask to do this before you commit to an area to serve. Is there a need in preschool, but you are nervous about your ability to serve there? Ask to watch for a week, and see if it’s really all that scary.

5. Review The Schedule And Lesson (Before You Get There!)

Look over the schedule so you know it well enough to not have to look back at it all morning. Is it snack, lesson, then craft? Or craft, lesson, then snack? Even if you are not teaching the lesson, look it over so you can prepare to answer questions and have follow-up conversations with the kids.

Being confident in what you are teaching, or what is being taught is a great way to boost your own confidence in navigating the morning. Look it over in the days leading up to Sunday Morning, not 10 minutes before you leave for church. Give yourself time to look it over so you can get any clarifications needed long before the first kids come into the classroom.  

6. Know The Goal (And Stay Focused!)

We’re all working towards a common goal, making heaven full! But how we do that is unique to our own location, giftings, people, and calling. Do your best to get a clear understanding of what the overarching vision of your church is, and what the specific goal of the time you serve is. Keep this in mind when it feels like nothing is going according to plan. Even in the midst of the chaos, are you still meeting that specific mission in the long run? 

7. Go With The Flow (Even If It Feels Like White Water Rafting!)

If I’ve learned anything in my many years in kids and youth ministry, it’s that you should be prepared for chaos. Inevitably, something will not go as planned. You may have some preconceived notions about what a perfect Sunday is supposed to look like. Sweet-faced children with their hands folded in their laps ready to listen to you discuss the finer points of the trinity. It may be that! But probably not.

Remember that things happen. You have to be willing to make changes on the fly to accomplish the main goal. Be prepared for off-the-wall questions, wiggly kids, some aspect of the technology or craft not working, and at least one prayer request you have to make some follow-up comments on. If you’re expecting it all to go wrong, when some parts go right, you’ll feel like a win! 

8. Set Healthy Boundaries (It’s Okay To Say NO!)

Here’s My Most Controversial Tip: You should not serve too often in kids ministry. Being a leader in any area does not negate your need to be spiritually fed the same way the other adults in your church are. Sacrificing some time is good, but never being in the worship service is not. There is always a need, especially in smaller churches, for children’s ministry volunteers. 

Good volunteers are often overused and end up burnt out. Set healthy boundaries for yourself before you even begin. How many times a month are you willing to serve? If you have more than one service and you serve one, make it a priority to attend the other. Be willing to say “No” sometimes. Your church leaders want long-term, healthy volunteers, and sometimes that means being short some Sundays. 

 9. Pray! (Specifically And Often!)

It can feel like a cheap answer, and an overused sentiment in churches, but prayer is really the most powerful tool you have in your toolbelt as a volunteer. Pray for your church leaders and the planning and preparations they make. Pray for the students in your ministry. And pray for yourself. Pray for health, especially on the weeks you serve. Pray for wisdom in what you teach and how you teach it. Pray for supernatural energy, so you can keep up with the kids! 

Set Yourself Up For Great Things

As a new volunteer, spending a little time preparing and asking questions is a great way to ensure a good start to your new ministry. And what a wonderful, valuable ministry it is! 

Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.

Matthew 19:14

You are serving an important role in furthering the mission Jesus started those many years ago. You are helping bring the little children to him! Keep your eyes on him and he will guide you and sustain you.

Read More:

3 Effective Strategies For Setting Volunteers Up For Success 

The Summer of Appreciating God’s Creation In Kids Ministry 

Starting Your New Role In Children’s Ministry