If you’re one of the ten million Americans who have moved over the last three years, you are probably still adjusting to your new home. You’re getting used to the quirks of the squeaky stair, mapping the best routes to the grocery store, and getting to know the local members of the PTA.
What can be harder is choosing a new church. It isn’t a decision to take lightly. If you choose correctly, you could be providing the foundation for a lifetime of faith. If you have children, this is particularly important. Their early experience with the church will stay with them well into adulthood.
It used to be the norm for every member of the family to attend the same service. If you grew up that way, that might be the first thing you look for in a new church. But there can be benefits to programs tailored to different ages. Children can really benefit from having their own time and space to learn about God and the Bible. In this article, we’ll look at some of the benefits to choosing between churches with children’s ministry near you to help you better make your decision.
Number One: Development
Children grow and change rapidly. As soon as you think you’ve got them figured out, they reach a new milestone, and you have to start all over.
Children’s groups often offer several different components of service. They have both traditional religious instruction, which helps give them the foundational knowledge of the Bible that they need.
Many groups also offer arts and crafts sections. It helps break up the instruction and makes it fun. The activities help reinforce the lessons and make connections between creativity and faith.
Creativity is important for growing young minds. Making crafts help develop hand-eye coordination when children use pencils, scissors, and glue. It also helps children see patterns. If offers the opportunity for comparison. And it helps develop language skills when children are called on to talk about their creation.
Click here: https://guardian.ng/guardian-woman/why-art-and-craft-is-essential-to-child-development/ to find out more about the importance of crafting for young children.
Number Two: Community
If your child was schooling at home during the pandemic, you’re probably already well aware of negative consequences of denying children community. A children’s ministry will help your child socialize and make new friends in a safe, nurturing environment. You can rest easy, knowing that their new friends will share your child’s values.
Science says that children need both love and affection from their family alongside peer socialization in order to live healthy, happy lives. Being exposed to different ideas and viewpoints helps them to understand how they are unique.
Some experts believe that people skills are the number one most important factor in determining a child’s success. Being able to communicate with people is essential to nearly every job in existence. A child who has healthy socialization experiences has an advantage when it comes to getting into college, choosing a mate, and advancing in their career.
Number Three: Knowledge
Another benefit of a children’s ministry is the knowledge about God and the Bible they will come away with. Many groups have leaders that specialize in early childhood education. These driven members of the community are able to present the Lord’s word in a way that is approachable and interesting to everyone from the smallest children all the way up to teenagers.
Research shows that children who spend an hour a week in a children’s ministry retain information about the bible at a higher rate than their peers. One study estimates that their recall of biblical stories is seventy-nine percent higher than kids who attend a one-size-fits-all sermon.
There is another benefit to classroom study. It offers children a place to think about God in the context of their lives. They can ask questions freely, which helps keep them engaged. They begin to form their own relationship with God, which they will need to become strong Christian adults.
Number Four: Fun!
With music, crafts, friends, and snacks, your child will be asking to return to church again and again. Mary Poppins famously sang that “A spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down.” She knew that the way to appeal to children was through games, music, and imaginative play. Children’s ministries have caught on to this approach and offer all of this and more. Check this link to find free faith-based coloring pages and other fun activities.
Of course, these churches offer programs that keep the whole family involved. You can know that while you’re enjoying the community and fellowship that church brings, your children are getting the same benefits.
If you’re convinced, know that there are churches that provide all of these services and more that are just waiting to meet you and your kiddos. Go out there and find one that suits your family’s needs!