If you are in preschool ministry, you care about the faith and future of the next generation.
You know that preschool ministry is so much more than childcare; it’s helping kids develop a foundation of faith. That’s why you spend a lot of creating environments, training volunteers, and planning lessons to help kids grow in their everyday faith.
Because you are a smart leader, you also know that preschoolers don’t learn the same way adults do and they certainly don’t enjoy the same things adults do. (Cue Baby Shark as proof.)
But, isn’t it easy to forget that is the case?
Maybe that’s why sometimes . . .
We try to explain big theological concepts to preschoolers that were transformative for us, but too abstract for them to understand.
We play worship songs that are a bit graphic for little ears.
We expect kids to sit still for a really long lesson when even the adults around the room are bored.
We have all been there. That’s because there are two mistakes leaders tend to make when it comes to engaging kids:
- Adults tend to assume, “They are like me now.”
Now, none of us would say that out loud, but it can be easy to act that way. We can get so excited about what God is teaching us personally that we want to teach the same exact thing to them. Or, we expect them to be able to behave like an adult. Not only is that rarely effective, we also miss out
what we can learn from engaging their perspective. - Adults tend to assume, “They are like I used to be.”
Sometimes, we forget how much the world has changed since we were kids. We forget that kids are living in a world with smart phones, social media, and YouTube. Not to mention they are being raised by a generation that may have different parenting styles and values than the ones that influenced us.
That’s why if we want to engage the next generation effectively, we think there is one idea that has the potential to transform everything: phase.
Phase Defined: A time frame in a kid’s life when you can leverage distinctive opportunities to influence their future.
When churches become intentional about understanding and leveraging what is actually happening in the stages of a kid’s life, it changes how they . . .
Partner with families at pivotal transitions.
Teach comprehensively from preschool through college.
Train leaders how to work with specific age groups.
Improve dialogue and cooperation between ministries.
Resource parents to interact with kids in the home.
Every kid at every phase is changing in six ways: physically, mentally, relationally, culturally, emotionally, and morally.
So, what do we need to know about phase in order to engage preschoolers effectively?
Phase Defined: A time frame in a kid’s life when you can leverage distinctive opportunities to influence their future.
- The phase that should matter most to you is the phase they are in now.
- The phase that matters most happens before or after this phase.
- Adults tend to assume, “They are like me now.”
- Adults tend to assume, “They are like I used to be.”
- Every kid at every phase is changing in six ways: physically, mentally, relationally, culturally, emotionally, and morally.
Your Role | Embrace Their Physical Needs
Read Their Mind…
So kids in the three phases of preschool will believe they can win.
- Know what can be expected of them and know how they think so they will hear what you say and know what to do.
- BIG IDEA: Preschoolers think like an artist.
- Preschoolers blend reality with imagination and learn best through their senses.
“Children are most like adults in their feelings. They are least like adults in their thinking. More information does not make them think like us.”
— Catherine Stonehouse
Discover Their World…
So kids in the three phases of preschool will feel they belong.
Zero to One:
Kids in this phase are asking, “Am I safe?”
In the first year of life, a baby needs to know they are safe. When adults consistently respond to a baby’s needs, babies establish trust.
One & Two:
Toddlers in this phase are asking, “Am I able?”
When a toddler is one and two years old, they discover new abilities. When adults patiently allow toddlers to try new things, they develop confidence.
Three & Four:
Preschoolers in this phase are asking, “Am I okay?”
When a preschooler is three or four, they learn a few rules and expectations. When adults set boundaries and discipline with love, preschoolers cultivate self-control.
DON’T MISS THIS: The buffer in every crisis is love.
Interpret Their Motives…
So kids in the three phases of preschool will discern what they should do.
- Moral emotions are instinctive. Moral development is not.
- If you want to help a preschooler develop a moral conscience, you have to interpret and influence their motive.
- The ultimate motive is love.
- Preschoolers are motivated most by safety.
Play To Your Audience…
So kids in the three phases of preschool will discover how to relate to God.
- How preschoolers relate to God: God’s story is my story.
- When you embrace their physical needs you help a preschool know God’s love and meet God’s family.
Three Ideas to Help Preschoolers Mature in their Relationship with God.
Ignite their imagination. Build their confidence in a really big God.
Activate their senses. Help them see, feel, hear, and taste.
Structure their experience. Have a predictable schedule.
How Understanding the Elementary Phase Changes Your Ministry
When we are intentional about engaging elementary kids and creating developmentally appropriate ministries, it changes everything-definitely more than what can fit in a blog. But, here are a few ways understanding the preschool phase changes what you do in your ministry and how you partner with other life-stage ministries.
Ministry Strategy
When you understand how kids learn and grow, it will change how you partner across life-stage ministries. As a preschool ministry leader, you will partner differently with the elementary preschool ministry leader because you know that what you teach in your preschool ministry will provide a foundation for what they learn next. You will also deepen your partnership with middle school ministry leaders because you care about how you move kids to what is next.
When every life-stage ministry works together, you increase momentum for next gen ministry as a whole.
Ministry Programming
When you know preschoolers learn best through experiences, you will incorporate activities that engage all five senses. When you know preschoolers think like an artist, you will leverage movement, music, and art in your preschool ministry environment. When you understand that preschoolers are wired to experience wonder, it will change how you tell Bible stories to incite wonder for a big God.
Phase changes everything when it comes to how you teach and what you teach in your preschool ministry. That’s why First Look Curriculum is designed to be both theologically sound and developmentally appropriate.
Training Leaders
Volunteers sign up to serve because they care about the faith and future of preschoolers, too.
But, if they don’t understand phase, they may . . .
Get frustrated when preschoolers have short attention spans.
Ask kids questions in small group they don’t understand.
Or, not understand why there are so many songs and art activities in your ministry.
At the same time, when you understand phase, you know that you need to recruit consistent volunteers because preschoolers can be terrified by an unfamiliar face. You also know that who you recruit to volunteer matters, too.
Partnering With Parents
When you understand that every year comes with unique opportunities to leverage to influence a kid’s faith and future, you will also equip parents to understand those opportunities. You will cue parents to have more intentional conversations at home and lean into important conversations differently at each life-stage.
If you want to learn more about how to integrate Phase strategy into your ministry, check out the Phase Starter Kit today!
To help you and the parents in your ministry navigate these unique phases, check out the Phase Guides. These 18 guides provide essential insights and practical advice tailored to each phase of a child’s life. Equip your team and parents by exploring the Phase Guides today.
