Creating welcoming church spaces for families

This is the second in a series on making churches family friendly.

 

Through our research and experience with churches and families, we have come to learn how busy families are. When families attend church, they make an intentional choice of how to spend their time together. Churches must keep this in mind as they prepare to engage and support families with children.

Engaging families with children in faith communities is not just about programming and events. Creating a space where families feel safe, welcomed and cared for is important for churches seeking to engage families with children. Below are some important factors to consider when preparing your space and facility to provide a safe and welcoming space for families with children.

1. Safety and security policies. All churches should have general guidelines for safety and security, especially in welcoming and caring for children. These guidelines need to be created to offer the safest policies that your church can realistically meet. These policies need to be understood by church leadership and members and be clear and available to guests and visitors.
2. Parking. The parking lot is one of the first impressions and interactions a family has with the church. For families, getting in and out of the car can be an extensive process. Therefore, it is important for parking to be available for families near the main entrances. Churches can even reserve spaces for families with children near the entrances so families can avoid long walks and moving cars in the parking lot.
3. Clear signage. For new families, clearly marked entrances and directional signs are important. These signs lessen stress for families when visiting. Often, when families attend church, there are separate spaces for different ages; therefore, it is important for families to know how to get from one place to another.
4. Clear expectations. Each church operates differently; therefore, it is important for families with children to know what to expect. It is essential to communicate what to expect when they attend church. This information can be included on the website, in a bulletin or handout, on a presentation slide or posted where it can easily be seen. Clear expectations reduce stress and help families prepare their children for the best possible experience.
5. Spaces to gather and move. Children are small but need space to move. Therefore, it is important for churches to have spaces available for children to move while church participants are gathering and talking. Parents/caregivers will be able to engage with more people for longer periods of time if their children have space to play and wander closely and safely.
6. Accessible restrooms. It is important for churches to have restrooms that are accessible for children. For example, churches can provide smaller toilets, step stools, changing stations and nursing areas in restrooms to make them more family friendly.
7.  Clean, functional and engaging children’s ministry/classroom spaces. Children’s spaces are representative of how a church values children. Children’s spaces do not have to be state of the art but do need to reflect intentionality and care. Rooms need to be well-maintained, clear of clutter and safety hazards, and equipped with age-appropriate furniture and supplies.
8. Worship space. Worship is still one of the most attended programs/events hosted by the church; therefore, the worship space is important for engaging families. Worship spaces are designed for adults, so special effort is needed to create family friendly spaces. Some examples include alternate seating (example: pew boosters, rocking chairs, more space between pews/aisles for movement), a printed or digital order of worship with descriptions of elements including participation and time expectations, and worship aides or tools for children.

These are just a few ways to intentionally prepare your church space to engage families with children.

Take an observation walk around your church. Enter and view the space through the mindset of a family with children. Take notes on how you can make small changes for significant impacts to engage and support families with children.

Space matters. Take the time and effort to ensure families with children are supported and cared for as they enter the sacred space of your faith community.

 

Empowering Families through Spiritual Formation is a Lilly Endowment Christian Parenting and Caregiving Initiative through Campbell University. The purpose of the Empowering Families project is to partner with churches, ministers and parents to develop strategies and resources to equip and encourage families to engage in regular, substantive, holistic, family-centered formation.

 

Sarah Boberg serves as assistant professor of Christian education and director of the Empowering Families Grant at Campbell University Divinity School in Buies Creek, N.C. She earned a bachelor’s degree in religion and a master of divinity degree from Campbell, she earned a Ph.D. in educational studies at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Her dissertation research focused on the call experiences of Baptist women in ministry. 

 

Related article:

Suggestions for family friendly worship