Children have a natural desire to help. As adults, we nurture that desire when we invite them to participate in the weekly activities and outreach of their faith community.

Create an I WANNA HELP document to invite children and their families to help out. This sign-up form, in paper or digital format, is a way to communicate the many volunteer opportunities that are available to them. Along with collecting a child’s contact information, children will be invited to place an X in front of the activities that they would be willing to do to help out in the coming days.

How can children help out at church? Let me show you the ways . . .

Serve others

• Supervise and read to younger children
• Pray for people
• Sharpen and re-stock pencils in church pews and classrooms
• Make cookies for Sunday coffee hour
• Place centerpieces on tables
• Help decorate the worship space
• Wash dishes
• Cut fabric squares for mission quilts
• Write notes to sick people
• Write an article for the church newsletter

Care for the building and grounds

• Dust the pews
• Water church flower and vegetable gardens
• Clean Sunday school classroom after class
• Clean the keys on all the pianos in the building

Organize a group

• Collect toys to give to first responders to distribute to children in crisis
• Collect books to donate to shelters for families experiencing homelessness or fleeing domestic violence
• Collect boxes of cereal or canned goods for a local food shelf
• Make friendship bracelets for children in hospitals

Help with worship

• Hold the door open and welcome people to worship
• Distribute bulletins and greet people as they gather for worship
• Read scripture lessons or prayers
• Add sign language to a hymn as it is sung
• Help with announcements
• Play an instrument (my instrument: ___________)
• Do liturgical or interpretive dance
• Learn a speaking or non-speaking part in a play
• Help collect the offering
• Write a prayer for the beginning of worship
• Sing with a group or sing a solo
• Help with a puppet show
• Play rhythm instruments
• Wave streamers/flags during worship
• Play bells

Children have lots of good ideas, so be sure to include this line on your sign-up form:

• Here’s something else I would like to do at church: __________________________

With the support of adults who are willing to supervise, guide, and affirm, children will grow confident in the knowledge that they are valuable partners in the life and ministry of their faith community.