Kids at bread
Kids are as important to us as anyone else. We want bread to be somewhere where kids have a really great time at church.
When Jesus talked about children, it was never in regards to what they should believe or how they should behave. Instead he said they should simply come to him. We want kids to meet him like this each week at bread. He also said adults should follow their example in order to be part of his kingdom. So we think church should be full of freedom and fun and excitement and energy because that is what kids like. And it should involve running around. Lots of running around.
Sunday Programs
Early Childhood
(3yo - Kindergarten)
Kids from three years old til first grade can spend their Sunday mornings in our Early Childhood (ECH) room with Madison.
Every Sunday, the kids get a mix of visual, audio, and kinesthetic learning that engage the senses and lay the foundation for a fruitful relationship with Jesus.
Snacks and water are provided during ECH kids church, and the ECH room always has at least two adults supervising the kids and facilitating the lesson (though we kindly ask that your kids use the restroom before kids church, if possible).
ELEMENTARY
(1st - 4th)
Kids between 1st and 4th grade hang with Meredith on Sundays in the Elementary room.
Immersive lessons from the bible are supported by video, game, and craft lessons. Building from the foundation in ECH, the Elementary room provides time for thoughtful discussion and plenty of play.
Snacks and water are provided during Elementary kids church.
Middle school
(5th-8th)
The tweens between 5th and 8th grade hang with Jake in the downstairs youth room on Sundays.
As the newest program to kids church, the middle school room applies the learning and routines from Elementary and applies to the everyday, focusing on the nurturing of peer-to-peer relationships in the room and emphasizing the communal experience of Jesus’ love.
Snacks and water are provided during Middle School kids church.
KIDS BELONG AT BREAD
KIDS BELONG AT BREAD
vacation bible school
Last June, we put on bread’s first ever summer VBS, down the road at First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood!
We had an amazing time playing, crafting, and celebrating Jesus together with the kids, and we can’t wait for next year.
The Sunday RundowN
Our kids team writes a weekly newsletter recapping the previous Sunday’s kids church sessions called, “The Sunday Rundown.” Sign up to keep up-to-date with all things kids church, and to bring the learning on Sundays home.
Plans for the future
TODDLERS/INFANTS
Our nursery got a face-lift, and we added a separate room for toddlers!
The nursery is a “quiet-zone” for parents of infants who need the space/privacy to nurse, change, and/or soothe their child(ren). The nursery also has audio piped-in from the sanctuary so parents can still tune in to the service.
The toddler room has toys, books, and furniture for the littles to enjoy, with a live feed for parents to tune in to. In the coming months, we will have a toddler-room volunteer team for children ages 1-3, at which point parents will be able to drop their littles off and fully attend service.
Middle school
Wednesday night youth group!
In addition to our Sunday MS program, we will soon be hosting a Wednesday night hang, at the church, for high school (and potentially middle school) students.
You can sign up for the Sunday Rundown for news and updates on the MS/YS midweek programming, and/or email Jake (jake@bread.church) if you have questions or want to get involved!
Protocols and Procedures
Safety
Safety is paramount at bread. We have a number of procedures in place to ensure that kids and adults alike are set up for success and security when they arrive.
We have a 3-tiered process for volunteer assessment: formal application, 2 verified references, and a formal background check at the county, state, and country levels.
Bread kids church uses Church Center’s check-in app to ensure a smooth and effective transition from worship to kids church, for parents and kids alike.
In the case of emergency, kids volunteers use the check in app to text parents, so please keep your phone in reach during service in case you are needed.
Regarding safe bathroom procedures, volunteers are trained to ensure no adults are using the multi-stalled bathrooms when kids are using them. There are always volunteers stationed outside of bathrooms to ensure privacy for the kids until all kids are ready to head back to kids church.
For kids that require assistance in the bathroom, all kids/parents are surveyed in their intake form on their comfort with volunteers assisting their children in the bathroom. And if a child requires assistance from a volunteer, we have a mandatory 2-adult policy, which guarantees that there are no fewer than 2 adults in eyesight of an occupied stall or single toilet bathroom.
week-to-week
Training and consistency ensure predictability for the kids as the program continues to grow.
Once approved, volunteers are on-boarded prior to their first volunteer service by our kids leads and serve as classroom support volunteers on a semi-regular to regular basis. Classroom lead volunteers receive additional training for facilitating the classroom activities.
At least two adult volunteers are in each class on Sundays.
Kids are fed a small snack and water during the hour of kids church.
Each weeks, kids engage in our teachings with auditory, visual, and kinesthetic activities to help grow their understanding of God’s love, grow closer to Jesus, and enjoy community with one another. Plus plenty of play.