Read 100 Best Ideas to Turbocharged your Preschool Ministry for Free Online

instant connection is made.You and your volunteer staff will set yourselves apart as leaders by how well you remember names.
    Sundays are about connecting with preschoolers and connecting with their parents.It’s vitally important to learn the names of the families who enter your church facilities each week.Great leaders will spend time on this.It’s a discipline and a habit you must work on to master.
Take photos. The best way to learn the names of your preschoolers is to take their pictures—but ask parents’ permission first, and have them sign release forms.
Make information cards. After you print each child’s photo, cut it out and attach it to a 4x6-inch card. Write the child’s name, parents’ names, and any other information you’d like. You can make this fun by asking preschoolers to tell you their favorite foods, colors, sports, songs, or TV shows. Review these cards to help you not only remember their names but also to learn more about them.
    Making an all-out effort to learn every child’s name is a true act of love and a confirmation of your commitment to preschoolers and their families.
—Gina

I remember having time to play when I was a child.Every minute of my day wasn’t scheduled.I was allowed to have fun by using my imagination.
    Fast-forward to today.Busy families are working harder than ever.American fathers work an average of 51 hours a week, and mothers work 41 hours a week on average.So parents try to maximize their time with their children by creating the “organized kid.”It seems every moment of a child’s day is scheduled.Children today have 12 hours less free time each week than kids did in 1981.Forty percent of school districts in America have eliminated recess.Dr.Jack Wetter, director of UCLA’s department of pediatric psychology, says, “I see small children so programmed they have no leisure time.”Many parents today have gotten caught up in the false belief that free play is unimportant or even a waste of time.We’ve turned children into miniature adults.
    But studies have shown that play is vitally important in a child’s life.Children need free time to explore, use their imaginations, and just be kids.Play is also a learning opportunity in disguise.Play promotes development, problem solving, and creativity.It helps build better attention spans and encourages social development.
    Is play an element of your preschool ministry?Are you giving children the opportunity to develop and learn through play?If we asked preschoolers in your ministry whether they get to play at church, what would they say?
    An effective ministry creates a fun and playful environment for preschoolers.Preschoolers aren’t miniature adults.They’re children.They need to laugh, giggle, play, and have fun.One of the most important things you can do is make your preschool ministry fun.
    Allow preschoolers free time to play at church.Set up play centers that children can experience before your preschool ministry begins.Let them have time to be spontaneous.Give them time to just goof off.
    Build a team of preschool volunteers who like to have fun and play.The attitude and demeanor of your volunteer leaders will determine the atmosphere of your preschool environment.Find people who are gifted to be in preschool ministry.You’ll recognize them by their spirit of fun—they like to play with kids!Research has proven that the level of children’s play rises when adults play with them.
    Use play as a teaching tool.Knowing facts alone isn’t enough.Just because a preschooler can repeat something doesn’t mean he or she has learned it.Everyone learns from meaningful experiences.Play that’s hands-on, interactive, and focused promotes learning that lasts.Companies such as LeapFrog have discovered this and are producing toys that teach.Offer guided play opportunities in your preschool ministry that teach kids God’s Word.Group’s Hands-On Bible Curriculum ® ( group.com ) provides toys and other objects to use