Time to be honest.

Before working in children's ministry, I spent eight years in a play-based, child-led nursery school. I built our curriculum around the children's interests and needs rather than following a set curriculum. Then I moved into children's ministry and was handed a boxed curriculum. To be honest, it was hard for me. It felt unnatural.

The lessons didn't always fit the children's interests or the situations they were going through. Sadly, even young children go through hard things. I struggled with following a lesson that didn't seem to fit the needs of the children sitting in front of me.

For several years, I tried different curricula, rewriting lessons and changing crafts into process art invitations. I liked the structure and scripts for my teachers, but I struggled to make the content fit our children. I have always believed that children themselves, their interests, questions, and experiences should shape our curriculum, so I found myself asking how I could bring that philosophy into children's ministry.

I prayed about it and continued using boxed curricula for the first few years. Then something clicked. I looked back at all the places God had put me throughout my life and realized I already had years of experience in child-led, play-based classrooms. Why wasn't I bringing more of that into children's ministry?

I got to work figuring out how to make our classrooms more child-led.

I recognize that I have an advantage serving at a small church, where we have flexibility in how we plan and respond to children. But I believe this approach can be used in churches of all sizes. We can start by looking at how to build children's interests, questions, and experiences into the ministry we already have.

My first step was getting to know the children. I observed what they gravitated toward during play, what they talked about with their peers, and what interested them outside of church. I got down on the floor, played with them, was silly, and built connections.
I also reached out to families to learn what was happening at home, what challenges they were navigating, and what we could build on at church.

As I got to know the children and their families, I began building my own curriculum around them. It took years of second-guessing myself and lots of prayer. I take two things seriously: protecting childhood and nurturing children's journey with Christ. I put a lot of pressure on myself, wondering if I was making the right decision. But over time, it started to feel more natural. The children were engaged, and I was learning to trust the process.

So, what do I mean when I say children are the curriculum? Every child brings different interests, life experiences, thoughts, questions, and wonders into the classroom. When we take time to know them, we can build experiences around who they are and what they need.

Let's take our preschool class as an example. We have up to 10 children on a Sunday morning. When I wrote my first lesson, I wrote down everything I knew about the children and looked for common interests. One thing that stood out was how much they loved books. I also noticed emotions coming up in different areas of their lives and wondered how we could explore those feelings together.

I chose Count Yourself Calm by Eliza Huie and planned experiences around the children's interests in playdough, sand, and paint. At the playdough table, I offered emotion stampers, cutters, and other materials. In the sand, I hid emotion puzzle pieces and added tweezers for the children to discover and use.

For process art, I cut large paper circles and offered paper punches, tape, glue, paint, and markers. I could picture some children making faces on their circles, but it was just as okay if they chose something completely different. My goal wasn't for everyone to create the same thing. It was to give them the freedom to explore and make something of their own.

This is where the teacher's role comes in. We prepare the environment, offer meaningful materials, observe, ask questions, and build connections. We don't have to control every part of the experience. We can trust children to explore while remaining present to guide and support them.

That first lesson became a starting point. Over the following weeks, I continued building on what I observed in the children's play and learned from families. As interests shifted and new questions emerged, I adjusted our plans.

Of course, all of this is rooted in the Bible. We read Scripture, look up verses together, and include biblical passages in our play and conversations. I want children to do more than learn about Jesus. I want them to begin to know Him, wonder about Him, and explore what following Him means in their own lives.

In Matthew 19:14, Jesus welcomes children. While this passage doesn't prescribe a particular teaching method, it reminds me of the importance of making room for children and recognizing their value. Are we making room for their voices? Are we listening to their questions? Are we taking time to understand the children God has placed in our care?

I'm not suggesting there is only one way to lead children's ministry. I'm still learning, too. I know what works in our small church may look different in a larger ministry. But we can all find ways to listen more closely, even within the curricula we already use.

Maybe it starts with allowing time for one question, offering an open-ended activity, or simply getting down on the floor and joining a child in their play.

We don't have to change everything at once.

My experience has taught me the importance of slowing down, observing, and trusting children in their learning. What might our Sunday mornings look like if we planned not only for children, but with children in mind? I believe that when we make room for children's voices, questions, and experiences, we create opportunities to walk alongside them as they grow in their faith.

Andrea McCormick Miller is a children’s ministry director and early childhood educator with over 14 years of experience advocating for play-based, child-led learning. She is passionate about creating environments where children can explore, wonder, and grow through play, and she views play as her ministry. Andrea enjoys developing curriculum and resources for children and families in her ministry. She is a wife and mother of three who loves spending time with her family. Andrea also loves spending time outdoors and finding joy in the little things.