As a former elementary teacher with over 13 years of experience, working with kids is a strength that I am really comfortable with. But switching careers to full-time children’s ministry in 2025 left me feeling a little out of sorts and unsure of what to expect.

Since then, I have found this role to be very rewarding, but one of the most challenging aspects of children’s ministry is family engagement.
I learned this hard lesson during my first Gingerbread Bash. I made all the plans, and only four families showed up.

It’s not always about the numbers, but the goal of these events is to bring the families closer to Jesus, so the more families that get to experience that, the better.

I tried to engage the parents with a family WhatsApp group. That flopped terribly. Parents do not want to be added to one more conversation thread.

I tried to host another family event a few months later. This time we did a much better job promoting it. But not everyone that registered actually showed up. There were six families that participated, which was about 15 people.

I knew I wasn’t going to convince all the families that the extra events on the calendar were worth attending, but we were moving in the right direction.

I created a survey asking parents for their availability and the types of activities they would be interested in. Most of the parent surveys requested outside events on the weekend.

When it came time for our small community groups during the summer, the team wanted to try a family small group. We would host the group on Saturdays at a local park based on the survey.

On the first day, we had a mom and her preschooler show up. After that, no one showed up for the remaining group dates.

To be very transparent, I was disappointed. I felt like the parents just didn’t want to engage.

The parent engagement piece, outside of a Sunday, was an elusive goal that just seemed to slip away just when I thought I had cracked the code with a better way to reach them.

Then it hit me. I had left out prayer. I was so focused on strategy, planning, and marketing that I completely left prayer off the to-do list. That next Sunday, when the prayer team asked for prayer requests, I asked for direction with family engagement, and that was the prayer I kept on repeat.

It was time for the next event.

I prayed for a shift in my perspective of the parents. I started to understand that It’s not that they don’t want to engage; they are just busy. And sometimes, it might come down to something as simple as them truly forgetting. I decided I could do my best to help them remember.

I changed the pacing of my email and bingo! The next event was a success. Here is the communication sequence I used:

1st email: One month out to create awareness.
• Share the heart behind the event
• Tell the kids about it in class
• Print a paper invite with a QR code

2nd Email: Reminder two weeks out.
• Dates, details, and registration links
• Send confirmation email (try to automate this process if possible)
• Pass out paper invite to anyone who didn’t get one the previous week

3rd email: Second reminder one week out.
• Send details, registration link, and encourage them to bring a friend
• Send reminder email with all details to registered families; encourage them to bring a friend

4th email: Day before the event.
• Send details and remind them it’s not too late to register
• Reminder email to registered families letting them know the event is tomorrow.

5th email: Two hours before the event.
• Send to all registered families; include location and parking instructions
• Provide a contact number

With every email, I had more families sign up. The event had about 50 people! We maxed out the event space!

The final step is to promote the next event. Before the parents left the event, I promoted the second annual Gingerbread Bash.

On that Sunday, we also highlighted the turnout for the event from the platform and invited parents to participate in the Gingerbread Bash for Christmas. Families are already excited to attend.

So now, finishing up a year and a half of being the Children’s Ministry Coordinator and struggling to get parents to engage, I think I’m starting to crack the code. Maybe I can help you to start looking at parent engagement not as a problem to fix but as an opportunity to help them get connected.

Parents need prayer. Parents need reminders. So, keep praying. Keep engaging. Love the families of the church like Jesus. Accept them just the way they are.

Amie Archbold serves as the cKids Coordinator at Celebration Church, where she leads children’s ministry with a passion for building strong families and developing thriving volunteer teams. With over 13 years of experience in education and leadership (including time as a lower elementary teacher and school administrator), she brings both structure and heart to every environment she creates. Amie is deeply committed to helping children encounter Jesus in meaningful ways while equipping parents and volunteers to feel confident, supported, and connected.