Children’s ministries are known for hosting some of the biggest and best events in the church. Our leaders are adept at filling water balloons, dumping slime tanks, shooting T-shirts from cannons, and hiding piles of candy-filled plastic eggs across a field.

Families love watching their kids have a great time, but purposeful, discipleship-focused children’s ministry leaders know that these events aren’t just about fun. Instead, they are a part of an intentional plan to introduce families to the church and Jesus, while creating community among kids and families.

Here are some ways a strong leader can maximize the impact of the time, energy, and resources invested in these events:

Start with the end in mind.

Clearly define what success looks like before you begin planning. What outcomes will you measure: number of visitors, kids inviting friends, and children hearing the Gospel? Choose specific, measurable goals and revisit them during your post-event debrief. If your event is geared toward kids and families who are not already part of your church, have a plan in place to help them take a next step.

Plan for your target audience.

Know exactly who you are designing the event for: age range, gender, and whether kids are churched or unchurched. If needed, study trends from this age group to create a solid promotional plan. Pro tip: When planning a large, multi-age event, it’s often effective to design and market with a 4th-grade boy in mind; if you capture his attention, you’ll likely engage everyone else.

Lock the budget in early.

Finalizing your budget upfront guides every planning decision. It helps determine what can be purchased, what may need to be donated, whether additional volunteers are required, and if large attractions or rentals are realistic.

Set the schedule.

Create a minute-by-minute game plan. Your schedule should include set-up times, when event volunteers need to arrive, the official start time, the length of activities, a dedicated time for presenting the Gospel, the ending time, and when clean-up begins.

Recruit a full team.

Special events are a great on-ramp for new volunteers. Use this short-term commitment opportunity to discover the gifts and talents within your church. Be intentional about recruiting for clearly defined roles and timeframes, such as setup team, event-day team, teaching team, and cleanup team.

Cover the event in prayer.

One of the most common pitfalls for children’s ministry leaders is neglecting prayer. We love to execute with excellence, but we must intentionally pause to ask God to lead the event, draw the right families, and break down spiritual barriers. Prayer isn’t optional—it’s foundational.

Debrief

After the event, take time to review what happened and evaluate outcomes. Take good notes so that you can use what you’ve learned at future events. Execute the next steps for visitors, thank those who served during the event, and take time to praise God for all that He did!

Kris Smoll is the founder and Executive Director of Discovery Land Global. She graduated from Moody Bible Institute and has led child discipleship at Alliance Church in Appleton, Wisconsin, for over 30 years. She is an international speaker, strategic planner, and consultant. She is passionate about kids knowing the Word of God, boldly sharing their faith, and confidently living their lives for Christ.