Helping Kids and Parents Find Community

As children’s leaders, we know church isn’t only a place where teaching Bible stories and singing songs happen. It’s also a place where relationships are formed. Kids thrive when they feel connected to their peers and to adults who care about them. Parents, too, benefit when they build friendships and support networks with one another. With a little intentionality, we can create an environment that encourages connection for both kids and parents.

We were created for relationships. Kids learn social skills, empathy, confidence, and feel like they belong through interactions with others. Parents gain encouragement, wisdom, and community when they connect with other adults who are navigating similar stages of life. As leaders, we have a unique opportunity to model relational skills, provide space for relationships to form, and guide families toward meaningful connection.

Helping Kids Connect with Peers

Some kids make friends easily, while others need a little extra help. Here are some easy ways to nurture kid-to-kid connections in your ministry:

1. Warm Welcome – Greet every child by name and encourage them to do the same with their peers. Hearing their name helps a child feel noticed from the moment they walk in the room. 
2. Free Play – Provide time and a variety of appealing toys and games during every service. Interacting in this way creates a low-pressure opportunity for children to get to know one another.
3. Small Groups – Large groups can be intimidating for some children. Breaking kids into pairs or trios allows all children, especially quieter ones, to have a chance to speak and be heard.
4. Partner Up – Pair new or especially shy kids with a friendly peer to help them navigate the class, introduce them to others, and feel included. Teaching children hospitality and kindness creates a welcoming environment for all.

Helping Kids Connect with Leaders and Volunteers

Connection with caring adults is just as important as peer relationships. Kids need adults who are approachable, trustworthy, and genuinely interested in their lives. Leaders can develop these relationships in several ways:

1. Names and Stories – Take time to learn each child’s name, interests, and family. Mentioning these kinds of things in conversation shows that you care.
2. Familiar Faces – Kids build trust when the same leaders are present week to week. Not all volunteers are able to serve that often, but scheduling teams so there’s at least one familiar face each week gives children a chance to know and be known by the adults in their class.
3. One-on-One Moments – Try to connect with each child individually for at least a few minutes each week. Asking a child to share a high or a low from their week and actively listening lets them know how important they are.
4. Presence Prayers – As often as possible, pray with and for kids individually. Not only does this deepen trust with a child, but it also models faith in action. 

Helping Parents Connect

Parenting can be lonely without the support of others. As leaders, we can create opportunities for parents to meet, share, and build friendships in these ways:

• Welcoming Spaces – Coffee and snacks for grown-ups during check-in and check-out encourage parents to linger and talk. Offering an inviting place just for parents creates time for relationships to form.
• Intentional Introductions – Ask some of your regularly attending parents to look for opportunities to introduce themselves to new families, find out a little about them, and help connect them to other parents in the church. A simple introduction may spark a great friendship.  
• Shared Experiences – Family events, service projects, or seasonal activities give parents a natural way to interact while participating alongside their kids. Engaging in an activity as a group can be a low-pressure way to build friendships.
• Life Stages – Organize small groups or events for new parents, school-age families, blended families, etc. Sharing commonalities creates natural conversation starters that encourage support systems to grow.

Being intentional about connection doesn’t mean orchestrating every friendship or forcing interaction. It means creating spaces where kids and parents feel welcomed, valued, and seen. Whether through small-group activities, a kind word, or a shared prayer, children’s leaders have the power to help build lasting relationships that strengthen faith and community.