When young families come on a Sunday morning, their impression of your church often begins in the nursery. They need to know that their child will be safe and well cared for while they attend the worship service.
A well-managed church nursery is not simply a helpful service. It’s a vital ministry that requires careful planning, clear purpose, and a heart for children.
Whether you’re building a nursery for the first time or fine-tuning an existing space, these essentials can help ensure every child is cared for with love and excellence.
Safety and Security
Parents will feel more comfortable leaving their child in the nursery if they know that their child will be safe.
Volunteers should complete an application, an interview and a police check before they start volunteering in the nursery. This process communicates to parents that your church makes it a priority to do everything they can to have a team of volunteers they can trust.
Is there a process in place where children are signed in and out? Having a system in place where children are accounted for while they are in your care, as well as clear documentation of who they should be released to, is fairly easy to implement if you do not have this in place already. A printed label for the child and parent, or a sign-in app can be used.
The physical space should be safe for children to be in. Electrical outlets should be covered. Toys should be age appropriate and choking hazards removed.
Nursery Cleanliness
Babies and toddlers love to put things in their mouths. It’s extremely important that the nursery environment be clean for the children that will be in the room. Having a plan to clean the toys and surfaces regularly is vital.
Consider implementing a system where toys are washed at the end of each service. Wipe down all baby equipment that was used. Have regular cleaning parties several times a year where everything in the room gets a good, thorough clean.
Diaper changing areas should be kept clean and well stocked. Have a cover for the changing table so that a fresh, clean surface is available after each child is changed. Receiving blankets and changing pad covers should be washed after each use.
Volunteers and Training
Nursery volunteers should be trained so that families can have a consistent experience from week to week. The process for signing in a child and communication about supplies available for their baby should be consistent when families arrive.
Consider having a sign-in sheet that asks parents to check off things that are relevant to their child. Are they able to sit up on their own? Are they able to walk? Do they have a bottle available if needed?
Volunteers should also be trained in nursery policies. A nursery handbook that outlines your policies on health, discipline, allergies, check-in, and emergency protocols should be given to each volunteer.
Age Appropriate
Every child develops at their own pace, but age-specific care helps ensure both safety and engagement. Whenever possible, separate children by age—for example, infants in one area and toddlers in another.
For infants, a quiet, soft space with bouncers, cribs, and soothing music is ideal. Toddlers, on the other hand, need space to move, explore, and interact with toys that stimulate motor skills and imagination.
Toys and equipment in the nursery should be age appropriate. Babies should not have access to toys with tiny parts that could be a choking hazard.
Communication with Parents
Nursery volunteers need to know how to best care for a child. Asking questions to discover what each child needs while they are in the nursery is extremely important. This helps volunteers care for each baby without disrupting their parents in the worship service.
Nursery volunteers should assure parents that they will call them if their child becomes unsettled for an agreed upon amount of time.
Once parents return to pick up their child, volunteers should give them a brief summary of what they did during their time with them in the nursery, and how their child adjusted to being there with them.
Tips for Settling Unhappy Children
Sometimes children are not comfortable being left with people they do not know. Try these suggestions to help children settle once they are left in the nursery:
- Distract them with a toy that is facing the opposite direction of the drop off area.
- Use a stroller to walk them around. If a parent brings their child in a stroller, simply swap positions with them and have a nursery volunteer push the stroller so the parent can leave.
- Use a bubble machine to fill the room with bubbles. Children are often amazed at a room full of bubbles.
Welcoming Environment
A state-of-the-art nursery environment is not necessary to care for babies. However, providing a space that looks welcoming to babies communicates to parents that children are a priority in your church. Fresh paint and a little creativity can go a long way in creating a space that is baby friendly. Searching the Internet is a great place to find many examples.
Incorporate Spiritual Moments
Nursery time at church can be much more than babysitting. It can be a foundational opportunity for spiritual nurturing, even for babies and toddlers.
While very young children may not grasp theological concepts, they are incredibly receptive to love, tone, repetition, and atmosphere.
Volunteers can pray over each child while they are in their care. They can use board books to read them Bible stories. They can have preschool style worship music playing in the nursery for children to hear and become familiar with. Singing short songs such as ‘Jesus Loves Me’ can begin to instill a love for music and worship even while the children are young.
A well-run church nursery is far more than a place to keep children occupied during services. It is a vital ministry that reflects the heart of your church.
By prioritizing safety, maintaining high standards of cleanliness, offering age-appropriate care, and equipping compassionate, well-trained volunteers, you create a space where families feel comfortable and children experience the love of Christ from their earliest moments.
Carolyn Burge is the kids pastor at Creekside Church in Waterloo, Ontario. She is also the author of the blog KidsMinistryLeadership.com.
