3 Easy Ways to Connect With Kids This Summer

How do we stay connected with kids and families over the summer? It’s a challenge for every church, and even more so now that we’re already operating at a disadvantage due to the pandemic.

Of course, there’s no magic formula, but here are three easy ideas that might help you this summer!

Use Family Worship at Home

Many of our families are still staying home and not attending regularly. Others will be going on vacation, hosting friends and family, or traveling for sports and other activities. How do we stay connected when our families are in a hundred different places?

We designed the Family Worship at Home series to meet that specific need. The first volume is a series of six videos based on our Promises album. Each video includes a fun, engaging teaching time and three song videos with hand motions. Plus, a digital version of our Promises Family Worship Guide is included so parents can ask follow up questions and have a time of guided prayer with their kids.

When you purchase a license for Family Worship at Home, you’ll be able to upload the videos to your website or social media. And you can send a digital copy of the Promises Family Worship Guide to every family in your church.

Plan a Summer Kids Choir

Now I know what you’re thinking: I thought you said these were easy ideas!

But actually, summer is a super easy time to have a kids choir. In fact, we’ve started doing it regularly at our church. There are less weekly activities to compete with in the summer, and parents are looking for something for their kids to do. We manage the scale of what we’re trying to accomplish, and rehearse every other week starting after VBS. We expect and understand that kids are likely to miss a rehearsal or two along the way.

The cool part is that you can use the kids choir “performance” to be a re-gathering moment for the families in your congregation. This year, we’re planning a Sunday in August where our kids choir will lead worship. Not only is it fun for them and exciting for your congregation, it’s a great excuse to get families back in church!

Plan a Re-Gathering Event

There’s a phenomenon I observe every year: The Post-VBS Diaspora.

VBS is typically at the beginning of the summer, and families often hang around for VBS, then scatter to the four winds once it’s done, going on vacations, traveling with sports teams, etc.

A good thing to plan every year is a Re-Gathering Event, something that will bring families back together in early or mid-August. This should be something super fun, not necessarily even spiritually focused. You could host a fun Family Worship Event with Doorpost Songs, rent out a local swimming pool, or plan a field day in a local park.

Whatever you do, make it fun, serve great food (always a boost to attendance!), and be prepared to tell people about the exciting things you have planned for the fall.