Children with Special Needs
How a Children's Ministry Can Cater to These Kids
Children with special needs need special care. Learn what your Children's Ministry can do to reach out to the families of kids with special needs.
If you have a child in your Children's Ministry with special needs, then you may wonder how you will find activities that will include the child. Children come in all shapes and sizes, and even disabilities. Even if you cannot see a physical disability, you could deal with issues such as hearing loss, ADD, or even something such as dyslexia. You need to make sure that you and your Sunday School teachers are reaching out to these children.
Awareness is Key
One of the first things that you will want to do when you have a special needs child in your Children’s Ministry is to make sure that those who will teach the child are aware of the situation. It is always a good idea to sit down with the child’s parents and find out what the child can and cannot do, and how you can make things easier for the child. Most parents will appreciate the fact that you are sensitive to their child’s unique needs. If the child will be joining a Sunday School class, make sure that the teacher and the children are also aware. Point out that the child may look or act a little differently, but that he or she is really not that different at all.
Introduction to the Children
The next thing you will want to do is to introduce the child to the other children. The children may have a lot of questions about the new child and let them know that it is okay to ask. You might even want to play a game with all the children and let them try to bounce a ball in a wheelchair or blindfold the children to see how they react. This is a good way for the children to get an idea of what the special needs child goes through on a daily basis.
Assign a Buddy
Children are almost always eager to help out, so why not give the special needs child a buddy each week. The buddy can help the new child with crafts, reading or even just navigating around the church. Take turns and assign the child a new buddy each week. This will make the special needs child feel like a part of the group, and it will give all the children a chance to get to know and make a new friend.
Adapting Activities
As you plan activities for the children, you will want to keep the special needs child in mind. It may take some creativity, but you will be able to adapt most games and activities for the child. For example, if you are doing an obstacle course and the child is unable to participate, could he or she call out what to do next or keep score? If a game is timed, can you allow for extra time so that the child can complete the work? If the child has problems with fine motor skills, can you pre-cut small pieces or assign that task to the weekly buddy? There are many ways to adapt activities for children.
A New Class for Children with Severe Disabilities
If you have a few children in your church who have severe disabilities where learning in a traditional classroom is not an option, consider starting a Special Needs class that is designed especially for children with severe disabilities. This may include small stimulating activities. Parents can rotate taking care of the class, and they will appreciate knowing that they have other families in the church who truly understand their situation.
