Getting kids involved in the ministry of helping others is the best way to teach them about how we are to serve others and follow the example that Jesus gave us. These ideas are fun and rewarding. They can be adapted as a Children's Ministry program or ways for families to work together.
Service Project Ideas
- Clean and organize give-away clothing closets.
- Sort through and organize donations given to agencies.
- Help prepare and serve the food at a soup kitchen or hospice.
- Clean up, set-up, or tear down at a soup kitchen.
- Help move small furniture for shelters.
- Perform puppet shows, musicals, concerts or choir performances at shelters, soup kitchens, or hospices.
- Do yard work or general cleanup of any facility-from weed pulling to vacuuming.
- Help prepare bulk mailings to benefit an agency.
- Promote fund-raisers on behalf of the service agency.
- Paint furniture, walls, or items that don't need to be "perfect."
- Paint over graffiti.
- Gather and deliver items for people in need. This is a great way to get involved with inmates' families.
- Play with homeless children on day visits or by sponsoring a trip for children in homeless shelters.
- Visit and serve people in an elderly community.
- Work at the Special Olympics.
- Plant trees and shrubs at a location in dire need of environmental care.
- Organize the canned and boxed goods in a food pantry.
Community Outreach Ideas for Kids
Art Day. Invite kids of the community to come and paint pictures and then display them in your church as a gallery. Offer 15-minute workshops on how to mix colors, how to draw shapes to make pictures, and perhaps even on cartooning.
Gym Day. Open your church gym or rent a place where kids can come and learn how to play sports. Have an instructor to teach basic skills for basketball, soccer, gymnastics, and other sports. Promote it as a sports clinic day. Ask a local grocery to donate free drinks and give them a token in return for their generosity.
Game Day. Have kids bring their favorite table games. Hold a tournament and give prizes in each age category. Or make your own games. How about a huge Twister using various colored paper plates taped to the floor?
Sidewalk Circus. Get kids involved in making puppets, unless you have a puppet ministry in your church already. Perform shows and skits at a local park. Bring along a clown who can make balloon animals or do face painting.
Music Day. Kids can make their own instruments and then come to your church to have a jamboree. If you have experienced musicians in your church, perhaps they can give lessons to kids. Towards the end of the day, have a parade.
Friendship Day. Encourage each child to bring a friend to your Sunday Shool class. As a teacher, honor friends by having special treats and introductions given by the children who brought friends.
Cookie Bake-Off. Kids love to cook. Have kids make and bake cookies. After the baking is done, wrap up cookies in zip-lock baggies or special bags and give them to your churches shut-ins, take them to a nursing home, or visit the children's ward at a local hospital.
Children's Day. Use this special day to recognize children. Focus all the music and events around children. Decorate with helium balloon bouquets. Have children assist adult ushers and lead in prayer. Invite parents so they can be ministered to as they see how much your church values their children.
