We all have different interests. I don’t share my husband’s passion for WWII tank restoration, and he doesn’t fully appreciate my love of junk journaling. That’s okay, because we’ve discovered shared interests in chateau renovation and aquascaping—interests we didn’t even know we had until YouTube opened the door.

Children in your Children’s Church are exactly the same. Each child arrives with their own mix of curiosities and interests they love to explore. So how do you create a program that honours those varied interests and keeps them engaged?

The good news is: you don’t need a separate lesson for every child. You simply need a program that gives children multiple ways to connect with the same truth.

1. Build Lessons with Multiple Entry Points

Children engage when they feel invited in. Offering different ways to experience the same lesson ensures every child finds something that resonates.

• Hands-on craft for the tactile learner
• Drama or role-play for the performer
• Object lesson for the curious thinker
• Movement-based game for the energetic child
• Visual elements for the child who loves colour and design

Think of your lesson as a house with many doors. Children choose the door that suits them best, but they all enter the same house.

2. Rotate Activity Types to Keep Things Fresh

Children love rhythm, but they also love novelty. A predictable rotation of activity types helps them feel secure while still keeping them excited.

For example, your month might look like:

• Week 1: Storytelling + craft
• Week 2: Object lesson + drama
• Week 3: Game + reflection activity
• Week 4: Creative project + prayer stations

This rhythm ensures every child gets a moment where their preferred style shines.

3. Choose Themes That Naturally Invite Variety

Some themes are narrow. Others open up a whole world of exploration. Choose themes that allow you to weave in different interests without straying from the biblical message.

Themes like:

• God’s Amazing World — insects, oceans, weather, gemstones
• Jesus the Storyteller — farming, fishing, celebrations, family life
• The Armour of God — design, imagination, courage, creativity
• The Fruit of the Spirit — gardening, cooking, kindness projects

A broad theme gives children permission to bring their interests with them.

4. Invite Children to Contribute

Children love to share what they know. When they feel their interests matter, they engage more deeply.

Invite them to bring:

• A drawing
• A rock or leaf
• A book they love
• A fun fact
• A photo of a pet
• Something they’ve made

This builds ownership and helps you discover interests you didn’t know they had.

5. Celebrate Their Differences

When one child loves dinosaurs and another loves baking, celebrate both. Show them that God made their minds curious and creative in wonderfully different ways. When children feel seen, they feel safe. When they feel safe, they engage. When they engage, they grow.

6. Create Space for Discovery

Children often discover new interests simply because you gave them the opportunity. A craft they’ve never tried, a drama moment they didn’t expect, a science experiment they’ve never seen—these can open new doors. Your program becomes a place where children learn not only about God, but about themselves.

A Program That Welcomes Every Child

You don’t need to be an expert in every interest. You simply need to create a program that offers variety, honours individuality, and invites curiosity. When children see that their interests matter, they see that they matter. And that is the heart of Children’s Church.

Download these free Children’s Church lessons that cover a lot of different interests!

Soccer kid: Colours of Allegiance (Joseph) https://cooeekidsministry.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Colours-of-Allegiance.pdf

Balloon-loving kid: Bless the Lord, O My Soul https://cooeekidsministry.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Bless-the-Lord-O-My-Soul.pdf

Water baby: Asaph’s Slippery Moment (Psalm 73) https://cooeekidsministry.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Slippery-Dip.pdf

Dinosaur kid: Dino Day (Creation) https://cooeekidsministry.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Dino-Day.pdf

Lego kid: The Lost Coin https://cooeekidsministry.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Lego-Day-1.pdf

Cave kid: Trust God in the Cave (The Cave of Adullum) https://cooeekidsministry.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Trust-God-in-the-Cave-.pdf

Surfer kid: Swashy in the Wash (Ask for Wisdom) https://cooeekidsministry.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Swashy-in-the-Wash.pdf