Putting the Spot Light on Drama in Kid’s Ministry

I use drama in Kid’s Ministry a lot. There’s no doubt that drama used on significant occasions, such as Easter and Christmas, can have a powerful impact on audiences. Plays, often incorporating music, songs and even dance, spread the Gospel in a way that creatively entertains and educates the congregation. This is especially important for un-churched family and guests who have been invited to attend. But drama is an effective means of ministering to your kids throughout the year.

Why Drama?

Drama holds children’s attention and it’s an engaging way to teach Bible truths clearly and concisely. Drama can be a refreshing way to tell a Bible Story or to teach a Memory Verse. In my opinion, drama is crucial to the success of a school holiday program or camp. Even a sport camp focused on netball or tennis can use drama during morning devotions to create impact, despite the kid’s impatience to get outside and play. Drama can be used to show kids how to apply Scripture to real life situations. Kid’s live in a visual age where vision is held to be more important than the verbal. So think about using drama in your Kid’s Ministry.

Gather a Team: Ask for volunteers. They may already be serving in Kid’s Ministry, but you might attract new volunteers, if people who enjoy the arts are given the opportunity to use their gifts.

Be organized: You’ll need to think ahead so your drama team has time to rehearse and learn lines. But most Kid’s Church leaders are looking beyond the upcoming Sunday anyway. Ideally, a skit for kid’s church should only be 3 to 4 minutes duration. You may be able to rehearse by asking your team to stay back an extra half hour after church. But major productions for Christmas or a school holiday program are going to be much more involved and require weeks of preparation including scheduled rehearsals.

Consider Appointing a Director: For a small team you’ll be able to handle the run through of a skit yourself. But if you’re serious about using drama often, you’ll need a Director. A Director will lead the drama team, make creative decisions about performances, handle warm ups and improvisation, and the distribution of roles. A Director can also source props and costumes.

Pulling together a drama team to make your Kid’s Church even more engaging can benefit everyone. Drama will encourage faithfulness, creativity and discipline in your volunteers. And there’s a lot of fun to be had along the way, too!