In Children’s Ministry, it helps if you think like a kid!  It’s about entering their world. Jesus modelled this beautifully when He welcomed children, blessed them, and held them up as examples of faith. To serve kids well, adults need to do something surprisingly difficult:  We need to think like a kid.  Not act childish. Not dumb things down. But step into a child’s way of seeing, feeling, and understanding the world.  When volunteers learn to think like kids, everything changes — the atmosphere, the engagement, the learning, and the spiritual impact.

Why It’s Important to Think Like a Kid

1. Kids learn through imagination, not abstraction

Adults love explanations. Kids love pictures, stories, actions, and wonder.  When you think like a kid, you stop saying: “Today’s lesson is about forgiveness.”  And you start saying: “Have you ever had a friend hurt your feelings? Let’s see what Jesus says we can do with that.”  Kids understand faith when it’s connected to their real world.

2. Kids feel before they analyse

Children decide whether something is safe, fun, or worth listening to long before they understand the content.

If a volunteer:

• smiles warmly
• kneels to their level
• uses their name
• shows genuine interest

…the child’s heart opens. And an open heart is ready to hear about Jesus.

3. Kids learn through movement and multisensory experiences

Children don’t sit still because their brains aren’t designed to. They learn through:

• touching
• moving
• repeating
• acting
• playing

Thinking like a kid means designing experiences, not lectures.

4. Kids trust the people who enter their world

When adults take children seriously — their jokes, their fears, their questions, their treasures — kids feel valued.  And when a child feels valued, they are far more likely to trust what you say about God.

5. Kids’ faith grows through joy

Children associate God with the emotions they feel in His house.

If church feels:

• joyful
• safe
• welcoming
• full of wonder

…then God feels joyful, safe, welcoming, and full of wonder.

Thinking like a kid helps us create that environment.

How Volunteers Can Learn to Think Like a Kid

1. Get down to their level — literally

Sit on the floor. Kneel beside them. Look them in the eyes.  When you physically lower yourself, you mentally shift into their world.

2. Use kid‑sized language

Not baby talk — clear talk.  Swap: “Let’s reflect on the significance of this verse.”  For: “Let’s think about what this verse means for us today.”  Short sentences. Concrete words. Real examples.

3. Ask questions kids actually think about

Instead of: “What does this passage teach us about discipleship?”  Try: “What would you do if you were the boy with the five loaves and two fish?”  Kids enter the story when they can imagine themselves inside it.

4. Embrace silliness

Kids learn best when they’re having fun.

Use:

• funny voices
• dramatic reactions
• simple props
• quick games
• actions with memory verses

When adults loosen up, kids lean in.

5. Notice the small things

Kids will show you their:

• scraped knee
• new shoes
• wobbly tooth
• drawing
• toy dinosaur

These moments are special. They say, “See me.” And when you see them, they’ll listen to you.

6. Think in pictures

Kids remember what they see.

Use:

• object lessons
• drama
• role‑play
• visual metaphors
• simple crafts

If you can draw it, act it, or hold it — do it.

7. Slow down and wonder with them

Kids are full of wonder. Adults are full of schedules.

Pause and say:

• “Wow, isn’t that amazing?”
• “I wonder what Jesus was thinking right then.”
• “Let’s imagine what that looked like.”

Wonder is the doorway to worship.

8. Celebrate every small step

Kids thrive on encouragement.

Say:

• “I love how you listened.”
• “Great question.”
• “You prayed so bravely.”
• “You helped your friend — that’s what Jesus loves.”

Thinking like a kid means noticing progress, not perfection.

Conclusion: Thinking Like a Kid Is a Ministry Superpower

When adults think like kids, ministry becomes:

• more joyful
• more relational
• more memorable
• more spiritually effective

Because children don’t just need teachers. They need grown‑ups who are willing to enter their world — so they can lead them into God’s world.

Free Super Sunday lessons to download for playful opportunities in your Children’s Church:

A Day in the Art Gallery: You are God’s masterpiece https://cooeekidsministry.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/A-Day-in-the-Art-Gallery.pdf

Dino Day: God Created Dinosaurs https://cooeekidsministry.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Dino-Day.pdf

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

Tricky Day: The Story of Jacob https://cooeekidsministry.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Tricky-Day.pdf

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