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5 Steps Churches Can Take to Create a Family-Friendly Atmosphere

Customer Experience Design and Decor Ideas

February 27, 2023

Help grow your congregation by taking a few extra steps to create a warm and inviting space for families. By building a family-friendly atmosphere and using kid-centric decor, you can keep your existing members engaged and help new families feel welcomed, especially if their children may feel intimidated by the space when attending church.

Let’s explore the steps you can make to create a more welcoming space for families in your church.

1. Provide Activities and Spaces for Children

Youth-focused activities such as Sunday school, or youth groups will keep your younger members feeling more engaged, have a sense of community, and have a chance to build friendships. Creating collaborative events such as group volunteering or church preparations allow your kids to become more involved and grow their critical thinking skills to prepare them for the future.

Consider giving children their own space within your church that will allow them to have fun, feel safe, and leave a memorable experience to look forward to next time.

Providing a space for kids can include themed play areas, age-appropriate activities like slides for youngsters and video games for teens, or a hang-out room with child-friendly furnishings. These themed spaces can bring life into a room and leave a memorable impression on both kids and new families alike.

Something as simple as custom murals can make all the difference in a room. Using colorful murals and kid-friendly messaging on your walls can help ease the nerves and show new families that your church cares.

Take it one step further and add murals to your windows. This can help make your church stand out and set the tone for what’s expected to come.

2. Create Accommodations for Families

Offering amenities such as changing tables, nursing rooms, and children-sized bathroom fixtures are another great way to create a family-friendly environment within your church. Having these fixtures will create both a handy and thoughtful area for your members. Theming of these spaces with bright colors and images can add a vibrancy that can cater to your children.

3. Nurture a Sense of Community

Creating a welcoming and inclusive environment will help your members feel comfortable and want to stay within your community. Be proactive when it comes to connecting with your members and ensure that they feel invited and welcomed to participate.

Ways to encourage a welcoming environment can include inviting new patrons to community events or classes, providing them with information on ways they can stay engaged with the church, or connecting them with other members that have similar interests.

4. Encourage Intergenerational Connections

Encouraging connections throughout generations can build camaraderie within your church. Involving the older and younger members of your church to connect can create opportunities for learning life lessons, building trust, and developing new skills.

Hosting programs or events such as recreational sports leagues, weekly community gatherings or keynote speaker nights can provide opportunities for your members to grow and learn together regardless of age.

You can even create special presentations or theater areas for children to watch and learn from others in a fun and inviting atmosphere.

5. Provide Resources for Families

Providing informational resources to your members will further show that you care and are involved with your community.

Informational resources such as parenting tips, extracurricular activities, and information on caregiving can be stepping stones to building a strong family-friendly environment. These resources can be physical through pamphlets and printouts or can be digital by hosting a newsletter or blog online for your church.

Transform Your Church into a Sanctuary for Families

By taking these 5 steps, you can welcome families old and new, helping to grow your church community. When new families come to visit your church, they will be happy to know that the church they attend is accommodating, caring and resourceful.

Building a friendly community doesn’t happen overnight but with the right amount of consistency and proactive initiatives, your new members will be right at home in no time.

Want to learn more about transforming your church into a sanctuary for children with the help of IDS? Click here.

Want more resources for making your church family-friendly? Check out the blog below.