Summer. Kids are experiencing downtime—time that could easily be filled with television after the initial summer thrill wears off. When I directed children’s ministry at Crossroads Covenant Church in Loveland, Colorado, we placed a high value on summer as a prime opportunity to minister to children in our community through a variety of summerlong activities and events. Here are the keys to our greatest summer program successes.

6 Keys to Summer Program Success in Your Ministry

1. Spring is in the air.

We publicized our summer program as soon as the ground started to thaw. Waiting to advertise what your church offers over the summer can be detrimental to participation. Crossroads promoted its summer programming to our church attendees, while making a deliberate attempt to advertise in the community. We created fliers for distribution through the public schools, and we hung posters where kids spent time—the local recreation center, the public library, movie theaters, dance studios, and anywhere kids frequented.

2. Start big!

We started our summer programming with a week of vacation Bible school. This consistently was our biggest attendance draw. Plus, it was a great hook for kids because they rarely leave such a fun and engaging program without wishing to return for more. We concentrated on hospitality during the week, making sure kids felt welcome and connected with leaders and peers. We created a fun environment by decorating according to our theme and playing energetic music. Then we made a connection with parents at the end of the week by inviting them to our closing program. We were sure to genuinely thank them for letting our team enjoy their kids for the week. We’d then invite kids and families to participate in the variety of activities we offered during the rest of the summer, and we had volunteers available to take new registrations.

3. Tap kids’ interests.

Weeklong day camps are the perfect way to provide learning opportunities in areas where kids have an interest. Maybe this interest is in sports, art, drama, or science. At Crossroads we provided day camps that covered topics kids want to learn about. We brought in local experts to talk with kids or teach on a particular topic. High school or college athletes made great instructors and passed the “cool” filter with kids. High school teachers often appreciated a change of pace when offered the chance to spend a day with elementary-age kids. And a church’s drama director appreciated a day of teaching drama to kids as an opportunity to spark interest in future volunteers. We let kids get a taste of specialty areas by providing lots of time to experiment and actively participate.

Day camps not only offer opportunities to help kids develop lifelong interests and hobbies, but they also open the door to teaching kids about God in creative ways. Providing kids with sports heroes who love God, teaching kids to use their talents and abilities to serve at church, and looking at scientific concepts with the truth that we have a Creator who made it all introduces kids who are new to church to our amazing God, and it gives regularly attending kids a chance to grow in their faith.

4. Every Friday is fun.

Fun Friday was a summer program where we provided an alternative to a day camp program. Every Friday we planned a special activity for kids to have fun at church…but elsewhere. Some Fridays we’d go to the zoo or water park. These places encouraged parents to come spend the day with their kids and other families.

Other Fridays we’d go someplace that was an easy drop-off for parents, such as a local park for a picnic, or a kid-friendly restaurant for pizza. On some Fridays, we’d have a day at the church for movies or wacky water fun. Fun Fridays became a favorite summer day for everyone. Parents had the day to relax or to join us for a family event that required little to no planning for them. Our team loved it because it only took a small amount of planning and it’s a great day to build relationships with kids.

5. Build healthy habits.

Since one of the biggest health challenges facing children is obesity, Crossroads offered programs that mindfully and inclusively taught kids healthy habits. We planned Fun Fitness Days throughout the summer for kids to play games that got and their hearts pumping. Kids have lots of energy to burn—let them! We had certified lifeguards provide free swimming lessons for kids at the local pool in early summer—water safety is important when entering the summer months. Another option we offered was Kids in the Kitchen—mornings where kids could get messy and experiment in the kitchen. We provided recipes for easy, healthy snacks and meals they could safely make all on their own. Teaching kids to take care of the bodies God gave them in a fun and hands-on way will create healthy habits to build on for a lifetime.

6. Preschoolers Wanna Have Fun

One highlight that set our children’s ministry efforts apart was our summer programs for preschoolers.

Preschool Day Camps

We offered morning day camps for 3- and 4-year-olds that were age-appropriate and geared toward learning that got young kids ready for kindergarten as we planted seeds of faith. Preschool day camps such as Messy Art and Wiggly Bugs lit up preschoolers’ eyes. Providing a morning filled with center-based activities, fun snacks, and the opportunity to play in a structured environment delighted parents as well as children!

Park-and-Play Days

For the preschoolers who had a hard time with separation, we planned Park-and-Play Days. These days offered a morning playdate with other families at the church. Meet at your facility or plan a morning at the park, complete with a parent-child art project, make-together snack, and music-and-movement time. Park-and-Play Days ease the anxieties that preschoolers face when separated from Mom or Dad for the first time.

Carmen Kamrath was an associate editor for Children’s Ministry Magazine and is a seasoned children’s ministry leader and expert.

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Want to host kids’ best week ever this summer? Check out Group’s VBS programs that offer fun, engaging, hands-on Bible learning experiences that are easy to do and adaptable to your church’s size and budget.