Children’s Area Church Safety Doesn’t Have to Be Ugly

It’s easy to presume that church safety is going to look like a fortress, but that doesn’t have to be true. Security doesn’t have to be ugly. Here are some examples of how attractive the check-in desk for the children’s area in your church building can be, while keeping children safe and happy in a space that’s clearly designed for them.

Choosing Thematic Check-in Desks

One option, as you can see here, is to deck out the desk with a dramatic and colorful theme, such as Noah’s Ark, the Reign Forest (get it? Rain/Reign Forest), or the Sea of Galilee. With the Sea of Galilee, the check-in desk itself has become a ship, while the setting is laid out in colorful artwork that extends up the walls, which show the sea itself. Kids and parents are standing on the deck of a ship when they check in, enhancing the sense of adventure while providing security.

With the Reign Forest, a fountain and set of tropical trees behind the check-in desk do the same job of drawing kids into the experience of entering a rain forest, while the check-in desk itself serves as a visual barrier. You know you’re not supposed to go beyond the desk unless you’ve checked in, so it’s an effective design that is still user-friendly as well.

A Check-in Church Design with Bright Colors and Clear Views

In this photo, the bright colors clearly indicate this is the children’s area of the church building, without any need for a theme. The check-in desk curves around, creating a visual block to prevent anyone from proceeding further without checking in. Another advantage to this design is that all the classroom doors are visible from the check-in area, and that the doors have windows, which keeps everyone inside the rooms accountable and easily visible from outside.

Creating a Hard Barrier to Keep Children Safe in Your Church Building

If you want to create a hard barrier, rather than a visual barrier, you can choose a check-in desk design like this one. There is no way to gain access to the classrooms beyond without being granted access by staff at the check-in desk. This is for a preschool area, which means all the children will fit through these small doors—and probably love that the doors are sized just for them.

As with the last example, the doors to all classrooms are visible from the check-in counter, and there are windows in the wall of each classroom as well, which improves visibility, and therefore security. This increased level of church safety can increase parents’ peace of mind.

Church safety doesn’t have to be obvious, or ugly. Whether it’s the children’s area of your church building or the foyer and café area of your church design, creative, colorful, and attractive options are available to make your church building appealing to children and comforting to their parents. We think carefully about every aspect of your church design, which is why we regularly share free i3 webinars that help you see what’s possible in today’s church building environment. To learn more, register for our next webinar today!