Our last several posts have outlined the space requirements for children’s areas, along with the different types of elements that need to go into a church design when considering children’s ministries. Of course, not every room designed for kids is a classroom, so let’s look more at what goes into children’s activity spaces within a church building, the rooms where worship, games, lessons, and a little bit of chaos all can happen.
A Stage of Their Own: Platforms and Performance
Often, children’s activity spaces need a small stage for whatever the gathering calls for. Maybe it’s puppets, a skit, or a worship band made entirely of volunteers and a few brave kids pulled up from the crowd. Whatever the format, getting everyone’s attention and giving leaders a place to be seen matters.
That does not mean that the room needs a dramatic stage. A platform of seven to fourteen inches is often enough to set a leader or performer apart from the group. The right height depends on overall size of the room and how the space will be used, so this is a question worth working through early in the church design process rather than after the room is built.
Storage and Multi-Use Flexibility
Children’s activity rooms tend to collect things. Props, games, toys, curricula, and craft supplies all need a home, and a thoughtful church building plan will account for that storage. It is also worth considering how the room functions beyond Sunday morning.
Many churches do not run a weekday daycare, which means this same space might get repurposed for an adult class, a small group, or a community gathering during the week. Designing the room with that flexibility in mind, with furniture, storage, and layout that can shift easily between audiences, gets more value out of every square foot.
Special Features That Make It Fun
Once the basics are covered, the church design for children’s activity spaces can get a little playful. Special lighting, a small sound booth, black lights, or even a bubble machine can turn the room into a space kids genuinely look forward to visiting. Games and interactive elements fit naturally here too.
None of these features are required, but they are worth consideration. At the end of the day, this is a space meant to introduce children to church in a way that feels joyful, and a little bit of fun in the design goes a long way toward making that happen.
Egress and Security: Two Goals in Tension
Two important considerations for any children’s activity space are egress and security. Egress is about getting people out of the building quickly and safely in the event of a fire or other emergency. Security is about the opposite challenge, keeping people who should not be there out, while keeping the children who belong inside safe and accounted for.
Meeting the building code requirements for emergency exits, while also controlling who can enter and exit a children’s space, takes some planning. Door hardware, sightlines, check-in stations and procedures, and room layout all play a role in this part of the church design.
Learn More at a Free i3 Webinar
Getting the right balance between fun, function, and safety in children’s activity spaces is just one kind of topic that we cover in our free i3 webinars. Each session gives church leaders practical guidance and the chance to ask questions specific to their own church building project. You can find upcoming topics and sign up on our website.