How to Avoid Chaos in Children's Ministry on Easter Sunday

Easter is kind of like Super Bowl Sunday for churches. There are lots of new visitors, excitement and energy in the air, and even special activities that don't happen any other time of the year.

But with a surge of new families comes the potential for chaos in the kids ministry. It's important to have a plan to avoid chaos and ensure a successful Easter experience for all involved.

So, do you have a plan?

If not, you need to get in gear and get ready because Easter is coming whether you're ready or not.

If you're not sure where to start with your Easter planning, here are a few suggestions to get you started.

‍

Causes of Chaos in Children's Ministry on Easter

Before we discuss ways to prevent chaos in kids' ministry on Easter, let's consider some of the causes of that chaos.

Overcrowding and Unprepared Facilities

More families usually attend Easter services than any other time of the year, with the possible exception of Christmas. Many of these families have young children, and if your facilities are not prepared to handle the influx of visitors, it can quickly lead to chaos.

You're dealing with limited restrooms, seating, supplies, classrooms, etc. While having so many children present is a wonderful blessing, it can also be a serious logistical challenge.

Lack of Volunteers or Overwhelmed Staff

Easter is a double-whammy when it comes to volunteers. You have an influx of children, which increases the need for volunteers. However, because it's Easter, many of your volunteers will be out of town. You can end up scrambling to find volunteers and dealing with volunteers who haven't been thoroughly trained on standard systems and processes.

Inefficient Check-In and Security Issues

Easter usually means an increase in visitors, many of whom won't be familiar with your check-in procedures. This can lead to long lines and confusion, which can quickly escalate into chaos. You've got people trying to print name tags, check their children in, find the right classrooms, etc.

Additionally, with an influx of visitors comes the potential for security issues. Every child needs to be properly checked in and accounted for. If this doesn't happen, you've got security issues to deal with.

Overcomplicated Programming

You may be tempted to go big on Easter with your children's ministry programming. It's Easter after all. And if you truly can pull off some epic kid's ministry programming, more power to you. But in many cases, trying to do too much on such a busy day can lead to chaos and confusion. Too many activities with no clear flow or plan result in overwhelmed children and exhausted volunteers. 

And, overly complicated crafts and lessons that require lots of instruction can slow things way down and make it difficult to keep things moving smoothly.

Difficulty in Managing Excitement

Easter is a whirlwind for kids, and they may be hyped up from eating candy, finding Easter eggs, or participating in special Easter events. And to be clear, you don't want to dampen the kid's excitement. They should be excited for the day that Jesus rose from the dead!

But, it's important to have a plan in place for managing that excitement. Too much energy can lead to disruptive behavior, and it's important to maintain a level of control over the group.

‍

9 Tips to Ensure a Smooth Easter Children's Ministry

Yes, there are challenges that come with church on Easter Sunday, and those challenges can be overcome with the right strategies in place. Here are nine ways to tame the children's ministry chaos on Easter.

Plan for Increased Attendance

Perhaps most obviously, plan for a lot more kids to attend on Easter Sunday. If you have large classrooms, consider using dividers to split them in half and optimize the space. If you have any unused rooms, be prepared to turn them into classrooms.

Communicate with parents beforehand to ensure you have enough volunteers and supplies for the expected crowd. Encourage families to arrive early to check in and get settled. And have backup seating, extra supplies, and additional volunteers available.

It's better to be over-prepared than to have chaos ensue due to a lack of planning. 

Recruit Extra Volunteers

You're going to need extra help on Easter, so you need to be proactive in recruiting and training volunteers well ahead of the big day. Reach out to adult and teen volunteers in your congregation, as well as parents of the children who attend regularly. Help the regular attendees make the connection between serving in the children's ministry and serving newcomers and guests.

Make sure all volunteers are properly trained and prepared for any potential challenges that may arise. And don't be afraid to delegate tasks and responsibilities to keep things running smoothly.

If you can, try to instill an “all-hands-on-deck” attitude among your volunteers as you ready them for Easter Sunday.

Streamline Check-In

The last thing you want on Easter Sunday is long lines while people wait to check in their children. To avoid this, streamline the check-in process as much as possible. This may mean having extra volunteers manning check-in stations or using a system that allows parents to pre-register their kids and bypass the lines altogether.

For example, Breeze by Tithely allows you to rapidly check in children and print name tags for them as they arrive. This is a massive time-saver and helps you avoid security issues that can arise when some children are not checked in. 

Provide clear signage and volunteers to direct parents and children to their proper locations.

Make sure that you have a secure pick-up process to avoid any confusion at the end of the service.

Keep Programming Simple and Engaging

Don't overcomplicate the programming for children on this busy day. Instead, keep it simple and engaging. Use an easy-to-follow lesson that clearly ties into Easter and the resurrection of Jesus. In the same vein, prepare simple, fun activities that don't require a ton of supervision from volunteers (save that fun rubber cement activity for another day).

And plan out a clear, structured schedule for the children's programming, including breaks and transitions. This will help keep things running smoothly and ensure that all parts of the lesson are covered in the allotted time.

Manage Energy Levels With Structured Activities

Obviously, you can't completely manage the kids' energy levels on Easter Sunday. Kids are going to be kids. But you can structure your activities to help keep them engaged and focused.

For example, plan for a mix of active and calm activities throughout the program. This will allow kids to release some energy while giving them moments to sit and listen.

You don't want to give kids back to their parents after you've wound them up for 90 straight minutes. Order your activities to end the morning at the proper energy levels. Think small-group craft or something similarly under control.

Communicate Expectations To Parents

Leading up to Easter Sunday, communicate with parents about what to expect from the children's programming. Prepare them for the long lines and remind them how the check-in and pick-up process works.

Also, let them know what activities and lessons you have planned for their children. This will help parents plan their schedules and get the kids excited about coming to church on Easter.

Prepare For First-Time Visitors

Easter is a great time to connect with new people who may be visiting your church for the first time. Have a system for welcoming and registering these visitors, especially if they have children.

Consider having a special gift or activity available for first-time kids to help them feel welcome and included. After Easter Sunday, follow up with their families, inviting them back for future events and services.

Have A Backup Plan

As with any event, it's always a good idea to have a backup plan in case things don't go as expected. This is especially true for Easter Sunday when there may be more attendees and potential for unforeseen circumstances.

Make sure you have extra volunteers available to help with any unexpected needs or contingencies. Prepare alternative activities or lessons in case the service goes longer than expected.

Celebrate Your Volunteers

Remember to thank and celebrate your volunteers for all they do to make Easter Sunday a success. Because, let's face it, there's no way that you could pull this off on your own. You need a whole team of people to make it happen, and this team of people is giving their time and energy out of love for the church and their community.

If you have the resources, consider hosting a special appreciation event for your volunteers after Easter Sunday to show your gratitude and give them some much-deserved recognition. Make sure to continue showing appreciation throughout the year because, without these dedicated individuals, your church wouldn't be able to thrive.

Final Thoughts

Easter is one of those fail-to-plan, plan-to-fail days. You have to be ready for it. If you're not, you'll have to deal with many confused, semi-frustrated people. So, do whatever you can to prepare yourself and prevent the children's ministry chaos.

Don't feel like you have to be extravagant for Easter. In fact, if you're not sure you can pull something off, keeping it simple is a wise decision.

You can trust that no matter what you do, God will use your efforts to glorify Him!

‍