It's important to monitor and keep in touch with the shifts that are happening in the ever-changing world of today's kids.
If you are not intentional with this, you may find your ministry struggling with being effective.
That being said...here are five current changes and shifts you need to look at when it comes to your children's ministry.
The shift to a digital world continues to accelerate.
Traditional toys continue to lose ground when it comes to play. Declining engagement with traditional toys is happening as children age, with many moving toward screen‑based and interactive digital experiences.
They are combining digital play with physical toys. This is being done by integrating toys with apps, virtual reality, and interactive content. Kids are being raised with video games, Ipads, and phones in their hands. Hand a 3-year-old a smartphone and watch them navigate through it.
You can stay relevant by combining the physical and digital world. Today's kids connect with digital play. Digital review games are a big hit. Lessons that integrate digital elements capture kids' attention. Visual images will grab their attention. Most of my lessons for kids will utilize 80 to 100 visual slides.
Leverage YouTube and other social platforms.
Children are using YouTube and other social media platforms for creative, social, and entertainment play. Is your ministry on YouTube? Are you using social media to connect with families?
Experiences are expected.
Parents and kids are valuing experiences over purely physical play items. Products that are engaging today's kids are moving from product-led to experience-led.
I personally believe Disney's success over the years is because they provide experiences that create lifetime memories for families.
What are you doing to create experiences for families? I have found that one way to do this is through spiritual milestones. Celebrating spiritual milestones with families creates spiritual experiences that can change the entire trajectory of families' direction.
Let them build it.
Crafting, building, and maker style products that encourage open-ended play are accelerating. Hands on learning tools are in high demand. Combining play with learning is a win with today's kids. One of the most successful "toy stores" ever created is Build-A-Bear.
How are you letting children "build out" Bible stories? I remember I was once filling in as a teacher for a 3-year-old class. The lesson that day was about the church. I decided we would work together to "build" a church building out of Lego's. Surprisingly the 3-year-olds jumped right in and build an amazing church building. We then talked about how the church is not a building but people. I had the kids point to themselves and say "I am the church." They got it.
How can you use "let them build it" this week in your lessons?
Participatory storytelling.
Products that let kids help create content or experiences engages kids at a deeper level. Don't just be a talking head. Get kids involved in telling the lesson. Think of creative ways you can get kids acting out the Bible story. Active participation is a key factor for engaging today's kids.
Bottom line: The “play is slipping” trend reflects a shift from traditional toys to experiential, sensory, and digital‑hybrid play. Children's ministries that facilitate and navigate this shift will reap the benefits.
