Tidbits to help in preschool ministry

By BSC staff

The following collection of information covers a variety of topics related to children's ministries. The information was provided by the Baptist State Convention's Preschool and Children Ministry Team.

Preschool and children's rooms need windows

To provide natural light which aids in learning, according to recent research.

To provide a natural opportunity for children to worship as they experience the wonder of God's world.

The one thing in an existing building most likely to be non-complying with N.C. Building Codes and Accessibility Codes

Often buildings are changed so that they no longer comply with code. A typical example is when the classrooms used for children in the first grade and under are relocated from the ground floor to an upper level or the basement where there is no direct door to the exterior grade. Code 1021.1.1 states "Rooms used for first grade children and younger shall be located on the floor of exit discharge. Rooms used for second grade children shall not be located more than one story above the floor of exit discharge."

The parts of the church building that are used for programs such as Sunday school, missions and choir that involve preschoolers and children are considered educational space and must comply with the code regardless of the age of the building.

Doors into preschool and children's rooms should be:

Solid, "20-minute fire-rated doors."

One piece - in other words, not cut in the middle ("Dutch doors") because of the safety hazard and distractions from the hallway.

Purchased with a glass window that allows people to see into every area of the room. Doors cannot be altered by putting in a window because it changes the fire rating.

Many insurance companies are requiring churches to have child safety policies in order to renew the church's liability insurance. These policies may need to include:

Background checks for volunteers that work with children.

An identification system for children to be released from the classroom to an adult.

At birth, about 25 percent of the neurons in a child's brain are connected so information can flow

Every time you stimulate a baby's senses through talking, singing, showing objects, holding them, providing pleasant smells, and other sensory experiences, you are literally wiring their brain for life.

All children, especially babies, need human interaction, even at church. Thus, why not use the words "God," "Jesus," "Bible," "church" and sing songs about God's love while letting them look at pictures in a preschool Bible? That will give our children the opportunity to encounter "divine grace through human love" at home and at church.

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