The Prayground is an area specifically set aside for young children during worship. It consists of rugs, small tables with child-sized chairs and stools, coloring sheets, crayons, blocks, books, and soft toys. It is generally used by families with toddlers and preschoolers.

Not really, and certainly not any noisier than it would be if those same kids were sitting in the pews! We took great care in selecting play items that would keep the noise to a minimum: the blocks are made of foam, and even the baskets where we keep the crayons are made of fabric.

The only items that could really be used to make noise would be if a child were to bang a crayon over and over on the plastic tables, but if/when this happens, a parent generally steps in quickly. Same for dumping the entire basket of crayons out, which happens occasionally. We get over it!

Surprisingly, we’ve found that the noise level has actually gone down since we’ve settled into the Prayground. The first few weeks were a little louder, but now the “regulars” know what’s expected of them, and they are rarely disruptive. On occasions when there are a lot of visiting children (Christmas Eve, for example, or Easter morning, or when we have several baptisms with lots of visiting family), things do tend to be a little louder, but if it means that children who aren’t generally in church are in church, we give thanks and move on!

Because kids pay more attention when they can see what’s going on, and they’re short! Lots of churches have similar areas for kids in the back, or in the middle, or off to the side. We recognize that kids will play and color for much of the time, but they also pay attention to what’s happening in worship. Occasionally, our pastors will catch a kid out of the corner of my eye imitating my movements. Sometimes they play air-handbells or pretend to direct the choir. Some parents have overheard their young children singing the liturgy at home. When they can see what’s going on, they absorb things in a different way.

Most of our members were really skeptical at first, across age groups and regardless of whether they had kids but we talked about the potential benefits with lots of different groups for several months before-hand.

We debuted the Prayground in worship on Mother’s Day of 2015, and much of the service was centered around children in worship. We recommend dedicating the space during worship and intentionally highlighting the importance of all ages in the worship space and how best to make that work for everyone.

Not any more than they are when they’re in the pews! In my mind, any preacher worth their salt can handle a baby crying or a toddler screeching here and there. Just like in most churches, our parents take their kids out when they get disruptive, but we trust them to make those decisions and would never ask them to.

The rugs, the tables, the chairs, and a lot of the plush toys are from Ikea. Some of the items were donated by members.

t’s actually easy – almost everything can either go in the washing machine (the foam blocks, even if you put them in a sweater bag) or can be sprayed and wiped down.

Because it makes it so much easier for the kids to understand their boundaries!

Very carefully! This part did take a bit of work, and still does, occasionally. During the first few weeks, both during children’s sermons and at other points in the service, we pointed out (into the microphone, so everyone was on the same page) that each child needed to set a good example for the other kids (and that if they came up one step, their friend might think it was okay to go up the second step, etc.). Now, the kids remind one another, and parents help each other out, too, especially when there’s a new family sitting there.

Yes, please do! Find that online via the link above or via the albums on our Facebook page.

It came in somewhere between $1500 and $2000, which also includes the cost of the items in our Koinonia Gallery (1 table with chairs, more blocks and books, etc.). Our Memorial Committee – made up almost entirely of older members – voted unanimously to fund this project with memorials designated for youth and children’s ministry!

It’s up for all worship services, because we really see it as part of our sanctuary. We do take it down for weddings, however, unless the couple wants us to leave it up.

None that we know of! We know we’ve gained a few though, in part due to this space.