GM Kids

Babies - 5th Grade

GM Kids is a fun, creative, safe place where our babies through 5th grade children come to worship, build relationships, and experience Jesus in an age-appropriate setting each Sunday. It is our goal for every child to learn that Jesus loves them and has an incredible plan for their life!

Babies - PreK

Learn more about the age-appropriate environments offered for each unique age and stage below:

Babies (0-11 Months)

In the Babies room, we strive to ensure that each child is loved and cared for according to their individual needs. This room is filled with snuggles, prayers, and love as our volunteers take caring for the youngest GM Kids seriously. At drop-off, please inform a volunteer of any special instructions for feeding and diaper changing.

Crawlers & Walkers (12-23 Months)

This toddler room is a fun, active place where toddlers can explore with toys, music, and interactions with our volunteers! In Crawlers and Walkers, we aim to start preparing them for the next room. They will listen to worship music and enjoy a snack! We understand that a new place can be scary and intimidating at this age. However, our volunteers are ready to give snuggles to our kiddos and reassurance to our parents. It is a GM Kids policy not to let a child remain inconsolable for any longer than 5-7 minutes unless specified by a parent. At drop-off, please inform a volunteer of any special instructions for feeding and diaper changing.

Two Year Olds

Two-year-olds love to explore new things! In our two-year-old room, they will begin to learn how to sit for a Bible lesson. Our volunteers actively engage with this curious and fun age group by playing, introducing memory verses, and teaching them how to pray. At drop-off, please inform a volunteer of any special instructions for feeding and diaper changing.

Three Year Olds

Three-year-olds are curious, active, and love to learn while having fun! In this age group, we start learning how to worship, listen to a lesson, and make a craft that they can take home to share with mom and dad. In this room, our three-year-olds will be dropped off in their classroom. When it is time for worship and our lesson, they will walk together with their leaders to our Pre-K Worship Room. There, they will hear about our Pre-K expectations, learn how to worship God, and listen to a true story from the Bible. Once their time in the Worship Room is over, they will head back to their room, complete a craft, have a snack, and wait for mom and dad to pick them up.

 

Four & Five Year Olds

At this age, you will often hear the question “Why?” We want to explore what God’s Word says in a tangible way, allowing them to not only understand but also to go home and tell mom and dad all about the lesson! Our Sunday morning begins with drop-off in the classroom. When it’s time, our fours and fives head to our Pre-K Worship Room where they will learn about our Pre-K expectations, worship God, hear a true story from the Bible, and discuss it in small groups. After their time in the Worship Room, they will return to their classroom to complete an activity and craft that reinforces the lesson they just heard. At the end of the service, fours and fives enjoy free play until parent pick-up.

Kinder - 5th Grade

GM Kids Elementary is a place where Kids can be Kids and learn about God in a fun, creative, and engaging way! In GM Kids Elementary kids participate in free time activities, worship, teaching and small group time!

Free Time

During free time, your elementary-aged child can enjoy a variety of activities such as air hockey, ping-pong, giant Connect Four, basketball, and more. We also offer a coloring room and a board game room. All free-time activities are supervised & monitored by volunteers.

 

Worship & Teaching

Our worship time takes place in a large room where kids sit by grade with their leaders and friends! They engage in high-energy worship, hear a creative, age-appropriate lesson from a live teacher, and participate in Memory Verse Madness where they compete in in games to help memorize God’s Word.

Small Group

Small Groups are organized by grade. Our leaders are intentional during this time, reviewing the lesson from that day and discussing how to apply God’s Word to our lives, regardless of age. Group leaders are experts at navigating each age group and how to tailor their questions to every grade and age. Our leaders are consistent and take time to get to know each child and what is going on in their life!

Parent FAQ

Security

At GM Kids, safety is our top priority. We ensure that kids, parents, and volunteers feel secure at all times. At check-in, parents receive a child tag and a security tag, which help our volunteers identify children and match them with the correct parent at pick-up. During services, our interior doors are locked and can only be accessed with assistance from the GM Kids Desk.

Volunteer Training

All volunteers aged 18 and over must complete a background check, Ministry Safe, an online sexual abuse awareness training, and an in-person training with our GM Kids Lead Team before serving. Student volunteers in grades 6-12 are required to complete an in-person training with the GM Kids Pastor prior to serving.

Curriculum

At GM Kids, we use the Orange Curriculum, First Look. It fits our growing ministry perfectly, enabling us to tailor God’s Word to every age group.

Parent Communication

If a parent needs to be contacted, a GM Kids Captain will send a text message explaining the situation. Our policy allows a child to remain inconsolable for only 5-7 minutes unless a parent specifies a different duration.

Kids Cash

Kids Cash is an incentive for Kinder – 5th Graders! Each week, kids have an opportunity to earn Kids Cash by bringing their Bible to church, participating in worship, teaching, and small group, and memorizing God’s Word! Once a month kids can spend their Kids Cash in the Store, where they can purchase fun prizes!

GM Kids Team

Contact our GM Kids Pastors by clicking on their picture below, with further questions, to schedule a tour, or learn more about GM Kids!

Jill Valkanet

GM Kids Pastor (Babies - PreK)

Jordan Berberich

GM Kids Pastor (Kinder - 5 Grade)