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Baptist churches are renowned for toddler groups – mums and tots, carers and toddlers, grandparents and grandchildren, dads and little ones, ‘special’ toddlers and even twins’ groups!   Research carried out in 2006, indicated that 28,000 adults and 36,000 young children attend a Baptist church toddler group each week.  Clearly these groups are doing well in serving their communities, providing a welcoming, enjoyable and safe environment.

 

• Toddler Group Rocks

We have held three Toddler Group Rocks! days for ministers and toddler group leaders, looking at the ‘stepping stones’ that can be added to toddler groups to make them crossingplaces.   Future days are being organised by the Entheos Trust.  Contact the Entheos Trust to find out more, or sign up to receive missionscene to hear about forthcoming events and resources.

Following the first Toddler Group Rocks! Day in 2010, Fishpond’s Baptist Church in Bristol started a Dads and Toddlers Group which is proving to be a great success.

Minister Darren Smith tells us: ‘We started it in September [2010] and now have 40 children on the books, with about 25 who turned up last month.  We run it on the first Saturday of the month, complete with bacon butties and newspapers available.

‘I'm currently arranging an evening in a local curry house for which 18 of the dads have signed up. There's no doubt that some good relationships are being built.

‘Right now the whole Toddler Time scene is growing at the church with our weekly Monday and Friday group regularly getting close to our 'maximum' of 40.  We are thinking of having a third day to cater for those on our waiting list.’

• Toddler Group Mission File

The Toddler Group Mission File offers practical ideas and inspiring stories to help you develop your church’s Toddler Group.  It also includes an extensive list of other resources which you might find helpful. 

Download this resource here:  Toddler Groups

 

• Baby Bible group launched at Norwich church

A Norwich church is starting up a new baby and toddler group to help both parents and children to connect with God.  The sessions include a simple Bible story for the children with a related craft activity, whilst the parents read from the Bible, pray together and discuss the passage.  Click here for more information.

 

• Early Years Education

During the early years children develop spiritually but they need opportunities to do so.  The Education Working Group has developed this resource to help your church find opportunities to contribute to children’s development and offer support to those who already provide it. 

Download this resource here: Early Years

 

• Toddler Services

Some simple Toddler worship services are now available to download from the Tiddlywinks website.  These provide a little more Christian input for your toddler group, whilst maintaining the relaxed group atmosphere.  Currently, service outlines are available to download for Christmas, Mothering Sunday and Easter, with more to come.

 

• Wellsprings

As part of the crossingplaces initiative, the Mission Department is helping churches to see toddler groups not only as missional in their own right but also as a key way of building up a relationship with the adults present in order to help them on a journey of faith.    The Department published Wellsprings as an eight-week low-key evangelistic course built on thinking about wellbeing and enjoying some pampering to which the women can be invited.