Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” Matthew 19:14.
Jesus loves kids and we do, too! They are an important part of our community. Children are welcome to sit with you in worship or come to City Kids, where kids learn about Jesus’ love in a program designed just for them.*
For children who haven’t yet started kindergarten, we offer a Nursery/PreK class. Kids will be loved and nurtured while they experience free play, a brief circle time with a short lesson, and other developmentally appropriate activities designed to help them explore and learn about God’s extravagant love.
For children in kindergarten through fifth grade, we offer a Primary class. Kids learn about God’s love for them and grow spiritually through a Bible teaching, a memory verse, games, crafts, activities, and relationships with adults and peers. Mostly, we strive to share Jesus in a way that is relational and engaging, while also empowering families to continue the conversation at home!
*At the current time, we are only offering City Kids programming during the 9:30 service.
Meet Molly! She loves thoughtful conversations, stand-up comedy, reading, and travel. A music teacher by trade, her children, Miriam, Jonathan and Isaiah, roll their eyes when asked to participate in family drum circles, folk dances and singing. In addition to her role as a director with the Columbus Children’s Choir, Molly has enjoyed working with kids of all ages, from teaching music at the Hilltop Preschool to teaching college students at OSU. Molly lives on the west side of Columbus with her husband, Ben, their kids and their CoronaDog.
Thanks for your interest in volunteering with City Kids! Just so you know, before supervising children you will need to do the following:
Be a member of our community for for at least 6 months.
Successfully complete a background check.
Attend a virtual or in-person training/orientation with Molly.
Be willing to serve about once a month.
Please contact Molly to begin the process or get more information.
When you arrive at Cityview Church, come downstairs to the registration desk. A volunteer will be there to assist you.
You only need to register the first time you attend, but you will check in your child at the desk each week.
We ask for your contact information and information about allergies, special needs, etc. for safety purposes. We also ask you to sign a media release so we know if you are ok with your child being in photos. Those don’t happen often, but we want to be respectful of your choices.
We currently have a volunteer team of about 20 people and a City Kids Director on staff. All volunteers are background checked and trained. Volunteers typically serve about once a month, so your child will get to build connections with several adults who are investing in the lives of our kids.
Yes, we use the Orange Curriculum but thoughtfully choose and edit the activities to fit our community. Click here for a direct link to the Orange website to learn more.
Children in the Nursery/PreK class may be dropped off beginning at 9:20am. Children in the Primary class start upstairs in the worship service with their families and are dismissed before the sermon.
Infants through preschoolers are in the Nursery/PreK class. Once children begin kindergarten, they transition to the Primary class, which is kindergarten through fifth grade.
Reach out to Molly, our City Kids Director or the volunteer who checks you in. The curriculum and the structure of the classes are designed to be developmentally appropriate and to provide the best experience for your child. For example, the Nursery/PreK class has free play time to accommodate shorter attention spans.
That being said, we want kids to be comfortable and have a positive experience with us. If an older sibling wants to go with a younger sibling to the Nursery/PreK room for a week or two, that’s fine! Once they are comfortable, children typically prefer the class that is designed for their age group. Primarily, we don’t want age groupings to be a barrier to your child’s comfort. Reach out with concerns or questions.
No, your child is welcome to sit with you during the service. We have a few “Borrow Bags” at the City Kids check-in station downstairs. They contain coloring materials, playdough, and a few small toys to help keep children engaged if you want to take advantage of that option.
Your child is also welcome to join City Kids at any point during the service if they change their mind. Likewise, they can rejoin you in the service at any point by just letting a volunteer know. We can walk them upstairs and make sure they find you.
We strive to be a church that is inclusive of everyone… And that means everyone, whether noisy children or noisy adults!
All volunteers are background checked through an agency called Checkr. They also attend a training with Molly.
Contact Molly for more information. Just so you know, before supervising children you will need to successfully complete a background check and attend a virtual or in-person training/orientation. Volunteers typically serve about once a month, and Molly provides the materials and lesson plans you will need.
We have a Safe Sanctuary policy that protects children and vulnerable adults as well as the volunteers who serve them. For example, volunteers are scheduled in pairs so that adults aren’t alone with children. We also keep lines of sight open as an added precaution. Contact Molly if you would like more details.
We typically have 3-8 children in the Nursery/PreK class and around 13 in the Primary class.
Two volunteers are scheduled with each class.
Especially for children with separation anxiety, they may cry for a few moments when you first leave. Volunteers will try to comfort, distract, and/or engage your child. If they are still crying after a short period of time, we will either come and get you or text you. The Church Center app also has a feature where parents can receive a message, asking them to come to the Nursery. If you would prefer we handle it differently, please let us know. We know adjustments and new situations take time, but we also want your child to feel comfortable.
The Nursery/PreK class has free play time, a short circle time with a Bible lesson, a snack and then a craft or hands-on activity from the Orange curriculum that reviews the lesson. Learning is mostly concrete, hands-on and exploratory, to fit with the developmental needs of that age group.
The Primary class (kindergarten through fifth grade) begins with a snack and an introductory question that serves as an icebreaker and/or a lead into the lesson. Volunteers share a Bible lesson based on the scope and sequence developed by the Orange curriculum. Then, kids participate in a game, craft, and/or small group activity that connects to the lesson or the memory verse for the month. Learning is engaging and cooperative, but it also takes advantage of longer attention spans and more abstract/in-depth thinking of kids in this age group.
When you register your child, there is a question about allergies. Please also let the volunteer know that checks you in. They will write your child’s allergy on their nametag so everyone is aware. Molly’s children have food allergies, so we get it.
Nursery/PreK children will be in their room at the conclusion of the service, the same place you dropped them off. Kids in the Primary class will either be in the large multi-purpose room downstairs or in the Primary classroom downstairs.
Molly Rule is our City Kids Director. You can reach her here.
