%202019.png){kind=small}
Interested in TBC Kids on Sundays?
Here are the headlines...
This session will be worship, interactive prayer activities, bible bits and colouring, comfy dens and cushions. A great space to explore and to chill.
Our sports hall session will involve active games and activities which all link to the story or theme for the month.
This week may be drawing, painting, crafts, lego, drama, film making…all sorts to help you think about the story and what God is telling you.
This week you’ll be using games, puzzles, questions and challenges to dig deeper into the story.
During the Summer holidays we run free-flow play sessions for Kids and youth during the service. This is a great time to build friendships as you play, craft and chat. One service: 10:30am
Sunday Leader Info
Here at Testwood Baptist Church, we aim to provide a safe environment where children and young people can share and grow in their faith, learn to be more like Jesus, discover and develop their gifts, and be equipped to live out their God given purpose wherever they are.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Do I need to book my child into TBC Kids Sundays?
We ask you to check your child in either in advance via the event tab at the top of this page, or on arrival, so that we know their important information, and so that they appear on our registers should the fire alarm sound!
What do children do when they get to church?
On Sunday mornings we worship together in the auditorium for the first part of the service. This involves songs, sometimes prayers, and sometimes church family news. Then the children go out to their groups, where they can connect with God in their own age groups in different ways. If your child is in year 2 or under, we ask you to take them to their groups. Older children will soon find their own way!​ At the end of each session, we will wait for you to collect your Key stage 1 child, but we allow the Key Stage 2 children to come and find you. Please be aware that our services are live streamed on you tube and other platforms. If you do not wish to accidentally appear on screen, please ask a member of our welcome team to show you where the cameras will not see you!
How are the children spilt into groups?
We have four kids groups, based on school yeargroups. Foundation means Pre-school age and Reception year. We recommend children start in Foundation between the age of two and a half and three, usually when they are settled in a preschool setting and can sit in a group and listen to a story or take part in a simple acitivity. This is usually a transition time - parents often stay with their child for at least the first few sessions, until the child is happy to stay with our lovely leaders. Then we have three older groups: Years 1-2, Years 3-4 and Years 5-6. We recoomend that the children go tot the group matching their age, but if they have a friend or a sibling in another gorup who they really want to be with, we don't mind as long as they are able to engage. Once your child goes to secondary school, they can move up to our amazing Youth Department!​
Who leads the groups?
Sarah and Kat are our Children's Pastors, and can be contacted via the email addresses just above this FAQ section. One of us will usually be available to chat to on Sunday mornings. All our other leaders are wonderful volunteers! They are all DBS checked and safeguarding trained, and have a wealth of experience in children's work between them! We are also joined each week by a team of young leaders from the youth department, who faithfully serve the younger children in the church and are brilliant role models!
What if my child is too young for a group?
We have an unstaffed Tots Room opposite the sports hall that you are welcome to use during the service if you have very little ones who are not yet pre-school ready. If you would prefer to keep them in the service, feel free to grab some toys and go back in - we are used to a bit of noise. The service is on the screen in the Tots room and in the Hub area by reception, and usually, one of our lovely welcome team will bring you a coffee or cuppa!
What do the children do in their groups?
We use our own curriculum, called God and Me, which covers the grand narrative of the bible in three years, exploring a different bible character or theme each month. Our aim is that the children should understand that they are made, known and loved by God, that they belong in his big family, and that he has a forever purpose for their life. Each week of the month their session will be in a different style - Move, Reflect, Discover or Create. There is more about these sessions further up this page.
Are there always kids groups?
We work on a four week rota, so if a month has five weeks, or it is a special sunday (eg. easter), we will sometimes run an All-In worship service, where the children stay in the auditorium with the grown ups. These services are interactive and fun, whilst still allowing times for worship and relfection. Often they are followed by a Spud Sunday lunch - keep an eye on the events section!
What if my child needs some extra help?
All of our TBC Kids are wonderfully individual, and some need a bit more support than others. If you think this might be the case for your child, please come and chat with us. We would love to find out all about your child and see if there are things we can put in place to help them enagage fully in their groups.
What if I want to know more?
Great! Please get in touch! Kat and Sarah both work part time, but if you email us we will get back to you. Or ring the church office and see if we're around to chat!