If your group needs childcare, here are some options to consider:

1. On Your Own Childcare

• Each family handles their own child care

2. Group and Childcare At The Church

• Hold group at church with paid childcare held on site.

• Groups must reserve rooms and pay in advance for childcare $5-8/child/hour.

3. Offsite Childcare

• Hire childcare off site in a nearby home or at the church with each family sharing expenses (rates range from $5/hour for all kids to $5/hour per child, depending on number of kids and age ranges)

4. On Site Childcare

• Rotate families in the group providing childcare off site in their home or at church

• Hire childcare on site in another room or upstairs with each family sharing expenses (rates range from $5/hour for all kids to $5/hour per child, depending on number of kids and age ranges)

Sources for hiring group childcare:

• Personal sources
• Professional sources
• Church Nursery Staff/Church Child Care Coordinator
• Student’s or Children’s Minister
• Family or Friends

Suggestions For Groups With Children

• Provide a curriculum or lesson plan for the childcare time so kids aredoing small group as well (this sounds good but in practice it takes prep time and you are asking more of the child worker for which he or she should be compensated)

• Incorporate children into group time: prayers, discussions, fellowship (depends on age ranges of children and how hard you work on preparing components that are children friendly)

• Do a combination of incorporating children into some of the group time (like prayer and fellowship) and families rotating to provide childcare during the discussions.

• Incorporate children into the group time by rotating each family prepare a skit or lesson or show which teaches a Biblical principle.