Church Executive CHURCH EXECUTIVE NOV-DEC 2017 DIGITAL | Page 20

Children’s
Spaces
Is your facility too hot,
too cold, or just right?
Rebecca Calbert, AIA, LEED AP, NCARB
As an architect, I notice my surroundings more than the
“average bear.”
And lately, trends in youth ministry interior design bring to
mind Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Some spaces are too hot,
some are too cold, and some are just right.
I’ve seen church facilities take a Disney-esque approach. Taken to
extremes, that’s “too hot.” (After all, if church looks like Disneyland, what
makes Disneyland special anymore?)
I’ve also seen churches go in the opposite direction — far more
puritan. Some treat children’s spaces no differently than the rest of the
facility, with stark, white hallways that are more sterile than modern-
day public schools.
To get to “just right,” every church should look to its mission and
community. If your mission is focused on children and young families,
then your church is all about kids and celebrating the child.
The goal, then, is to make church so fun that children beg to come back.
Here’s how.
The right mix: 5 proven strategies
#1: Start small (and ask for help)
It’s easy to become frozen by all the available choices, so consider
breaking down the decisions into smaller bites. Painting a light neutral
color, adding a little decorative trim, and freshening up the carpet is easily
within reach.
But, if you don’t feel comfortable making material and color
selections, enlist the help of a church member who you believe
personifies your community.
#2: Know when to ask for more help!
On the other end of the spectrum, a complete design (or redesign) —
while exciting — can be overwhelming. Plan for large-scale decisions to
be made by the church design committee. Then, allow for stakeholders to
speak to their very different needs for the space.
Youth ministers will prioritize ease of supervision, aesthetics, and
welcoming entry and common areas.
Teachers will want easy-to-clean surfaces, lots of storage, and sound-
absorbing acoustics. If your space will have hard walls and ceilings,
introduce carpets and fabrics to help absorb the sound. To that end, also,
consider area rugs instead of wall-to-wall carpeting.
Parents will be concerned with ease of drop-off and security.
And children themselves, of course, can offer creative ideas.
#3: Think like a kid
It sounds obvious, but remember that children are small. Sit down on
the floor and look around at the environment, from a child’s perspective,
with a critical eye.
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CHURCH EXECUTIVE | NOV / DEC 2017
Mount pictures and handouts children would find interesting at their
eye level.
Keep the room bright and airy, using colors that will help to make the
space comfortable. Or, use pastels with small pops of bolder colors.
Children who are too young to read need non-verbal cues to help
them navigate the space. Include changes of color, and add simple, bright
graphics — again, at children’s eye level — to help them know they’re in
the right place.
Finally, keep in mind that toddlers will give very little notice
when they need to use the restroom; so, think about proximity. Also
incorporate child-size restroom equipment — small toilets, as well as
sinks mounted low so kids can easily wash hands without the risk of
falling off a step stool.
#4: Whatever you do, stay versatile
Think about it — do you know a single 10-year-old who likes the same
things he did at 5? Today’s Fidget Spinners will quickly become tomorrow’s
Tickle Me Elmo.
Don’t build more today than you can afford to demolish in five years,
when your congregation has grown so much that you are moving the
children’s ministry into a completely new wing.
As the old adage goes, the only constant is change — and the
congregation (young and old) is always growing and changing.
#5: The message drives the magic
No amount of kid-friendly aesthetics can be successful without the
right message behind it. Above all, you must communicate to children
that they belong. This is true whether you’re building a completely new
youth ministry wing from scratch, or renovating an existing space to
make it more appealing.
Rebecca Calbert, AIA, LEED AP, NCARB is the Owner and Principal Architect
at Calbert Design Group, LLC in Kennesaw, Ga. With 30 years of professional
experience, Calbert has worked with various award-winning architectural firms in
the Metro Atlanta area.