What School Supplies Remind Us About Leading Children’s Ministry

School supplies are an essential part of the back-to-school season for families, and they’re important tools we use every week in our children’s ministry.

But they’re more than just tools for coloring, cutting, and staying organized. These school supplies can be great reminders for leading and structuring our children’s ministries. There are some surprising reminders tucked inside those pencil pouches and supply bins that speak straight to our ministry hearts.

Here’s what I mean:

• Pencils remind us to always plan with flexibility. I always say we can never plan in pen! In children’s ministry, flexibility isn’t optional; it’s a survival skill. Schedules shift, volunteers cancel, and someone always shows up in the wrong classroom. And they give you the flexibility to try something new! So we plan in pencil, hold our calendars loosely, and leave room for the Holy Spirit (and snack breaks). Speaking of snacks…
• Snacks. This one is obvious, right? Never underestimate the power of their favorite snack or a surprise chocolate bar for your volunteers. Snacks build connection, fuel little bodies, and help everyone’s attitude and attention spans. They’re the love language of children’s ministry, and they remind us to stay fed ourselves, physically and spiritually!
• Erasers remind us that mistakes are part of learning, and we all make them. Whether you forgot to print the parent handouts or accidentally bought the wrong size bags, grace abounds. Ministry leaders need erasers not just for fixing mistakes, but for reminding ourselves that perfection isn’t the goal. Faithfulness is.
• Folders keep papers organized, and they’re a great reminder that our ministry needs organization too! When our systems are clear, our plans are in place, and we communicate clearly, we create space for creativity, connection, and Kingdom impact without the chaos of last-minute scrambling.
• Rulers remind us to measure progress and success in our ministries. Attendance numbers are helpful, but they don’t always tell the whole story. Set meaningful goals for your ministry, then create ways to measure spiritual growth, connection, and impact too.
• Crayons and markers are bright, fun, and colorful, and they invite participation. Our ministries should be bright, fun, and colorful too, both in the physical environment and the personal interactions. And kids learn through play, creativity, and interaction. Crayons and markers remind us that faith development isn’t meant to be passive. It should invite kids to participate, explore, and experience God’s truth in age-appropriate, hands-on ways.
• Baby wipes are for cleaning up messes (literal and figurative). Children’s ministry is messy.  emotionally, spiritually, and yes, sometimes physically. Keep the wipes handy for snack spills, glitter explosions, and those tough moments when a child needs help wiping away tears too.
• Paper clips keep things connected and hold everything together. They remind us that partnerships with parents, volunteers, and the church staff, are what keep our ministries strong and steady. Ministry is a team sport, and trying to do it alone is like trying to ride a seesaw by yourself. We’re not meant to do ministry in isolation, and staying connected helps us keep the mission (and all those moving pieces) in place.
• Glue Sticks help things stick together too, and they can remind us to help make the lesson stick when we teach! Jesus used parables, props, and pictures, and we should be engaging and creative in our teaching too. Tap into kids’ biblical imagination, explore gamification options when you teach, and don’t forget to teach kids, not lessons!
• Scissors cut things out, and you have permission to cut things out of your ministry this year too, kidmin leaders. Programs, events, initiatives, etc. If it’s not furthering your goals and vision, it’s time to let it go!

So the next time you walk through the school supply aisle or gather your supplies for Sunday morning, take a minute to pause and remind yourself of some simple truths. There’s more to those glue sticks and folders than meets the eye. You’ve got everything you need in your supply bins, and more importantly, in your calling.

Want more back-to-school resources and encouragement? Find all our back-to-school resources here!