Children's Ministry

As you enter our church property from the Williams Grove entrance, please take a left as the road splits and park in the lower lot. Inside the lower entrance, a friendly team of greeters will be waiting to assist you to get your children registered and to their classes. Our nursery and preschool wings are located on the upper level of the church directly adjacent to the auditorium. Our elementary wing is near the lower level entrance to the church.

• Diaper bag
• Diapers
• Change of clothes
• Bottle or sippy cup
• A favorite blanket for your child’s comfort and security (optional)

In the Butterfly Room (birth – 11 months), we will not feed your child any food other than what you have provided for them. Please notify us of any food allergies your child may have when you arrive so this can be identified on their name badge.

Look for our First Time Family greeters at the West entrance lower level lobby or at the Welcome Center in the upstairs lobby. They will ask you to provide your family’s basic information to help us care for your child. You will only need to do this the first time you visit.

Your child will receive a name label with security code and any allergy information. You will receive a matching security label. Then one of our greeters will walk you and your child to their classroom, where you will have the opportunity to see their class and briefly meet their teacher. Children can be dropped off up to 15 minutes before the service starts. Please keep your cell phone turned on so you may be contacted if needed.

We provide children’s programming during and between both services every Sunday. If you will be involved in programs at our church throughout both service times, you can check your child into Awesome Adventure at the beginning of the first service and wait to pick them up until after the second service ends.

When you check in with your child, you will receive a pick-up tag that matches your child’s name tag. You will need to show that tag when you pick up your child. Your child will only be released to the person who has their corresponding pick-up tag.

At the end of your morning, you should return to the children’s wing where you dropped off your child. Please tell the registration attendant your child’s name and age or grade of your child. Your child will come out to the pick-up area near the registration desk. A volunteer will match-up your security card with your child’s name badge and release them to you.

For the health of all the children, and for the peace of mind of every parent, children with symptoms of illness must stay with their parents. The Parenting Golden Rule is, “Do unto other parents as you would have them do unto you.” Upon the recommendation of the American Academy of Pediatrics, please do not bring children with the following symptoms to any of the Awesome Adventure areas:

• Fever currently or within the previous 24 hours
• Vomiting and/or diarrhea within the previous 24 hours
• Any symptoms of childhood diseases
• Runny nose with any colored discharge
• Sore throat
• Any unexplained rash or skin infection
• Pink eye and other eye infections
• Head lice (child should be free of all nits)

It will be up to the discretion of families and ministry partners whether to wear face-coverings while attending classes.

Snacks are served both services in the preschool and elementary classes. Cheerios are served in the nursery to toddlers. If your child has allergies, feel free to send a snack along.

West Shore Free Church takes our responsibility to provide a safe and secure environment for children very seriously. We have implemented safety and security policies that include:

• An electronic check-in and sticker verification system for all childcare and classes
• Background checks and an internal vetting process for all adult volunteers
• Application & internal vetting process for all teen volunteers
• A health policy that asks parents to keep children with symptoms of illness home
• Regular hand washing among leaders and children and disinfecting of classrooms and facilities
• We seek to maintain a teacher-to-child ratio of 8:1 in elementary classes, 5:1 in preschool classes, and 3:1 in nursery classes