{"id":29242,"date":"2021-05-24T21:22:39","date_gmt":"2021-05-25T01:22:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/briandoddonleadership.com\/?p=29242"},"modified":"2021-05-24T21:22:39","modified_gmt":"2021-05-25T01:22:39","slug":"5-things-parents-should-look-for-in-childrens-facilities-at-their-church","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/briandoddonleadership.com\/2021\/05\/24\/5-things-parents-should-look-for-in-childrens-facilities-at-their-church\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Things Parents Should Look For In Children’s Facilities At Their Church"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aspengroup.com\/cs\/c\/?cta_guid=d2593fb9-daa4-4c01-8c55-0904cd794df9&signature=AAH58kH6ix3pCwMZCJRdKc3rbzsDX5_a-Q&pageId=47319121297&placement_guid=8cadb153-d27a-49f6-97ee-05883fbee9ff&click=b0a602e4-4475-4ca7-9013-00ee8cf2c2e0&hsutk=ede5232ada5c85426316d1ce2d2628e2&canon=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.aspengroup.com%2Fblog%2Ffive-things-parents-look-for-in-a-church-facility&utm_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.aspengroup.com%2Fblog&portal_id=288364&contentType=blog-post&redirect_url=APefjpGQNKZsPVHie7dSan0TGAeYB9Ysp7bF6VoVlcjnq6q6Dosijxq1Us6SgTJbIbS3BXJ5wDzQcWuW0Ho1J0w7bVv_zPpNbEMsbS0R8wK9aG5KE2F2_n-BlfvrUetH9zT1DMh_2EgBE2A1e90pDw7eHPI6SwHj3zoIDWY2Qc0hNaceSutQEebkZtwZLwDUbAM8W8RYqy32kLk_p3nkAYa4J3QDmBjuj_qDNQShkX-A7l72BpMt4wT0qDKSnNFs7yEW32OronKjGqUBVnUZ9KjoYCSop2aauw&__hstc=18490982.ede5232ada5c85426316d1ce2d2628e2.1620769747614.1620769747614.1621880225314.2&__hssc=18490982.3.1621880225314&__hsfp=1630719012\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-29245 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/briandoddonleadership.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/499577b1-dd73-42d8-af66-ef2f31af6a6d-300x95.jpg?resize=300%2C95&ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"95\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/briandoddonleadership.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/499577b1-dd73-42d8-af66-ef2f31af6a6d.jpg?resize=300%2C95&ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/briandoddonleadership.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/499577b1-dd73-42d8-af66-ef2f31af6a6d.jpg?resize=1024%2C325&ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/briandoddonleadership.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/499577b1-dd73-42d8-af66-ef2f31af6a6d.jpg?resize=768%2C244&ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/briandoddonleadership.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/499577b1-dd73-42d8-af66-ef2f31af6a6d.jpg?w=1260&ssl=1 1260w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><strong>When my wife Sonya and I were raising our daughter Anna, there were three “must-haves” that needed to be in place when looking for a church<\/strong> – high-quality Bible teaching, relevant music, and a GREAT children’s program.\u00a0 After all, Sonya and I could “feed ourselves” if needed.\u00a0 Anna, however, must be in an environment which would make her love church when she grew up and went off to college and also allow her to become everything God created her to be.<\/p>\n<p><strong>This is why I resonated so much with a recent post by Becky Phillips, HR Director for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aspengroup.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Aspen Group<\/a>.\u00a0<\/strong> She provided a framework of what parents should be looking for from a facilities perspective.\u00a0 Becky also included a wonderful 20-minute conversation with industry practitioners to shed further light on the topic.<\/p>\n<p><strong>When it comes to facility management there is no organization I trust more than the team at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aspengroup.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Aspen Group<\/a>.<\/strong> \u00a0Aspen\u00a0is\u00a0<span id=\"hs_cos_wrapper_hero_header\" class=\"hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_widget hs_cos_wrapper_type_text\" data-hs-cos-general-type=\"widget\" data-hs-cos-type=\"text\">a ministry-focused design, build, furnish firm providing integrated solutions for new church facilities, additions, and renovations and quick, COVID-related facility fixes. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>When it comes to smart church leadership concepts, you must follow this incredible organization and their blog.\u00a0 You can do so by clicking <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aspengroup.com\/blog\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">HERE<\/a>.\u00a0 Now onto Becky’s comments:<\/p>\n<p>—————————————————————————————————————<\/p>\n<p>Everyone looks at different things in a church service: worship styles, preaching, or even the unwritten dress code. The same is true within church spaces. Every individual who walks through your doors will have a different priority when it comes to how they view your physical space.<\/p>\n<p>Fresh off the heels of Mother\u2019s Day, I spoke with two of Aspen’s amazing\u00a0architectural design team members,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.aspengroup.com\/church-design-builder\/our-team\/andrea-burks\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Andrea Burks<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.aspengroup.com\/church-design-builder\/our-team\/rosie-mitchell\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Rosie Mitchell<\/a>,\u00a0about five things parents look for when they enter a church space\u2014besides the coffee.<\/p>\n<h2>1. Wayfinding<\/h2>\n<p>For parents walking into a church building for the first time, quickly figuring out where to go with their children is essential. Parents often walk in the door with their hands full, so signage that is clear and on-brand with the look and feel of your church can be a real blessing to first-time guests.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aspengroup.com\/portfolio\/waypoint-church\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.aspengroup.com\/hs-fs\/hubfs\/Blog_Headers\/Five%20Things%20Parents%20Look%20for%20in%20a%20Church%20Facility\/waypoint-guest-central.jpg?w=500&ssl=1\" sizes=\"(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.aspengroup.com\/hs-fs\/hubfs\/Blog_Headers\/Five%20Things%20Parents%20Look%20for%20in%20a%20Church%20Facility\/waypoint-guest-central.jpg?width=250&name=waypoint-guest-central.jpg 250w, https:\/\/www.aspengroup.com\/hs-fs\/hubfs\/Blog_Headers\/Five%20Things%20Parents%20Look%20for%20in%20a%20Church%20Facility\/waypoint-guest-central.jpg?width=500&name=waypoint-guest-central.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.aspengroup.com\/hs-fs\/hubfs\/Blog_Headers\/Five%20Things%20Parents%20Look%20for%20in%20a%20Church%20Facility\/waypoint-guest-central.jpg?width=750&name=waypoint-guest-central.jpg 750w, https:\/\/www.aspengroup.com\/hs-fs\/hubfs\/Blog_Headers\/Five%20Things%20Parents%20Look%20for%20in%20a%20Church%20Facility\/waypoint-guest-central.jpg?width=1000&name=waypoint-guest-central.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.aspengroup.com\/hs-fs\/hubfs\/Blog_Headers\/Five%20Things%20Parents%20Look%20for%20in%20a%20Church%20Facility\/waypoint-guest-central.jpg?width=1250&name=waypoint-guest-central.jpg 1250w, https:\/\/www.aspengroup.com\/hs-fs\/hubfs\/Blog_Headers\/Five%20Things%20Parents%20Look%20for%20in%20a%20Church%20Facility\/waypoint-guest-central.jpg?width=1500&name=waypoint-guest-central.jpg 1500w\" alt=\"waypoint-guest-central\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><em>\u201cIt\u2019s really important for first-time guests to get into the lobby, situate themselves and figure out where to drop their kids off. You don\u2019t really think about that before you have kids.\u201d<br \/>\n\u2014Rosie Mitchell, Architectural Project Manager, Aspen Group<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>Watch the Live Video:<\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/aspengroup.wistia.com\/medias\/s1xumyedz1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.aspengroup.com\/hs-fs\/hubfs\/Blog_Headers\/Five%20Things%20Parents%20Look%20for%20in%20a%20Church%20Facility\/mothers%20and%20church%20facilities%20grab.jpg?w=475&ssl=1\" sizes=\"(max-width: 475px) 100vw, 475px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.aspengroup.com\/hs-fs\/hubfs\/Blog_Headers\/Five%20Things%20Parents%20Look%20for%20in%20a%20Church%20Facility\/mothers%20and%20church%20facilities%20grab.jpg?width=238&name=mothers%20and%20church%20facilities%20grab.jpg 238w, https:\/\/www.aspengroup.com\/hs-fs\/hubfs\/Blog_Headers\/Five%20Things%20Parents%20Look%20for%20in%20a%20Church%20Facility\/mothers%20and%20church%20facilities%20grab.jpg?width=475&name=mothers%20and%20church%20facilities%20grab.jpg 475w, https:\/\/www.aspengroup.com\/hs-fs\/hubfs\/Blog_Headers\/Five%20Things%20Parents%20Look%20for%20in%20a%20Church%20Facility\/mothers%20and%20church%20facilities%20grab.jpg?width=713&name=mothers%20and%20church%20facilities%20grab.jpg 713w, https:\/\/www.aspengroup.com\/hs-fs\/hubfs\/Blog_Headers\/Five%20Things%20Parents%20Look%20for%20in%20a%20Church%20Facility\/mothers%20and%20church%20facilities%20grab.jpg?width=950&name=mothers%20and%20church%20facilities%20grab.jpg 950w, https:\/\/www.aspengroup.com\/hs-fs\/hubfs\/Blog_Headers\/Five%20Things%20Parents%20Look%20for%20in%20a%20Church%20Facility\/mothers%20and%20church%20facilities%20grab.jpg?width=1188&name=mothers%20and%20church%20facilities%20grab.jpg 1188w, https:\/\/www.aspengroup.com\/hs-fs\/hubfs\/Blog_Headers\/Five%20Things%20Parents%20Look%20for%20in%20a%20Church%20Facility\/mothers%20and%20church%20facilities%20grab.jpg?width=1425&name=mothers%20and%20church%20facilities%20grab.jpg 1425w\" alt=\"mothers and church facilities grab\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>2. Connection Spaces<\/h2>\n<p>Places for visitors to connect are vital within your church, but these places are particularly important for families. After a church service, children will want a place to play while adults chat with one another.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aspengroup.com\/portfolio\/first-christian-church-decatur\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.aspengroup.com\/hs-fs\/hubfs\/Blog_Headers\/Five%20Things%20Parents%20Look%20for%20in%20a%20Church%20Facility\/first-christian-decatur-lobby.jpg?w=500&ssl=1\" sizes=\"(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.aspengroup.com\/hs-fs\/hubfs\/Blog_Headers\/Five%20Things%20Parents%20Look%20for%20in%20a%20Church%20Facility\/first-christian-decatur-lobby.jpg?width=250&name=first-christian-decatur-lobby.jpg 250w, https:\/\/www.aspengroup.com\/hs-fs\/hubfs\/Blog_Headers\/Five%20Things%20Parents%20Look%20for%20in%20a%20Church%20Facility\/first-christian-decatur-lobby.jpg?width=500&name=first-christian-decatur-lobby.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.aspengroup.com\/hs-fs\/hubfs\/Blog_Headers\/Five%20Things%20Parents%20Look%20for%20in%20a%20Church%20Facility\/first-christian-decatur-lobby.jpg?width=750&name=first-christian-decatur-lobby.jpg 750w, https:\/\/www.aspengroup.com\/hs-fs\/hubfs\/Blog_Headers\/Five%20Things%20Parents%20Look%20for%20in%20a%20Church%20Facility\/first-christian-decatur-lobby.jpg?width=1000&name=first-christian-decatur-lobby.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.aspengroup.com\/hs-fs\/hubfs\/Blog_Headers\/Five%20Things%20Parents%20Look%20for%20in%20a%20Church%20Facility\/first-christian-decatur-lobby.jpg?width=1250&name=first-christian-decatur-lobby.jpg 1250w, https:\/\/www.aspengroup.com\/hs-fs\/hubfs\/Blog_Headers\/Five%20Things%20Parents%20Look%20for%20in%20a%20Church%20Facility\/first-christian-decatur-lobby.jpg?width=1500&name=first-christian-decatur-lobby.jpg 1500w\" alt=\"first-christian-decatur-lobby\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aspengroup.com\/portfolio\/south-harbor-church\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.aspengroup.com\/hs-fs\/hubfs\/Blog_Headers\/Five%20Things%20Parents%20Look%20for%20in%20a%20Church%20Facility\/south-harbor-lobby.jpg?w=500&ssl=1\" sizes=\"(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.aspengroup.com\/hs-fs\/hubfs\/Blog_Headers\/Five%20Things%20Parents%20Look%20for%20in%20a%20Church%20Facility\/south-harbor-lobby.jpg?width=250&name=south-harbor-lobby.jpg 250w, https:\/\/www.aspengroup.com\/hs-fs\/hubfs\/Blog_Headers\/Five%20Things%20Parents%20Look%20for%20in%20a%20Church%20Facility\/south-harbor-lobby.jpg?width=500&name=south-harbor-lobby.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.aspengroup.com\/hs-fs\/hubfs\/Blog_Headers\/Five%20Things%20Parents%20Look%20for%20in%20a%20Church%20Facility\/south-harbor-lobby.jpg?width=750&name=south-harbor-lobby.jpg 750w, https:\/\/www.aspengroup.com\/hs-fs\/hubfs\/Blog_Headers\/Five%20Things%20Parents%20Look%20for%20in%20a%20Church%20Facility\/south-harbor-lobby.jpg?width=1000&name=south-harbor-lobby.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.aspengroup.com\/hs-fs\/hubfs\/Blog_Headers\/Five%20Things%20Parents%20Look%20for%20in%20a%20Church%20Facility\/south-harbor-lobby.jpg?width=1250&name=south-harbor-lobby.jpg 1250w, https:\/\/www.aspengroup.com\/hs-fs\/hubfs\/Blog_Headers\/Five%20Things%20Parents%20Look%20for%20in%20a%20Church%20Facility\/south-harbor-lobby.jpg?width=1500&name=south-harbor-lobby.jpg 1500w\" alt=\"south-harbor-lobby\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Open spaces with ample natural lighting help visitors at your church feel at home and not hurried out of the building. Remember, kids are curious, so anything sitting within reach is bound to be explored, and unlocked doors are certain to be opened by little ones excited to see what\u2019s around the corner.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><em>\u201cAs a parent, connecting spaces can be really important because it\u2019s good to know other people who are going through that same phase of life.\u201d\u00a0\u2014Andrea Burks, Architectural Designer, Aspen Group<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h2>3. Safety and Security<\/h2>\n<p>Once parents make their way to your kids\u2019 area, it\u2019s vital for them to know their children will be safe during the service. A secure check-in process, sufficient and friendly volunteers, and the design of your rooms will help give mom and dad peace of mind as they head to the worship service.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aspengroup.com\/portfolio\/brookville-road-community-church\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.aspengroup.com\/hs-fs\/hubfs\/Blog_Headers\/Five%20Things%20Parents%20Look%20for%20in%20a%20Church%20Facility\/brookville-road-toddlers.jpg?w=500&ssl=1\" sizes=\"(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.aspengroup.com\/hs-fs\/hubfs\/Blog_Headers\/Five%20Things%20Parents%20Look%20for%20in%20a%20Church%20Facility\/brookville-road-toddlers.jpg?width=250&name=brookville-road-toddlers.jpg 250w, https:\/\/www.aspengroup.com\/hs-fs\/hubfs\/Blog_Headers\/Five%20Things%20Parents%20Look%20for%20in%20a%20Church%20Facility\/brookville-road-toddlers.jpg?width=500&name=brookville-road-toddlers.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.aspengroup.com\/hs-fs\/hubfs\/Blog_Headers\/Five%20Things%20Parents%20Look%20for%20in%20a%20Church%20Facility\/brookville-road-toddlers.jpg?width=750&name=brookville-road-toddlers.jpg 750w, https:\/\/www.aspengroup.com\/hs-fs\/hubfs\/Blog_Headers\/Five%20Things%20Parents%20Look%20for%20in%20a%20Church%20Facility\/brookville-road-toddlers.jpg?width=1000&name=brookville-road-toddlers.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.aspengroup.com\/hs-fs\/hubfs\/Blog_Headers\/Five%20Things%20Parents%20Look%20for%20in%20a%20Church%20Facility\/brookville-road-toddlers.jpg?width=1250&name=brookville-road-toddlers.jpg 1250w, https:\/\/www.aspengroup.com\/hs-fs\/hubfs\/Blog_Headers\/Five%20Things%20Parents%20Look%20for%20in%20a%20Church%20Facility\/brookville-road-toddlers.jpg?width=1500&name=brookville-road-toddlers.jpg 1500w\" alt=\"brookville-road-toddlers\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>On the heels of the COVID-19 pandemic, cleanliness is also of utmost importance. As you prepare for services, make sure the physical space is clean and bright so that mom and dad aren\u2019t left wondering if their kids are picking up too many germs.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><em>\u201cA number one priority for most parents is the safety and security of the facility.\u201d\u00a0\u2014Becky Phillips, Human Resources Director, Aspen Group<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h2>4. Special Accommodations for Babies<\/h2>\n<p>As we think about how different parents experience your church, it\u2019s important to remember that parents of infants have a different set of needs than parents of school-aged children.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aspengroup.com\/portfolio\/orland-park-christian-reformed-church\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.aspengroup.com\/hs-fs\/hubfs\/Blog_Headers\/Five%20Things%20Parents%20Look%20for%20in%20a%20Church%20Facility\/orland-crawlers.jpg?w=500&ssl=1\" sizes=\"(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.aspengroup.com\/hs-fs\/hubfs\/Blog_Headers\/Five%20Things%20Parents%20Look%20for%20in%20a%20Church%20Facility\/orland-crawlers.jpg?width=250&name=orland-crawlers.jpg 250w, https:\/\/www.aspengroup.com\/hs-fs\/hubfs\/Blog_Headers\/Five%20Things%20Parents%20Look%20for%20in%20a%20Church%20Facility\/orland-crawlers.jpg?width=500&name=orland-crawlers.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.aspengroup.com\/hs-fs\/hubfs\/Blog_Headers\/Five%20Things%20Parents%20Look%20for%20in%20a%20Church%20Facility\/orland-crawlers.jpg?width=750&name=orland-crawlers.jpg 750w, https:\/\/www.aspengroup.com\/hs-fs\/hubfs\/Blog_Headers\/Five%20Things%20Parents%20Look%20for%20in%20a%20Church%20Facility\/orland-crawlers.jpg?width=1000&name=orland-crawlers.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.aspengroup.com\/hs-fs\/hubfs\/Blog_Headers\/Five%20Things%20Parents%20Look%20for%20in%20a%20Church%20Facility\/orland-crawlers.jpg?width=1250&name=orland-crawlers.jpg 1250w, https:\/\/www.aspengroup.com\/hs-fs\/hubfs\/Blog_Headers\/Five%20Things%20Parents%20Look%20for%20in%20a%20Church%20Facility\/orland-crawlers.jpg?width=1500&name=orland-crawlers.jpg 1500w\" alt=\"orland-crawlers\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aspengroup.com\/portfolio\/community-christian-church-plainfield\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.aspengroup.com\/hs-fs\/hubfs\/Blog_Headers\/Five%20Things%20Parents%20Look%20for%20in%20a%20Church%20Facility\/community-plainfield-kids-hall.jpg?w=500&ssl=1\" sizes=\"(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.aspengroup.com\/hs-fs\/hubfs\/Blog_Headers\/Five%20Things%20Parents%20Look%20for%20in%20a%20Church%20Facility\/community-plainfield-kids-hall.jpg?width=250&name=community-plainfield-kids-hall.jpg 250w, https:\/\/www.aspengroup.com\/hs-fs\/hubfs\/Blog_Headers\/Five%20Things%20Parents%20Look%20for%20in%20a%20Church%20Facility\/community-plainfield-kids-hall.jpg?width=500&name=community-plainfield-kids-hall.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.aspengroup.com\/hs-fs\/hubfs\/Blog_Headers\/Five%20Things%20Parents%20Look%20for%20in%20a%20Church%20Facility\/community-plainfield-kids-hall.jpg?width=750&name=community-plainfield-kids-hall.jpg 750w, https:\/\/www.aspengroup.com\/hs-fs\/hubfs\/Blog_Headers\/Five%20Things%20Parents%20Look%20for%20in%20a%20Church%20Facility\/community-plainfield-kids-hall.jpg?width=1000&name=community-plainfield-kids-hall.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.aspengroup.com\/hs-fs\/hubfs\/Blog_Headers\/Five%20Things%20Parents%20Look%20for%20in%20a%20Church%20Facility\/community-plainfield-kids-hall.jpg?width=1250&name=community-plainfield-kids-hall.jpg 1250w, https:\/\/www.aspengroup.com\/hs-fs\/hubfs\/Blog_Headers\/Five%20Things%20Parents%20Look%20for%20in%20a%20Church%20Facility\/community-plainfield-kids-hall.jpg?width=1500&name=community-plainfield-kids-hall.jpg 1500w\" alt=\"community-plainfield-kids-hall\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Parents of infants have plenty of joy and challenges in this stage; you don\u2019t want your church space to present additional obstacles. Station people up front to open doors for those who are pushing strollers. Have restrooms with diaper-changing stations clearly identified. The positive experience can even begin outside if your church provides special parking for those with young children.<\/p>\n<h2>5. The Small Details<\/h2>\n<p>There is a whole category of smaller details that can really enhance the churchgoing experience for parents. These things are often noticed when they\u00a0<em>aren\u2019t<\/em>\u00a0done well.<\/p>\n<p>Our architecture mom panel at Aspen shared those experiences for them have included:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<div>narrow hallways that make navigating kids\u2019 areas difficult<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<div>crowded or understaffed check-in areas that create lines for already hurried families<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>noisy or harshly-lit nursing rooms that make nursing more stressful for mom and baby<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>If you aren\u2019t sure how your church is doing when it comes to your Sunday experience for parents, ask. Moms and dads will often be happy to share opinions about how your space can be optimized. And the moms and dads at Aspen are always ready to help improve your space as well! As long as you provide the coffee.<\/p>\n<div class=\"post--single-cta\">\n<div class=\"post--single-cta-desktop blogcards-palm-visuallyhidden\"><span id=\"hs-cta-wrapper-8cadb153-d27a-49f6-97ee-05883fbee9ff\" class=\"hs-cta-wrapper\"><span id=\"hs-cta-8cadb153-d27a-49f6-97ee-05883fbee9ff\" class=\"hs-cta-node hs-cta-8cadb153-d27a-49f6-97ee-05883fbee9ff\" data-hs-drop=\"true\"><a id=\"cta_button_288364_d2593fb9-daa4-4c01-8c55-0904cd794df9\" class=\"cta_button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.aspengroup.com\/cs\/c\/?cta_guid=d2593fb9-daa4-4c01-8c55-0904cd794df9&signature=AAH58kH6ix3pCwMZCJRdKc3rbzsDX5_a-Q&pageId=47319121297&placement_guid=8cadb153-d27a-49f6-97ee-05883fbee9ff&click=b0a602e4-4475-4ca7-9013-00ee8cf2c2e0&hsutk=ede5232ada5c85426316d1ce2d2628e2&canon=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.aspengroup.com%2Fblog%2Ffive-things-parents-look-for-in-a-church-facility&utm_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.aspengroup.com%2Fblog&portal_id=288364&contentType=blog-post&redirect_url=APefjpGQNKZsPVHie7dSan0TGAeYB9Ysp7bF6VoVlcjnq6q6Dosijxq1Us6SgTJbIbS3BXJ5wDzQcWuW0Ho1J0w7bVv_zPpNbEMsbS0R8wK9aG5KE2F2_n-BlfvrUetH9zT1DMh_2EgBE2A1e90pDw7eHPI6SwHj3zoIDWY2Qc0hNaceSutQEebkZtwZLwDUbAM8W8RYqy32kLk_p3nkAYa4J3QDmBjuj_qDNQShkX-A7l72BpMt4wT0qDKSnNFs7yEW32OronKjGqUBVnUZ9KjoYCSop2aauw&__hstc=18490982.ede5232ada5c85426316d1ce2d2628e2.1620769747614.1620769747614.1621880225314.2&__hssc=18490982.3.1621880225314&__hsfp=1630719012\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" id=\"hs-cta-img-8cadb153-d27a-49f6-97ee-05883fbee9ff\" class=\"hs-cta-img \" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/f.hubspotusercontent10.net\/hubfs\/288364\/hub_generated\/resized\/499577b1-dd73-42d8-af66-ef2f31af6a6d.jpeg?ssl=1\" alt=\"4 Tips for Relaunching Children's Ministry at Your Church\" \/><\/a><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When my wife Sonya and I were raising our daughter Anna, there were three “must-haves” that needed to be in place when looking for a church – high-quality Bible teaching, relevant music, and a GREAT children’s program.\u00a0 After all, Sonya and I could “feed ourselves” if needed.\u00a0 Anna, however, must be in an environment which […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":29245,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"nf_dc_page":"","iawp_total_views":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[902],"class_list":["post-29242","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-church-leadership","tag-aspen-group"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/briandoddonleadership.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/499577b1-dd73-42d8-af66-ef2f31af6a6d.jpg?fit=1260%2C400&ssl=1","jetpack-related-posts":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/briandoddonleadership.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29242","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/briandoddonleadership.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/briandoddonleadership.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/briandoddonleadership.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/briandoddonleadership.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=29242"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/briandoddonleadership.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29242\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":29249,"href":"https:\/\/briandoddonleadership.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29242\/revisions\/29249"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/briandoddonleadership.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/29245"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/briandoddonleadership.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=29242"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/briandoddonleadership.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=29242"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/briandoddonleadership.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=29242"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}