Welcome to
Freedom kids

OUR VISION

Our Vision for Kids:

To raise children who are certain of who God is and certain of who they are.

At Freedom Kids, we are passionate about raising kids who will know God as their Lord, Saviour and best friend. We have a vision for our kids to impact their schools, friends, families and even their nations with the good news of Jesus! We want our children to be sold out for God and His church; fully free, overflowing with His joy and peace as they stand firm in their identity with Him as their heavenly Dad.

Mission

We create a children’s ministry that is safe, fun and engaging for them. Each child will experience an environment that is relevant to them. Whether a child thinks Jesus is a word you say after being scared, or grown up in a home where Jesus is the centre, everyone is welcome. There is no knowledge required and everyone should come away having something they have gained from the session regardless of what they believe.
Freedom Kids is a fun place because we want to reflect our God. Jesus tells us that He has come to give life in all its fullness (John 10:10); this kind of life isn’t just learning facts and following rules but is about having joy that stands in opposition to lifeless religion. It’s about dancing and laughter being part of our lives, along with kindness and sacrifice for our God and for others.

How do we do it?

We have brilliant volunteers who sing songs, do crafts, play games, and build friendships with children, making Sunday the best day of the week!

We teach Biblical principles to help our children to know and follow Jesus. We go through teaching in series, bringing a topic to life over several weeks. These topics always stick to one of three themes: Who God is, Who God says we are and Biblical understanding.

Your first visit

From when you arrive, you will notice many friendly and helpful volunteers welcoming you to church. Your first stop when you arrive will be the Kids Check-In Area. We want you and your child to feel comfortable, safe and have fun during your time with us, so we will take some time to get to know you. We will find out your child’s preferred name, interests and relevant allergies/medical conditions. We will show you the space where they will be during their groups and how to collect them after the event.

After registration, your child will remain in your care during the event until after worship (songs) when the children will go out to their own spaces for groups.

Our ages

We have an incredible environment for your children to learn about Jesus, regardless of their age. Below is our age breakdown:

Babies and Toddlers: 0 - 18 months

A space where our children feel loved and safe. Reflecting God’s great love for them.

We have a space within our adult event dedicated to these children. This space includes plenty of toys, books, soft furnishings and equipment to keep both you and your child comfortable and happy. We have a nappy change area and headphones you can borrow if the music is too loud. Every voice is special in Freedom Church and if your child is chatty or upset please do not worry, they are always welcome in this space whether asleep or speaking their mind!

Cubs: 18 months - Pre-School

Begin discovering who God is and how he made them to roar!

Cubs is our toddler and preschool kids’ group which runs at the same time as the talk in adults.

We do this by having a year-long curriculum which covers the most well-known stories from the bible. Each one has a key takeaway message from each session. This will be simple and easy to understand but crucially, is a fundamental truth about who God is or what he thinks of us. This is repeated throughout the event through moments of play, stories, craft and prayer to help memory recall. It is repeated both verbally and with actions (We use BSL signs) for children who do not yet have language to be able to engage verbally.

For more information: Welcome to Cubs Booklet

Adventurers: 4 - 10 years

To discover what faith is and to grow in their identity in Jesus

Adventurers is a vibrant and engaging children’s ministry where kids discover that Bible stories not only demonstrate God’s historic power but also how He remains powerful, loving and present with us today. We are passionate about helping our kids grow a relationship with God and showing them they are loved and valued, whilst encouraging them to do the right thing, not the easiest thing.

For more information: Welcome to Adventurers Booklet

Pre-Zeal: 11 - 13 years

To be sure of your purpose and position with God: grounded in discipline and living bold faith.

Pre-Zeal is a space for our pre-teens as they step into a new phase of life. We wanted to create a place to help grow confidence, faith and leadership and have a safe space to ask questions.

Like any learning when we question, we can understand more and this creates a culture of authenticity to be able to reflect Jesus more clearly wherever we go.

The journey home

We encourage parents/caregivers to keep the conversation going on their journey home. To facilitate this, we sometimes run series concurrently in kids and the adult event.

Ask your child these two questions:

Did you have fun?
What did you learn?

Our goal is to have a positive answer to both of those questions each week. Want to get more involved in what your child is learning? Contact our team to keep up with each week’s key takeaway, Bible story and further questions to discuss together at home.

Safeguarding

At Freedom Church Birmingham, not only do we follow Jesus’ example in valuing children, but we also take our legal responsibility extremely seriously to ensure every child is safe. We have safeguarding policies in place to protect the children that are in our care. This includes DBS checks, adhering to correct adult-child ratios, relevant background checks and training for volunteers. Safety is a huge priority for the Freedom Kids team, and we are constantly reviewing our procedures and ensuring the best for our children.

FAQ

What should I bring?
Nothing, we have all the equipment ready and waiting!

What are your adult-to-child ratios?
We follow government-advised ratios for each age group; in Cubs this is 1 Adult to 3 Children, in Adventurers and Pre-Zeal, this is 1 adult to 8 children. There is always a minimum of two adults present at any time.

What should my kids wear?
Play clothes are encouraged! Kids’ groups are a fun, hands-on experience, and although we use washable materials and provide aprons, there’s always a chance they’ll get a little messy.

What if my child is unsettled? Can I stay with my child?
We find children tend to settle best without a parent or caregiver in the room, so to keep our kids’ spaces safe and consistent for everyone, parents and caregivers aren’t able to join sessions. That said, we want to help with nervous or new children:

Before your first session, you’re welcome to look around the room together so your child knows where they’ll be going.
We’ll assign your child a leader to get to know in advance, so they have a familiar face and know exactly who to go to if they need anything.
If your child is upset and wants you, we’ll contact you to let you know.
From there, we’ll work with you to help your child feel excited about coming in independently. Sometimes that happens within a week, sometimes it takes longer, but we’re committed to the process with you.

Do you cater for dietary needs?
Snacks are provided by the hotel we hire our space from, usually pastries and fruit, and we’re happy to cater to allergies or preferences. We ask for this information at registration, so we can make sure your child stays safe while in our care.

Will my child be pressured to pray, say things, or believe something?
We want every child to feel like they belong in our kids’ spaces, regardless of what they believe. Children are always encouraged to share where they’re at and express their own opinions, that’s how we all learn more about the world and about each other. We’ll teach the Bible openly and pray as part of our sessions, because that’s genuinely part of who we are, but your child will never be made to pray, say something, or say they believe something they’re not comfortable with. Taking part is always an invitation, never a requirement, if a child would rather sit, listen, and simply be part of the group, that’s completely fine too. If it would help you feel more comfortable, just ask and we’re happy to share what a typical session looks like in advance.

How do you handle questions my child might ask afterwards that I can’t answer?
Totally normal, and nothing to worry about, kids ask brilliant, honest questions, and you don’t need to have all the answers yourself. Get in touch and we’ll work out a time to talk it through together.

Is it appropriate if my child has a different faith, or no faith at all?
Yes, absolutely. We follow Jesus’ example at Freedom Kids. Jesus was someone who socialised and spent time with people of all different cultures, faiths, and backgrounds. When He saw a person, He saw someone God had created, with value and worth, and He spoke love to them. We aim to do the same. Whatever your child’s background or beliefs, they’ll be loved and taught with understanding, at their own level. There’s no expectation that a child (or parent) shares our beliefs in order to take part, ask questions, or have fun. Many families come along simply to see what it’s about, with no strings attached.

Welcome to Freedom kids