Start Here | ages 6-11
13 October 2024
Woodland Hills Family Church is committed to partnering with parents as you teach your little one about following Jesus. We know that a child’s experience at church shapes how they view God, so we use intentional music, stories, games, and hands-on learning activities to help kids understand God and His Word in a language that all kids understand...F-U-N!
Every child leaves Critter Street knowing and feeling the love of Christ. We believe even the smallest child can begin to grasp:
God made me. God loves me. Jesus wants to be my friend forever.
In WildWoods we want our kids to discover how their story intersects with God’s story. We take an entire month to focus on 1 theme, 1 verse, 1 virtue and we provide TONS of unpredictable fun around that predictable focus.
If you have students in 4th, 5th, or 6th grade, we have a special group designed for the unique needs of pre-teens! CREW is the perfect landing spot for those “in-between” years!
Enter through the main Castle entrance and visit the children’s welcome desk so we can point you in the right direction and help you learn our check-in process!
Because we value kids so much, we value a facility that is safe and secure, leaders who can be trusted, and processes that parents appreciate. Because kids are so impressionable, we provide Christ-centered and encouraging leaders to know and care for each child.
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InstagramChildren 0-5yrs meet in the Children’s Auditorium of the Castle building. Follow the signs from the parking lot to find “Critter Street families parking” and enter that way!
Kindergarten – 3rd grade meets in the log cabin creatively called “The Cabin” and located near the middle of campus.
4th – 6th grader meets in the building called “the Porch.” When coming from Express parking, this is one of the first buildings you’ll see. Just look for the yellow doors!
In the baby rooms, our number one goal is to provide a safe, clean, happy environment for our littlest “critters”. We have a staff member in the classroom every service, along with experienced volunteers who think the Baby Room is the friendliest place to be!
Our rooms are filled with age-appropriate toys that will keep babies busy while you worship, and if toys doesn’t work, there are always BUBBLES!
We know we will win your baby over but it may take a few weeks. We work with parents whose kids are experiencing separation anxiety to come up with a plan to make baby’s adjustment as easy as possible.
Preschoolers (0-5yrs)
During our Sunday mornings on Critter Street, we value our time together and want to “Make it Count.” Our service includes a large group teaching, worship time full of singing and dancing, engaging Bible storytelling on their level, and tons of repetition as they learn through play back in their classroom. Plus we have snacks–what could be better?
Elementary: Wildwoods (K-3rd)
We know that a child’s love language is spelled F-U-N. We strive to keep kiddos engaged in Bible teaching through interactive games, group competitions, crafts, and lots of hands-on learning. From Legos to candy canes to rolling dice to potatoes, you just never know what kind of props we’ll pull in to supplement our weekly Bible story and catch a kid’s interest.
We follow a small group model, meaning that we have consistent leaders every week who often “move up” to stay with their small group kids as they progress through the grade levels. Our goal is to make Sunday a kid’s favorite day of the week, and our motto is “Sunday Funday” all the way!
Elementary: (4th-6th)
Crew is a special ministry just for the preteen years of 4th, 5th and 6th grade. As kids’ brains and bodies are changing, we want to help them navigate through it. Our Crew leaders are here to be another voice echoing the same truths kids are hearing at home. We want to give these “tweens” a safe space to earn trust and gain independence while still supervised in a structured environment. Our gathering time is full of Bible teaching, scripture memory, worship, and small group discussion along with free time that’s perfect for fellowship. It’s so fun to watch our kids grow and remember, “We’re all in this together!”
Our God Time sheets are a daily devotional reinforcing the Bible story of the week. It’s intended to build the habit of spending time with God on a daily basis. Kids can bring them back completed for a reward. We think that discipline is something to celebrate!
Throughout the year we have special events on Sunday mornings and occasionally midweek.
If your child is under 2, they will remain in their classroom since transitions can be stressful at that age.
For our older preschoolers, we have “Critter Club.” It’s a time kids will get to play, go to the playground, have a snack and enjoy additional activities.
For K-5th grade, they get to go to “Kids Kamp.” Kids Kamp consists of games, crafts and toys to hit a variety of interests. When weather is permitting, kiddos go to our outdoor play area to get some sunshine and release energy. We are always introducing new activities to keep this time fun and engaging. Our goal is to give your kids a perk while you are serving.
We invite your middle schoolers and high schoolers to check out WHFCstudents on Wednesday nights at 6:30PM! On Sunday mornings, kids 7th-12th grade are invited to attend our main gathering with their parents.