a reason to renovate

Are you thinking of embarking on a renovation or addition for your church? I’ve interacted with a lot of projects over the years — some with great focus, and others that seemed to struggle to find their way with creative direction. If you spend some time thinking about the goals of the project up front, it can actually help guide many of your construction decisions and even furniture purchases as you go. Having clear goals can help you know if your project is “successful” or not.

There are some very obvious reasons that someone may add on or renovate.

• not enough space — there are more people than the current square footage can serve

• adding a program that your building currently can’t support — ex: you want to add a gym because there’s no place for indoor recreation and you are adding a sports ministry

• the current space does not reflect your organization — it looks like a doctor’s office from 1980 but you want church attenders to feel at home in 2023

• there are safety or health concerns that need to be addressed — your building needs to get up to code, address broken tile, fix a hole in the floor, remove mold…

• the leaders of your organization have prayed and feel like renovating is what they feel led to do

These can be awesome reasons to renovate.

There are also some very terrible reasons to add on or renovate that I’ve encountered over the years. These can cause great confusion during a project and really muddle financial decisions. You may want to reconsider the goals of your project if

• the project is based on comparison to another church — do you think you have a “rival” that you have to “out-perform” ? Are you trying to look better than someone else in town? Other churches are your brothers in Christ. They are a unique part of the body of Christ. Run your own race. Pray and ask God what is best for YOUR group of people.

• the project is based on vanity. Are you trying to show off how stylish YOU are? Are you making choices so that your colleagues will be impressed with YOU? It will be difficult to make the best decisions for your project if you filter them through the lens of what will make YOU the star. Take a step back and think about what is best for the project and what is best for the true goals of the space.

• you think BRANDS matter. No one is checking under your furniture to read the tag. Make selections for your space based on what is best for the project. Don’t sink all of your money into a sofa because it’s from your “favorite store” but neglect the rest of the room.

• you have a surplus of money and you “don’t know what to do with it.” If you don’t know what to do —- perhaps you should spend time figuring out the best use? :) A surplus of money is a great “problem” to have, but you must wisely consider the best use of your funds. If you don’t know “why” you are building a space, it will be difficult to make creative decisions along the way! Spend some time figuring out your goals.

• you want to take advantage of a “deal.” Does your contractor have some extra tile from a job? Or did you see a bunch of sofas on sale? Is your friend getting rid of their pingpong table? I see a lot of spaces that look more like Goodwill than they do an intentional environment. Of course you want to be wise with your money! But don’t let the pressure of a “do it now” situation lead you to make purchases or choices that are not the right fit for your space. Don’t let a “good deal” be the initiator of your project. If you plan well, you create a focused concept and then execute on that. If you come across deals along the way, that’s great! But at least you’ll know if the items you are considering will work towards a cohesive, intentional space. Have the courage to walk away from the sale :)

It can be difficult to be honest with yourself and your organization about your motives, but it will be the best for your project if you can focus on the greater goals for the space. You are highly accountable to the people who give their time and money to your organization. Ask for wisdom every step of the way!

If you are starting out on a renovation or addition, here are a few great questions to ask

• what is the purpose of the space? What do we hope will happen here?

• who will use this space? How can we consider their needs?

• how do we want people to feel in the space?

• what are our resources? What is our budget? Who should be involved?

• what is our timeline?

• what codes, rules, and regulations do we need to consider?

• when the space is complete, what components will make it successful?

• have we seen any inspiration that we’d like to use? Are there good examples of similar spaces we consider successful?

Church Nursery Products - Crawler and Young Toddler Classrooms

Are you working on updating the church nursery spaces? I shared a few products I’ve enjoyed using for infant classrooms on the blog and am continuing the post with adding items for “crawlers” as they transition to young toddlers. These little guys might be pulling up, cruising, standing, and maybe even working on those first steps. Most church and childcare programs divide up children by developmental milestones in the beginning. The mobility that crawling brings has increased safety concerns but some of these products can help you prepare your space for all the fun that crawling brings too! This isn’t so much a list of “toys” as it focuses more on safety gear, products that have improved over the years, and age appropriate considerations.

These items are great for a crawler / young toddler classroom. If you read the infant post, the first few items have a lot of overlap and the new ones are towards the bottom of the list :)

• foam floor tiles I love using these as a soft play surface. They are so easy to keep clean and wipe down from any messes. Our little one went through a stage of putting EVERYTHING in her mouth when she was learning to crawl and it was nice to have a non-fuzzy surface for her to play on. I use these like an accent rug and put them in the middle of the room over any LVT or carpet that is there. They are easy to add on to also if you are looking to create larger foam pads or different sizes. There are a lot of options out there with great colors and patterns too — think of it as a cute accent rug for your room. These are much easier to maintain than laundering blankets and cleaning carpets or rugs.

• foam changing pad (much easier to clean than a cloth covered one!) I will never go back to cloth covered changing pads. We have one of these at home too and I love it — really cuts down on laundry and again — so easy to spray and clean.

• toy storage Try to find toy storage that is easy for volunteers to manage. Visually accessible. Easy to keep clean. Has some air flow. Avoid deep baskets where the toys at the bottom never get used. A few simple toys that are organized well are better than a million pieces of toys that people have to pick up every time play time is over. The Ikea Kallax series is also a great resource for larger configurations of cubbies.

• furniture anchors (or also called anti-tip hardware) I would strongly urge you to also anchor any loose furniture to the wall. No matter how “low” the shelf or item is. With children able to crawl and pull up on furniture, you cannot be too safe! I like this style of hardware because it doesn’t add much bulk to the back of your furniture (which would keep it from sitting flush with the wall potentially) and it is adjustable with a long length. This is helpful to be able to slide a shelf unit out — especially if something might be plugged in behind it— and slide it back / tighten the straps.

• rocking chair Even with children that can crawl, you’ll want a rocking chair for all of the snuggle time. But you’ll want one that is easy to keep clean even more! I highly recommend one that has a vinyl upholstery on it. Most rockers have traditionally been cloth but you’ll be just as comfortable with a faux leather and it will be so much easier to wipe down when there are spills from the bottle. And there will be spills :) I actually prefer a ROCKER over a glider. I like that the base is open with no sliding mechanism (don’t want little fingers to get caught) and there’s no ruffles or panels to hide crumbs or little toys. Looking for a more commercial grade option? I love the OFS Mention with the rocker base. This chair is more of an investment, but comes with hospital grade upholstery options and warranties on the frame. Reach out if you’d like a quote!

• sturdy coat hooks Diaper bags can be heavy! And if you have several hanging up, you’ll want a nice strong row of hooks to support those bags. Make sure to appropriately anchor them to your wall!

• consider adding child safety locks to all of your lower cabinets if there’s any chance of children accessing low storage. I’d recommend using the screws to anchor the locks.

• foam climbing blocks These are a great destination for your little crawler! The foam cover is easy to keep clean and the pieces are easily rearranged / modified for the way you want to play. Supervision is always required — there’s definitely the potential to roll off :) But these blocks are nice and low to the ground so there’s not the potential to end up climbing too high. Look for ones that fit the color scheme or theme of your room. How cute are these that look like a tree log?

• safe toys There are a lot of toys out there — but this is a great example of a safe and age appropriate toy for babies crawling and sitting unassisted. When looking for toys make sure to choose ones that

  • have pieces that are large enough to not pose a choking hazard.

  • are easy to clean / maintain. Everything is still going to get put in there mouth, so get toys that are easy to wash / clean. These little blocks are a great example. There are lots of silicone toys out there but I really like this style because they don’t have a lot of small crevices to keep clean.

  • are light enough for the child to pick up / interact with

  • are not easily ripped / torn (like paper or cards) If you want books, board books are appropriate or Indestructibles (books printed on “indestructible” paper that kids can chew or pull on and it won’t rip…)

  • do not have moving parts that could pinch little fingers. They can definitely roll or move! Just make sure that there’s not a situation for little hands or fingers to get stuck. These little cars are great!

  • consider an activity center like this. It has both sit and stand options and lots of ways for little ones to interact!

  • if you are using walking toys, you’ll look for ones that are sturdy and don’t tip easily

• evacuation strollers Consult with your local authorities (for us it’s our fire marshal) to determine how your space is classified and the laws and guidelines you need to follow for evacuating your little ones in the case of an emergency. Since crawlers cannot walk unassisted, you need a way to get them out (and get ALL of the kids in the classroom out) as quickly and safely as possible. You will need to take into account the student capacity for the classroom as well as how many staff/ volunteers you have available. I completely understand that these options are very expensive (compared to most other strollers.) Please make sure that you are following all of your local codes with the highest level of safety. You’ll also want to consider the best way to store the strollers so that they are easily accessible in the event you need to use them. Some take up less space than others but offer less seats. If the stroller requires any practice to operate, your volunteer training is a great time to introduce them to the strollers. Some programs include “taking a ride around the hallway or outside” as a part of the curriculum / typical day. You may want to invest in a sturdier stroller that always is set up and ready for a ride. This style does NOT fold up, however it is built for more frequent use and has less parts so it’s easier to clean and maintain.

• bluetooth speaker Make it easy for staff or volunteers to play music with the kids! There are a lot of bluetooth speakers out there — just make sure to have one that’s easy to keep charged and easy to operate. It’s easy to send out Spotify playlists to your team with the songs you’d like played (or create a playlist on the music service of your choice.) The little ones will love it!

As those little ones begin to walk, they are also gaining greater motor skills and longer attention spans. You’ll want the spaces you create for them to evolve with them at the next stages too!

All of the items linked above are either purchases that I have made recently and recommend or ones recommended by my clients. The Amazon links above are considered “paid links”. As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases but each of these is a sincere recommendation that I think will help you have a great space!

Church Nursery Products - Infant Classroom

Thinking about giving the church nursery spaces an update? I’ve got a roundup of some products that you might want to consider for your littlest attenders! These are just a few examples of items that can help your space be more clean, safe, and fun.

Church Nursery Classroom - Infants

These items are great for an INFANT classroom

• foam floor tiles I love using these as a soft play surface. They are so easy to keep clean and wipe down from any messes. Our little one went through a stage of putting EVERYTHING in her mouth when she was learning to crawl and it was nice to have a non-fuzzy surface for her to play on. I use these like an accent rug and put them in the middle of the room over any LVT or carpet that is there. They are easy to add on to also if you are looking to create larger foam pads or different sizes. There are a lot of options out there with great colors and patterns too — think of it as a cute accent rug for your room. These are much easier to maintain than laundering blankets and cleaning carpets.

• foam changing pad (much easier to clean than a cloth covered one!) I will never go back to cloth covered changing pads. We have one of these at home too and I love it — really cuts down on laundry and again — so easy to spray down and clean.

• swing There are so many great motion swings out there! You don’t have to get a big one to give that little baby a nice ride :) This one is nice and compact and has motion / noise features. I know there are a lot of Mamaroo fans out there too. I love that it’s on the more compact side and doesn’t have a huge base.

• bouncer One of my favorite things about a bouncer is that they are easy to move around the room! Easy to pick up and bring the baby with you wherever you are playing

• sit up assist seat I would actually recommend this INSTEAD of a more rigid foam sit up seat. The fabric on this is much more flexible for different anatomy / body types. For some reason my girls never liked the more rigid foam seats and using a fabric sit up assist seat was much better suited to their body/ability as they began to learn to sit up.

• exersaucer/ activity center Once the little one has more stability, they’ll love a spot to sit supported and have lots to touch and play. It’s great to have a variety of places to care for and play with the babies. Their abilities change so quickly, so it’s great to have options for every stage!

• crib When considering cribs, please consider your local guidelines as well as if your facility is considered a “daycare” during the week. You’ll want to adhere to the highest level of safety and emergency preparedness. If your facility needs evacuation cribs, they will be ON WHEELS and able to be moved easily in case of an emergency (and fit through the door frame:) Also — please be aware of age appropriate safety guidelines. Although many companies do styled photoshoots with pillows and blankets paired with cribs, it is NOT safe for a young infant to sleep with pillows and blankets due to suffocation hazards.

• sound machine Got little ones trying to nap? A sound machine is a must to help cut through the extra noise in the classroom. This one is easy to use and can be controlled from your phone. The different color light options are fun for little ones too :) Looking for a low-tech version? This sound machine is a perfect fit!

• toy storage Try to find toy storage that is easy for volunteers to manage. Visually accessible. Easy to keep clean. Has some air flow. Avoid deep baskets where the toys at the bottom never get used. A few simple toys that are organized well are better than a million pieces of toys that people have to pick up every time play time is over. The Ikea Kallax series is also a great resource for larger configurations of cubbies.

• rocking chair You’ll want a rocking chair for all of the snuggle time —but you’ll want one that is easy to keep clean even more! I highly recommend one that has a vinyl upholstery on it. Most rockers have traditionally been cloth but you’ll be just as comfortable with a faux leather and it will be so much easier to wipe down when there are spills from the bottle. And there will be spills :) I actually prefer a ROCKER over a glider. I like that the base is open with no sliding mechanism (don’t want little fingers to get caught) and there’s no ruffles or panels to hide crumbs or little toys. Looking for a more commercial grade option? I love the OFS Mention with the rocker base. This chair is more of an investment, but comes with hospital grade upholstery options and warranties on the frame. Reach out if you’d like a quote!

• are your volunteers feeding babies? Arm them with some cute burp cloths

• sturdy coat hooks Diaper bags can be heavy! And if you have several hanging up, you’ll want a nice strong row of hooks to support those bags. Make sure to appropriately anchor them to your wall!

• consider adding child safety locks to all of your lower cabinets if there is a chance of babies crawling around in the room. I’d recommend using the screws to anchor the locks.

Typically, churches create a different space for kids as they begin to crawl. Check back in for more recommendations for those little guys!

All of the items linked above are either purchases that I have made recently and recommend or ones recommended by my clients. The Amazon links above are considered “paid links”. As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases but each of these is a sincere recommendation that I think will help you have a great space!