My kids love to attend church every Sunday, and going to church is as much a part of their weekly rhythm as are slow Saturday mornings and the bustle of heading to school on a Monday. We’ve lived in several US cities, and church attendance has been a constant no matter where we’ve moved. At each of the churches we’ve attended across the country, I’ve seen varying levels of decor in the kids’ spaces, from Disney-level theming to school classrooms turned-kids rooms in load-in load-out churches.

As a mom raising kids to know and love Jesus, I can assure you that kids don’t need a Disney-level space to meet God and nurture their developing faith. However, as a designer, I can tell you that a well-designed kids' area does add to the appeal for visitors and build the excitement that regulars feel when going to the house of God. I highly respect some churches’ commitment to creating spaces that envy the world’s in their interestl to children. So, if you’re looking to update or completely remodel your kids' spaces, let’s talk trends - what’s in, what’s out, and what to remember as you remodel.

Keep This In Mind

First, let’s discuss things to remember for your kids’ spaces. The key is to create a functional and visually attractive space while also being sensitive to the needs and interests of children. Here are a few things to consider:

1. Safety

Safety is big and should always be a top priority when designing a children's space. Ensure all furniture, decorations, and equipment are safe and age-appropriate. Be mindful of hazards such as sharp edges, small parts, and cords.

If you choose to DIY your space, be sure to finish the elements well. For example, sand off jagged and sharp edges, secure any cords, and ensure that items won’t topple over or fall. Also, anchor to the wall any book or toy shelves that little hands could potentially pull on top of themselves.

2. Know Your Audience

Consider the audience you’re trying to reach, and decorate accordingly. For young children, I’m decorating less for the child and more for the parents, since placing your infant in someone else’s care for the first time can be very scary. In nursery and preschool spaces, I decorate with on-trend designs that the parents can connect with and try to create an environment where they feel safe bringing their little ones. However, when designing for older kids, it’s all about them. What are they into? What will make them say, “Wow!” What theming and interactive elements will draw them in and make them excited to be at church?

3. Functionality

Design the space with its intended purpose in mind. One of my big mottos is “Begin with the end in mind.” How will the children use the area? Will it be mainly for play, or is there a classroom component? Will children sit in chairs, on risers, or the floor? Are tables needed for crafts or projects, or is it more of a “big church” format with children in rows facing a stage? Consider how the children will use the space and what activities will occur there. Ensure plenty of storage for toys, books, and other supplies. And choose furniture items that are easy to clean and sanitize.

4. Flexibility

Does the space need to be flexible for other ministries or age groups to use, or are you doing a permanent installation? If you need flexible space, consider using modular furniture and adjustable seating arrangements that you can easily reconfigure.

You don’t have to sacrifice design for flexibility, either. For example, if you’re a portable church, it’s possible to design spaces for kids that are attractional and yet coexist in a space intended for another purpose.

5. Accessibility

Ensure the space is accessible to all children, including those with special needs or disabilities. We want our churches to be places where children find reprieve from the world, so creating an environment where every child is welcome and can thrive is highly important. Consider installing ramps or lifts, providing sensory-friendly elements like a calming space for when the environment is too stimulating, and incorporating braille or other accessibility features.

On Trends

Let’s talk about trends in children’s ministry interior design. If you read my blog, “The Case for the White Stage,” you know I don’t feel churches should blindly follow trends. I firmly believe that churches should incorporate design elements that feel authentic to who they are as a body of believers. If a trend aligns with who you are as a church, embrace it! But if it doesn’t feel like you, avoid it like the plague! Following trends without considering your church’s mission, vision, and unique place in the community will only result in cookie-cutter design. Allow your church’s identity to inform its interior design so your spaces are unique and well-designed.

That being said, I will share some design elements for kids' ministry that are on their way out and trends that you’ll begin to see frequently used in churches. Then, as you design, you can consider them carefully to see if they are a good fit for your church.

Trends On Their Way Out

Here’s what’s on its way out:

Paint splotches. There was a time for Nickelodeon-style decor from the 90s, but now it feels a bit older and outdated.
Gears & factory theme. This style doesn’t speak as well to the youngest generation.
Super Book-style Bible characters, including highly caricatured, comic-book-style scripture illustrations. The current design is trending toward images of Bible stories that are more accurate to the people of the time, both artistically and culturally.

Trends for Nursery and Preschool

In nursery and preschool, simplicity is king right now. Instead of overwhelming color use, we see a more understated nursery design. This includes clean, simple lines, white space, and minimal themes.

Modern decor and pops of muted color appeal to young parents bringing their children to City of Life’s nursery.

I implemented this style in my work on the City of Life Church nursery wing in Kissimmee, FL. We selected bright white walls and a light-colored vinyl plank floor to create the illusion of a larger space. Because there were no windows to the outside to provide natural life, I gave each room glass walls facing the hallway to make the area feel bright and light. And I introduced pops of color through accents and accessories throughout the space.

Walls of windows facing an interior hallway bring light into these windowless rooms.

Bright white and clean lines in City of Life’s nursery wing

Trends for Big Kids Spaces

For spaces intended for bigger kids, I’ve observed a few trends. First, color blocking is a prevalent paint trend. In color blocking, large sections of the walls or doors are painted a specific color. For instance, in rooms with very high ceilings (like gyms or fellowship halls), color blocking can help make the space feel less expansive and draw the eye toward what you want people to see. This technique is used in my proposal for Living Hope’s Youth Center. We painted the walls black on the lower two-thirds and accented the doorway in color to draw attention to the entry with their primary logo color. I’ve also seen doors color blocked; each assigned a different color. This can help in wayfinding for new families because your volunteer team can say, “Head down to the purple door to find her class.”

Another trend I see is incorporating technology into design for bigger kids. For example, in my design for Vivid Church’s Big Kids room, we created a video game station that children could utilize during their free time, which is really fun for them.

In Conclusion

Outside of introducing our kids to Jesus, providing them with a solid foundation in the family of God is one of the most important things we can do. When we can make children’s spaces visually engaging and captivating to our kids, we give them one more reason to want to visit church, which is where they learn about Jesus and make life-long connections to other believers.

If you’d like to talk to someone about your children’s spaces or work with a design professional for your upcoming children’s space remodel, set up your free discovery call today! I’d love to talk!

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Interior Design for Children’s Ministry: What’s In and What’s Out