Exploring the C3 Kids Program at Melbourne East

The C3 Kids Program at C3 Powerhouse Melbourne East caters to children aged 9 months – 12yrs (Year 6) and is a significant part of our children’s faith journey and relationship with Jesus. The program equips children with age-appropriate skills which allow them to explore what it means to be a follower of Christ, deepen their relationship with God and find their God-given gifts in a safe and faith-filled environment, whilst also building relationships with other like-minded followers of their age.

Developing your child’s spiritual journey from a young age enables them to build their lives on a firm foundation which gives them a life-long purpose.

Kids Program Overview

C3 Powerhouse recognises the importance of predictable and consistent routines for children. Therefore, we operate our program with a clear structure that supports children’s social, emotional and spiritual wellbeing, whilst also providing an abundance of opportunities for fun, games, music and teamwork.

A Typical Kids Service at C3 Powerhouse Looks Like:

• Free play: This is where children participate in a variety of games or activities that foster imagination, creativity and exploration. This supports relationship building as children get to know one another as they engage in common interests, such as drawing, board games, role play, Lego and sometimes outdoor sports, including basketball and football.
• Welcome and Game: All children come together to share their week, celebrate any recent birthdays and get to know one another a little more through leader-led questioning and discussion. After this, we play a whole group game which continues to develop children’s social and emotional skills.
• Worship: This is an opportunity for kids to encounter God and experience His presence both individually and with their friends.
• Food and Video: Each week the children are provided with an age-appropriate snack (chips, biscuits, bars) to enjoy whilst they watch an educational video about a specific topic which aims to improve their understanding of what it means to be a follower of Christ and the simple way they can practise this in everyday life.
• Small Group Scripture and Discussion: We value children being able to navigate the Bible on their own as they grow, so this is an opportunity for kids to work together to locate scripture in the Bible and engage in leader-led discussions that unpack the concepts and ideas shared in that sessions video. This includes: ‘Why do you think __ is important?’ and/or ‘How could we practise this when at school or playing after-school/weekend sport?’
• Prayer and Altar Call: Each week we close our kids’ service in prayer and provide each child with an opportunity to respond by raising their hand if they would like to commit their lives to Jesus.

For the younger children (9 months to 4yrs), we encourage them to participate in every aspect they can, especially being present for the worship component, as they listen to the music being played and even dance along! We speak to them about the big concepts of God, including how he loves them, is always there for them and protects them at all times. These children have access to a separate room from the older children, which is fully supervised by at least 2 adults at all times, and provides them with ongoing play-based experiences for the duration of the service.

Educational Components of Our Kids Program

We aim to provide each child with a firm foundation of what it means to be a Christian, what it looks, sounds and feels like to be a follower of Christ and the practical skills to enact this in their everyday lives, whether that be at school, in their immediate and border family and/or in afternoon/weekend activities, including sport.

We teach children many key understandings, 4 of which are:

1) How to have a personal relationship with God, including how to pray and read/understand the Bible in an age-appropriate way.

2) How to apply teachings to their everyday lives.

3) Developing children’s social and emotional skills through relationship building opportunities with others.

4) Fine motor and gross motor skills through activity and hands-on activity experiences.

Kids Community Engagement

Attending C3 Kids empowers children to become involved in their broader community by making new friends and sharing common interests or passions.

Benefits for Children

There are so many benefits for children who attend C3 Kids, including making new friends, developing their relationship with God and their social and emotional wellbeing.

Safety and Staffing

– Every Team Leader and member goes through a sign-up process which includes discussions with a leader, signing off a child safety form, holding a Working with Children’s Check and being trained in safety procedures.

– Each week, at least one C3 Kids team member in the room holds a First Aid Qualification.

– Many of our C3 Kids team members are also Qualified Early Childhood and/or Primary Educators, teaching children throughout the week.

How to Get Involved

To get involved, simply attend C3 Powerhouse on a Sunday morning, from 10am till 11:30am. As you enter the main doors, the kids’ room is located on your left. We look forward to welcoming you and your child, so come on in! When dropping them off, we will require you to fill out a form including details about you and your child to ensure we can care for them in the best way possible. This includes names, contact number (if we need to contact you during the service) and any allergies or needs your child may have that we need to be aware of.

C3 Kids provides a fun, safe and warm environment for your child to build new friendships and encounter their greatest friend of all, Jesus Christ! We cannot wait to meet you and your child, so come see us at 4/100 New Street, Ringwood, 3134.