How to set up your children's ministry for a strong fall season

This article is sponsored by Cokesbury, provider of Cokesbury Kids Big Faith dated curriculum for children's ministry.

Fall is one of the most important seasons in the life of a local church. Families return from summer travel, children head back to school, and routines that may have loosened over the summer begin to take shape again. For children's ministry leaders, it is also one of the best windows of the year to re-engage families, welcome new ones, and lay a strong foundation for faith formation in the months ahead.

Getting your fall programming in place before the season begins, with a clear curriculum, a prepared team, and a communication plan to match, makes all the difference. Here is how to set your children's ministry up for a confident, connected fall.

Start with a curriculum built for this season

Not all children's curriculum is created equal, and fall calls for something specific. This is a season for grounding, helping children get to know who God is and what it means to trust in that relationship as they navigate a new school year, new friendships, and the busy pace of autumn life.

Cokesbury Kids Big Faith Fall 2026 is designed with exactly that in mind. The fall quarter of Cokesbury Kids Big Faith centers on the Big Faith Idea of Faith in God -- helping children at every age explore the character of God through timeless Bible stories, hands-on activities, and child-friendly themes that connect faith to everyday life.

Each session of Cokesbury Kids Big Faith follows a consistent, easy-to-teach structure: children enter the space and begin engaging with the Bible story, explore it together through storytelling, video, and discussion, and then reflect on what they have learned. That rhythm is not just pedagogically sound, it is a gift to volunteer leaders who may not have a formal ministry background but want to show up well for the children in their care.

Choose the format that fits your church

One of the things that sets Cokesbury Kids Big Faith apart is its flexibility. Churches come in all sizes and configurations, and a curriculum that only works for one setup is a curriculum that leaves a lot of congregations behind.

Cokesbury Kids Big Faith Fall 2026 is available in two formats:

• Age-level curriculum for ages 3-6 and ages 7-12 separately, with age-specific Leader Guides, Activity Sheets, Activity Stickers, Class Packs, and DVDs.

• One Room Sunday School for churches where children of all ages, from preschool through early teens, gather and learn together in a single space. The One Room Leader Kit includes reproducible activity sheets and everything a leader needs to serve a multi-age group.

Both formats run 45 to 60 minutes per session and are designed for leaders of any experience level. Whether you have a seasoned children's director or a first-time volunteer stepping into the classroom, Cokesbury Kids Big Faith gives them what they need to lead with confidence.

Try it before you commit

If you are evaluating curriculum options for the fall and want to see Cokesbury Kids Big Faith in action before placing an order, Cokesbury offers a free sample lesson download so you and your team can experience the format firsthand. Share it with your teachers, walk through a session together, and get a real sense of how Big Faith works in your space before making a decision.

Communicate fall curriculum to your congregation

Choosing a strong curriculum is only part of the equation. Families also need to know what their children will be learning, why it matters, and how they can reinforce those lessons at home. This is where your communications work and your children's ministry work come together.

A few practical ideas for communicating your curriculum to your congregation this fall:

• Share it in your bulletin or newsletter. Letting parents know what theme you’re focusing on ahead of time gives them language to use with their children during the week.

• Post session themes on your church's social media as the quarter unfolds. A simple graphic with the weekly Bible story and memory verse gives families a touchpoint beyond Sunday morning.

• Invite parents into the learning. Consider hosting a brief orientation before the quarter begins where you walk families through what their children will be experiencing this fall.

• Highlight your leaders. A short volunteer spotlight -- on social media, in your newsletter, or from the pulpit -- reminds the congregation that real people are showing up every week to invest in the faith of your youngest members.

Build the whole year, one quarter at a time

One of the strengths of Cokesbury Kids Big Faith as a dated curriculum is the way each quarter connects to a larger arc of faith formation across the year. Fall's focus on Faith in God flows naturally into Faith in Community in the winter, which includes Advent and Christmas, then Faith in Jesus in the spring, which carries Lent and Easter, and Faith in Action in the summer.

That kind of intentional sequencing means that when families engage consistently across the year, their children are not just collecting disconnected Bible facts, they are building a framework for understanding who God is, how they belong to a community of faith, and what it looks like to live that out in the world around them. It is curriculum designed to grow with children, not just fill a Sunday morning slot.

Get your fall started on solid ground

The families coming through your doors this fall are looking for something real, a place where their children are known, where faith is taught clearly and joyfully, and where leaders show up prepared and present. A strong, flexible curriculum is one of the most practical ways to make that happen.

Explore Cokesbury Kids Big Faith Fall 2026 and download your free sample lesson here. See how Big Faith can help your children's ministry welcome this season with confidence.

Looking for more church communications resources? Visit resourceumc.org/mycom