Children

Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me..."

Matthew 19:14

At First UMC, we love kids and honor them as an important part of our church family! Although kids are always welcome to remain with their families during worship, we offer a great Children's church too. To facilitate this program, we provide safe, age appropriate, fun environments where your child can learn about God's love and how we are called to make the world a better place. Volunteers and parents partner to accomplish three primary goals: (1) help kids develop a life-long, meaningful relationship with God, (2) have lots of fun, and (3) make friends. Our teachers make Bible stories come alive through interactive storytelling, videos, discussions, music, crafts, and games. Our hope is that when your child leaves First UMC Cocoa Beach they will beg you to come back!

Sunday Mornings

Ages 1-4

During both our 9:30am contemporary service and our 11:00am traditional service, we offer a nursery. Our preschool teachers lovingly engage our little ones with fun, age appropriate activities that help them make friends and introduce them to God's love. You can feel at peace knowing that your child is in a safe and fun environment while you focus on connecting with God and others in the worship service.

Ages 5-11

During our 9:30am contemporary service, we offer a fun children's church where our elementary age kids make friends and learn about Jesus. On most Sundays , kids begin in the children's ministry room, except on the third Sunday of the month, when kids start in service with their parents for a special children's message. Kids also return to worship early on the first Sunday of the month to receive Holy Communion with their parents. At the 11:00am service, we provide activity bags and children remain in the sanctuary with their family.

Preparing for your first visit

Here is what to expect when you visit for the first time!

If you have an infant or toddler, you can escort your child to the preschool classroom. This classroom is clearly labeled, but if you have any trouble finding it, one of our greeters will be happy to help. Elementary age kids gather in the lobby of the sanctuary, and when the 9:30am service begins, one of our teachers will escort the children to the Kid's Club room. During your child's first visit, you will be asked to provide the following information.:

Parent/guardian name(s)

Child's name
Child's birth date
Home address
Parent's cell phone number (so we can text you during service if needed)
Parent's email
Any special instructions (allergies, special needs) for your children

If we need to contact you during the service, a volunteer will send a text to the cell phone on record. Please keep your phone on and switched to vibrate to ensure an open line of communication. If you receive a text from us, we ask that you exit the sanctuary immediately and proceed to your child’s classroom. After service, you pick-up your child in the appropriate classroom, unless it is a First Sunday when the kids are brought back early for Holy Communion.

If you have any questions about the flow of Sunday morning, the location of the classrooms, the teachers, or the lessons and activities, our Minister of Children and Families, Shannon, is happy to talk with you.

Children & Family Community Events

Pumpkin Patch

Christmas Party

Surfing VBS

We typically host a community event for children and families once every three months. This includes things like our pumpkin patch, Christmas party, Easter Fest, and Vacation Bible School. In addition, when we offer various adult groups, classes, or events, we provide childcare upon request. The video below highlights our Family Easter Fest in 2023.

What About My Child's Safety?

All volunteers who work with children or youth undergo a strict screening process with background checks every three years and mandatory annual training on our comprehensive Child and Youth Protection Policy. We also adhere to best practices in classroom and behavior management. If you have questions or concerns about safety, our Minister of Children and Families is always happy to talk with you.