Whether it’s their first day in uniform or the step up to senior school, September is an important time for the younger members of your congregation. Here’s a few ideas on how you (and your kitchen) can support them at the start of back-to-school season.

School starters
he first days of school are an exciting and scary time for smaller children, whether they are moving up from nursery or starting in the classroom for the first time. If there is a school near you, or one that’s affiliated with your church, try to organise a family get together the weekend before the new term. Children can see some familiar faces from the church community and could make some brand new friends, while parents can chat to other parents in the same boat.

From your kitchen: Why not see what school dinners will be on the menu and try to emulate one of them? You could even invite the school to officially participate with a school meals taster, another great way to ease small children into school life and reassure parents.

Stepping Up
For a lot of pre-teens in your congregation, starting high school can be as upsetting as it is thrilling. Excited to make new friends but sad to leave their primary friends behind, an event that reassures them that they will still see their old friends within the church community can be a comfort. It’s also time to start taking responsibility, so why not encourage them to take part in organising their own movie afternoon or games day (with some supervision, of course)?

From your kitchen: Fun and easy to put together snacks that the children can help dish up themselves. Popcorn, tortillas, hotdogs, sweet treats…they could even open a temporary DIY ice cream parlour (but be prepared for a bit of mess).

our church kitchen has the potential to be a great resource for your congregation and your local community, supporting your church as a place to bring everyone together. To find out how a long-lasting Steelplan Kitchen could help, call us on 0844 809 9186.