Episode 231: Why Fun is Essential in Kids' Ministry with Kayla Fowler

Is fun a distraction from real ministry — or the doorway into it? Hannah sits down with Kayla Fowler (Team Lead for Hyfi, Lifeway's next-gen curriculum) to unpack why fun isn't optional in kids' ministry — it's foundational. If you've ever wondered whether the games and goofiness "count" as real ministry, this conversation will change how you see it.

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Transcript

Why Fun Is Essential in Children's Ministry with Kayla Fowler

KidzMatter Podcast

Guest: Kayla Fowler, Team Lead, Hyfi (Lifeway's fully digital next-gen curriculum)
Host: Hannah Augustine

Hannah Augustine (00:00)

Growing up, do you remember having fun in church? We all grew up differently, and if you're more serious in nature — kind of like me — it's easy to underestimate just how important fun is for kids' ministry. So if fun seems unnecessary to you, today's conversation about how fun breaks down walls, helps kids feel comfortable, and prepares them for learning might challenge your perspective. Get ready to take some notes. And we might even reminisce about some of our favorite fun church memories, so hang in until the end.

I'm Hannah Augustine, and to be truthful, I tend to be more serious about church. I'm very passionate about helping kids develop a solid biblical foundation — we talk about that a lot on the podcast. So spending time on fun and games can feel like a waste of time. But today, Kayla Fowler from the Lifeway team is going to help us understand just how important those elements are.

We believe that kids can do mighty things, and equipped with the Go Bible, kids will understand who they are in Jesus and their important role in bringing God's love to the world. With over 600 resources and the full text of the New Living Translation, kids will experience God's love in a transformational way. The Go Bible makes it fun and easy for kids to understand the fascinating accounts of God's heart-changing power and his overarching story. You can find free curriculum resources at kidsgobible.com, and that link will be in the show notes.

Kayla Fowler is the team lead for Hyfi — if you're not familiar, it's Lifeway's fully digital next-gen curriculum. We'll talk about that some throughout the episode. She's passionate about helping the next generation own their faith and understand their true identity in Christ. She's the author of God Knows Me Inside and Out. She blends creativity and cultural insight to shape discipleship for the next generation, and she loves exploring the Tennessee trails with her husband and their adventurous pup, Baxter. Kayla, thank you for joining us today. We're so excited to have you.

Kayla (02:13)

Thanks, Hannah. Thanks so much for inviting me into this conversation. I'm really grateful to be here.

Hannah Augustine (02:19)

Of course. And if you're a KidzMatter PRO member, you already got to hear from Kayla earlier this year about kids and culture and how to navigate that conversation. If you're a PRO member, go back to January and make sure you listen to her masterclass — it was amazing. If you're not a PRO member, you can check it out at kidzmatter.com/PRO; we'd love to have you join us.

But Kayla's going to talk with us today about why fun matters. Kayla, bottom line, foundation: why does fun matter for kids in kids' ministry?

Kayla (02:46)

Yeah, fun matters so much. One, kids are built for fun. But it's more than just having fun for fun's sake — it's really important that we're balancing the fun and the excitement and the joy with the theology, the depth, and the faith-based foundations that kids are learning.

Fun really matters for a few reasons. It's how kids engage, it's how they connect, it's how they learn, and it's how they remember. When kids are having fun, they feel safe to let their guard down. They feel safe to build relationships, to participate in a new process, or to think new ideas. Fun creates belonging. It accelerates learning, and it helps build meaningful experiences that become lasting memories — so that when those kids in your ministry grow into adults of faith, they're looking back at their experiences in your ministry and the fun that they had, connected to the truth that they learned about who God is.

Hannah Augustine (03:57)

You're so right. When I think back to children's ministry and youth ministry, I remember most of the fun moments. Don't get me wrong — there were spiritual moments I remember too — but like you said, that's creating that bonding with peers, with your small group leader, those kinds of dynamics that then pave the way for that serious conversation, those transformational moments. You're absolutely right — making that space intentionally, not just fun for fun's sake, but integrating it in with what we're doing, is super significant.

What do you think is the reason some churches might skip the fun element? And what are they missing out on when they do? What's the cost of that?

Kayla (04:33)

Yeah, I think there's a couple of reasons. If we're honest, sometimes we misunderstand fun. As adults walking into ministry, we think fun is the attraction and the biblical teaching, the foundation, is the meat — so we're going to attract kids and get them in, and then we're going to get serious and really lean into our faith.

But faith is fun. God is fun. One of the things we get to do as ministry leaders is help kids experience the joy of Jesus. Fun is a fantastic way to build that into our ministries, into the experiences our kids are having at church.

Another thing is that kids don't separate fun from learning. Sometimes as adults, we separate fun from learning — there's the fun part over here, the learning part over there. But fun and play is how kids learn. It's really important that we're integrating that into each part of our ministry spaces intentionally — not fun over here and Bible over there, very serious — but actually helping kids know they can have fun when they're learning the Bible. It's not separate; it's really integrated.

That's really important for how we lead ministry, because fun is the doorway that learning and relationships and belonging and spiritual foundations happen through. We need to make sure we're incorporating fun in meaningful ways that are appropriate and fit the space.

At my church, we have the kids' space kind of in the back and our large main space in the front, and there's a very thin door that separates those two. There are times you'll be in a very serious moment in worship, and then you'll hear the kids in the back — three, two, one, woo! And we giggle, and we know those kids are having fun and are about to experience some really cool moments of joy with Jesus.

So just making it appropriate, but also knowing fun is that doorway — the entryway into which kids learn more about who God is. They learn more about their experiences with other people, with other kids in the room, with other leaders in the room, about how to build belonging and feel like they're part of a team. That's when they start breaking down some of those barriers and learning more about the truth of who God is, and are able to own that for themselves and find those foundational truths of scripture that they can really hold on to.

Hannah Augustine (07:27)

I love that you're talking about joy. It's not just — we like to talk in church about happiness versus joy, and I think the Lord loves both, but helping kids connect that the Lord is our source of joy, our source of peace — all these different things.

When I think back, summer camp or VBS is such a great illustration of fun and the glue that it can build. For me, summer camp was integral to elementary school, middle school, and high school. It was the fun I had with peers and the small group times and just the crazy things we would do. You look back and think, "I can't believe we had a mud mountain, and we let the kids play in the mud all day" — me, who never would have played in the mud except for camp. That's such a core memory, and there are friendships from that season that I still have today, because the fun brought us together.

Fun is not a waste of time. You mentioned it helps kids learn, and I think we want kids to fit into this box of "sit and listen and you're going to learn." Some kids are that way — we've talked about this on the podcast before, that some kids do relate in more of a study way. But a lot of kids are kinetic learners, or they learn in different ways. When we can help them engage with the Bible, engage with God's people, through fun, through play, it accesses a different part of their brain, a different part of their heart, and builds those foundations in a fresh way.

What would you say is a good strategy for churches who want to balance fun and faith well — walking that line, being discerning as they do that?

Kayla (08:56)

Totally. I love this question because it's so valuable no matter where you are in ministry. If you're the top ministry leader and all of this is dependent on you and you're making all the choices, or if you're more in a volunteer role, assisting and helping in any way — you're part of the lead team. We all need good strategies, and we all need to evaluate what's happening in our ministries from our own perspective, and ask for feedback from other people's perspectives too. If you have a team, build your team, gather your team, and ask for feedback.

One of the strategies we use at Hyfi is called the Outsider In strategy. It's so valuable because it helps us make sure we're not making assumptions about any kid who comes into our space. The kid who walked in may know a lot about the Bible — they may be in our church every week. They still may not be ready to jump in and learn. We may have other kids who join us who don't know a lot about the Bible — their Bible knowledge is what they get from YouTube or from friends at school; they don't go to church very much, they don't have a Bible or read one at home. We just don't want to assume where kids are on their spiritual journey.

One of the things we want to build from the beginning is that sense of belonging. In the Hyfi resource, we're really strategic — from start to finish in large group and start to finish in small group, we're building in moments to build connection with other kids and with leaders, and then we explain why. Maybe one of our goals is for a kid to feel part of the team, and we have an activity that isn't based on the Bible — I know, stick with me, don't tune out yet — but it's an activity that helps a child understand: hey, you matter here, we're so glad you're here, you're part of our team, let's do this fun thing together. That simple ten-minute moment at the beginning isn't content-driven yet. We're going to get to the content — kids aren't coming to church and not learning about God or Jesus — but it helps them feel like they belong.

That sense of belonging breaks down barriers, helps kids take off the armor. We do this as adults too — whether you're an extrovert or an introvert, you walk into a room full of people you don't know, and you have that armor on, that wall built up. It takes a little time, takes a moment to let that go, to build a sense of belonging, to feel like, "Okay, I do feel safe here, I do feel comfortable here," so that I can start to listen to what's being said.

I think another crucial assumption is that we sometimes believe kids walk into our spaces and will believe everything we say just because we say it. That's not really the case anymore. So we want to create that sense of relationship and trust and influence with those children, so that as we're speaking and talking about the true things about Jesus, the kids start listening. They start understanding. They start asking questions. They start owning their faith a little more, to say, "Okay, I hear what you're saying — do I really believe this to be true? Where do I find that in the Bible?" And we let the Bible be the source of where we go to find answers about who God is and who we are.

So, starting from that furthest-outside point and stair-stepping your time together — where the first thing you're doing is just having fun and building relationships, building connections. Kids need to know that you know their name. If they're here twice a month or so, they need to know you remember a few details about them, that you haven't forgotten them, that you remember them when they come back.

That sense of belonging established in those fun times helps kids move into a deeper sense of participation — so that when you're playing a fun game, they participate, and because they participate in the fun game, they're also going to want to participate when you're asking questions, and when you get to more of the learning or application part. Taking those things step by step, not feeling like you have to do everything at once or that it all has to happen in the first ten minutes — allowing that time to nurture the relationships, to nurture that fun — means that as kids are engaging, they're also learning, and they're also able to find what's true about who God is, what he's saying, and dig out those nuggets for themselves.

Because we don't want kids to have our faith. We don't want them to believe the Bible because Miss Kayla believes the Bible — we want them to believe it because they believe it, because they see it, because they understand it. That all happens through strategy, through building relationship, through having fun, and through engaging in those moments — because when you're having fun with your kids in an authentic way, not in a cheesy, "I'm trying to put on a show" kind of way, but truly being yourself and having fun, it helps kids build relationships with you. It helps them trust what you're going to say, so that when you go to say what's real and true about God, about themselves, about what God wants for them and their lives and the true purposes he's built them for — they're listening, and they're paying attention, and they're taking those things to heart, more so than if I were to come in and just immediately start teaching, bam, bam, bam, "this is what the Bible says." They haven't built that relationship with me; they don't trust what I'm saying to be true. So fun is a vehicle that builds the strategy to build relationship, so that trustworthy content can get to the hearts and minds of kids.

Hannah Augustine (15:22)

That idea you and the Lifeway team focus on with Hyfi, the outsider-in approach, is so important. We interviewed Chuck Peters — he oversees the next-gen strategy for LifeWay — a couple months ago, and he talked about how often we tend to assume who our audience is. Especially today, it is not the audience it would have been twenty years ago. So many kids are coming in who aren't familiar, and when they're walking straight into heavy biblical content, they may feel so out of place.

He also talked about the significance of asking questions that are obvious and easy to answer, so that every kid can engage — not this, "Well, I don't know, because I wasn't here three weeks ago." We want kids to feel a part of it.

And I love that you brought up that it doesn't have to tie into the Bible every time. I'm big on tying everything in, but we don't want to do that at the expense of the fun not being fun because we've tried too hard to make it fit into the Bible lesson. So it's okay if your opener game is just fun — and maybe the only way you tie it in is by saying, "I love that we can have fun in church, and God loves that we can have fun in church, because walking with God is fun." There's your tie-in, and you can use it as many times as you want. It doesn't have to connect to Jacob and Esau — it can be a very loose connection, just like that.

Kayla, what are a few practical ways leaders can bring the fun? A lot of times curriculum provides a game, but how can leaders infuse fun and make it work in their environment every week?

Kayla (17:01)

Yeah. One thing I touched on a second ago: have fun together with kids. Be authentic. Really ask yourself, what is fun for me? Sometimes what's fun for me is sitting and reading a book on a rainy day — that may sound like torture to you, but think about what's fun for you, what you like doing with a group of people.

Don't believe the lie, don't get trapped into thinking you have to be a certain way to be fun — like your predecessor in kids' ministry, or your pastor, or the VBS director. Don't get caught in that comparison game. You get to be yourself, and who you are is fun. Do you see yourself as fun? Do you think you're fun? Because if you don't think you're fun, maybe other people won't think you're fun either. It's important that you see your authentic self and know that person is fun — that person gets to have fun, and you get to do that with the kids you lead. That's a really special place to be.

So: be authentic, ask yourself what things you like to do that are fun and that you can do with kids, things that help kids see your personality — so they get to know you, not just "the person who teaches us the Bible."

Bring some outside fun in occasionally. You do not have to be all things fun to all people — fun is a wide range, and what's fun for one person isn't necessarily fun for another. You get to showcase other leaders and other relationships in the church who can steward some of that with you. Bring in some outside fun, have a special guest, have a fun game that somebody else leads.

And I'd say another one is to lean into participation versus facilitation. When we participate in the learning with kids — what Hyfi calls "discovery mode," that side-by-side learning technique — we're doing this together, you and me and all the friends in our group. It's not me, who knows all the answers, teaching you, who doesn't know anything. That's not fun for anybody. Kids know stuff about the Bible, and we know stuff about the Bible, and we get to learn and discover together.

So model that curiosity, lean into wonder and excitement, be real about the things you're excited about in the Bible. When something happens in the Bible story that's really amazing, let that show. Let that passion, that experience, that joy that you have in scripture and in your faith overflow in how you lead and how you teach.

Hannah Augustine (20:15)

That is so good. Authenticity — we've talked about it before, and it is so critical. Last time we interviewed Chuck, we talked about Flip the Script, one of Lifeway's latest research projects — so good. It'll help you understand some of the minds of your kids, and also how to integrate these things and come at it from an approach that connects with them.

When you can get on their level and play with them, engage your leaders too — if you're in an environment with multiple volunteers, engage them in the fun. Some of the most fun memories I can remember, leading kids and participating with them, were when our volunteer leaders did some sort of crazy game in front of all the kids. The kids want to play, don't get me wrong, but they also love watching Mr. Steve, who's grandpa age, let somebody throw a pie in his face, or eat that game where it's chocolate pudding and gummy worms, hands behind their back, and the kids are dying laughing because it's funny and wild and it gets their attention.

What has that done? It made their group leader that much more relatable, because it showed they're a real person, a fun person. And your version of fun, if you're listening, is also the version of fun for some of the kids in the room. I loved reading a book on a rainy day — I was that kid growing up, I'd sit for hours and read. So don't think your version of fun isn't relatable, because there will be kids in the audience who can relate to you. That's why I'm a big fan of having fresh voices in your ministry, so the kids who don't relate to you can relate to some of those other voices — because, like you said, we can't be all things to all people when it comes to fun. I'm not super into sports, so I'm not going to relate to the kids who want to talk about sports or NASCAR or Formula One. Helping find someone who can relate to those things is a great practical step.

Kayla (22:09)

Totally. And I love that too, because it allows you as a leader to invite other leaders into that space. It lets kids see their senior pastor and realize, "He's not just in the other room leading adults — he's my pastor too." Or maybe it's your student pastor, or students who get to come in and be part of that fun. All of those things build relationships and lasting memories and connections that kids will take with them when they go into student ministry, when they see their pastor on stage teaching. It's personal, not just interchangeable.

Hannah Augustine (22:55)

Absolutely. And with your student pastor especially — this is a great opportunity, especially for older elementary kids, to make that connection of "I'm going to be in that ministry one day." That's another win — you're building a bridge between those ministries and helping kids prepare for that. Family ministry, we should all be working together, because their students were once your kids, and your kids will one day be their students. We want a comprehensive model where we're partnering together.

What is one easy action step, one takeaway, our listeners could say, "Okay, starting this Sunday, I'm going to do this to bring more fun"?

Kayla (23:28)

I love it. That's a great question. I'll give two — one for you as a leader, and one for your classroom.

The one for you as a leader may not sound very fun, but I promise it's helpful: ask someone close to you who observes you in ministry, "When was the last time you saw me having fun with kids?" Oftentimes as leaders we get so in the zone of what needs to happen, what we're getting done, that it helps to have an outside perspective — someone saying, "You know what, I saw you engaging with Katie. She was kind of on the edge, on the fence, and I saw you go up, give her a high five, welcome her in, invite her to sit with her friend — and I could tell she was having fun, but I could also tell you were having fun as you brought her in."

So just asking your people, "Where do you see me having fun?" is a good gauge — if they're not seeing that, then what could you do to engage more fun with kids or with leaders? It may not feel fun in the moment, but I think it's helpful for a leader to consider.

For this next Sunday, if you want to do something fun with your kids, make it small. Maybe it's a tiny activity — a jar of candy, and kids guess how many pieces are in it. At the end of the session, or however you organize it, you reveal the answer. It doesn't have to be deep or overly spiritualized — just something fun and tiny that says, "We did this together, and it was really fun." Finding small moments that all kids can engage in, no matter where they're at or how old they are, really goes a long way toward helping leaders and kids connect to one another, engage with the truth of scripture, and create lasting memories that help build the faith formation they'll look back on for years to come.

Hannah Augustine (26:46)

Those are such practical takeaways — I actually love that first one, I hadn't thought of that. We see so often in our Facebook community and in our different programs people who are feeling burnt out, and I think we lose sight of the fun of kids' ministry because we're weighed down by budgets, incident reports, volunteer recruiting and training, safety, and on and on. But when we can step back and say, "This is fun" — I think sometimes we feel guilty engaging in the fun because we know we're supposed to be in charge. I know that's how I've felt in the past — like I shouldn't stop and color a picture with a third grader, or play gaga ball with the kids.

But when you can stop and do that, it helps remind you of the joy, and it helps them see the joy too — that serving the Lord brings joy. Don't be afraid to ask the kids in your ministry, especially the older ones, if you feel like you're struggling to engage them — and ask the younger kids too, because you don't want activities that are too difficult for them. Ask them, and you can even shout them out on a Sunday morning: "Hey, Jimmy gave me this idea, and we're going to try it out today." Let them feel invested in what you're doing.

Kayla (27:59)

Absolutely. Totally.

Hannah Augustine (28:02)

Well, remember, fun is going to look different in every context. So for those of you who are type A and want to get it exactly right, it's not as important how you do it — what matters is that you do it. Let your ministry's personality shine through as you incorporate these fun elements. And if you're not sure where to start, ask the kids, ask other leaders, get in our I Love KidMin community and ask what everyone does for fun — there are some great ideas in there.

If you'd like to learn more about Hyfi from Kayla and her team, visit myhyfi.com — that's M-Y-H-Y-F-I dot com. You can get a 14-day free trial now, so go check out the awesome resources this curriculum offers. And don't forget, you can visit kidsgobible.com for other free curriculum resources — we love helping you find all the good things.

Kayla, thank you for hanging out with us today. It was so good to have you join us. And for those of you listening, take a moment to like, subscribe, and share this episode with your volunteers — help them figure out what they can do to bring fun, and they may have some great ideas for you too. We'll see y'all next time.