Your Child’s Journey

Starts Here

Journey Kids provides safe and fun environments where kids are invited to know God, love God, and live like he says. Each Sunday, kids enter a hands-on world filled with energy, laughter, and spiritual growth – while their adults experience God in our gatherings. It’s a real church for real kids!

Journey Kids

Let’s Do This!

Arrival Time

You can arrive up to 15 minutes before the start of each gathering to check in your kids.

Check In

Bring your family to Journey Kids check-in at any of our locations. We will ask you to check in your child (6 weeks up to 5th grade) using our electronic system. You will receive a guardian tag with a code that matches your child’s name tag.

Communication

If we need to contact you at any time during a gathering, we will reach out to you via text message.

Security

To maintain a secure environment, you must bring your guardian tag to Journey Kids to pick up your child at the conclusion of the gathering.

Kids praying
Girl Writing

Nursery

(6 weeks – 3 year olds)

Our J-Teamers care for and pray over your child while you enjoy the gathering. We will start introducing your child to music, play, and teachings that will help them learn God made them, God loves them, and Jesus wants to be their friend forever.

Juniors

(4 year olds – Kindergarten)

Our Juniors experience is designed to build a foundation for your child’s faith to grow. Through age appropriate music, activities, prayer, and play, we will teach your child basic truths. God made me. God loves me. Jesus wants to be my friend forever.

Elementary

(1st – 5th Grade)

In Journey Kids, our team will creatively engage kids in music, games, and group discussions to discover they can make wise choices, trust God no matter what, and treat others the way they want to be treated. This hands-on experience will be the best hour of your child’s week!

Special Needs

(2-11 years old)

Advanced Enrollment Required

Sometimes our kids need extra support to participate with their peers. Our Special Needs team provides kids with a “buddy” to support them on their journey. Fill out our interest form below to get started.

Meet The

Journey Kids

Leaders

Andrea Beemler
Andrea BeemlerNewark
Journey Kids Pastor
Connor Rainey
Connor RaineyNewark
Journey Kids Director
Mencia Abreu-Navarrete
Mencia Abreu-NavarreteHockessin
Journey Kids Director
Bri Ruiz
Bri RuizMiddletown
Journey Kids Director

FAQs

If you’re thinking it, it’s probably been asked before. Here is a list of some of parents’ most frequently asked questions. If you can’t find the answer you’re looking for, make sure to contact us.

6 weeks to 5th grade

Yes, we have a worship experience for every age group at the beginning of our gatherings.

This is completely normal for a child to get upset in a new environment, and our team is prepared for this. We will work with your child by reassuring them that you’ll be back to get them soon and find something that will help them have fun in the meantime. We will try a variety of things to soothe them over the span of 5-10 minutes. If nothing works in that timeframe, we will text you to make you aware so you can decide if you’d like us to keep trying or if you’d like to pick them up. If your child is struggling with leaving you, adjusting to a new room, or anything even outside of Journey Kids, please let us know. We’d love to come alongside you and see how we can help. Here are some ways you can set your child up for success in Journey Kids.

    • Be Consistent – 98% of kids who cry when being dropped off will stay the entire gathering after coming 4 weeks in a row. So don’t give up, give it another shot! The more consistent you are each week, the more success your child will have.
    • Come Early – We open our doors 15 minutes before the gathering begins. If you drop your child off at the start of the gathering, they are being dropped off to a quieter room and can ease into making new friends as they arrive. If you drop them off during/after worship, the room is filled with energy, friends, etc and it can be more overwhelming for a child who is unsure or apprehensive.

Safety for your child is our top priority. To keep all of our kids with allergies as safe as possible, Journey Kids is a nut-free space. We ask that no outside food/drink be sent with your child, except bottles for our nursery babies. Children will be in our space for one hour and are encouraged to bring a water bottle labeled with their name if necessary. A snack is provided for children in our nursery rooms with your permission. We consistently provide the same snack in those rooms that is allergy friendly for most.

Your child’s health and the health of our J-Teamers are equally important to us. We ask that if your child is experiencing any symptoms below that you please wait for your child to be symptom free for 24 hours before returning to Journey Kids. Symptoms of contagious illnesses include: fever above 100 degrees or vomiting/diarrhea. Strep throat, pink eye, impetigo, or ringworm must begin treatment a full 24 hours before returning to Journey Kids. If we observe any of the above symptoms while your child is in attendance in Journey Kids, we will contact you immediately to pick up your child.

Our Journey Kids environment is high energy! Some kids need extra support to participate alongside their peers. Our Special Needs team follows an inclusion model by providing a buddy to support kids when gathering during our Journey Kids gatherings. Advanced enrollment and weekly RSVPs are required to secure a buddy for your child. However, no specific diagnosis or disability is required to participate. Contact your location’s Journey Kids leader for specific questions about your child’s needs.

Our safety policies include some of the following best practices & guidelines:

  • Secured environment and secure check in: Our computer system generates a matching guardian tag and child name tag. Each tag displays a new random code every time you check in so no one can ever memorize your child’s code. You must present your guardian tag to enter Journey Kids for pick up and present the tag at the room before we release your child to you. Please limit 2 adults per tag when entering Journey Kids. For added security, each time you visit Journey Kids, please have the same adult drop off and pick up your child.
  • Two-by-two rule: To provide the best experience and safety for our kids and J-Teamers, we will not open an age group that is staffed with less than two J-Teamers or has less than two children in attendance. This prevents your child from being alone with another person.
  • Bathroom policy: For the safety of you and all of our kids, the girls and boys restrooms located in Journey Kids are for kids use only. If you must assist your child in the restroom, please do so using the restrooms located in the café.

Journey Kids J-Teamers: It may look like they have their hands full, but you should see their hearts! Our J-Teamers are passionate about helping kids know God, love God, and live like he says. They volunteer their time to help you to have a distraction free experience here at The Journey, whether you are attending a gathering, attending Plugged In, or serving on the J-Team. Before serving with your children, every Journey Kids J-Teamer goes through an on-boarding process that includes completing Plugged In, submitting an application, interview, background checks, and training.

Stories

From Parents

“The enthusiasm in the room always astounds me. Journey Kids goes above and beyond and we could not be more grateful for them seeing our children, loving them, and helping them to get to know and love God.”
Cristian and Lauren C.
“Pretty soon, we felt God’s conviction that we should be doing more than just gathering at what we consider our home church. When a Journey Kids J-Teamer told me that one of our girls accepted Jesus as their personal savior, I knew Journey Kids was the place to start serving. In a matter of months, my husband started serving, then my sister, and now my middle school nephew are all serving in Journey Kids! I can’t say enough about the impact God has made in my family through The Journey.”
Isabelle D.
“They greet us with a smile on their faces and a light in their eyes that makes us feel so welcome. There are not enough words for me to express how much I appreciate what Journey Kids and all of the people who serve on the Team have done for my family and myself.”
Jamie H.
“My girls were challenged by Journey Kids to do the Kids Bible experience (on the Bible app) for 3 weeks as a family activity. It helped us establish a family ‘slot and spot’ that we’ve kept going for 3 years!”
Glen and Isabelle D.

Parent Resources

We want to help equip YOU as the spiritual leader of your family to help your kids know God, love God, and live like he says!

Check out some resources to help your child take next steps in their faith and to bring elements of our Journey Kids gatherings to your home. These are just some of the things you can introduce to your child so they learn to focus on Jesus all week long!

Don’t Pass Up What You Can Pass On.

Want to serve with us? We are passionate about passing on our faith to the next generation. If you have similar passions, gifts and abilities with kids, we want YOU to join our team!

If you’re a parent, we highly encourage you to serve in Journey Kids. Not only will serving in Journey Kids provide you with a way to give back to others who are serving your kids, but Journey Kids will partner with you to help equip you to be the spiritual leader God has called you to be for your kids. Together, we can help our kids know God, love God, and live like he says!

Fill out an application for the Journey Kids location near you.

Newark Location

Hockessin Location

Middletown Location