Capturing attention today sets a foundation for faith tomorrow.
The first minute matters most — learn how to hook kids fast and set the stage for life-changing teaching.
Which would you rather watch: a long train starting from a standstill or a horse race when the gates fly open? The answer is obvious. In the same way, few things are more painful (or boring) than sitting through a service — kids or adults — where the communicator slowly stumbles up front and begins to drone: “Welcome, everyone… how are you… how was your week… what did we learn about last week?” Blah, blah, blah.
It’s been said you never get a second chance to make a first impression (attributed to Will Rogers). That’s true EVERY SUNDAY. Kids decide almost immediately whether this is going to be a great experience. Church growth experts say even adult guests know in the first five minutes whether they’ll return. Attention is earned — and lost — fast.
That’s why Secret #1 is so important: Start with a BANG!
Your opener is your chance to answer the unspoken question every kid is asking: “Why should I listen to you today?” A great Kid Communicator doesn’t ease into teaching — they launch with a B.A.N.G. to immediately draw kids in. Here’s what that means:
B – Be BOLD! Start BIG! Whether it’s your voice, a prop, a question, or a surprising visual — step in with confidence and energy. Kids decide in the first few seconds if you’re worth listening to.
A – Attention-Getting Do something that instantly captures focus. Use a mystery bag, sound effect, costume piece, or an unexpected line like, “Today I’m going to tell you how peanut butter helped me understand God’s love…
N – New and Unexpected Predictable is forgettable. Even familiar Bible stories can be introduced in creative ways — a flipped perspective, a surprising skit, or a modern-day connection. Try something new. If it flops, at least they’ll remember it!
G – Grabs Attention End your opening moment by locking in their curiosity. Leave them wondering, “What’s going to happen next?” The goal is to create a moment that draws them in and gets them ready to hear truth.
Excellent Kid Communicators think hard about how they will open. When I preach in “Big Church,” after I’ve prepared my content, I spend the most time perfecting my opening and my closing. The opener earns their attention. The closer drives it home. (We’ll talk more about that in Secret #12!)
Don’t wing your opener. This may be the one part of your teaching you should practice and rehearse the most. It may just be the factor that determines whether kids even hear the rest of what you say. Not planning your opener is like going on a trip without gassing up the car, like jumping out of a plane without packing the parachute, or like waking up on Valentine’s Day and realizing you didn’t buy flowers for your wife — or, ladies, telling your hubs to invite the guys over for game day and then forgetting to buy the meat. Ouch!
The point is — you can’t overestimate the power of a strong opener. You want your audience leaning in, curious, and ready. Use a great open-ended question, a skit, an object lesson, a game with a point, or a personal story. Most importantly — don’t introduce the opener. Don’t explain it. Don’t announce it. Take a tip from Nike: Just do it.
The worst way to start your kids’ service? Announcing that you’re starting your kids’ service. I cringe when I hear: “OK, kids, we’re going to start now. Please sit down, put your things away. Billy… Billy? Face forward. KIDS! Come on. We need to get started…” The reality is, if you start with a BANG, the kids — yes, even Billy — will do all those things without you asking.
Proverbs 1:5 tells us, “Let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance.” So if you want to raise a room full of wise little learners… Start with a BANG!
My Prayer for You:
Lord, help us to bring energy and excitement when we teach. May we capture the hearts of kids from the very first moment, preparing them to hear Your truth. Help our words and actions reflect the urgency and importance of Your message.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
FINAL THOUGHT:
The difference between a lesson they forget and one they remember forever… often comes down to how it began.
