Ironwood Kids

Nursing Mothers’ Room
Room 308 is available for mothers who need to feed their infants. This private room has a diaper changing station and a live audio stream of the sermon.

INFANTS, CRAWLERS, AND WALKERS

What to Bring
Diapers, sippy cups, a change of clothes, and anything that might help in soothing your child if needed (blanket, pacifier, etc.). Please label any personal items that are brought into the classroom.

Diapers
All diaper changing is done by the adult female volunteers in our classrooms.

Snacks
We do not serve snacks in our infant and crawler rooms but are happy to feed the children any provided bottles or snacks as requested by parents.

We will serve water and Cheerios in our walker room. If you do not want your child to have a snack, or if you are going to provide your own, please communicate your preferences to the classroom teachers when dropping off your child. If your child has a food allergy that you would like us to be aware of, please make sure to get a red band from the Kids’ Check-In. This band can also be attached to the diaper bag.

What To Bring
Bring diapers or pull-ups and a change of clothes.

Curriculum
Preschoolers, ages 2-4, will connect with the Gospel through weekly Bible stories, games, activities, songs, and creative play as they are anchored in Bible truths through dynamic theme-based teaching.

Snacks
Water and Cheerios will be provided in the 2-year-old room. Goldfish are provided in the 3 and 4-year-old classrooms. Gummy snacks are available for kids with gluten and dairy allergies. If you do not want your child to have a snack, or if you are going to provide your own, please communicate your preferences to the classroom teachers when dropping off your child. If your child has a food allergy that you would like us to be aware of, please make sure to get a red wristband from Kids Check-In.

What to Expect
PreK-Kindergarteners will connect with the Gospel through weekly Bible stories, games, activities, songs, and creative play as they are anchored in Bible truths through dynamic theme-based teaching. Our PreK and Kindergarten classrooms use a curriculum called The Gospel Project for Kids. This curriculum takes kids chronologically through the Bible by using the overarching narrative of Scripture to show how every story in the Bible points to Jesus. During their time in the classroom, kids will play and create lesson-related activities, participate in a Bible story and discussion, and be led in a time of worship. They will also work on learning a monthly scripture verse and a unit-based big-picture question to help them connect the dots in the big story of the Bible and themes of scripture.

Snacks
Water and Goldfish will be provided during service. A gluten-free option for gummy snacks is available as well. If you do not want your child to have a snack, or if you are going to provide your own, please communicate your preferences to the classroom teachers when dropping off your child. If your child has a food allergy that you would like us to be aware of, please make sure to get a red wristband from Kids Check-in.

Restrooms
We request that parents take their children to the restroom before dropping them off in class. A restroom is available within the classroom that children can use on their own if needed. Adult female helpers may give limited assistance when necessary.

What To Expect
Our elementary classrooms use a curriculum called The Gospel Project for Kids. This curriculum takes kids chronologically through the Bible by using the overarching narrative of Scripture to show how every story in the Bible points to Jesus. 1st graders will stay in their room for entire service as they learn the weekly lesson, enjoy lesson connection activities, and participate in a time of worship.

 2nd-4th graders begin in their classrooms and will transition to our Bible teaching environment to hear the weekly Bible lesson and participate in a time of worship. During service, kids participate in small group activities that reinforce the lesson’s main point in practical and tangible ways. Kids will work on learning a monthly Scripture verse and a unit-based big-picture question to help them connect the dots in the big story of the Bible and themes of Scripture. Kids who successfully memorize the monthly verse by the end of the month will be given a small prize during class..

Snacks
Water and Goldfish will be provided during service. A gluten-free option for gummy snacks is available as well. If you do not want your child to have a snack, or if you are going to provide your own, please communicate your preferences to the classroom teachers when dropping off your child. If your child has a food allergy that you would like us to be aware of, please make sure to get a red wristband from Kids Check-In.

Restrooms
We request that parents take their children to the restroom before dropping them off in class. A restroom is available within the classroom that children can use on their own if needed.

What to Expect
Our Belong Adaptive Needs Room is for any child who might need additional support they cannot receive in our typical classroom environments. The room is intentionally designed with various sensory elements: bubble tubes, calm down tent, trampoline, fiberoptic sensory tunnel, and a variety of tools to help support children of varying abilities. 

The kids will learn from a sensory rich Bible curriculum called Awe & Wonder, intentionally designed to explain the overarching narrative of scripture in a way all children can engage with various sensory elements.

Your child will be welcomed by a team of trained volunteers. If this is your child’s first visit, please provide the class leaders with all helpful information to benefit your child during the service time. If you would like to provide information about your child prior to your visit, please fill out the Adaptive Needs Survey. The Adaptive Needs Coordinator will reach out to you for further information. If you have any questions please email: kids@ironwoodchurch.org

The Belong Adaptive Needs Room is open for all three morning services.

Snacks
Water and Goldfish will be provided during service. A gluten-free option for gummy snacks is available as well. If you do not want your child to have a snack, or if you are going to provide your own, please communicate your preferences to the classroom teachers when dropping off your child. If your child has a food allergy or that you would like us to be aware of or if they do not receive food orally, please make sure to get a red wristband from Kids Check-In.

Restrooms
A restroom is available within the classroom that children can use on their own if needed. If your child needs support, please let the leaders know the degree of support needed and only trained staff members of the Kids Ministry team will assist.

Check-In/Out Process
All children are checked into Ironwood Kids, they will receive a name tag with a unique security code. You will also receive a claim tag with a matching code. When picking up your child, you must present the claim tag to the classroom leaders to match the codes on the tag. Only family members 18 years and older with a tag can pick up kids from their rooms. If a sticker is lost, it can be reprinted at the check-in kiosks.

Calling System
We avoid calling parents out of the service for any reason except for a child exhibiting signs of illness or dangerous behavior. If there is any other reason a parent would like to be called, they can notify a volunteer in their child’s classroom of the request and provide them with a cell phone number.

Restroom Policies
To ensure the safest possible environments for both children and volunteers, we have several policies in place regarding diaper changing and restroom usage, including:

• Only adult females may change diapers

• There are bathrooms in each of the classrooms

• Only adult females may enter a restroom to provide needed assistance to a child

Interior/Exterior Security
We have a security team in place that regularly monitors the facility, and supervisors at each service specifically monitor the Ironwood Kids classrooms and hallways.

Classroom Ratios
We maintain a low volunteer-to-child ratio in each classroom and never allow a volunteer or teacher to have one-on-one time with a child. There are no exceptions to this rule.

Volunteers
All Ironwood Kids volunteers undergo an extensive process including an application, reference checks, interview, training, and background screening.

To protect the children and volunteers in our ministry, we request that parents do not bring children into the classroom if they are exhibiting any of the following symptoms, as we simply are not properly equipped to care for sick children:

• Fever – Child must be 24 hours fever-free

• Runny Nose – a runny nose due to a non-contagious allergy is not included

• Persistent Cough

• Questionable Rashes

• Vomiting or Diarrhea within the last 24 hours

• Impetigo

• Measles, Mumps

• Conjunctivitis (Pink Eye)

• Head Lice

• Any symptoms of common childhood diseases, such as chicken pox, strep throat, foot & mouth, etc.

If your child is experiencing any non-contagious symptoms from anything, please communicate that with the volunteers in the classroom to prevent any confusion. For more information, please email Laura LeFevre, the Ironwood Kids Director.

Birth - 2 Years Old
In our early childhood classrooms, children are promoted by developmental stages – infants when they begin crawling, crawlers when they begin walking – until they turn 2. Volunteers will communicate with parents when they feel a child is ready to be promoted.

Preschool - Kindergarten
In our preschool classrooms, children are promoted by age on their birthdays. Kindergartners remain in the kindergarten class until UpGrade at the end of July.