Why Your Church Nursery Needs a Library

The Lord has been challenging my reading skills and assumptions lately, both humbling and teaching me in the process. I had offered to teach a Sunday School class of two-year-olds, and keeping their interest isn’t easy. I had also been asked to read to the littles in our homeschool group once a week just before lunch time, and it was a disaster. I was reading delightful books, sitting in front of my audience and holding up the book, traditional librarian style, and losing half my audience. My 2yo son was the most active, wandering and disrupting my efforts with noisy vehicles. (After all, he had me and the books at home, but not the toys!)

I needed wisdom, I prayed, and God provided. He is teaching me the value of reading to these little ones, and the skills that help make the experience successful.

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The importance of a church nursery library

If your church nursery is typical, it probably contains a bin, basket, or small shelf containing a few donated copies of cute Noah’s Ark variations (more or less Biblically accurate), dated castoffs from families whose children have outgrown board books, and mediocre dollar store donations.

Is caring for little ones during the worship service merely free babysitting? No, it is an opportunity to remind babies and toddlers of the God who made and loves them, that our chief end is to glorify and enjoy Him forever. Why not invest in books worth reading that will instruct both littles AND volunteers in the truths of God and His grace?

Here are six reasons why you should make sure there are really GOOD books in your church nursery and six suggestions for volunteers to use them:

Why it’s worth the effort to read during the service

• You might not get through some of these books in a single sitting, but the children will get used to listening. It’s okay if they listen to a page or two and want to go play. God is planting seeds. Don’t expect extraordinary results in the first month.
• Pull out a book, especially at the end, to distract from hunger and crankiness.
• Maybe they are read to at home. Maybe not. But lap time hearing about God and looking at pictures helps develop attention spans.
• Whether the books are Bible stories or doctrine, it should contain child-friendly language. Any volunteer can grab a book. No props or practice are necessary.
• Reading Truth helps sanctify the service. It’s easy for volunteers to miss this opportunity to nurture Truth in little hearts while we’re chatting with other adults.

How volunteers might take the opportunity

• This is not a matter of special nursery worker “training,” just a request from a coordinator. Don’t make it too complicated, just consistent. Maybe post a reminder on the wall?
• Many of these titles are great for adults to read because of the excellent text and illustrations. Do make sturdier board books available for the children to handle freely, and perhaps set picture books on another shelf for a volunteer to use.
• Sitting in front of a group and holding up the book traditional storytime style doesn’t work at this age. The kids will go off and find a toy or distract their neighbor. Too many kids? Have several volunteers participate in different corners of the room with a few children cuddled around each. Maybe divide by age or attention abilities? Even the ones who appear least interested and are playing nearby are listening, and they will learn.
• Read the same book a couple weeks in a row. As attention spans increase, add a second book.
• You don’t have to read the text on the page! Just talk about the pictures if the littles are still learning to listen. Gauge the interest of your audience.
• It is the repetition of the same stories that matters most. The children may not be able to articulate what they “learned” in nursery, but their hearts are learning habits. Encourage nursery workers could close with a brief prayer that the Holy Spirit will use His truth in their souls.

What to look for

Look for books that focus on God: creation, redemption, sanctification, His Word, His work, His glory, our dependence on and delight in Him. Worship the Lord in His beauty and Holiness in the midst of blocks and puzzles.

Learning to listen

Here is a starting list of recommendations, and I’ll keep adding to it as I discover suitable titles.

1. Read-Aloud Bible Stories, v. 1-5 (Lindvall) Ideal for littles. Large format, simple language, onomatopoeia. Very nicely done. If you have a small budget, start with these.
2. The Biggest Story ABC (DeYoung) Yes, it is possible to summarize the gospel in an alphabet book, and to do it very well. Another top priority. See review here.
3. Beginner’s Gospel Story Bible by Jared Kennedy. See review here.
4. Noah’s Ark (Peter Spier) A beautifully-illustrated wordless classic that allows a biblically literate reader to tell the story while everyone enjoys the pictures. See review here.
5. He is Risen and A Savior is Born (Rokus) See reviews here and here. Both of these titles are delightfully simple and brilliantly illustrated with rocks. Yes, rocks.
6. Psalms of Praise: A Movement Baby Primer and other board book titles (Hitchen) Think about how many postures are used by the Psalmist! Standing, sitting, dancing, walking, jumping…a lovely wiggle break. See review here.
7. Big Theology for Little Hearts series from Crossway, including Creation, The Church, and The Holy Spirit. See review here.
8. Daily Grace board books. I think that God Cares How I Feel and The Attributes of God are particularly suitable for church nurseries. Available here.
9. Good Book Company board books, particularly God’s Very Good Idea, Any Time, Any Place, Any Prayer, and The Awesome Super Fantastic Forever Party. Purchase from the publisher here.
10. Something Better Coming (Saben). Pay attention to the lily, and encourage repetition of the refrain “There’s something better coming!” Available here and at Westminster Kids. (Remember that members get a discount when they order directly from Megan’s website.)

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