Installing a Playground & Picnic Shelter Can Help Your Church Grow, In More Ways Than One!

If you grew up around the church, then you may remember learning this children’s song – “Deep and wide, deep and wide, there’s a fountain flowing deep and wide…” If you remember it as I do, then you may even be doing the hand motions right now! The original hymn by Sidney Cox actually had three verses and was written to reference the living water flowing from Christ (John chapters 4 & 7, Revelation chapters 7, 21, & 22). I never actually learned the hymn, but I certainly remember singing the chorus and doing the hand motions a thousand times in Sunday School.

Whether you know the song or not, you would probably agree that most every church would love to grow deep and wide – deeper in terms of intentional worship, discipleship, and fellowship, and wider in terms of focused ministry and outreach! If your church is ready to grow both deep and wide, you should give some serious thought to having both a playground and a covered shelter installed. Not only would these amenities be good for your church to use and enjoy on their own merits, but they could also help your church to be more relevant and engaging in its efforts to reach out to families in your community.

Why You NEED a Church Playground

Churches are often seen as pillars of the community and can be points of pride in many respects. No doubt you want your church to be seen as a friendly place where families can come to worship, learn, engage with each other, and also have some space to be able to take a break from their hectic lives. Adding a playground will provide benefits for the children of your church and can also help attract new families to your congregation and enhance your image in the community.

• The Value of Outdoor Play

Study after study demonstrates the positive benefits of giving children opportunities for outdoor play. It gets kids away from their screens, allows for some fresh air and sunshine, promotes the development of important motor skills, and just lets kids have some fun! Who says church can’t be fun?

• Playgrounds Help Develop Friendships & Social Skills

Church playgrounds are great places for kids to make new friends and opportunities for children to develop important social skills. Playgrounds can help teach the importance of teamwork, empathy, and patience (e.g., waiting for your turn to use a favorite piece of playground equipment). Learning the ability to interact with others in healthy ways is a skill that will serve children well for the rest of their lives!

• Playgrounds Attract Young Families

The ability to attract young families is a challenge that most every church in America faces to some degree. If your church is serious about attracting families with children, then installing a new playground that is colorful, inviting, and inclusive is really a fantastic first step. Plus, if your church is interested in developing its own daycare or preschool, then having your own playground isn’t just optional – it’s essential!

• Playgrounds Send the Right Message

A playground is an inviting feature to have on your church property, and the right playground can really add some nice curb appeal. It sends a positive message about your church to the whole community, and lets folks know that you really do care about children. It also lets people know how much your church values the importance of recreation, fun, and fellowship.

• “If You Like Our Playground, You Will Love Our Church!”

This statement from Fair View UMC of Mooresville, NC – a recent church client of Carolina Recreation & Design – is a perfect way to describe the kind of impact the right church playground can have. The church contracted with Carolina Recreation & Design to provide and install a new, custom playground for them, and they chose to post this quote on prominent signage to invite the community to visit both their playground AND their church.

You Really Need a Picnic Shelter, Too

Playgrounds are great facilities to have for children, but it’s also nice to have a place for adults to gather outside, too. Here are a few reasons you should consider adding a covered shelter to your church property, as well.

• Playground Supervision

If you place a covered shelter in close proximity to your church playground, your parents, Sunday School teachers, and children’s ministry leaders will have a shaded place to sit while they monitor children using the playground. This is one very practical reason to consider installing a playground and covered shelter together.

• Church Picnics

There’s a reason that so many churches have a picnic shelter behind their building. Churchgoers love to eat together in an outdoor setting regardless if the weather is sunny or stormy – in all situations, you’re covered!

• Outdoor Worship & Fellowship Events

Of course, you can use your picnic shelter for more than just eating. Take out the picnic tables, and you have a good-sized covered space for bible study, pot lucks, weddings and other church fellowship events. Covered shelters also make nice facilities for staging outdoor worship events, as well.

• Take Your Class or Committee Meeting Outside!

Sometimes it’s just nice to be able to hold your Sunday School class, youth group session, or church committee meeting outside. It can be refreshing to get outside of the four walls of the building and give your small group gathering a different perspective!

Let Carolina Recreation & Design Provide Your Perfect Church Playground & Shelter Solutions!

Carolina Recreation & Design is here to take care of all your recreational equipment and product needs in NC, SC, and VA. And we do much more than just sell great equipment – we also offer full-service installation services, including site preparation, permitting, electrical, water, and sewer work, fencing, and stonework. In other words, we don’t just provide products; we actually offer complete turnkey solutions for churches, schools, daycares, parks, HOA developments, and other community organizations!

Ready to help your church grow, and also make a better impact on your community? Reach out to us today, and let’s get started!