Grove Kids seeks to partner with parents to make disciples who know Jesus, grow in Jesus, and go share Jesus with others!
Grove Kids seeks to partner with parents to make disciples who know Jesus, grow in Jesus, and go share Jesus with others!
Know
We strive to help kids know who God is. We teach God's Word, pointing them to the character of God and the Gospel.
Grow
We don't want kids to just know God, but to grow in their relationship with Him and others.
Go
We are all called to be evangelists, even kids! We want to equip kids to share with others who God is and what He has done in their lives.
Sunday Mornings
First Baptist Church of Downers Grove offers Nursery and groups for Preschool - 4th Grade. Your child will learn about Jesus and have fun with kids their age in a safe environment!
Sunday School starts at 9 AM and meets at the same time as our adult classes. Children's Church starts at 10:30 AM for Nursery - 1st Grade. 2nd - 4th Graders sit with their families in the service before they are dismissed for Children's Church.
On Communion Sundays, 2nd - 4th Graders stay with their families for the whole service.
Age Groups:
Nursery (Ages 0-2)
Preschool (Ages 3&4)
Kindergarten & 1st Grade
2nd - 4th Grade
YOUR FIRST VISIT
Visiting us for the first time? Our Welcome Team will direct you to Kids Check-In. Kids Check-in starts at 8:45 AM for Sunday School and at 10:15 AM for the Worship Service. Save some time on your first visit by pre-registering your child.
Once we meet your family, we will guide you through the check-in process and answer any questions you may have. We can't wait to meet you!
SAFETY
Grove Kids volunteers are trained to create an atmosphere where families can confidently leave their children while they are in service. Every volunteer over 18 is screened with a background check and DCFS-certified. Don't worry parents - we've got this! If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the Church Office.
Vacation Bible School | VBS
Vacation Bible School ministers to kids entering Preschool - 5th Grade in Downers Grove and its surrounding communities. Our VBS in Downers Grove is an awesome experience that shows the love of Jesus to kids!
We are so excited for Vacation Bible School, June 9-13! You can pre-register online until May 31. Pre-registration helps us tremendously with planning! If you don't pre-register, you can register at the door any night of VBS.
Wednesday Nights
Our Wednesday Night programs have wrapped up for the school year, but we invite you back in Fall 2025 for more fun and to learn more about Jesus!
We use Awana curriculum for Preschool - 2nd Grade. Awana is a gospel-centered children's program and stands for "Approved Workmen Are Not Ashamed" (2 Timothy 2:15).
3rd - 6th Graders will dive into the Book of Acts this Fall in our new ministry, "Rooted & Ready". Our desire is to partner alongside parents and caregivers to disciple the next generation!
Our Children's Ministries Director
Mike Leonard
Mike and his wife have been members of First Baptist Church since 2017 and have two young children. Mike has volunteered in AWANA, VBS, and Youth Group. He has also served as a Trustee and is currently on the Deacon Board.
Before coming to First Baptist, Mike and his wife led children’s programs for 10 years at their former church. For Mike, it has been an absolute blessing to watch people, young and old, grow in Christ.