4 Tips for Transitioning Your Children’s Ministry to Digital Curriculum

I am preparing for another weekly committee meeting at my church. I run through the checklist in my head.

• Notebook
• Pens
• Computer

I text the staff liaison to confirm we have everything we need so a committee member can join virtually this week. We are all set.

Then I get a phone call from one of my fellow committee members.

“Hey Marie, I can’t find the document we were supposed to review before tonight’s meeting in our Google Folder. I think I made a mistake in the online document you asked me to fill out too. Can you take a look? I am not as tech-savvy as you—please help!”

I oversee the technology needs for this committee, and I get calls like this all the time. I grew up in the age of high-speed wireless internet, smartphones, and social media. I use some version of internet-based storage and file sharing every day. I am very comfortable with technology.

But for some of my friends, particularly those in the generations before me, technology makes them uncomfortable. It’s intimidating. So, I get calls like the one above all the time. 

Transitioning to Digital Curriculum in Your Children’s Ministry

As children’s ministry leaders, the technology intimidation factor often makes us hesitant to change how we distribute curriculum to our volunteers. Some of our most beloved volunteers are grandparents, after all.

How do we ensure that volunteers who aren’t as comfortable in the digital world will adapt if we move to a digital curriculum? Have no fear! There are several things you can do to ensure a smooth transition. 

Provide Printable PDFs

My first tip is super simple: Provide access to printable PDFs. Whether you print out copies for your volunteers or email a file to print themselves, they will be relieved that obtaining a “physical” copy is still an option.

Many people, me included, prefer to make notes on printed copies of lessons rather than reviewing files on a phone, tablet, or computer. A PDF file allows easy digital and printable access.

Provide Training and Documented Processes for the Digital Curriculum

I highly recommend making a training series for the digital curriculum you are using. This training may be as simple as showing your volunteers where to access PDFs of the quarterly curriculum. Remember to record the training so you and your volunteers have a quick reference point as you all learn the new digital system.

Or provide detailed documentation with screenshots. Creating a training guide will help your hesitant volunteers adapt because they will have the resources to review on their own time. They won’t feel pressured to understand where to find items or how to complete specific tasks immediately after an hour of training.

Just like when we send take-home resources for the families in our children’s ministry, we should view training documentation as a take-home resource for our volunteers after learning something new. 

If you aren’t sure where to start with training documentation, look for training resources from the curriculum publisher.

For example, Wonder Ink provides a full library of training resources through its Wonder Academy so leaders can quickly learn how to navigate the online portal. You likely won’t need to create training materials from scratch because the publisher provides videos, answers frequently asked questions, and makes other resources available as a starting point for onboarding your team to the curriculum. 

Pair Up Volunteers

A great next step for transitioning to a digital curriculum after an initial training is to pair up volunteers while everyone puts the training into practice. Place a tech-hesitant volunteer with someone who is more comfortable with the digital world.

This pairing lowers any anxiety volunteers may feel because they know they will have help whenever they need it! They can get their questions answered in real time as they try to access the curriculum.

New questions will likely arise when everyone starts accessing and using the materials. Pairing up volunteers gives them a chance to ask each other questions and helps ensure you aren’t the only one addressing technological needs. 

Of course, it is important to make space for questions after a large group training, but asking questions in a group environment can be intimidating—especially if most volunteers appear to understand what to do! Think about when you were in school. I know that, at some point, your teacher thought the class understood the material, only to discover after administering a test that everyone needed to review certain concepts.

You want to make asking questions as easy and painless as possible for your volunteers. Working in pairs naturally creates an environment for more focused tech help.  

Affirm Your Volunteer’s Abilities

My fourth and final tip is the most important one—affirm your volunteers’ abilities. Those who struggle to use digital technology know it’s not their strength. They may start to feel inadequate as they navigate the new technology.

It is crucial to tell your volunteers that you value them, and you want them to be on your team. Continuously communicate that asking questions does not inconvenience you. You are here to help them succeed.

Also, make sure you praise them when they can use the digital tools. They need to hear that they are doing the task correctly to build their confidence. They need to know you believe in them, and you see them adapting well to the digital curriculum. Make sure you tell their volunteer guide to praise their hard work as well.

It takes multiple voices to build their confidence and speak into their hearts!  

Remember that committee I mentioned? I always tell my fellow members that I am here to help and that they are important members of the team. After spending some extra time assisting my less tech-savvy friends, they are able to access the digital files quickly. The same can be true for your children’s ministry volunteers.