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Given a choice, most children prefer the local hamburger joint to a fancy five-star restaurant. Why? A fun but safe playground, chairs that are the right size, and bright colors might have something to do with it.

Now take a look around your church. The food you serve your youngsters' souls is more important than any hamburger they will ever eat. But is your children's church environment as attractive and safe as the nearest fast-food chain?

"Many churches today are still trying to do American Bandstand-ministry in an MTV-generation," says Dale Hudson, children's minister at First Baptist Church in Springdale, Arkansas. "The children's area of the church should be unique and designed especially with children in mind."

Hudson knows a lot about environment and its effect on ministry. Since First Baptist built two age-appropriate children's areas, Toon Town for the younger ones and Space Place for the older group, attendance by children has doubled to more than 500 per week, hundreds have been saved, and more than 400 have been baptized, he says (see "Church Meets Disneyland," below).

"The environments we created help capture the kids' attention and draw them into the message we are trying to communicate each week." Hudson says.

Not every church will be able to do what First Baptist did, but church staff can make good decisions when choosing furnishings for children's areas.

Many recently built churches have large multi-use spaces, so it may be hard to create a separate children's area. However, several types of partitions are available to subdivide a large space, like the fellowship hall, into smaller classrooms.

Screenflex offers a unique product that contains 32 feet of flexible partition stored inside a portable cabinet that doubles as a workspace and storage container. No teacher will have to carry materials around in milk crates anymore.

"In seconds you can divide large areas into smaller, semiprivate areas," says Rich Maas, vice president of Screenflex. Decorations can be affixed to the partitions, using staples or tacks, so each room can be personalized. Screenflex offers "no-poke-through" hinges for safety, Maas adds, so that children on one side of the partition can't stick their fingers through to bother children on the other side.

Chuck Topping, president of Curtition, which makes folding walls and accordion partitions, notes several factors to consider when purchasing a partition. First, consider how location affects sound rating. If a partition divides a children's play area from an adult teaching room, a higher sound rating (better soundproofing) may be needed.

Second, churches need to consider whether their building has the required support structure overhead to accommodate a track and hold up the weight of the wall. A folding wall with a high sound rating can weigh as much as 12 pounds per square foot.

You should also pay attention to the covering or "skin" of a partition. Vinyl wears best, and steel skins make the most sense for high-use areas, such as gymnasiums.

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