Check-in is the front door to your kids’ ministry. It can create a positive—or negative—first impression, which could in turn influence a visiting family’s decision to return to your church. Having up-to-date check-in technology can reassure nervous parents about the safety of their child and make volunteers feel confident and at ease.
The new technology involved in children’s check-in systems today goes far beyond attendance tracking. For ministries working to achieve more with less, these systems can provide tools to ensure child safety, increase efficiency, connect with families, and access important data.
New and Improved
Most check-in solutions provide unique security codes that match child and guardian name tags. They also can document unauthorized guardians, capture allergy/medical alerts, and track attendance. Options often include staff-manned stations, self-check-in kiosks and roster-based digital lists.
Some systems offer mobile check-in where families can use their smartphone to begin checking in their children from the church parking lot. In fact, mobile check-in delivers time savings, increased efficiency and less stress. One example of this technology is Express Check-In by KidCheck, which allows parents to start the check-in process from home or anywhere that has a wireless connection. Upon arrival, they can go to the kids’ ministry area, and their child and guardian tags will be printed and waiting.
Modern integrated communication tools in the check-in system also can enable real-time connection with families, fostering relationships and building trust between the ministry staff and the parents. If an issue arises, such as a little one won’t stop crying, parents can quickly be reached via text directly from the system.
Other communication options can include broadcast text messaging and email, plus check-in notes, surveys and announcements—all simple yet highly effective ways to share important information. Additionally, many systems allow moms and dads to choose to receive automatic text notifications when their child checks in or out.
Benefits to Your Church
When ministries can quickly and easily access essential information, they better understand trends and ratios for more informed decision-making. New technology in kids’ ministry check-in systems can put valuable data at your fingertips regarding who is and isn’t attending, which services, room capacity, first-time visitors, contact info, allergy alerts, birthdays, check-in histories and more.
Electronic systems also can assist churches as children transition from kids’ ministry to teen and youth groups or ministries. Older children and tweens often require a more mature check-in process that better suits their age. Many companies offer a solution specifically designed for youth, such as YouthCheck by KidCheck.
These are just a few of the technological developments in children’s check-in that churches of all sizes need to be aware of. Advancements will continue to make check-in faster and easier, and help ministries accomplish more and focus on what matters most: serving families.
