Our children attend a few minutes of the adult worship service and have a "Children's Moments" time with our pastor. Following this, they go next door to our "chapel" (which was our main church until we built a new sanctuary two years ago). Because the age range of the kids is 2 to 12, we keep the gathering short and more worshipful.
Here's what we do:
1) Sing a song (either related to our current rotation or one from our camp songbook). The kids(usually 50-60)have just run over from the sanctuary, so they are energetic and need to sing before they can listen.
2) Acknowledge birthdays by bringing birthday girls/boys up to the front of the chapel and singing "Happy Birthday". They are given a birthday bookmark.
3) BRIEF review of the story from the current rotation (sometimes as short as one sentence since the little ones make a lot of noise and it's difficult to talk for long).
4) 6th graders read the Bible verse, which is printed on banner paper (and laminated to last the whole rotation) and held up for all to see and read along.
5) 6th graders take offering (we sing an additional song while the plates are being passed to reduce noise).
6) Prayer
7) Dismissal, youngest to oldest leave with their respective shepherds.
Also: One time each rotation we do something special. We like to start each rotation with a very short (1-2 minute) drama presentation in which a youth or adult volunteer dresses up like a Bible character and gives a brief blurb about his/her life with a first person narrative. The kids love to see these people surprise them and walk through the door!
We have also had people from our choirs come to do special music or to accompany the children on piano or guitar.
Managing the chaos: We use a sign language "L" for our "Listen" signal and it works (sometimes). We also focus on moving swiftly between activities.
Staffing: There is a Children's Worship Service Coordinator who manages the schedule. There is a group of volunteers who rotate through, most leading the CWS one Sunday a month.
Future Plans: We will have our 6th graders lead the Children's Worship Service once or twice a rotation in order to boost their leadership skills and give this age-group a special activity to call their own. They will have an adult back-up for support.
Our chapel is a historic landmark with beautiful stained glass windows. The children love this space and I can't imagine starting off our Sundays any other way.
