A Nursery Road Map

Imagine this is the first time you have worshipped at your congregation. Your 2-year old has decided that the service is far too long, and made it clear you needed to locate the nursery. Your anxiety mounts as you wander around the narthex, trying to contain your child and locate the undersized sign hidden in the corner which directs people to the nursery.
Our Saviours Lutheran Church in Chippewa Falls , WI decided to make their nursery impossible to miss. In fact you don't even have to be old enough to read to find their nursery. The creative idea was so intriguing that First Lutheran in Eau Claire, WI decided to adapt the idea to fit their church.
What is the idea? Use painted handprints on the hallway walls to guide people to the nursery/preschool room.
How did they do it? They prepainted the white strip on the wall, at the height of young children. Then during a class period, they were invited to "paint" their handprint on the wall and autograph it. As years go by, additional handprints can be added, or the wall can be repainted and the process repeated.
How was this idea ever approved for a church? The worship committee and building and grounds committee met together to both determine the need for such a map, and the types of paint to be used. The janitor did the prepainting of the white background strip, and the preschool teacher took care of the actual hand printing.
The reaction of the children to their "handy map" on the wall is worth the time and energy alone. They can't wait to show their parents the next Sunday their contribution to the map that helps all children find the nursery/preschool.
The photos included in this file show two models of how this idea would look.