Programming for children and youth
Nursery
Childcare is available each Sunday during Sunday School and worship. Trained staff members are available to care for your infant through kindergarten-aged children. The nursery suite is on the west end of the second floor of our education wing.
Contact: Pastor Betsy Thompson
Godly Play
Godly Play is a method of learning that gives children lots of opportunities to wonder out loud and through creative outlets. Read more at the Godly Play website. We gather with ages three through fifth grade from September through April from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. before worship on Sundays. The Godly Play rooms are on the north and east sides of the second floor of our education wing. To register your child for Godly Play, please click here. We love volunteers to help lead our assist or Godly Play class. To volunteer, click here.
Contact: Pastor Betsy Thompson
Childcare is available each Sunday during Sunday School and worship. Trained staff members are available to care for your infant through kindergarten-aged children. The nursery suite is on the west end of the second floor of our education wing.
Contact: Pastor Betsy Thompson
Godly Play
Godly Play is a method of learning that gives children lots of opportunities to wonder out loud and through creative outlets. Read more at the Godly Play website. We gather with ages three through fifth grade from September through April from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. before worship on Sundays. The Godly Play rooms are on the north and east sides of the second floor of our education wing. To register your child for Godly Play, please click here. We love volunteers to help lead our assist or Godly Play class. To volunteer, click here.
Contact: Pastor Betsy Thompson
Youth Group
Wednesday Night Youth Group (grades six to twelve) gathers on Wednesday nights from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. for fun, faith and friends from September through April in our newly remodeled youth room (the basement of the west side of our education wing). During the summer the Youth Group participates in a variety of activities ranging from outings to the pool to ice cream and donut parties to bonfires to serving with local community organizations. In the summer, the youth also have the opportunity to go on mission trips or to larger denominational youth conferences. If you are a youth or you know a youth who wants to engage in open, honest discussions about faith and life, radical love and inclusion, ask hard questions and sit in the gray areas of faith, this is the place for you! To register your youth for Youth Group, please click here.
For more information about participating in or volunteering to work with youth, please contact Pastor Betsy Thompson.
Youth Coffee Talk
Ames UCC's youth gather on Sunday mornings from 9:00 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. for Coffee Talk at Cafe Diem from September through May. To join us, for this relaxed gathering of youth, meet at the main doors nearest the courtyard by 9 a.m. and we'll walk over together! To register your youth for Coffee Talk, please click here.
For more information, please contact Pastor Betsy Thompson.
Confirmation
Confirmation is a special time of study and reflection for high school students who wish to affirm their baptism. If they were not baptized as an infant or child, it is an opportunity to consider baptism.
Wednesday Afternoon Club (WAC)
WAC is a mid-week opportunity for elementary school children to spend time together, have a lesson, and play. It is among our most popular offerings with kids. We meet during the school year on Wednesday immediately after school until 5:00 p.m.
To register your child for WAC, please click here.
A favorite part of Wednesday Afternoon Club is the snacks! To volunteer to provide snacks, please click here.
Contact: Pastor Betsy Thompson
Vacation Bible School
The Winter Olympics may have just wrapped up, but we get to continue that fun during our Summer VBS 2026 with this year’s “Snowball Mountain Challenge!” Snowball Mountain Challenge invites kids to an exciting winter sports event where they become Challengers, gearing up for frosty games, snowy surprises, and hands-on lessons about resilience and faith. Registration for participants is for 4-year-olds through those just finishing
5th grade. Volunteers can be from those just finishing 6th grade up to any age! Register to participate or volunteer TODAY at https://ames-first-
umc.mycokesburyvbs.com
Contact: Pastor Betsy Thompson
Summer Camp
Summer means SUMMER CAMP and we are so excited for our children, youth, AND adults to be able to go to camp this summer! There are camps ranging from a day or two to an entire week and they're for all ages and even for families/grandparents to attend together! Did you know there are even weeks of summer camp that are JUST for adults?
If you or your child/youth/family want to attend a Christian camp, Ames UCC is THRILLED to be able to offer camp scholarships covering half of the cost of attending. If you plan to register, just let Betsy know and the church will arrange payment to the camp for our half! If finances are a barrier even with the 50% scholarship, let Betsy know. There are scholarship opportunities though many of the camps and, potentially, other avenues we can pursue! Want more information or aren't sure which camp is right for you? Reach out to Betsy and she can connect you with some great camps around the area!
Safe Church Policy
Our congregation adopted and strictly follows what is known as a “safe church policy.” This policy is an effort to ensure that children are safe and their parents and guardians are free from worry. Details can be found here (PDF).
Wednesday Night Youth Group (grades six to twelve) gathers on Wednesday nights from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. for fun, faith and friends from September through April in our newly remodeled youth room (the basement of the west side of our education wing). During the summer the Youth Group participates in a variety of activities ranging from outings to the pool to ice cream and donut parties to bonfires to serving with local community organizations. In the summer, the youth also have the opportunity to go on mission trips or to larger denominational youth conferences. If you are a youth or you know a youth who wants to engage in open, honest discussions about faith and life, radical love and inclusion, ask hard questions and sit in the gray areas of faith, this is the place for you! To register your youth for Youth Group, please click here.
For more information about participating in or volunteering to work with youth, please contact Pastor Betsy Thompson.
Youth Coffee Talk
Ames UCC's youth gather on Sunday mornings from 9:00 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. for Coffee Talk at Cafe Diem from September through May. To join us, for this relaxed gathering of youth, meet at the main doors nearest the courtyard by 9 a.m. and we'll walk over together! To register your youth for Coffee Talk, please click here.
For more information, please contact Pastor Betsy Thompson.
Confirmation
Confirmation is a special time of study and reflection for high school students who wish to affirm their baptism. If they were not baptized as an infant or child, it is an opportunity to consider baptism.
Wednesday Afternoon Club (WAC)
WAC is a mid-week opportunity for elementary school children to spend time together, have a lesson, and play. It is among our most popular offerings with kids. We meet during the school year on Wednesday immediately after school until 5:00 p.m.
To register your child for WAC, please click here.
A favorite part of Wednesday Afternoon Club is the snacks! To volunteer to provide snacks, please click here.
Contact: Pastor Betsy Thompson
Vacation Bible School
The Winter Olympics may have just wrapped up, but we get to continue that fun during our Summer VBS 2026 with this year’s “Snowball Mountain Challenge!” Snowball Mountain Challenge invites kids to an exciting winter sports event where they become Challengers, gearing up for frosty games, snowy surprises, and hands-on lessons about resilience and faith. Registration for participants is for 4-year-olds through those just finishing
5th grade. Volunteers can be from those just finishing 6th grade up to any age! Register to participate or volunteer TODAY at https://ames-first-
umc.mycokesburyvbs.com
Contact: Pastor Betsy Thompson
Summer Camp
Summer means SUMMER CAMP and we are so excited for our children, youth, AND adults to be able to go to camp this summer! There are camps ranging from a day or two to an entire week and they're for all ages and even for families/grandparents to attend together! Did you know there are even weeks of summer camp that are JUST for adults?
If you or your child/youth/family want to attend a Christian camp, Ames UCC is THRILLED to be able to offer camp scholarships covering half of the cost of attending. If you plan to register, just let Betsy know and the church will arrange payment to the camp for our half! If finances are a barrier even with the 50% scholarship, let Betsy know. There are scholarship opportunities though many of the camps and, potentially, other avenues we can pursue! Want more information or aren't sure which camp is right for you? Reach out to Betsy and she can connect you with some great camps around the area!
Safe Church Policy
Our congregation adopted and strictly follows what is known as a “safe church policy.” This policy is an effort to ensure that children are safe and their parents and guardians are free from worry. Details can be found here (PDF).
