7 Ways to Make Your Small Sunday School Class Fun & Meaningful
You walk into your Sunday School room, and there they are.
All…three of them.
You pause. You think, “Wait. Did the rapture happen? Did I (gasp)...get left behind?” No, that’s not it. You just got assigned the world’s smallest Sunday School class.
Teaching a small class can feel painfully awkward.
Hi! I'm Nathan, the founder of BetterBibleTeachers.
And yes, that's me in the video. 🙂
Small Classes can Actually be Amazing
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Teaching a small class can feel painfully awkward.
You can’t play “Boys vs. Girls” when you have one boy and one girl. It’s not a team game…it’s just Timmy vs. Sofia.
“Team Red” and “Team Blue”? Congrats. You just renamed children.
And musical chairs? More like “musical chair.”
Also, there’s no hiding. In big classes, you can toss out a question and let the crowd energy do the work.
In a tiny class? If you ask a question, someone must answer. There is nowhere to escape!
Now, before you start Googling, “games for three lonely children,” let me just say this: small classes can actually be amazing!
You can use a small Sunday School class to your advantage and make class fun, meaningful, and memorable.
The Secret Benefits of a Small Class
With a small class, you can do things big classes can’t. You can listen. Like, really listen.
You can pray with every kid individually. You can let their questions turn into real conversations.
Instead of “class”, you have a “mentorship”.
Have you ever had a student go off on a rabbit trail, waxing eloquent about the time their little sister threw a tantrum, or the time Mom and Dad took them to McDonalds and they were all out of chicken nuggets?
In a big class, that’s stressful. You have to constantly think about how to corral the discussion back to what you’re supposed to be talking about.
In a small class? That rabbit trail might be the whole point.
I once had just two kids in class. We ended up talking about how hard it is to obey parents when their rules or punishments feel unfair.
Was that in my lesson plan? Nope.
But was it exactly what those kids needed that day? Absolutely.
So here’s the mindset shift: a small class isn’t less important. It’s more personal.
A small class isn't less important. It's more PERSONAL.
1. Personal Challenges
Now let’s get into ways you can wield the “power” of a small class.
Instead of traditional games, do personal challenges. You can even do this if you have just ONE student.
Say things like: “Last week you got three questions right. Think you can beat your own record today?”
You can also use quick “Minute to Win It” style challenges. Stack something. Sort something.
Race the clock.
Energy feeling low? Add drama.
Use your best announcer voice and say: “Welcome to Bible Brain Battle! Where your host—me—has no budget, no prizes, and only two contestants!”
Kids love it. Your dignity may not survive the silliness. But it’s worth it!
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2. Mini Missions
Small groups can do things big groups can’t without chaos.
So try mini missions like:
- Making cards for someone who’s sick.
- Recording a short thank-you video for your pastor.
- Praying for missionaries by name and drawing them pictures.
This isn’t busy work. This is faith in action!
Kids start to see that following Jesus isn’t just learning things. It’s doing things.
And that gives their little hearts purpose.
Kids start to see that following Jesus isn’t just learning things. It’s doing things.
3. Let Them Lead
In a small class, everyone can be a leader! And boy, do kids love feeling useful!
How can you let them lead? Here are some options:
- Let one kid open in prayer.
- Let another read the Bible verse
- Someone can pass out crayons.
- A student can hold the visuals or props
Or, you could even let a child prepare something for next week.
For example, a memorized verse. An answer to a question. A short explanation.
When kids lead, they grow. They grow in confidence, in responsibility, and faith!
And small classes are the PERFECT place for that growth to happen.
4. Slow Down and Connect
Ever find yourself rushing with a big class? You have to run around the classroom like Speedy Gonzalez just trying to help everyone with the craft.
Small classes usually don’t require any rushing. You can sit in a circle, grab a snack, and talk.
Ask simple questions like: “What’s something you’re thankful for this week?” “When did you see God help you?”
Let prayer requests take time. You’re not watching the clock. You’re watching hearts open.
You can pray for each other by name. You can really know your kids.
So, as you can see, having a small class isn’t a detriment. It’s a gift!
In a small class you can sit in a circle, grab a snack, and talk.
5. Think "Family", not "Class"
Classes group kids by age. Families don’t.
Families have big kids. They have little kids. And everyone is constantly grouped together. They eat together; they learn together.
If you have mixed ages, lean into that.
Older kids naturally help younger ones. Younger kids look up to older ones. That’s how God wired them.
When everyone learns at their own pace, and there’s no pressure to perform, something changes. You stop having a class.
You start having a family. And that’s powerful.
6. Don't Wing It
It’s tempting to think, “I only have two students. Do I really need to prepare?”
Yes. Yes, you do. As Benjamin Franklin said, “If you fail to prepare, prepare to fail.”
Small classes still deserve your best. Prepared teachers feel confident. Kids can sense that.
Preparation isn’t about size. It’s about impact.
So please, don’t wing it because you “just” have a student or two.
You wouldn’t let a house plant sit around without adequate water and sunlight just because there’s only one.
So water those few “seeds” you have, and soon you’ll see them grow!
Prepare ahead of time. Small classes still deserve your best.
7. Give Them Choices
Let me set you free:
You don’t have to use EVERY worksheet, craft, and activity in your Sunday School curriculum.
No one gets bonus points from God for finishing every activity in the lesson!
Focus on the main idea. Once you hit that, give kids choices.
“Do you want to do the craft or the game?”
With a small group, this won’t turn into chaos. It turns into ownership.
Kids stop feeling like students. They start feeling like participants, and engagement skyrockets.
Small Class = Big Impact
So next time you walk in and there are more chairs than kids, don’t panic.
You don’t have a small class. You have a huge potential to connect and make a difference in those kids’ lives.
Make it meaningful. Make it fun. Make them laugh.
That, my friend, is real Sunday School success. Not having a ton of students, but connecting with the ones you have.
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