Nursery, Kids & Youth Programming

New Wineskins uniquely seeks to minister to the whole family with age-appropriate missional programming offered during both morning and evening plenary sessions! All of our childcare volunteers have undergone background checks and ministry safe training in preparation for this conference. They are experienced volunteers that have a heart for instilling the gospel in the next generation and raising up possible future missionaries!

Nursery: For the youngest attendees, we have a nursery available for children ages 0-2 years. Parents must bring their own diapers and answer all the questions about any special needs or concerns when registering each child using the Regular Child or the Regular Discount Child ticket. This team is led by Kim Little and Lollie Twyman. The nursery will be located in Spilman 4 (upstairs behind the main stage).

Kids Program: There will be age-appropriate missional programming for the 3-4 year olds, and for kids ages 5-10. We will have an original missional curriculum that has been adapted for children from our 6-week adult curriculum, Anglican Introduction to Missions (AIM). Teaching with skits, worship times, small group sharing, crafts, and games will all be part of what’s in store for our kids! This team is led by Dawn Batchelor and Dana Standridge. The 3-4 year olds’ room will be Lambdin 1B&C and the 5-10 year olds’ room will be Lambdin 1A (building just behind Spilman).

Parents must register each child using the Regular Child or the Regular Discount Child ticket answering all the questions about any special needs or concerns we need to know about.

Jr. & Sr. High Program: For ages 11-13 (Jr. High) and 14-18 (Sr. High), we have special programming led by The Rev. Cn. Craig Vickerman. This program combines youth-only sessions and attending the main plenaries, times to debrief topics discussed by our speakers, and fun around the Ridgecrest campus! From the game room to the fire pit to ice cream at the Nibble Nook, our youth will enjoy community with each other while going deeper into global missions. Fr. Craig is especially keen to make sure our teens understand the gospel not only for themselves, but also so that they are equipped to share their faith with others!

Please note that your children are allowed to participate in as much as they’re comfortable with! The youth program is meant to be flexible for families wanting to attend the conference together, but also to provide meaningful and fun interaction with their peers.


Housing and Meals for Children and Teens: Ridgecrest does not charge for meals for children 5 and under. Meals for kids 6-11 are $8/meal, and meals for kids 12 & up are charged at the adult rates of breakfast - $11, lunch - $14 and dinner - $17. Make sure that your children are listed by name in your Ridgecrest room reservation so that their meal packages are secured. Those staying off-site can call Ridgecrest to secure meal packages for all members of your party.


Child Safeguarding: New Wineskins follows the guidelines for child safety recommended by the Anglican Church in North America with all child workers needing background checks and Ministry Safe training. Our care for the safety and well-being of your children is our highest priority.

Service Project: We’re Feeding Families in Uganda!

New Wineskins has partnered with Kids Around the World to provide a missional service opportunity at the conference without leaving the Ridgecrest campus. We are working with their food program team to offer a meal-packaging event where youth, children and then all attendees will be able to participate in this project on Friday afternoon, located in the ARC gymnasium. The 30,000 packed meals will go on a container that will be received by the The Rt. Rev. Godfrey Loum, Bishop of Gulu, The Church of Uganda to feed the food-insufficient families of his diocese.

Schedule for Service Project:

Youth (ages 11-18): 2:30pm-3:30pm
Children (ages 5-10) with youth assisting: 3:30pm-4:30pm
All ages/Any Conference Attendee: 4:30pm-5:30pm

One parent must accompany children 10 and under for the duration of their participation in this service project.

Arts Integration for the Kids and Teens

Dandelion Ministries’ Sean & Kate Norrie will lead two collaborative projects for the whole New Wineskins Conference conveying the overall theme of “Hope for the Nations.” One will be a large-scale collage displaying the saving arm of the Lord. Conference attendees will be invited to fill in the space by writing and/or illustrating their prayers for the nations on the various sections. 

The second project is an ongoing prayer with a particular focus on interceding for the persecuted church around the world. Attendees of all ages will be invited to add their handprints and prayers to the painting: “Save me, Save us, Save them.”

Sean and Kate also get the chance to hang out with kids! They will use paint to show how the hope of redemption and heaven that Jesus gives us does not disappoint us because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit. The kids will contribute to the conference collaborative project plus make their own art that will literally light up the darkness!