Children

As well as Sunday Schools, churches offer a range of mid week activities for children to enjoy.

With more than a dozen toddler groups run throughout the week by churches in Horsham District, head over to our Toddler Group page to find a group that’s perfect for you.

Messy Church is for all ages, blending creativity, community and worship. Expect hands-on crafts, interactive stories, music, food and a whole lot of fun.

• Messy Church at Barns Green Primary School, 3:20pm on the third Tuesday of each month during term time, led by St Nicolas’ Church (Itchingfield)
• Messy Church at Cornerstone Methodist Church, St Andrews (Roffey), 3pm on the third Sunday of the month
• Messy Church at Holy Trinity Church (Horsham)
• Messy Church at St Margaret’s Church (Warnham)
• Messy Church at St Peter’s Church (Slinfold) on the first Tuesday of the month during term time

The Toy Library at Brighton Road Baptist Church, Horsham, lends toys to families for children to play with and enjoy for a fortnight. Open Tuesdays 4-6pm, term time only.

Horsham Matters will also be launching a toy library in 2025.

The Saturday Kitchen provides a free lunchtime meal and space to play for pre-school and primary-aged children and their parents and carers. 12:30pm every Saturday at Brighton Road Baptist Church.

Spurgeons offer professional one-to-one counselling to children in 16 schools in the Horsham District, supporting pupils struggling with anxiety, stress, depression and self-harm. Please contact your child’s school to talk about support for mental health.

Family Support Work helps families in Sussex to overcome their difficulties and prevent crisis. They support families struggling with issues such as poverty, ill health, learning difficulties, bereavement, family break-up and domestic abuse. Family Support Work has been helping children and their families across Sussex since 1890, and works in partnership with the Diocese of Chichester.

Home for Good was launched in 2013 in partnership between Care for the Family, Thirtyone:eight and Evangelical Alliance, with the aim of making fostering and adoption a significant part of the life and ministry of the Church in the UK. Today, they work closely with the West Sussex County Council Fostering Team, helping to find a home for every child who needs one and supporting families who foster or adopt a child.