When your name is Lakeside, the theme almost writes itself.
As part of their recent expansion, Lakeside Baptist Church didn’t just add play spaces. They leaned into their identity and brought the outdoors in, creating a children’s ministry environment inspired by blue skies, rolling green hills, and life along the water’s edge.
The result feels bright, welcoming, and full of small discoveries.
Space to Grow and Go
The expansion preserved the original classrooms and added dedicated space for two new play areas, one for toddlers and one for older kids. Each space was designed around how children actually move, explore, and interact.
The older children’s area features a contained play unit that encourages climbing and active play while keeping everything safely enclosed. Rubber safety tiles underfoot add durability and peace of mind, making the space as practical as it is fun.
In the toddler area, the theme becomes even more hands-on.
Little ones can explore a hollow crawl-through log, climb over a sculpted turtle, greet a friendly frog, or slide down a fallen log designed just their size. Each piece was hand-sculpted and hand-painted, giving the space texture and personality you simply can’t get from off-the-shelf equipment.
Along the low pony wall, interactive play panels were installed at just the right height for small hands. Nothing feels oversized. Nothing feels out of reach. It’s a space built on their scale.
Building the Story into the Structure
Rather than working around structural columns, they were made part of the environment.
Several support columns were wrapped with custom wall covering to resemble tree trunks, instantly softening the architecture and reinforcing the lakeside setting. One column goes a step further. A sculpted tree check-in kiosk wraps around it, transforming a necessary function into a feature families notice the moment they walk in.
It’s practical. It’s playful. And it makes check-in feel like part of the experience.
Big Impact, Smart Design
The lakeside theme continues down the hallways with murals installed at wainscot height. This approach is a smart way to manage costs by reducing the total square footage of wall covering, but it also comes with a bonus. The artwork lands right at child height, where it can be appreciated up close instead of towering overhead.
In the classrooms, framed vignette scenes echo the larger murals and help tie everything together. Coordinating wall colors were selected to support the theme and keep each room feeling cohesive.
💡 Did you know? On every project, Wacky World Studios will recommend paint colors that complement the artwork so the final result feels intentional from the start.
Custom hanging classroom signs add another layer of character while making wayfinding simple for families.
One especially unique detail appears in the nursery. Instead of running partial murals along the bottom of the walls, they were installed along the top. This unexpected placement keeps the lower walls practical for daily use while still surrounding the space with color and story.
More than a Theme
What makes this project special isn’t just the murals or the sculpted play elements. It’s how everything works together.
From shoreline scenes and underwater life to tree-wrapped columns and toddler-sized climbers, the environment reflects the heart of Lakeside Baptist Church. It feels calm but full of life. Structured but imaginative.
Most importantly, it gives children a place that feels made just for them.
Dreaming of a space like this?
Wacky World Studios specializes in creating immersive environments that inspire kids to explore, imagine, and learn. From sculpted storybook trees to full-scale themed rooms, we can bring your space to life!
If you can dream it, we can theme it!
This article was co-written with human creatives and AI tools. Photo/video credits: Wacky World Studios.
