Preaching to children is nothing new. It's been | happening—in one form or another—as long as children have been part of the church. Even some of the older sermons in print include occasional invitations to the "boys and girls" to listen carefully because this is "especially for you." And as early as the 1800s publishers found a market for collections of children's sermons.

Will All the Children Please Come Forward?': Uses and abuses of the children's sermon
Abuse
Children's Sermon
Liturgy
June 1, 1995