Taking your kids to church sometimes feels like a marathon. Knowing what to pack your kids for church can bring some sanity and peace to your time with your fellow believers.
We have attended a home church for the entire time I’ve been a mom. No Sunday school or kids’ programs means I have had to be prepared each Sunday for anything my kids could need. I also have needed to bring some things that will help them keep quiet so that those around us (and I) could concentrate on the worship service. I don’t want to just hand my kids a screen to keep them quiet, either. Over the years, I’ve had to come up with a bit of a system. Now it’s second nature each week.
Snacks
Is it any surprise that packing snacks is at the top of my list for what to pack your kids for church? If you don’t have some sort of bento box, girl, go get your kids one each. My two oldest kids were little before the bento box craze, so I went to a “cheap shop” and bought them each a craft box designed to hold beads or other small things and filled it with different snacks. I love the bento boxes we ended up getting, because they give suggested things to put in each compartment. I usually just fill up each compartment with whatever it says that we happen to have on hand. That makes it so much easier!
Here are some snack ideas:
- Granola bars
- Dried fruit (dried mango is a favorite)
- Savory crackers
- Jerky
- Cheese Sticks
- Deli Meat
- Cookies
- Date balls
Quiet Activities
Admittedly, I don’t always remember to bring specific activities for the kids to do. There are times when I forget that we do what we can to keep them quiet until we can’t. Then, and only then, we bring out the screens. That is our absolute last result for our toddlers, and our older boys have been in church so long that they don’t require any entertainment. At aged 9 and 11, they have grown up this way and are able to sit and listen in church for the entirety of the service.
When I’m on top of things, these are the things I like to pack for my kids for church at any given time:
- Coloring books, crayons/markers, sketch book or small notebook that they can draw in. I actually have found that little blank notebooks are better than the coloring books. My kids entertain themselves much more with those than with a coloring book.
- Small cars or trains.
- Small figurines.
- 5 or so duplo (enough so they can build one thing and play with it like a figurine).
- Magic marker books that you only bring out for church.
- Small books (brownie points for a small children’s bible).
- Fidget toys.
Other Things to Pack Your Kids for Church
Here are some other random things you might find helpful:
- A picnic blanket so they know where they are allowed to sit. This isn’t always a must, but sometimes it’s easier to put them on an open space on the floor where they can play with their toys than to try to keep them in your lap or in a chair. This is especially great if you have a baby that needs tummy time.
I know many churches have programs for children, but there might be times when your kids need to come into the service with you. It can’t hurt to be prepared.
What would you add to the list? What are your must haves to pack your kids for church?
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