Worshiping With Young Kids
guest writer - Rachel Anderson
Matthew 19:14
Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."
To the family sitting in church with squirrely young children: I see you. I've been you. I am still you.
Going to church with kids - especially little ones - is not easy. Worship on Sundays is no longer a time of reflection but an hour of scrambling for toys and snacks, trying to keep your kids quiet, or going in and out of the service with a fussy kid. At times, going to church with young children can feel pointless.
When my son was one and a half years old, my husband and I questioned why we bothered attending worship. Rather than being restored each week, we were drained by the constant task of quieting an active toddler. One day I shared this frustration with my mom, and she gave me this profound advice: You'll hear what you need to hear.
My mom reassured me that God understood our struggle and that the Holy Spirit would help us hear the messages our hearts needed. With this encouragement, my husband and I approach Sundays with more open hearts.
We no longer expected to hear every word or even to stay in the sanctuary the entire service. We knew that just showing up was enough. And over time going to church with a wiggly toddler got easier. My son learned to sit quietly for longer periods, and we learned how to prevent, redirect, and simply embrace the inevitable wiggles.
By time my son was old enough to sit through church, my daughter was born, and we started the process all over again. But the second time around we had more tricks up our sleeves and a lot more grace for ourselves - and our kids.
6 tips for worshiping with young kids
Some Sundays your kids will embrace the service while other weeks you'll spend most of worship corralling and cajoling them. And if your family is anything like mine, your kids may be out of practice after worshiping at home during the pandemic. It takes a bit of trial and error to find your worshiping routine as a family. And that's ok. Here are some tips to help make worshiping with your kids a little easier:
Sit near the front. While sitting near the back provides an easy escape if necessary, it also makes it hard for kids to participate in the service. Sit closer to the front so your kids can more easily watch the pastors, musicians and rituals of the service.
Accept the inevitable chatter. It's ok if your kids make some noise. Often times their chatter seems louder to you than anyone else in the service. And sometimes your kids' questions and comments - even when said louder than you'd prefer - bring a much appreciated smile to faces of those sitting around you.
Create a church bag. Keep your kids entertained with a special activity bag reserved just for worship. Our family's church bag is filled with books, stickers, coloring pages, markers, kid playing cards, Water Wow books, lacing cards, toy cars, and a snack. You can find other activity ideas by searching for toddler busy bags online or checking out the one/five dollar section at the front of Target.
Grab a Spark Box. Available at both the Hill and Lake, Spark Boxes include toys, fidgets, books and other activities to keep kids busy. Have your child pick up their favorite box on the way into worship and return it at the end of the service.
Let them wiggle. Both Easter locations have a nursery where you can listen to the service while your child plays. And starting this fall both locations will have a PRAYGROUND, toddlers can use the play area off to the side of the worship space, and in the summer, outdoor worship gives kids space to be a bit casual.
Watch the service at home. Some weeks getting to church may feel like too much for your family. With online worship, you can still continue your Sunday ritual.
Attending worship as a family isn't always easy. But I promise that your efforts are anything but fruitless. The Holy Spirit is working in your children even when you can't see it happening.
One day they'll surprise you by asking a random question about God or revealing a profound truth about God’s character. It's on those days that you'll begin to see how deep the roots are of the seeds that you help plant.
In the meantime, know that God sees your efforts and loves you and your family beyond measure.
Dear Lord,
Thank you for our children. Help us to embrace their wonder and welcome their exuberance into our church services. Strengthen the parents who lovingly bring their children to church and give them patience and peace. Help them to know that they and their children are loved beyond measure.
In Jesus' name,
Amen