Busy & Quiet..

[OnErth&InHvn]

We will be switching from a church with childcare to a church with none. Children stay in the service. While our kids are older (11, 10 and 8), its still new for them to sit and be as quiet as possible for an hour+. Looking for some ideas?? ****NO electronics!!

I did look on Pinterest but busy bags and church bags seem to be geared towards toddlers.

If it matters, its a Reform Jewish temple.

 

[SophiasMummy]

I would be expecting them to sit quietly at that age. My daughter is 6 and goes to church with her school every week and they sit and listen quietly they've been doing this since they were 4.

 

[caz_hills]

SMe as the previous poster said - my son goes to church with school and when we have been to christenings he has sat still without anything to entertain him.

When I've been with school to church services the kids seem fine x

 

[lau86]

Isn't the point that they listen to the service? Or are they just coming because you haven't childcare? I would expect them to listen. When I was younger than that I was expected to sit in church and be quiet (there was a Sunday school but not always). If they get bored and I can see they might after an hour I would just take them out or give them a book

 

[Natasha2605]

I wouldn't worry about finding something to keep them occupied tbh. At that age id fully expect them to be able to sit for an hour.

 

[SarahBear]

Do they enjoy drawing? That is an activity that could occupy a kid while still allowing them to listen. Growing up, my family went to church and the most I remember having is that the church itself would have a print-out related to the service that kids could color.

 

[OnErth&InHvn]

They should be able to handle it but they have never been expected to so thats why im asking for ideas.

 

[Rainbow82]

They are probably old enough for you to be able to tell them to sit and listen for an hour and have a consequence in mind if they don't but I'd it turns out they can't sit still for that long then printed sheets to colour or a book to read should do the job.

 

[Eleanor ace]

I'm sure you won't have a problem with them sitting and listening. But you could try finding some books which appeal. I had this book I used to read at church, it was called 60 saints for girls, it was properly gruesome, I loved it . I bet you could find a religious themed book which would appeal and be relevant.

 

[Aphrodite]

I bring drawing and colouring activities for church. It occupies them for the hour the main service is before they go into the children's bit

 

[jd83]

Your kids are old enough that sitting quietly for an hour shouldn't be a problem. Maybe bring a notebook they can write in or draw in. Maybe a small pack of colored pencils to color. Other than that, I think they are old enough to not need much more than that. My kids are 6 and 4, and the only things I give them now during the service are things to color/draw quietly, sometimes stickers, or a few kids bible story books to look through. I give them a piece of gum, and they chew that happily for the hour, too.

 

[pinkstarbinks]

They may surprise you, we just had to listen as kids x

 

[Cattia]

I don't know, I think whilst sitting for an hour and listening might well be possible for them at that age, they are likely to find it pretty boring and it would be counter productive, if you want them to engage in their religion, for them to associate it with being bored or being something that they just have to endure each week. I would definitely take something for them to do for that reason, so that it is a more pleasurable experience for them. Reading, colouring or activity books (you can get things here from the pound store for example) would all be appropriate for them to do. Depending on what sort of congregation it is, there might be a few people who get a bit judgemental about kids of that age doing activities rather than just sitting and listening, but personally I wouldn't worry about that, you need to do what works for your children.

 

[OnErth&InHvn]

We ended up needing the coloring book and chalk.

 

[MomLeslieM]

Another idea is to have them listen for a certain word and keep track of how many times it is said - for example G-d, Lord, etc. Or have them draw something related to the sermon or something that happens prior to that during the prayers -- illustrate it, etc. It would also be a good idea if you discussed parts of the service with the kids afterwards too - that let's them know that it is something important to you too.