What's Inside My Church Bag?

When I first had my kids, I was one of those naive moms who believed my kids would behave well enough that they wouldn't need toys during worship.........
Yeah, I know. Boy, was I wrong?!
When they were babies, they were so easy! All I had to do was bring diapers and a bottle. (And a burp rag, and a blanket, and a binky.... but we will just ignore everything a baby requires for the sake of this post!) When babies aren't eating or pooping, they are likely sleeping. There was no fighting with siblings, or asking, "Is it over?" as. loudly. as. possible....
So, eventually, I started researching online to see what other moms did during church services. I found several blogs listing what they put in their church bags and found loads of DIY quiet books, which I loved, but I'm not a crafty person. Then, I looked them up online but couldn't bring myself to pay for something like that when I wasn't sure it would even keep my kiddos occupied. My mom once brought one, from my childhood, with her to church. My daughter flipped through it, but wasn't too interested. (Glad I didn't buy one!) But if you are ever looking for some incredible quiet books, definitely give Etsya fair chance. Some of their books are AMAZING.
During this trial and error period, I began to get so discouraged that there was nothing out there that would keep my kids quiet! I began to feel insecure that everyone was judging my parenting skills because I couldn't keep them quiet. I noticed other kids sitting so quietly with their lap activities and started doubting myself as a mom.
My advice? DON'T do that. I've been lovingly reminded that this process is how children learn to sit in church and to not be so hard on myself. It's hard to live that way, but it is true. You just have to find what works for YOU and your babies.

So, what do I do now? I carry a giant tote (beach bag, actually) with me every Sunday. It's true, I could probably fit one of my kids IN the bag, but don't worry, I don't try! And now, without further ado, I will share what works the best for my family.

Snacks! Last Sunday, we pretty much ate snacks through the whole sermon. Typically, I wouldn't want them to spoil their lunch, but I didn't have enough fight left in me to let them make a scene in a new congregation. (Though we've been attending for the past several weeks, so I think they're starting to know what to expect with my crew...) We typically take a sandwich bag full of Cheerios, then pick them all up off the pew and the floor after the service is finished. My best tip: pick a snack that isn't sticky or crumbly; it's highly likely there will be a mess to clean up at the end.

W.A.T.E.R. W.O.W..... These babies were a GAME CHANGER for us. They're relatively mess-free, aside from water leaks here and there. They dry super fast and are ready for another go of it fairly quickly. We have spent money on many different ones and, with the way they're getting so good at them, we have to keep a variety on hand. (That and my toddler likes to suck the water out of them and fray the brush...so gross.)

Bristle Blocks. I bought a large container full of these, but only take a ziploc bag-full with us to church.

Mix n match puzzle tiles. I just found these at Targetin the dollar aisle. They might still be there! But, I learned that wooden puzzles become noise makers pretty easily, so I ditched the board and put the tiles in another ziploc. Another tip: Don't take ALL of them. Just a few sets each. Trust me.

Legos. Make sure the ones you choose are age-appropriate though, of course! I tried taking small legos for my older kiddo and, mostly, they ended up in my younger one's mouth. But now, they both enjoy playing with them!

Magnetic dress-up doll. My daughter (and my son too, sometimes!) can really get lost in one of these. There are lots of pieces involved, and some are pretty small, but I still consider it a good find.

Recently, I found a set of felt letter pictures. I'm sorta surprised that they've actually been working so well! Last week, I caught my daughter creating a scene around the house picture using the sun and a rainbow. Found these in the Target dollar aisle also! Definitely go look there before paying for anything super expensive! I'm sure I don't have to tell you how cute some of the stuff is. :-)

Those are just a few of my kids' favorites. However, I do want to put in a few disclaimers.

1. We don't take ALL of these at once. We have a storage box that I keep them in that's strictly for church activities like these, and I try to rotate through them so they don't get bored with them.
2. For the sake of teaching my kids that church isn't play time, I try to keep them out of the bag until the actual sermon starts. Prayer, singing, and communion (mainly, the offering) are all great ways to teach them to participate. Do they get wiggly and loud? Yes. But at the beginning of the service, my patience isn't hanging by a thread and can manage it better!
3. You don't want them to have too many options, or they may struggle with going through the toys too quickly. (We learned this the hard way as well.)
4. As they get older, I do intend to cut back on bringing toys and, instead, encourage them to listen to the sermon and take notes! I've noticed some churches offer a note-taking sheet specifically for kids. Someday, when my kids have learned to write, I fully intend to use those.

Essentially, if you're out there searching for things to keep your babes busy during church, you will have to go through the trial and error method, like I did. (Still doing...let's be honest) What works now, may not work next week! And what works for my kids may not work for yours. Your kiddos may prefer workbooks and board books. Unfortunately, mine really don't. Though I would love it if they did.

If you have any great suggestions, feel free to leave them in the comments. I will read through them and may store them away for the day I need more ideas!
Again, thanks for stopping by!