Learning to be comfortable in Church

We do realise that bringing children, especially babies and toddlers, to church can be very hard work; for example, if a baby cries, yours is always the loudest (or so it seems at the time)! If toddlers get restless and want to walk about or do something different, the minute you try to stop them, the more determined they become and start trying to get away.

We do want coming to church to be a joyful experience for you and your child. We hope the following information will make your being in church easier and more enjoyable.

If your baby is settled, please feel free to remain seated, even if others are standing.

We all know if baby cries loudly he/she needs feeding, changing, comforting (which includes being carried around, talked or sung to, etc.) Don’t be embarrassed if your baby cries, We all understand that babies have special (and often urgent) needs. If you just try to stop him/her crying it usually gets worse, you become stressed and embarrassed, others can’t hear and it is hard work for the person leading the service.

Changing facilities and soft toys and books are provided for you and your baby’s convenience and to help your coming to church to be a happy relaxed experience for you and your baby. Please ask a sidesperson to provide toys or books and to show you where to find things. If you need to walk around to settle your child, please feel free to do so at the back of the church.

How to help baby enjoy being in church

Feel free to bring quiet toys for your baby to hold. Some babies may be attracted by the colours of the stained-glass windows or the flicker of the candles. If they are near, point them out to your baby.

Babies may well find pleasure in being held close as a parent sings, and in hearing the music of the services. Older babies may watch active, dramatic parts of the service. Tell them when something different is happening. If it is a service of Holy Communion then take your baby with you to the altar to receive God’s blessing at the time of communion.

Already your baby is absorbing the atmosphere of worship, and so starting on the journey of faith.

A service can feel like a long time for a pre-school child, so please do ask a sidesperson to provide some quiet toys or books to explore in the pew. If more space is required, there is a children’s corner at the back of the church, where there are chairs and pews for you to sit.

In the interests of safety as well as quietness, children should always be accompanied by an adult.

We all understand that young children cannot be still for very long, but they can move around on the carpet and play with quiet toys without making much noise at all. Children are likely to be noisy or to want to run around. Please discourage this where possible, and distract them with the toys and books available. The facilities we have provided are to help coming to the church to be a happy, relaxed experience for you and your toddler.

Children learn by imitation. Encourage the children to imitate what the adults are doing: holding a book and standing on the pew beside you ‘singing’, kneeling down, or sitting at prayer times. Encourage your toddler to respond to the music by moving or clapping when there is a strong rhythm.

If it is a service of Holy Communion then take your toddler to receive God’s blessing at the time of Communion.

Please remember

Children who are allowed (or even encouraged) to run around during the service are not so much being included as ignored! They are present in worship as part of their own faith journey. Even when they are just amusing themselves, they are absorbing the atmosphere of worship, but we should also be seeking ways of involving them, and drawing their attention to what is going on in the worship, even if it is only for a few minutes 'Watch!’ ‘Listen!’ etc.

For details about Baptism, click here