Church Nursery Activities

You packed snacks. You brought her favorite coloring book. You even bounced her in your arms at the back of the sanctuary to keep her quiet. Give your aching arms -- and head -- a rest courtesy of the church nursery. A quality church nursery will give her so many activity options she may not want to leave. And you'll finally get to sit in a pew to worship.

Who says you have to sit quietly in church? Sure, the sanctuary is no place for loud toys, but the church nursery is a completely different world. A quality church childcare room will have drool-worthy toys, such as climbing tunnels, large blocks, push toys, balls and dolls. During free play time, your little one has the opportunity to choose whether to prepare a meal in the kiddie-sized kitchen or scoot his favorite age-appropriate cars across the floor.

What's a church nursery without a religious base? While you're worshiping during the adult service, you can bet your kiddo is learning a toddler-friendly version of the same stories in the nursery. You'll likely see children's Bibles or picture books that break down the Bible into words your child can understand. If you're lucky, the nursery staff will base their teachings on the same themes as the sermons. That way you'll have plenty to chat about with your little one on the way home. Can you imagine how her little mind will interpret your favorite Bible stories?

Is your toddler a natural-born artist? Then clear off your fridge. You'll get plenty of religious-themed masterpieces from her time in the nursery. Maybe she's more of a drama queen than a painter. Snoop around the church nursery to look for costumes and props. She may just star in her own nursery production of the Christmas story. If she gets stage fright, a puppet stage keeps her face hidden while she belts out her favorite stories. And don't be surprised if you hear sweet melodies -- or off-key toddler singing -- pouring from the nursery doors. Once you peak inside, you're sure to see your little one and her nursery friends dancing to the music.

You've seen it many times before. One second your kiddo plays happily with her friends. The next she wants to play alone. A church nursery lets your toddler have her cake and eat it too. She'll have her individual play time, but the nursery teacher will draw her in for some exciting group activities, too. What better way to have fun with a group of kids than with active games? Not only will she burn off energy, she gets a chance to practice taking turns and following directions.