Tips to keep your toddler quiet at public events

Preschoolers and toddlers are full of joy and energy. However, keeping your toddler safe in public places such as a church, graduation ceremonies, and other events that require calm children can be difficult. This can be difficult for your child and even test your patience. Many parents are confused and want to give up on their children’s quiet-time toys, books and snacks. We have a lot of ideas for you today… Based on the advice from our Facebook community and others…

WAYS TO KEEP YOUR TODDLER QUIET AT PUBLIC EVENTS

Place your feet closer to the front.

For your event, choose a seat nearer the front. We had a great experience with the church. Our experience was with the church. We discovered that the closer we were to the front, the better our behaviour was. Keep in mind that children are more interested in what they see than hear. They tend to act out more when they are seated in the back.

Pre-emptive Wiggles and Frequent Walks

You can take a short walk every ten minutes during the event.

A Quiet Box

You can make a “quiet bag” with your chosen toys for special occasions. Rotate the toys, and buy new toys that are affordable but still fun for your kids. This will save you so much time acting out .”

Participate in the Family Church Service

Look for a family-friendly service. Some services welcome children and encourage them to attend. If this is not possible, you might consider a church with a quiet room. This allows you to see and hear the service through the speakers, but you cannot hear them.

Practice Reading Time (& Quiet Time)

You can do reading time at home, where he must sit down and listen as you read. You can introduce him to other books as he becomes more comfortable with reading. He will learn how to control his behaviour in certain situations. Take him on a walk if he acts out. But, hold him and tell him that this is not playtime. This will help him to be more controlled at other events, such as weddings and graduations. Keep at it, and don’t lose heart! You don’t have to be too young to understand there is time to be playful and calm. He will benefit from attending church and watching you be patient with his needs !”

Strategic Breaks during Events

Take a quiet break during an event. This is how Lauren manages church when she has a toddler.

“We also take a short break halfway through the service (just before the sermon) to walk around the back of the church. We sometimes walk with her when we are kneeling. It doesn’t matter about me at the moment. But getting her to understand and enjoy church. She is paying attention to me throughout the service. We are discussing the service and what is happening. Although I might not be paying much attention to the sermon or readings, I know I am giving my daughter the gift of understanding church and helping her enjoy it. Talk to your priest or pastor. Our priest is open to children who don’t sit still or aren’t silent. His son has stated that he enjoys hearing a child talk or cry in a quiet moment because it indicates a new generation of church members. It may seem worse than it is to you.

Colouring books are great quiet activity.

Give him a colouring book and a pen. It is rare for children to get pens, but they will be excited to use them. You can also find sparkly gel pens, which are even more fun!

A tradition of After Event Time Play Time

Play with him on the playground or other children after the event, even if it is a little too short.

Timed Quiet Time at Home

You can practice quiet time in your home. Start small by setting a timer. You can start by setting a timer for 5 minutes, then 10 and then 15, then 15 each week until you reach your goal.

Encouragement is better than discouragement.

No matter what you do, your children will learn from you. Please encourage them to join you and gently remind them to listen. They are still young children and do not have the attention span to focus on an event for more than an hour. Frequent breaks and distractions will be their best option as they learn to sit still. This, too, will pass.