Ideas For Parents To Help Children Worship

1. Sit together as a family. If you have a large family, invite single adults or couples without children to sit with you. (Note: Individuals or couples without children might "adopt" a single parent family to encourage and help with children during the service.)  This will emphasize that all believers are in the Lord’s family.  It will also help everyone fulfill their vows to help in the nurture of the covenant children by helping one of your children with the hymns, the Scripture reading, the confession of sin, etc.
2. It’s helpful to sit closer to the front so the children can see without looking at the back of heads of people in front of them. Sitting closer to the front helps to avoid many distractions. Of course, it’s OK if you need to briefly take your child out of the service for correction. It’s also helpful to sit near the center. It helps enjoy the encouragement from singing when everyone is sitting closer together and nearer the center of the sanctuary.
3. Impress on your children the fact that they should get themselves quiet, pray to God, and get ready to worship God during the period preceding the beginning of the morning worship service.  Each child needs to be reminded that we are in the presence of the Lord, and are to quiet our hearts before Him at the beginning.
4. Encourage your children to participate with the congregation in standing, praying, reading, singing, etc.
5. Suggest that your children listen for “Amen” after each of the congregational prayers.  Explain why we say “Amen.”
6. Provide your children with a church bulletin and something to write with.  Suggest that they write notes and use the pastor's outline and copy information from the overhead if old enough or draw pictures that have to do with portions of the service, the Scripture reading, or the sermon.  Encourage all the children to focus on the sermon.
7. After the service, maybe over lunch, talk with your children about the service.  Have them share with you the things they have written or drawn on the church bulletin.  Praise their attempts to listen to the sermon and to participate in other parts of the worship service.

Psalms 127:3 (ESV) Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward.

Matthew 19:14 (ESV) but Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.”