Not long ago, Jamison’s touring schedule with Go Fish required him to be traveling most weekends. As a mom of three active boys, I looked forward to taking them when they were very young to the children’s museum, the science center, the zoo, and several other places that had activity centers already planned. It was a welcome relief to be able to catch my breath while the boys were actively engaged.
Going back even further, I worked as a children’s ministry assistant in college and one of my jobs was to make sure the ‘Busy Bags’ were filled with updated children’s bulletins, crayons, and other items the children could work on while they were in the service with their parents. I remember how grateful those parents were when their child picked up a Busy Bag before entering the sanctuary!
What a gift it is to families when the church makes an effort to include children in their activities and services! One part of our church family that often gets overlooked is families who have children with special needs.
These parents rarely have the opportunity to catch their breath or let their guard down. Unfortunately, church can sometimes be the most stressful environment of all for these families.
One simple resource for children who have autism, attention difficulties, or sensory needs, is to offer them ‘Busy Bins’. Busy Bins are sensory bins filled with different textures and items such as kinetic sand, pom-poms, rice*, beans*, “snow,” and small rocks so that children can feel more calm and comfortable.
Children with sensory needs tend to be over-responsive or under-responsive to stimuli which means they may be sensitive to certain sights, sounds, smells, touch, or tastes. When they are offered different tools to alleviate their sensory needs, they feel more calm and comfortable in their environment.
Some children respond well to dimmed lights, headphones, and sensory items like fidgets or weighted blankets. Others benefit from a room free from fragrances such as lotions, oils and perfumes. Churches typically offer a cry room for parents of newborns to participate in the service without experiencing the stress of possibly disrupting the environment. Parents of children with special needs would be extremely grateful for a room like this!
Simple things like this can go a long way in helping many families feel more included in their church community, while also providing them with a chance to worship and recharge.
*Use caution and label all sensory bins, especially when using food items, as many children experience food allergies.
