Have any of you heard of Quiet Bags? I’m sure many of you have used these before. They are often called Church bags because a lot of parents like to put them to work while they are attending a service with their children. But there are many instances in which you might want to deploy a quiet bag. It could be a long car ride, nap time, or simply just trying to get dinner on the table without the television on. For me, I’ve put a rotation of these in my child’s bag for quiet time at school.

The important things about quiet bags is that if you plan to use them frequently, you will need to change them up or your child will tire of the same things. They should also be items that you only use in these moments so they remain a novelty. I did a little research on items and found some inspiration and items that I thought would specifically suit my children. And I did a test run at home before I sent them off to school with them.

The other key factor is making sure these fidget tools are developmentally appropriate. While the magnetic puzzles were more suited for my 4 year old, my 3 year old became really frustrated with them and vocal. The exact opposite response you want for a quiet bag. So I removed that toy from hers. Silly putty is fabulous for at the table but might not be what you want for your car rides. Again, you’ve got to pick and choose what works in different situation.

So I ordered some of these fun animal draw string bags and put about 3-4 activities in each. Some days my kids love to doodle on these electronic drawing pads and others they just want to stick 38947238 stickers on their face.

I think fidget pops are awesome for even babies and are a great thing to pack for a car ride. My kids just re-discovered their love for water wows and who doesn’t love a good sticker book?

More ideas below!

church bags quiet bag quiet bags for toddlers traveling with kids what we keep in our quiet bags