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Spring is nearly here! Along with the sunshine, this season tends to bring with it a number of events. There will be church services for Lent, Holy Week, and Easter. There will be graduation ceremonies, awards nights, concerts, and weddings. Sometimes, you might find yourself bringing your children along to these events. Sometimes, you will need (and hope, and pray) for your little ones to sit relatively still and to be relatively quiet. That can be a tall order for small children, who were not designed with this mission in mind. While we cannot exercise total control of a toddler’s shifting behaviors, we can show up prepared and try to stay ahead of them!

Stock Up Your Diaper Bag!

Many of the toys we often stuff in our diaper bags to keep meltdowns at bay are of the noisy, jingly, or rattly variety. That doesn’t work in all social settings. You don’t want to be the parent whose child pulls out a singing Elsa doll at a wedding, or discovers the squeaker in a stuffed animal at a funeral. Nor do you want to be the parent whose preschooler shouts “Can we go home? I’m boooored!” during a commencement speech, or sprints down the aisle at every church service. Trust me. I’ve been there. At the same time, you don’t necessarily want to hand over a phone or tablet to occupy your child. Here are my picks for the best quiet diaper bag toys for quiet outings, organized by ages and stages.

Quiet Essentials for Babies

Babies, at least from my personal experience, are the easiest age group to keep calm in public. They sleep a lot. They can’t pull a Houdini and escape under the church pews. They can’t belt “Row Your Boat” at the top of their lungs. A gentle bouncing movement, pat on the back, and an offering of a nursing session or bottle usually did the trick for mine whenever they squirmed. But for the times when my go-to moves fail, I always keep these things on hand:

• Soft Structure/Buckle Baby Carrier: A baby carrier can be a lifesaver in public, especially if you have more than one child who needs you attention (and your hands). I’ve tried every type of carrier, but I always go back to my buckle carrier when I’m out and about. It’s easier to take on and off in a hurry for nursing (and diaper explosions). Here is the carrier that I keep turning back to: The Infantino Flip Advanced 4-in-1. It’s budget-friendly, has survived three babies so far, and is still holding strong!

• Toy Linking Rings with Quiet Attachments: Link a few together or attach a quiet toy and hook to the straps of a buckle carrier to keep babies hand busy (and not pulling your earrings out). You can find some links here :

• Taggie Blankets: I’ve received several handmade “taggie” blankets as gifts over the years, and they rarely failed to get a few minutes of quiet distraction from my little ones. You can find a variety of designs on Etsy, or find an original Taggie blanket, like the one below, here from Amazon.

• Teething Necklaces: If you have a baby who loves to mouth everything, a teething necklace is invaluable. Opt for a silicone one that’s safe, durable, and easy to clean, like this pretty one:

• Pacifiers and clips: If your baby takes a pacifier, then you already know this is essential. Pack a few extra and get a clip to keep from playing fetch with it. These clips are super-cute:

• Foot/Wrist Rattles: The term “rattle” might make you think these toys would be loud, but these Lamaze ankle and foot rattles make very little noise and fascinate younger babies.

• Sensory Books: Go for books with lots of textures and bold colors to capture your baby’s attention and keep curious fingers occupied. Here’s one of our favorite brands:

• Teething Biscuits: When nothing else works, snacks can save the day! If your baby has been introduced to solids, these teething biscuits are easy for them to hold and chew… and not dump all over the floor like some snacks. (Looking at you, Cheerios.) We’re fans of the banana peach and blueberry variety.

Quiet Essentials for Toddlers:

Toddlers are tricky in quiet settings. Sometimes they run. Sometimes they scream. They want independence, but also all of your attention. And their attention spans are notoriously short. Pick quiet activities and toys that allow them to exercise and take pride in their growing skills.

• Fidget Pop Toy: My oldest got one of these for her birthday, but it was quickly stolen by the 15 month old. These toys are like black magic for toddlers, and I assume they’re good for fine motor skills as well!

• Lift the Flap/Interactive Books: In addition to other sensory books, lift the flap books are the perfect quiet, interactive toy for toddlers. Here are three of our personal favorites:

 

• Busy Books: Quiet and educational! You could make your own busy book using a Cricut and felt if you have the time and energy. If you don’t, you could find a beautifully handmade one on Etsy or one like this from Amazon:

• Family Photo Album: Pick up an inexpensive “brag book” from the scrapbook section of your local store, and tuck in photos of family members, pets, or of things your toddler enjoys and recognizes.
• Empty Spice Jars/ Parmesan Jars: Practically free, and effective. Clean out an empty plastic spice or parmesan jar (the kind with a screw top lid) and allow your toddler to practice twisting it open and closed. You can also cut some pipe cleaners to fit inside, giving your toddler the option of pushing them through the holes in the lid.
• Cheap calculator: Find a cheap calculator at your local dollar store to stick in your diaper bag. Toddlers can pound buttons to their heart’s content without accidentally texting your boss.
• Wallets and Old Gift Cards: Got an old wallet? Fill the slots with used up gift cards. Toddlers love to play with “grown up things,” and pulling cards in and out of the slots is another good (and quiet) fine motor skill activity.
• Snacks: The toddler age is the perfect age for distraction via bribery, using containers of Cheerios and goldfish crackers. Containers like these are easy for little hands to reach into, but not easy to fling all over the church pews.

Quiet Essentials for Preschoolers and Younger Elementary Age:

Preschoolers and younger elementary kids are generally more predictable than their toddler brethren when it comes to sitting quietly in public settings. But, even the most patient kindergartener gets bored and wiggly without a little stimulation. Here are some quiet toys that keep their minds active and their hands busy.

• Twistable Crayons and Paper: Twist-up crayons won’t end up crushed in a million pieces at the bottom of your diaper bag. Pair with a coloring book or a clipboard filled with blank paper.

• Water Wow Books: Even I think these paint-with-water books are fun, and they’re reusable! Just don’t forget to refill the brush pen!

• Water Doodle Mat: Like the Water Wow books, these are reusable and easy to slip in a diaper bag for art on the go.

• Magnetic Drawing Board: Are you sensing an art theme? I am. You can find these on Amazon or at your local dollar store.

• Etch a Sketch: Another classic, quiet, art-related toy.

• Search and Find Books: We are big fans of Highlights search and find books!

• Magnetic Playsets: These pack up nicely and offer opportunity for quiet creative play. My kids love the dress-up magnet sets, like these:

• Fidget Toys: Some people just focus better when their hands are occupied. Help kids get their wiggles out in a non-distracting way. There are so many options in this fidget set:

• Wikki Stix: These wax coated strings stick together and can be bent into any shape. The best part is, they don’t make a mess!

• Lacing Cards: I’ve seen these lace up cards in several local churches’ activity bags, and for good reasons!

• Wipe Clean Books/Dry Erase Boards: A great opportunity for kids to practice handwriting skills. You can find small dry erase boards at dollar stores, and educational wipe-clean books here:

Good Luck!

Are there any quiet diaper bag essentials that you swear by? Let us know in the comments!