Should kids be making crafts in church?

[krguerrero]

My children are attending a Catholic camp this week and are having a great time. They go to the church in the morning and are told a story and then do a craft or play a game related to that story afterwards. One day, they made “dirt buddies” and another ran through the pews looking for a cotton ball with an X on it. They do these crafts and games inside of the church. My gut feeling is that is irreverent and the crafts should be done in the facility next door. What do you think? Is it okay to play games and do crafts complete with glue guns in the church? Maybe it is just fine.

 

[Michelle_Arnold]

No, it’s really not. The Church hasn’t forbidden such activities, of course; but that is because there is a presumption of common sense that people will know how to treat sacred space. Particularly if there is a parish hall or social center nearby the church, all such activities should occur in there. Children should be taught that the sanctuary is a place set apart for the worship of God and not a playground.