Lent officially begins next week on Ash Wednesday (March 5th); this gives us six weeks to prepare for the celebration of Easter. This solemn time in the liturgical calendar can oftentimes be difficult to explain to kids and so it is an opportunity for us adults to shed some light on this period of preparation. Lent is observed by the majority of Christian denominations during which we use prayer, penance, almsgiving, self-denial to get ready for Easter. Because explaining the passion of the Christ is so gory and solemn, it is important to find a hands on approach to introducing the information to young children. These are a few suggestions that could easily work for bible school or at home with your own kids.
1. Cupcake Rosary: We can all agree that kids love sweets and baked treats, right? Arrange cupcakes in the shape of a large rosary on a table. Imagine their faces when they walk into the room! You’ll need 15 cupcakes (cross and mysteries) in one color and 53 (prayer beads) cupcakes in the other. If you have a headcount and there are more children that the 68 cupcakes, than just make sure to bake extras so no one is left out. That, or you can give the cupcakes away as prizes at the end for those children that can answer questions about the Lent lesson plan.
