Lent

The forty days of Lent begin with Ash Wednesday, which falls on March 5th this year.  Lent is often seen as a time of fasting, with Catholics asking each other, "So, what are you giving up for Lent?"  But fasting from something is just one component of the Lenten journey. The Church calls us to more than fast, but also to an increase in prayer and almsgiving.  Lent is a wonderful time to help your child see all the ways that we fill our lives with noise and busyness, all the ways that we seek comfort from the world instead of God and to replace these habits with something that brings us closer to our Heavenly Father.  It is helpful to explain the purpose of our fasting is to leave more time for prayer.  It is also an important tool to train us in self discipline and unselfishness.  Becoming less attached to the world, more in control of our desires and closer to our Heavenly Father is the goal of Lent that will help us enter into the joy of the resurrection at Easter!

Here are some activities that are easy ways to reinforce the meaning of this beautiful season with your children.

1.  Salt Dough Crown of Thorns



This is my families go to activity for Lent.  We have done it for years and it never loses it's meaning.  You craft a crown out of salt dough and insert tooth picks for the thorns.  For every act of sacrifice or charity you make during Lent you break off one tooth pick.  Hopefully, all of the thorns will be removed by Holy Saturday, when you can paint and decorate your crown and use it as a part of your Easter centerpiece.  Full directions can be found at Catholic Culture.org.

2.  Holy Heroes provides kids with online devotions and activities for every day of Lent.  Check it out!

 
3. Catholic Icing has great ideas for Prayer, Fasting and Almsgiving to share with your children. Make sure to check it out!

3.  A beautiful project that you can start in Lent to be ready for Easter Sunday is an Easter Garden. Check out the step by step directions on The Frugal Homemaker.