Fasting, giving, praying: 25+ ideas for what kids & teens can do for Lent

Fasting, almsgiving, and prayer are at the heart of the forty days of Lent. Here are some strategies for helping your kids get involved in these traditional penitential practices. Most of the ideas you’ll find on the website are appropriate for kids ages six and up. The best way to introduce younger children to Lenten practices is for them to see adults and older kids in the family practicing them; use their natural curiosity and desire to be “grown up” as a springboard for talking about what you’re doing, and why. Find out how to talk about Lent with kids, fasting ideas, prayer suggestions, giving ideas and much more.

13 tips for praying the Rosary with kids

Catholic dad Jerry Windley-Daoust says that a lot of Catholic parents would love to say the rosary with their kids if the experience wasn’t quite so fraught. At our house, we barely make it out of the preliminaries before the littles are swinging their beads around like lassos which inevitably become airborne missiles and if you have ever been whacked in the face by a rosary mid-Hail Mary, you know it kind of ruins the mood. Our older kids are better, but I personally remember doing some groaning and eye-rolling as a teen when it came time for the rosary. Fortunately, we’ve come up with a couple insights that help us to pray the rosary as a family in a more sane and meaningful way. Find 12 ways to help kids with the Rosary online.

Celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity

The Trinity is the “central mystery of the Christian faith,” yet most kids are a little fuzzy on the details. You can begin to remedy that by marking the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity with your kids. In the post you’ll find several ways to celebrate the day, plus some talking points to get you started.