Lent is the perfect catechetical season. A catechist as well as a parent can find a plethora of ideas about how to practice and live out Lent. I would like to share ideas in 3 categories (be aware that some ideas will overlap): Family Ideas, Classroom Ideas and Personal Ideas. I hope the following links will help assist you as a parent or a catechist in assisting your students to grow closer to Christ this Lent.
Family Ideas:
Prayer
~ Pray the Rosary and/or Divine Mercy Chaplet regularly as a family – on the way to/from school, or right after dinner.
~ Read the Bible/pray with your kids before bedtime during Lent.
~ Pray the Station of the Cross at 7pm each Friday at Ascension or at home: https://catholicicing.com/2011/03/printable-stations-of-cross-for/
Fasting
Almsgiving
~Sign up for Holy Hero’s daily Lenten email: https://www.holyheroes.com/Holy-Heroes-Lenten-Adventure-s/37.htm
~ Lenten Calendar: https://catholicicing.com/2011/02/printable-lenten-calendar-for-kids/
~ Give money as a family to the poor: Operation Rice Bowl.
~ Spend more time with family.
~ Be positive (maybe charge .25 cents for every negative comment at home and then give the money to a charity).
~ Family Chart: https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/activities/view.cfm?id=1018
~ Lenten Sacrifice Beans: https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/activities/view.cfm?id=295
Classroom Ideas
~ Prayer Service: https://www.rtjscreativecatechist.com/articles/activities/seasonal/2012/02-28/lenten-prayer-service
~Puppet Show Scripts: https://catholicmom.com/kids/puppet-ministry/
~ Ideas from Our Sunday Visitor: https://www.osvparish.com/ResourceLibrary/FaithatHome/TeachingCatholicKids.aspx
~ Some Lenten Lesson Plans: https://www.catholicmom.com/2007_lesson_plans/Lent.pdf
~ Stations of the Cross Bingo: https://www.catholicmom.com/2007_lesson_plans/stations_bingo.pdf
~ Lent Lapbooks: https://catholicblogger1.blogspot.com/2010/02/lent-lapbooks.html
~ Printable Lenten Calendar: https://catholicicing.com/2011/02/printable-lenten-calendar-for-kids/
~ NOW Cross: https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/activities/view.cfm?id=1019
Personal Ideas:
~ 7 Great Book Recommendations: https://rcspiritualdirection.com/blog/2013/02/06/deeper-in-prayer-during-lent
~ Take time to pray at lunchtime instead of going out with friends or surfing the internet.
~ Read a Psalm each day during Lent.
~ At 3:00pm each day pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet or take a moment to pause in prayer remember the hour that Christ died.
~ Pray the Seven Penitential Psalms – maybe one each day of the week throughout Lent (Psalm 6, 31, 50, 101, 129 and 142).
~ Go out of your way to do one kind deed each day.
~ Do things for people each week without them knowing.
~ Be positive and reflect joy during Lent.