Celebrating Holy Week with Children

As much as the Passion, Crucifixion, and Resurrection are a mystery for us, they are even more so for children. It can be a real challenge to observe Holy Week with small children, and yet if you incorporate just a few simple traditions, Holy Week can definitely leave an impression upon them.

Last night I printed out blackline masters of the Stations of the Cross for my younger three children to color and cut out. As they finished their work we glued their Stations to slightly larger pieces of colored paper and I wrote the title of each Station below the pictures. As we were taping our Way of the Cross around our dining room, Lil' Wingnut suddenly remembered he had seen this done before and exclaimed, "Hey, we did this when I was two! Can I hold the Cross?"

This week, we'll be praying the Stations of Cross each night before bedtime. Lil' Wingnut is completely enthralled with the idea. This morning he got up on his own and had to run downstairs to make sure the pictures were still hanging on the wall in the dining room. He then walked about the dining room and asked me to read off the titles for him. Even the smallest of observances can really make an impact on your children.

*We use the pictures and prayers from Lent and Easter in the Domestic Church. Their website has graciously posted their version which you can print out. If you open the pictures in a separate window you can print them out as well.