Before the Triduum: Palm Sunday
As Holy Week begins, make sure you have downloaded our Step-by-Step Guide: Holy Week Plenary Indulgences. This download contains instructions for 6 special plenary indulgences available during the Triduum. As a BONUS, this download also includes 3 crafts for kids to complete during Holy Week!
CLICK HERE to DOWNLOAD the Step-by-Step Guide
Now, to prepare for a very long Gospel reading, have your children watch the Sunday Gosepl Video for Palm Sunday:
For FREE weekly Sunday Gospel videos, sign up below:
Holy Thursday
Gather the kids on Holy Thursday morning and watch this video introduction to Holy Thursday from Lenten Adventure:
Since the Holy Thursday liturgies tend to take place late in the evening, it is often difficult for families with several young children to attend. Here are some alternatives for things you can do on Holy Thursday evening:
Option 1: Pray the 5th Luminous Mystery: The Institution of the Eucharist
With a picture for every bead, this will help your children to learn how to reflect on each aspect of this Mystery:
Option 2: Pray a Tenebrae At-Home Service
Tenebrae is an ancient form of worship that meditates on Our Lord’s suffering and death. It is composed of a series of Scripture readings that are punctuated by the gradual extinguishing of candles that symbolize the gradual extinguishing of Christ’s life on the cross.
The liturgy culminates in almost complete darkness, followed by a loud noise that symbolizes the earthquake that occurred when Jesus died, and it concludes with a single light reappearing that reminds us of the hope we have in Jesus’ resurrection.
Especially for children, this combination of candles and Scripture is a beautiful way to meditate on Jesus’ suffering and death. What better time to do this than Holy Week!
Good Friday
On Good Friday morning, you may want to pray the Stations of the Cross at home. DOWNLOAD our audio devotional (led by kids, for kids!) and play during the morning. This is the greatest way to bring the Stations of the Cross devotion into your home in a way that touches young and old alike. One mother told us, “My son listened intently. After Jesus fell the Second Time, he came to me with tears in his eyes, ‘Mommy, I feel SO BAD for Jesus right now!’ His reaction brought me to tears and gave us a chance to talk about Jesus’ great love for us, and how we should always strive to practice virtue and avoid sin.
For more ideas for how to pray the Stations with kids, CLICK HERE.
Since the Good Friday liturgy is traditionally in the afternoon, it is often an easier endeavor to attend with young children.
To help kids pay attention during the looooooong Gospel reading (and actually understand what is happening in the Good Friday service), we have created a 18 page coloring download so they can follow along, page by page.
Download and print this off for the Good Friday Service
If you can’t make the Good Friday liturgy, watch the Good Friday Gospel and color along with the 18-page download:
For FREE weekly Sunday Gospel videos, sign up below:
Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday
The morning of Holy Saturday, the Blessing of the Easter Basket is a lovely tradition to start this year!
You can also take the morning to make a plan for the devotions you want to incorporate into your Easter season. If your family enjoyed praying the Stations of the Cross during Lent, make this the year you start praying the Stations of the Resurrection during Easter!
NOW–perhaps you are wondering HOW to pray the Stations of the Resurrection? We created a few resources to help you start this devotion—CLICK HERE to LEARN MORE.
If you are attending Mass on Easter Sunday, you can prepare for Mass by watching this Sunday Gospel reading video with your kids:
