Classroom Activities for Lent
Lent is a period of 40 days that begins with Ash Wednesday and ends on Easter. In the Christian faith, this period represents the 40 days when Jesus went into the desert to fast and pray. For young children, classroom activities are an ideal way to teach them about the importance of this Christian celebration.
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Sharing Stories
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Gather students in a circle on the floor. Tell them to share stories of times when they felt tempted to do something they knew was wrong. Ask them how it made them feel and what they decided to do. Explain to the children that Lent represents a time when Jesus was tempted in the desert. Relating Lenten lessons to their own lives helps children to better understand the importance of this period.
Puppet Shows
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Make sock puppets to reenact significant Lenten moments. Create simple scripts that the children can read and perform themselves for the class. Scripts can include Jesus being tempted in the desert and the celebration of the Last Supper. Have the children divide into small groups, choose a script they want to perform for the class and rehearse it several times. Using puppets is a creative way for children to learn about the significant moments of Lent.
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Lenten Calendars
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Print blank calendar pages and distribute them to every student. Give the students colored pencils, crayons and markers to create their own Lenten calendars. Direct the students to mark significant dates on the calendar like Good Friday, Palm Sunday and Easter, using stickers or stencils. Making their own calendars allows children to look forward to special days during the Lenten season.
Coloring Pages
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Hand out Lent-themed coloring pages and allow children to choose which ones they want to color. Explain the significance of each page and what the images depict. For example, explain that, on Ash Wednesday, Christians go to church and receive ashes in the sign of the cross on their foreheads. Coloring is an enjoyable and creative way for children to learn about Lent.
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References
- Photo Credit crayons image by studio vision1 from Fotolia.com
