Ways to Celebrate Lent and Easter with your Children

As a new mom, I was confounded on ways to make holidays more meaningful for my children. I read articles, listened to speakers, and read blogs on projects, crafts, and activities to do… and I just felt overwhelmed. What I wish I could go back and tell my beleaguered self is this: Don’t get bogged down with your own shortcomings or imperfections. Just start somewhere. Baby steps.

Over the course of time, we have added in things, taken out others that didn’t fit our family, and in the end, we have kiddos that look forward to holidays and are excited about going over the meaning behind the holidays. Why? It’s not because I have created a Pinterest version of holidays or some unattainable celebration, but because we mark the day(s) in unique ways (different than the rest of the year), and we consistently do this year in and year out. It’s the rhythms that are so enjoyable and give us something to anticipate.

If you’re feeling like you missed the boat on Lent, it’s not too late. Start small. Use this coming week, with the commencement of Palm Sunday, to set aside special time each day during Holy Week to look to the resurrection of Christ. A few ideas to get you going:

Resurrection Eggs- There are many varieties available for purchase or you can make your own! These eggs are visual and tactile while integrating the telling of the Passion story.

Easter story books- You can start with just 1 or 2 and add to your collection each year. Several great ones to start with can be found here, here, here, and here.

Lenten Devotionals- This resource from Desiring God is great and you can make it your own with weekly or daily readings and include the visual aid of using candles.

Another great one that you can find on our book table is Mission Accomplished.

Make it your own- Try something new and see how you like it. We do several things throughout Lent and during Holy Week. A favorite tradition at our house is baking “resurrection rolls” or “empty tomb rolls” on Saturday (yes, Saturday, because Sunday is too hectic!). A college friend of mine made root beer floats every Easter morning for breakfast while her family sang “Up from the Grave He Arose!”

The main thing to remember is to have fun and try to mark the days in some way.  Even if you don’t get it quite right, you’re still making memories and those will stay with your kids long after the lesson is over.