Talking to Your Kids About Lent
- Candice Dolberry
- Mar 9, 2017
- 3 min read
What Is Lent and Why Do Christians Celebrate Lent?
Lent can be confusing for kids (and adults). While the secular world might see Lent as a time to go on a diet, Lent is about much more than giving up sweets or sodas for 40 days. It's an opportunity to focus our attention on Christ and His sacrifice in the days leading up to Easter. Although it began as a Roman Catholic tradition, Christians of various denominations participate in Lent. Below, we've rounded up a few posts on Lent that will help you understand its history. They might give you ideas for incorporating Lenten traditions in your family.
What Is Lent?
Lent is not in the Bible, but it's a tradition that began with the early Church. Learn all about the origins of Lent and why people fast during these 40 days. Discover what Lent was like for early Christians as well as how modern Christians celebrate it. Source:JellyTellyParents History (article) --- Video (it's quick)
Practicing Lent As A Family And Talking To Your Kids About Lent
Each week your child will take home a learning tool to reinforce faith at home. To partner with you as parents we have provided weekly parent take home guides that explains the current week's lesson and how to engage your child at home. In addition, below you will find parent guides to the 40 Day Color your own Lent Calendar and weekly Love that never dies box. P.S. Don't feel pressured to use them all. Pick the one that best suits your family.
Quick tip: Use the calendar in the morning and the devotions sticks as a family dinner time activity. If you miss a day or two, it's fine.
Our Color Your Own “40 Days Of Lent” Countdown Posters These posters are an excellent way to reinforce Children's Church lessons each week. Children can read the daily challenge each day and color the calendar as a fun count down to Easter. This calendar is much like using an Advent Calendar during the Christmas season.
A Love That Never Dies Family Activity
Children K-5th are following a devotional series called A Love That Never Dies. Each Sunday your child is walking through a day of Holy Week and exploring a different symbol of lent each through fun, interactive lessons. Each Sunday your child will receive 6 new sticks for their box. This kit will help your family think about everything that Jesus did FOR YOU so that you can live with him now and forever.
Instructions: Choose a stick each day. Read it. Then, together, do one of the activities on it. When you are done, move it to the slot in the other side of the box.
Why do we hide our Alleluias away until Easter Day?
As we observe the season of Lent and the trials of Jesus Christ, we hide away the word Alleluia until Easter Day. There is a long tradition for suspending the use of Alleluia from either the Last Sunday after Epiphany or the day before Ash Wednesday until the first service of Easter. Want to know more? Here are some articles on the history of hiding our alleluias. Burying the alleluia during Lent
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