Lent With Children

Published: Tuesday February 13, 2018

We hope that you will take these ideas and rework them for your own family or church group.

 

Lent is a purple time, a time for thinking.    

We remember that Jesus spent time on his own to think.

He needed to think about God’s world.      

He needed to think about his work in God’s world.                           

He needed to think about everyone’s place in God’s world.

So we use Lent as a time for thinking about God, ourselves and each other, God’s world, my world and our world.

It takes ages to get from Pancakes to Easter eggs and the journey there takes us through some difficult places and then our excitement and celebration of Jesus’ resurrection, the life and hope of Easter pass by very quickly.  In fact the Church celebrates Easter for six whole weeks because it is so special.  This year there are two weeks of school holiday after Easter here are some ideas to help you continue to celebrate.

 

Mirrors – A mirror shows us an image of ourselves what do we see? Every time you see yourself in a mirror or a window – even upside down in the back of a spoon remember God made you, God knows you God loves you.  When you look at other people what do you see? Remember God made them, God knows them, God loves them.

Lego lent. Or Duplo – Crosses. Last supper.  Desert Scene.  Thank you Prayer Tower – add a brick each time someone prayers a thank you prayer.  Find the Lego Easter story here

Out of Doors – Capture Signs of spring on a phone camera, in a drawing book or in a vase if you are allowed to go picking.  Do a bark rubbing or grow something such as mustard and cress or salad leaves, nasturtium or even sunflower.

Is there a space to create an Easter garden?

 

Little Lent   Point to each part of the body as you say it…Give yourself a hug for protect us!

We pray that God’s hand will lead us,

God’s eyes will watch over us,

God’s ears will hear our prayers,

God’s arms will protect us

and God’s love will fill our hearts…Amen…

 

Advent is filled with fun and expectations, but Lent can be hard for children. It’s travels through frightening places, loaded with themes of self-denial and death. How can children approach this season in a way that is meaningful and not frightening? The book Make Room presents Lent as a special time for creating a welcoming space for God. Other books offer excellent ideas for going through the Lenten season with children, but Make Room uniquely connects its projects to the story of Jesus.

Click on the links below for more resources.

Barnabas   – Building FaithBusted HaloFaith in Homes  – Flame Creative  – Going for Growth  – Lent Event  – Lost Sheep

Cbeebies film clips to watch about Easter with very small children.

 

For older children, suggest that phones are turned off when the family are together, to take one less selfie and look at what is around you and photograph that.  Use social media to post a message about the people you love and what there is to be grateful for.

Play the game Boxes – To start draw 5 rows of 8 dots on a piece of paper each person takes turns to draw a line between 2 dots when someone completes a square it’s their turn think about what they would like to say to God and draw or write a prayer. You can keep this going and add more dots and squares all through Lent.

 

All Ages Together make Resurrection Cookies (contains nuts).  To be made the evening before Easter.

You need: 1cup. whole pecans, 1 tsp. vinegar, 3 egg whites,
pinch salt, 1cup. sugar, ziplock bag or greaseproof paper, wooden spoon, tape, Bible.

Preheat oven to 300 BEFORE BEGINNING.

Place pecans in ziplock bag or between two pieces of Greaseproof paper and let children beat them with the wooden spoon to break into small pieces.  Explain that after Jesus was arrested He was beaten by the Roman soldiers. Read John 19:1-3.

Let each child smell the vinegar. Put 1 tsp. vinegar into mixing bowl.  Explain that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross he was given vinegar to drink. Read John 19:28-30.

Add egg whites to vinegar. Eggs represent life.  Explain that Jesus gave His life to give us life. Read John 10:10-11.

Sprinkle a little salt into each child’s hand. Let them taste it and brush the rest into the bowl.  Explain that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus’ followers, and God’s sadness when we do wrong things.  Read Luke 23:27.

So far the ingredients are not very appetizing so add the 1 cup of sugar.   Explain that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves us. He wants us to know this and how to belong to Him. Read Ps. 34:8 and John 3:16.

Beat with a mixer on high speed for 12 to 15 minutes until stiff peaks are formed.   Explain that the colour white holds all colours together just as we are all held together by Jesus even the wrong things we do. Read Isaiah 1:18 and John 3:1-3.

Fold in broken nuts. Drop by teaspoons onto wax paper covered cookie sheet.  Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus’ body was laid. Read Matt. 27:57-60.

Put the cookie sheet in the oven, close the door and turn the oven OFF.

Give each child a piece of tape and seal the oven door.  Explain that Jesus’ tomb was sealed. Read Matt.27:65-66.

GO TO BED!
Explain that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight Jesus’ followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed. Read John 16:20 and 22.

On Easter morning, open the oven and give everyone a cookie.  Notice the cracked surface and take a bite. The cookies are hollow! On the first Easter Jesus’ followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty! Read Matt. 28:1-9

 

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