Ashes, prayer, and sacrifice may all be parts of the way that adults reflect on their faith on Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of Lent. The 40 days of Lent evoke the time that Jesus spent in the wilderness before beginning his ministry on Earth. This is a lovely framework for adults who use this time, as winter closes, to turn inward and refocus on God before the celebrating the joy of Resurrection, Easter, and Springtime. But these concepts are too abstract for young children. So, here are a few tangible ideas for sharing this time with children.
- Have a special prayer time each morning with your family. Use simple prayers, perhaps thanking God for the birds who are starting to return, the coldness that comes before the buds on trees, and the preparation of the soil for a new garden.
- In the early evenings, notice the changing phases of the moon. The days are lengthening during this time, and this is a tangible way to mark that change. Also, Easter will come after the full moon that follows the first day of Spring (the vernal equinox).
- On Ash Wednesday, place a bowl of dirt on your kitchen table. This will be your centerpiece throughout Lent. On Palm Sunday (the Sunday before Easter), sprinkle some grass seed in your bowl. You will have grass growing in your bowl for Easter! (The Easter hare also may add a few died eggs to the dish for children to find in the morning).
Finding tangible ways to mark the festivals and seasons of the year is one of the ways that we center our home life on family and create traditions. These are three ideas we will be trying in our house this Lent. How do you share Lent with your children?
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