Lenten Prayer, Fasting, Almsgiving Activities for Children

The Catholic Lenten season of Lent is fast approaching. In lent, we practice gospel virtues: prayer, fasting, almsgiving. We seek to draw near God, by imitating Christ's suffering. Those acts in turn help us grow stronger. Here are lenten sacrifice activities for children.  Lenten Prayer, Fasting, Almsgiving Activities for Children

Advent Calendar Service Project Craft

Many of us parents have found Christmas to be about receiving not giving with our children. It's not that kids are selfish, it's that marketing campaigns bombard them with products to want. Who can blame kids for wanting all that cool stuff? To say, 'you're selfish' to a child is to state an obvious, but not necessarily negative fact. Telling them not to desire is pointless.  It's part of how children learn to meet their own needs. We can give them opportunities to practice giving, sharing too though, especially at Advent. Here's an advent calendar craft with sharing opportunities.Advent Math, Writing Project Craft

Catholic Relief Services Lenten Rice Bowl Activities

Catholic Relief Services is the single largest non-governmental relief agency in the world. Each year at Lent CRS initiates what is called 'Operation Rice Bowl'. Operation Rice Bowl is a program which focuses our attention on the cardinal aims of the Lenten season: prayer, fasting and almsgiving. The Rice Bowl project consists of a cardboard box which when assembled, looks very much like the take out boxes that rice comes in. The Rice Bowl is a box which families set up in their homes during Lent to collect loose change and offerings for the poor and hungry of the world. Operation Rice bowl also includes a Lenten prayer calendar with devotional activities, feast days and stations of the cross. Each calendar day has a prayer focus. Specific information about world poverty statistics and needs from around the world are listed also.  Lenten Rice Bowl Devotional and Lesson Planner

Advent Calendar Giving Craft

Advent Math, Writing Project Craft
Cute, handmade Advent calendar craft. Focus on giving this holiday season. Teach math, writing, world cultures and social studies. Great way to encourage giving. Each day of advent, children open a window on their handmade calendar. Each day lists simple giving or service activities. Explore countries and pray for needs.
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