Ash Wednesday and praying for Ukraine with kids
Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent.
Today the burnt ashes of last year’s palm leaves are put on our foreheads.
It is a reminder of our temporary journey on earth and our ultimate destination in Heaven.
It prepares us for the season we are entering.
My kids get really excited for today coz it’s the only day of the year they get to act like adults, stand in line and get something (ashes) unlike other days where receiving something (communion) is only a privilege for parents.
Here are some simple ways to explain the significance of Ash Wednesday to little ones:
Practice being a priest.
Use salt and trace the cross.
We also tried with colors and finger paints. this is a great gross motor activity that I thought my 3 year old will enjoy. But my 5 year old joined in too.
Salt adds flavor to everything. But do you see it in the food?
Let’s do an experiment.
Fill water in a plain glass. Ask your child to put a few spoons of salt into the glass.
Stir it till it dissolves. What happened?
It becomes invisible.
Would you taste it?
This is what happens to us when we die. We dissolve into the earth we are made from and return to our Creator in Heaven
Bury the Alleluia
Today is the day.
We will not be singing it till Easter.
A no prep way would be to write it on a tissue paper and bury it in a pot or garden.
We put rice grains in it too with this cross so we can see it growing slowly all through lent.
Here is where the thorns of our cross will go too. Check out the details in the Lent article here.
On Easter we will place the label on the cross, when we start singing Alleluia again.
This Ash Wednesday Our dearest Pope Francis invites us to fast and pray for Ukraine.
The situation in Ukraine has been a disturbing one and I have found it difficult to explain to my kids.
I have encouraged them to pray for the situation and to seek Mamma Mary’s intervention.
Honestly, I have tried to avoid seeing the pictures or stay up to date.
Just the eventualities and consequence of war is enough for me to know how many lives are being effected severely.
If you like to color and pray like me, you may use this free printable.
I like to say the prayer while I color each petal. When I feel helpless, it helps me calm down and really surrender to Jesus.
You may take this free printable to put around your house as a reminder to pray for the situation in Ukraine every time you pass it by. Mine is on the kitchen counter to help me remember to pray.
Today is the day you begin tracking 4O days of Lent. Get it here.
And if are figuring out what to do for Lent, download the Lenten planner for free in colored and BW options
Details about these activities and what the below jar is for can be found in the blog about what we are doing with the kids this Lent.
Read for some simple ideas you can incorporate.
And How the Lord challenged me this year for a meaningful Lent.
