Early Childhood Education: March 2009

Lenten Activities for Preschoolers

by Anne E. Neuberger

Preschoolers will best understand Lent through doing loving actions. A visual reminder of what they have done makes this a more significant experience. That the reminder becomes an Easter gift to take home makes it even better!

Each time you meet, discuss with children something they can do for someone else at school, home or daycare. Be specific and give them only one suggestion at a time. 

Some possibilities:

1. Do a little job for someone, like putting spoons on the table before a meal.

2. Share a toy. 

3. Say “I love you!” to someone you love.

4. Tell someone they did a good job at picking up, reading a story, cooking, etc.

5. Say a prayer for someone else, such as, “Jesus, please watch over ______”

6. Give someone a hug.

Then explain that each child can make a flower centerpiece to take home (see details below). Each time they do a loving action, they can add a flower. Show them a piece of Styrofoam and some flowers.

The next time you meet, ask them to remember what they did. They may not remember, or may not have done any of the suggestions, but may give you some example of a wonderful thing they did anyway! At this age, children live in the moment, and they usually want so very much to participate that they are not really fabricating a story.  Acknowledge their good deeds, and begin the art project. Each time you meet during Lent, discuss what they have done for others, and add to the project. At the end of the last class before Easter, have them take their projects home to be a centerpiece.

Lenten Deeds Centerpiece:

Give each child a piece of florist foam or Styrofoam. Write the child’s name on the bottom. Have an assortment of artificial flowers on hand, which the children can choose from. They simply push the stem into the base.

By the end of Lent, the foam should hold a collection of colorful flowers, a happy reminder of many good deeds and a wonderful centerpiece for the days of Easter!

Hints:

•  The stems should not be longer than 2 inches.
• You want children to be able to fill the centerpiece gradually, so give them smaller flowers at the beginning of Lent.  
•  Reserve some large flowers for the last weeks to fill out a skimpy centerpiece!
• Some flowers have several blossoms on one stem. Cut the stems off to make numerous flowers.
• Styrofoam and florist foam come in many shapes, such as cones, blocks, eggs, hearts, etc. However, Styrofoam pieces of packing blocks, etc. will also work.