6 Easy Lent Activities for Kids
Easy Lent activities for kids that will help families prepare during the somber weeks leading up to the joyful celebration of Easter. Learn how to teach kids the meaningful lessons of this season in a simple way that will help them understand.
Observing the Lenten season as a family is a wonderful way to prepare your hearts for the Easter celebration.
In these weeks of sacrifice and anticipation, focus on the true meaning of the holiday in a way your kids can learn and understand.
From honoring the many food traditions surrounding meatless recipes for Lent each Friday to reading the best Christian Easter books for kids, there are many ways to include even the youngest children in the meaningful traditions of Lent.
1. Prepare with a Big Mardi Gras Feast
The Lenten season is filled with small sacrifices that the whole family will make together.
Before Ash Wednesday, prepare your kids from what is in store but kickstart the season with a fun and joyful Fat Tuesday dinner.
My list of 20 easy Mardi Gras dinners for families also includes fun movies and music to make the entire evening memorable.
We feast before we fast!
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2. Make Kid-Friendly Food for Lent
When it comes time to move into the fasting times during Lent, you can still prepare kid-friendly food that will make family dinner a chance to enjoy each other.
Even though young children are not required to truly fast as adults are, our kids have always abstained from meat on Ash Wednesday, all the Fridays in Lent, and on Good Friday right alongside my husband and me.
I use this season to introduce easy fish recipes to the kids and we experiment with new recipes that are outside our normal routine.
You can make these kid-friendly Lent breakfast ideas, prepare a simple Lenten lunch, or enjoy any of the 40 meatless meals for Lent dinners the whole family will enjoy.
3. Simple Sacrifice and Gratitude
While the food sacrifices tend to be the most challenging for families with picky eating kids, there's a lot more to Lent than what's on your plate.
We are called to make a Lenten sacrifice for the season. Most grown-ups will give up chocolate, wine, or social media for the season.
But what about younger kids?
The purpose of sacrifice is to also be more mindful of the blessings we do have in our lives. If your children are too young to do a Lenten sacrifice, focus more on simple gratitude activities and work with your children on counting their blessings during the season instead.
4. Books to Read with Kids During Lent
My favorite way to explore challenging topics with my kids is to find excellent children's books on the subject.
The true meaning of the Easter story can be a little difficult to explain to the youngest of children without scaring them.
Picture books about Easter and the story of Jesus' death and resurrection are an excellent way to share the meaning of the season with kids.
Spend some time each week with the books from this amazing list.
5. Good Friday Activities
At the end of the 40 days of Lent, we arrive at Good Friday, one of the most somber of days in the Christian calendar.
We are so close to the joy of Easter but this is an opportunity to really pause and reflect on the miracle we are about to celebrate.
My favorite hot cross biscuits is a fun alternative to hot cross buns. You can prep them ahead on Holy Thursday and just bake them on Good Friday morning.
If your family purposely spends the day quietly without screens, be prepared with these creative Christian coloring books and art supplies. It would be a very kid-friendly way to spend the quiet hours of the afternoon.
And if you're looking for a new tradition that may truly resonate with your kids, why not consider hosting a very simple dinner for your friends and neighbors just as Jesus gathered with his friends for the Last Supper?
You could host this dinner on Holy Thursday or any time during the days leading up to Easter. It would be a wonderful way to connect with your community and teach by example how to truly love your neighbor.
6. Celebrate the Joy of Easter
After 40 days of fasting and sacrifice and somber reflection, we finally arrive at the joyful celebration of Easter.
To truly teach your children about the season, end by planning a festive Easter day filled with delicious food and treats.
Looking for some fresh ideas to add to your menu? I have lots of kid-friendly Easter recipes you're sure to love:
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