The Stations of the Cross can be intimidating to introduce to little ones. Between all of the different parts involved in Christ’s journey, the length of the prayer, and the depth of the material, it can be a lot. This Stations of the Cross Pray and Play Set is an extremely valuable tool in helping our children understand and process Jesus’ Passion, Death, and Resurrection. This tool is a fun and hands-on way for the whole family to experience the Stations of the Cross together.
4 Ways To Help Children Understand The Stations Of The Cross
To better support your prayer time with little ones, here are some strategies you can try:
- Organize the pieces before inviting little hands in. Little learners can be easily overwhelmed with new materials and tasks. By laying out the wooden pieces in order of occurrence before bringing littles in, you are setting them up for success. They will be able to easily make the connection between the pictures and the wooden pieces, encouraging their interest and participation .
- Slow it down. Give time between stations so that little hands can explore the intricacies in each part of the journey. People moving and looking at each other, Jesus having to bear and balance the cross, the emotions on the different faces, these are all a part of the experience of the Passion of Christ that can be portrayed with the characters in the playset.
- Mix up perspectives. As you pray through the stations, there are a few wooden pieces that follow along with you through the entire journey including Jesus, the soldiers, and Brother Francis. You can assign your little ones to specific pieces and talk about what’s going on from their perspective such as how they were feeling or what they might be hearing, thinking, or seeing. Brother Francis is a great stand in for us as an onlooker in the crowd as though we are there watching it happen.
- Allow for quiet moments. When little learners are processing what they hear or see, they often will shut off other senses. Littles will sometimes talk about what they see, but sometimes they will go quiet and silently think about what has been said. You do not need to fill the quiet space with words; this moment is our little one’s way of meditating.
I hope that these strategies provide encouragement for your family prayer time, especially this Lenten season. I invite you to share in this special devotion and venture through the Stations of the Cross with your little ones. If you are excited to lean into this prayer as a family or with your young children, be sure to check out The Stations of the Cross Pray & Play Set by Saintly Heart and Brother Francis (SaintlyHeart.com or BrotherFrancis.com) and open their eyes and hearts to experience our Resurrected Lord in a new way this Easter!
Find More Lent Resources For Kids HERE!
Article from Saintly Heart written by Stephani Tavenner, M.S., CCC-SLP
