1.Make a Lenten Prayer Chain

This is our family’s favorite, and most consistent Lent activity for the past few years. The time commitment is minimal each day, and if I’m being totally honest, this is probably the biggest reason we have been so consistent with it. In this season of Littles who have lots of needs that can’t always be anticipated, I find that if I set the bar too high, I end up beating myself up and feeling guilty. But if I have realistic goals for our family, then we more often than not, end up doing more than I planned.

2. Collect Pennies For Good Deeds

This fabulous idea from Catholic All Year was one that really resonated with G last year, and she’s already asking again when we’ll be starting. What happens is I put out 2 jars: an empty one and one full of pennies. For every good deed G does or little sacrifice she makes, she gets to move a penny to the empty jar. At the end of Lent she gets to choose where to give her money (a charity or other worthy organization)- last year she brought it to our parish.

The second piece is that then, on Easter morning the Easter Bunny replaces all that she has given away with jelly beans, and then through the Easter season, whenever she makes a sacrifice or does a good deed, she gets to eat a jelly bean.

Super simple, super effective, and we’ve found that it helps to normalize the practice of being helpful and kind within the family.

3. Make a Jesus Tree

This one is going to be new to us this year, buuuuuut my kids love the Jesse tree at Advent, so I’m pretty confident that it will be a hit. It’s the same idea- one ornament added a day, telling the story of the Jesus’ life.

We’re using one created by Elizabeth Clare. Her bundle has 2 different ornament designs that can be printed and colored by the kiddos, which is kind of perfect because 1. my kids like to color and 2. they don’t like to share. So this way they each get their own.

4. Learn the Stations of the Cross

This one is easy. Scroll down to the end of this post and click to download your free set of meditations and 3 Part cards. 

I put the cards in our prayer corner or on the work shelf in our classroom, and then we plan an afternoon, usually with another family or two, to go to the Church and pray the stations as a family.

5. Up Your Game for Holy Week

Sometimes I’ve found that my Lents with little people start off rock solid and I am awesome and have a million resolutions and sacrifices planned . . . and then real life kicks in and everything slips because of sickness, or a sleep regression or any number of unplanned semi-emergencies.

Last year I realized that instead of giving my Lent up for lost, I could take a deep breath, start again, and focus on Holy Week. My very favorite Holy Week Prayer Journal is from Sara over at To Jesus Sincerely, and you can get a hard copy of it on her site.

6. Simple Decorations Make the Difference

When I was growing up, my mom always decorated our house with the changing seasons. She’s really good at that sort of thing, and I always loved it at as a child. Everything seemed more magical. Now that I have a family and a house of my own, I try to do the same. I’m not as good at it as she was, but I do have some skill (also she helps).

One of the things that I started adding last year, and it’s so simple I’m kicking myself for not trying sooner, are liturgical prints and quotes from scripture or the saints. I keep a few inexpensive frames around, and just print out copies of beautiful quotes I like, and then put them up throughout the house. I also try to put a small quote up on the bathroom mirrors (hello painters tape, my old friend). It’s easy, inexpensive, and adds a little something extra to the house. And seeing them throughout the house helps me to stay in the right mindset.

7. Get the Catholic Mom Bundle, So You Have Resources On Hand If You Want to Go Deeper

This one is my ace in the hole. Because for as many years as there are that I feel like I’m failing at Lent, there are times when G or Will ask for more- more prayers, more liturgically centered activities, more anything to do with Church. And those are the moments I kick myself hardest, if I don’t already have things on hand to supply that need for them.

Because life is busy, and sometimes these desires of my children to learn more about their faith are fleeting. If I don’t jump on the opportunity they’ll get distracted and onto something else before I have time to scour Pinterest for something to suit.

The Catholic Mom Bundle has 24 fabulous resources, each created with busy moms in mind. We may not use them all this year (spoiler alert: we won’t), but those suckers are all going to be saved on my computer, ready to be pulled up when they are called for, whether it be mid-Lent this year, or another year down the road.

Don’t wait, buy yours now. You won’t regret it (and hey, if you do, there’s a 30 day money back guarantee, no questions asked).

The sale only lasts through Friday, February 14th.