Pentecost is one of my favorite feast days, and I am looking for some cool craft/baking/story ideas for my 4.5 year old this week to help her gain an appreciation for the day. Anyone?
Whatever activities you plan, I would recommend that you play adult Catholic music in the background. And they are not too young to appreciate music. I use adult music at children's liturgies all the time, and they respond to it way better than what's composed for children--even preschoolers. It makes them feel like they aren't separated from the rest of the Church.
Play the music YOU love, and she will grow to love it with you. She's not been confirmed, so really the only way she can see the Holy Spirit at work at it's fullest is by watching Him work through you. Let Pentecost be an opportunity to show your faith to your Child. They learn more through observing us than they learn from any activity.
The more you expose your child to adult prayer and worship aids, and encourage them to "go for it", the less they will think faith is kid's stuff as they get older. Plus, if you use music that is used in Liturgy, you're exposing her to Scripture. They are never too young, either: How old were the Fatima visionaries again?
www.ocp.org is a warehouse-type music publisher. They sell sheet music, along with mp3's & CD's by hundreds of composers. Your church's hymnal might be from OCP.
Here are a couple to get you started:
http://www.ocp.org/products/11658
http://www.ocp.org/products/20431
It's a good place to start, but you also might want to stop at your local Catholic bookstore.
Catholic Culture is my one stop shop to get started with ideas. Here's their pentecost section. Just click on the tabs at the top...Recipes, activities, etc. for more ideas. http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2009-05-31
Sometimes things are quite involved but you can take the idea and pare it down for your family.
I've found that you can take anything and make symbolism out of it, explain it to the kids and they think it's cool!
I plan to find some way to incorporate teaching the fruits of the holy spirit. Maybe have a fruit bar with some yogurt dip and each new fruit you can say a prayer to have that virtue.
Pentecost is one of my favorite feast days, and I am looking for some cool craft/baking/story ideas for my 4.5 year old this week to help her gain an appreciation for the day. Anyone?
4 comments:
"When we sing, we pray twice." St. Augustine
Whatever activities you plan, I would recommend that you play adult Catholic music in the background. And they are not too young to appreciate music. I use adult music at children's liturgies all the time, and they respond to it way better than what's composed for children--even preschoolers. It makes them feel like they aren't separated from the rest of the Church.
Play the music YOU love, and she will grow to love it with you. She's not been confirmed, so really the only way she can see the Holy Spirit at work at it's fullest is by watching Him work through you. Let Pentecost be an opportunity to show your faith to your Child. They learn more through observing us than they learn from any activity.
The more you expose your child to adult prayer and worship aids, and encourage them to "go for it", the less they will think faith is kid's stuff as they get older. Plus, if you use music that is used in Liturgy, you're exposing her to Scripture. They are never too young, either: How old were the Fatima visionaries again?
www.ocp.org is a warehouse-type music publisher. They sell sheet music, along with mp3's & CD's by hundreds of composers. Your church's hymnal might be from OCP.
Here are a couple to get you started:
http://www.ocp.org/products/11658
http://www.ocp.org/products/20431
It's a good place to start, but you also might want to stop at your local Catholic bookstore.
Catholic Culture is my one stop shop to get started with ideas.
Here's their pentecost section. Just click on the tabs at the top...Recipes, activities, etc. for more ideas.
http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2009-05-31
Sometimes things are quite involved but you can take the idea and pare it down for your family.
I've found that you can take anything and make symbolism out of it, explain it to the kids and they think it's cool!
I plan to find some way to incorporate teaching the fruits of the holy spirit. Maybe have a fruit bar with some yogurt dip and each new fruit you can say a prayer to have that virtue.
Maybe someone else will post something creative!
I just found this that I think will be fun for my kids.
Paper dove craft. http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/newyear/dove/
I think maybe we can hang these from the lights above our dinner table.
I posted some ideas and links on my blog last year! You can find them here:
http://showerofroses.blogspot.com/2008/05/plans-for-pentecost-sunday.html
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