Meaningful Ways to Observe Lent with Kids This Year

There is something so hopeful about the shift from winter to spring. It is a season of waiting and anticipation. In the church calendar, this season corresponds with Lent. While we often put so much energy into counting down to Christmas with Advent calendars and daily chocolates, Easter sometimes sneaks up on us. We buy the dresses and the ham, but we might miss the beautiful, quiet preparation of the heart that comes before Resurrection Sunday.

If you didn’t grow up practicing Lent, or if the idea feels a bit somber for children, I want to encourage you: it doesn’t have to be gloomy. In fact, observing Lent with kids can be a rich, tactile way to teach them that Easter isn’t just about the bunny—it’s about a love so big it changed the world forever.

What is Lent, Anyway?

Explaining Lent to little ones can be tricky. A simple way to describe it is “getting ready.” Ask your kids what you do when a very special guest is coming over for dinner. You probably clean the house, prepare special food, and get excited.

Lent is a 40-day period (excluding Sundays) where we “clean house” in our hearts to get ready for Easter. It starts on Ash Wednesday and leads us right up to the celebration of Jesus rising from the dead. It is a time to slow down, say sorry for the things we’ve done wrong, and make space for God.

Simple Ideas for Observing Lent with Kids

You don’t need a degree in theology to guide your children through this season. You just need a little intentionality. Here are a few warm, family-friendly ways to walk through these 40 days together.

1. Try a “Family Fast”

Traditionally, people give up things like chocolate or soda for Lent. For kids, you can make this more meaningful by choosing something to fast from together. Maybe it is giving up video games on weeknights or fasting from complaining.

But don’t just take something away—replace it with something better. If you give up 30 minutes of TV, use that time to read a Bible story or take a walk outside. Explain to your kids that when we feel like we want that thing we gave up, it’s a little reminder to pray instead.

2. Create a Prayer Jar

Kids love visuals, and a prayer jar is a wonderful way to track your spiritual journey. Find an empty mason jar or a bowl. Throughout the week, have everyone write down (or draw) a prayer request, a worry, or something they are thankful for on a slip of paper.

During dinner, pull a few out and pray over them together. It teaches children that their worries matter to God and that we can carry each other’s burdens.

3. Eggs-tra Special Acts of Kindness

This is a brilliant idea from Focus on the Family that turns the excitement of Easter eggs into a lesson on service. Write down simple acts of kindness on slips of paper. These could be things like:

• “Make someone else’s bed.”
• “Write a thank-you note to a teacher.”
• “Say something kind to your sibling.”

Put these slips inside plastic Easter eggs and keep them in a bowl. Once a week (or every day, if you’re ambitious!), let your kids pick an egg and complete the “secret mission” inside. It turns sacrifice into a game and helps them see how good it feels to serve others.

4. Take a “Creation Walk”

Nature is waking up, and it’s the perfect teacher for Lent. Go for a hike or a walk around your neighborhood. Leave the headphones and phones at home. Encourage your kids to be quiet and listen.

Point out the dead leaves and the new buds. Talk about how things have to “die” in winter to come back to life in spring. It’s a gentle way to introduce the concept of Good Friday and Easter Sunday.

Walking through Holy Week

The final week of Lent, known as Holy Week, is the crescendo of the season. It can be intense, but it’s the most important part of the story.

• Palm Sunday: Make your own palm branches out of green construction paper and have a parade in the living room. Read the story of Jesus entering Jerusalem.
• Maundy Thursday: Have a special dinner where you wash each other’s feet (or hands, if that’s easier!). It’s a powerful, giggly, memorable lesson in humility.
• Good Friday: Keep the lights low. Read the story of the crucifixion from a children’s Bible. It’s okay to let the day feel a little sad. We can’t understand the joy of the empty tomb without the sorrow of the cross.

Celebrating the Feast

When Easter Sunday finally arrives, celebrate big! You’ve spent 40 days preparing, waiting, and reflecting. Now is the time for the feast. Whether that means a big brunch with pancakes or a special roast dinner, make it joyful. Remind your kids that the waiting is over—Jesus is alive, and that is the best news in the world.

Celebrating Lent with kids doesn’t have to be perfect. It’s not about following every rule or doing every craft. It’s about pausing the chaos of everyday life to say, “This matters. We are getting ready for something wonderful.”