This one came from a Catholic Homeschooling Mom.
We pray the Stations of the Cross on Fridays. We light a candle for each station and turn out all the lights. The kids take turns blowing out a candle for each station prayed. For the last station the last candle is blown out and it signfies Jesus’ death. There is complete silence and the kids quietly go to bed.
To help with the praying of the stations, each child has their own shoebox wrapped in purple paper with the following items (a symbol for each station)
1st station: rope (Jesus condemned to death)
2nd station: small wooden cross
3rd station: band aid (Jesus falls 1st time)
4th station: plastic rosary (Jesus meets Mary)
5th station: saint card of Simon helping Jesus (I print these)
6th station: small piece of fabric w/ iron on image of Jesus’ face
7th station: band aid (falls 2nd time)
8th station: kleenex tissue (women crying)
9th station: band aid (falls 3rd time)
10th station: small piece of purple felt (clothes stripped)
11th station: VERY large galvanized nail about 6 inches long (Home depot for $.20)
12th station: crucufix (Catholic store, plastic about $.50)
13th station: holy card of Michaelangelo’s Pieta
14th station: stone (big one from backyard or park)
I also include Fr. Lovasik’s Station of the cross book in their Boxes. My girls made theirs about 4 years ago. Last week I had moms come over and they all brought some of the items and we made boxes for our kids. I made two more for my son and 3 yo dd.
This tradition is one of the simplest. I keep the boxes and only bring them down for prayer time. They LOVE praying the stations because they get to rummage through their boxes. Free boxes available at Payless. It should cost no more than $3 per box.
http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/overviews/seasons/Lent/
What a great idea!