As I’ve been getting more and more into doing “Catholic Stuff” in general, I’m starting to feel the same way about preparing for lent as I do preparing for Christmas. I’ve made this list for getting our family ready for lent and thought it might be helpful for you, too! 
Checklist for Preparing your Family for Lent:
- Figure out what you’re “giving up“. (Even though “giving something up” for lent is traditional, you can also do more of stuff too, such as saying extra prayers, going to adoration, or attending daily mass sometimes.)
- Lenten countdown calendar of some kind (There are infinite ways to count down the 40 days of lent. You could print my calendar, make a paper chain, count almsgiving pennies, use a crown of thorns- seriously endless possibilities!)
- Ash Wednesday plans (Ash Wednesday actually isn’t a holy day of obligation, but it’s certainly an awesome day to go to mass anyway.)
- Almsgiving (You could make an offering box for lent with your kids)
- Go to Confession (Always a good idea during lent)
- Go shopping for meatless-meal groceries and simple foods (Obviously don’t eat meat on Fridays during lent or on Ash Wednesday).
- Stations of the cross activities (You can find some here, and/or you could attend a stations of the cross service at your church.)
- Pray the Rosary (Especially the sorrowful mysteries during lent)
Not all of the things on this list are mandatory or anything, just some Lenten ideas for kids to consider.
For anyone who’s curious, abstinence (meaning abstaining from meat) is for those of ages 14 and older, and fasting is for people ages 18-59. You can read more about that here.
You can also print a really cool Lenten Guide Poster from Our Sunday Visitor.
Also, have you heard of Holy Heroes Lenten Adventure? They will send you 3 emails a week with videos and other Lenten resources for kids! The best part- it’s totally free! (These videos are SUCH a handy tool for celebrating lent with children!)
So I was looking at the calendar today, and on Friday March 25th, there isn't the little fish and note that it's a day of abstinance. It is the Annunciation, so does the feast (is that the right word?) trump? I'd imagine it'd be a good penance to abstain anyway, but it perplexed me!
The Feast of the Annunciation is a Solemnity in the Catholic Church, a principal holyday in the liturgical year. Because it is a solemnity it takes precedence over the Lenten weekday, which in this case is a Friday and the rule of abstinence does not apply.
This feast is so important that if it were to fall on a Sunday it would be transferred to the 26th and if it were to fall on Palm Sunday, during Holy Week or the Octave of Easter, it would be transferred to the Monday after the Second Sunday of Easter and celebrated then.
The Feast of St. Joseph is also a solemnity and takes precedence over the Lenten weekday. It, too, could be transferred if necessary.
I hope that helps.
I think you might have been counting the days wrong because there are little fish on all the Fridays.
I made the same realization this year – copying my to do list for Advent/Christmas and making it fit Lent/Easter – there are many similar preparations for Lent/Advent and then Christmas/Easter! Thanks for your list – there were some I had missed on mine!
I heard you are supposed to pray the sorrowful mysteries all of lent. Is that true?
On the Sundays in Lent, then you go back to the Glorious after East, until the beginning of Advent when the Joyful are said on Sunday.
I love the Sunday Visitor short and sweet guide. I sent it to my college kids. It's a good refresher. Thank you!
I love how these links are consolidated nicely on your blog! You do a great job making it easy for the rest of us.
Lacy thank you for sharing these companies I am drooling over all the items I want for me and my kids. I love finding new catholic products I appreciate you exposing us to them!
Thank You so very much for these wonderful resources! My three year old daughter has been very curious about Jesus’ death lately and she surprises me with some of the questions she thinks of. sometimes i struggle with what words to choose to explain to her because it can be complicated to understand at such a young age. I cant wait to start getting those emails from Holy Heroes and to make our own Lenten countdown to really help her understand! Thanks!!
Wonderful Lenten calendar!!! I have 2 teen daughters…this is even age appropriate for them.
Thanks for the share!!