Our Easter Octave 2015

We had a great Easter octave and have enjoyed adding some Easter fun into our week.

Easter Morning Fun

Park Picnic as one of our daily Easter fun calendar activities.

Easter Party with our Co-op after Friday morning Mass

Divine Mercy Sunday Fun!

Thanks for reading!

April Saints and Feast Days

I made a commitment a couple of years ago to try to teach my children about the saints and to incorporate their feast days into our daily learning time.  Honestly, most of the time I don't get further than handing them a coloring page at the beginning of the day and reading a short bio, but that is definitely better than nothing!  I know my kids love learning about the saints and how various members of our Catholic family lived and died.  Since I didn't grow up learning much about saints, it is fun for me too!

Every month I put together a Pinterest list and word document full of ideas for celebrating feast days but have never really thought about sharing them with the world.  I noticed how many views my other resource lists have received so I think this is something that people might be interested in seeing!  Enjoy!

General April Resources 

April Saints Crossword @ Real Life at Home
10 April Activities for Catholic Families @ Real Life at Home
April Book Basket and April Links @ Shower of Roses
 
April 11^th – St. Stanislaus
Coloring Page:
St. Stanislaus

April 12^th – Divine Mercy Sunday

Resources and Links @ Homeschool is Where the Heart Is

April 16^th – St. Bernadette Soubirous

Coloring Pages:
Bernadette at Lourdes
Our Lady of Lourdes @ Catholic Playground
St. Bernadette @ Catholic Playground
B is for St. Bernadette @ Saints to Color

Books:

St. Bernadette: The Miracle of Lourdes by Brunor
Bernadette – the Little Girl from Lourdes by Sophie Maraval-Hutin

Movies:

Bernadette – The Princess of Lourdes
Bernadette
The Passion of Bernadette
The Song of Bernadette

April 23^rd – St. George

Books:
St. George and the Dragon by Margaret Hodges
The Saint Who Fought the Dragon by Cornelia Mary Bilinsky

Coloring Pages:
St. George @ CHC
George & Dragon
2 St. George coloring pages and stories @ Crusaders for Christ

Activities:
Make a St. George Pinata and beat it!  Talk about the battle between good & evil.
Fire breathing dragon craft

Food:
Fish n Chips
St. George and the Dragon Vegetable Plate
Dragon Cake
Red Cross Crispies

School Work:
Copywork
Learning Packet

April 25^th – St. Mark

Coloring Page:
St. Mark @ Waltzing Matilda

Food:
Various recipes @ Catholic Cuisine
 
April 27^th – St. Zita
Coloring Page:
St. Zita @ Catholic Playground
Z is for Zita @ Saints to Color

Crafts:
St. Zita Finger Puppet @ Catholic Icing

April 28^th – St. Gianna Beretta Molla

Coloring Page:
G is for St. Gianna

Food:
Coffee Cannoli @ Catholic Cuisine
 
April 29^th – St. Catherine of Sienna
Coloring Page:
St. Catherine @ Waltzing Matilda
Catherine of Siena @ Crusaders for Christ
St. Catherine of Siena @ Catholic Playground

Food:
Pasta Santa Caterina @ Catholic Cuisine

Thanks for reading!
Follow Andrea's board Liturgical Year: April on Pinterest.

Easter Resource Megalist

One of the things I love about being Catholic is that we know how to party!  At Christmastime, when the whole world is packing up the decorations and moving on with life, we still get several more weeks to sing Christmas carols, enjoy our decorated trees, and reflect on the beauty of God incarnate.

The same thing goes with Easter!  While everyone else crams as much Easter fun into one day, we get 50 whole days of Easter to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord!  I’ve compiled a megalist of activities you can do to celebrate the Easter season, which lasts all the way to Pentecost.  To learn more about the Easter season, take some time to explore the Easter Workshop @ Catholic Culture.  Also, if you need a place to organize/keep all your Easter season plans, Sanctus Simplicitus has a great planning page download available for free!

1. Start and follow an Easter countdown calendar (similar to an Advent/Christmas/Lent calendar) to help you count the days of Easter leading up to Pentecost.

Easter Countdown Calendar @ Catholic Icing
50 Plastic Egg Easter Calendar @ Equipping Catholic Families
Easter Calendar @ Wee Little Miracles
50 Days of Easter Cross @ Family at the Foot of the Cross
The Garden of the Good Shepherd Sticker Calendar @ Amazon
 
2. Pray the Stations of the Resurrection!  These are a counterpart to the Stations of the Cross and showcase the events after the Resurrection.
Stations of the Resurrection Box @ The Bookworm
Via Lucis Art Appreciation & Prayer Cards @ Family in Feast and Feria
The Way of Light Minibook @ Look to Him and Be Radiant
The Way of Light Easter Sunrise Craft @ Look to Him and Be Radiant
The Way of Light Story in a Bag @ Look to Him and Be Radiant

3.  Learn about Easter legends and symbols.
The Legend of the Dogwood Flower Symbolism @ Catholic Icing
The Legend of the Dogwood Flower Craft @ Catholic Icing
The Legend of the Dogwood story & printable craft @ Catholic Inspired
Mary Magdalene and the Red Egg Story @ Catholic Icing
The Legend of the Three Trees Craft @ Teach Beside Me
The Legend of the Three Trees Video @ Youtube
The Tale of the Three Trees Craft @ God Family Crafts
The Tale of the Three Trees Homeschool Printable Pack @ Homeschool Share
Easter Symbols Booklet @ Waltzing Matilda
Easter Symbols Download @ Sanctus Simplicitus

4.  Make a cross craft or two!

Oil Pastel Light Ray Cross @ Housing a Forest
Easy Toddler Tape Resist Cross @ Catholic Icing
Salt Cross Painting @ Catholic Icing

5.  Make an Easter egg craft as well!
Crayon Resist Easter Egg Cross @ The Crafty Classroom
Hidden Cross Easter Egg @ Amy’s Free Ideas
Symbol of the Easter Egg Craft @ Catholic Inspired

6.  Use food to learn about and celebrate Easter.
Resurrection Rolls @ Catholic Icing
Easter Cross Krispies @ The Celebration Shoppe
Easter Tomb Treats @ Free n Fun Easter

7.  Read a few Easter books (or one for every day of Easter!).  The library is our best friend with this one.
Best Picture Books of the Easter Story @ Catholic Icing
Children’s Picture Books for Eastertide @ Two O’s + More
8 Picture Books for Lent and Easter @ Carrots for Michaelmas
Picture Books for Easter @ Shower of Roses

8.  Decorate your house for Easter!

Easter 8x10 Prints @ Catholic All Year
Easter Cross Wreath @ Cheerios and Lattes
DIY Paschal Candle @ Shower of Roses
 
9.  Jesus’ resurrection comes during Spring, a season of new birth and beauty.  Get out in nature and have some fun!
Easter Story Nature Walk @ Our Journey Westward
Bird Seed Eggs @ Tutti Fiori
Paint with Dandelions @ The Ramblings of a Crazy Woman
Jellybean Prayer Nature Walk @ Our Journey Westward

10.  Who says you can only hunt Easter eggs on Easter Sunday?  Go on a unique egg hunt any day of Easter!

Jesus is Our Guiding Light Nightime Egg Hunt @ Catholic Inspired
Easter Egg Prayer Hunt @ Our Family for His Glory
You’ve Been Egged @ Fab n Free

10.  Reenact the Easter story through imaginary play.
Toilet Paper Tube Resurrection Set @ Catholic Icing
Resurrection Set @ Do Small Things With Love

11.  Spend some time working with your hands to put together an Easter themed handicraft.
Resurrection Pearler Bead Pattern @ Catholic Playground
Easter Story Lego Challenge @ Proverbial Homemaker
String Art Cross @ Dippity Dot
Simple String Art Cross @ Sun Hats and Wellie Boots
Easter Origami @ Housing a Forest
Cross Stitch Easter Egg @ Shower of Roses
 
12.  When all else crafty fails, there are always coloring pages!
Resurrection of Jesus Lego/Playmobile @ Catholic Inspired
He is Risen @ Ministry to Children
Stained Glass Crosses @ Homeschool Encouragement
Just Color Easter Pages @ 1+1+1=1
 
13.  Host an Easter Party!
Easter Party – Preschool Style @ From the Hive
Joyous Easter Tea @ Shower of Roses

14.  Switch up your homeschool or afterschool routine with some Easter themed learning!
Make an Egg Bounce @ Science Sparks
Easter Resurrection Printable Pack for Kids 2-7 @ 3 Dinosaurs
Egg Heads @ Nurture Store
Learning with Easter Eggs @ Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas
Easter Math Crosses Mystery Picture @ Real Life at Home
Easter Word Search @ Real Life at Home
 
Special Feast Day/Liturgical Year Link Lists
Divine Mercy Sunday @ Homeschool is Where the Heart Is
Good Shepherd Sunday @ Homeschool is Where the Heart Is (Coming Soon!)
Feast of the Ascension @ Homeschool is Where the Heart Is (Coming Soon!)
Pentecost @ Homeschool Is Where the Heart Is (Coming Soon!)
April Saints and Feast Days @ Homeschool is Where the Heart Is

Thanks for reading!

Follow Andrea's board Catholic Kids: Easter on Pinterest.

Divine Mercy Novena Links

The Divine Mercy Novena can easily become lost in the jam-packed observances of Holy Week.  The Novena begins today, Good Friday, and ends on Divine Mercy Sunday, the Sunday after Easter.  The Divine Mercy novena is a wonderful way to remember the promises of loving mercy that Jesus shared with us through Sister Faustina.  If you are interested in learning more about this tradition and how to pray the chaplet using a standard rosary, check out these links:

Chaplet of Divine Mercy @ EWTN
The Divine Mercy Chaplet @ Catholicity

Last year we prayed the novena together as a family instead of our usual decade of the rosary.  If your children need a more hands on visual to help pray the chaplet, there are some great resources out there!
Divine Mercy Chaplet Coloring Page @ Wee Little Miracles
Pop Out Chaplet Decade @ Look to Him and Be Radiant
Divine Mercy Counter @ Catholic Icing
Divine Mercy Chaplet Craft @ Making Music, Praying Twice
Divine Mercy Novena and Chaplet Printable Prayer Ring @ The Diary of a Sower

And when the novena is over, there are so many fun ways to celebrate Divine Mercy Sunday!

Coloring Pages:

Divine Mercy

The Divine Mercy

Divine Mercy @ Catholic Playground

Divine Mercy @ Catholic Inspired

Food:

Divine Mercy Sundae @ Catholic Icing

Divine Mercy Fruit Tray @ A Slice of Smith Life

Divine Mercy Pancakes @ Catholic Cuisine

Schoolwork & Crafts:

Hands of Mercy

Worksheets & Stories

Watercolor Art Page @ Look to Him and Be Radiant

Toilet Paper Roll Craft @ Catholic Icing

You can see all these links on Pinterest for easy pinning!  Thanks for reading!
Follow Andrea's board Divine Mercy on Pinterest.