Catholic Christian Holy Week devotions with free printable Easter and Lenten activities

Hello friends! In the Omschool, we are Catholic Christians. We observe the Lenten season, which begins after Ash Wednesday and goes up to Easter. It's a journey with Jesus. A Catholic follows the Lord through the desert. The Catholic Church prays the Stations of the Cross Lenten devotions and goes with Jesus on his way of sorrows to the cross. During Lent, a Catholic tries to imitate Christ in humility, prayer and sacrifice. Lent culminates at Palm Sunday and Catholic Holy Week which ends in the Passion, death and resurrection of Christ at Easter. To teach kids about the significance of a Catholic Holy Week and the importance of Lenten devotions, here are Bible object lessons using Easter eggs. In these Easter egg crafts, children explore the Easter story in hands-on Bible object lessons.

Holy Trinity Bible object lessons. Decorating Easter eggs is a great time to teach Bible object lessons. Use Easter egg crafts to teach children about the Holy Trinity. Show children that the eggshell is white, smooth and pure. It holds everything together and so represents God the Father. Hidden inside is the yolk, the source of life. The yolk represents God's most important gift, His son Jesus. The Holy Spirit is the Paraclete, the intercessor, the go-between. So the egg white represents the Holy Spirit as it is in the middle.

Here are free printable Lenten and Holy Week crafts, lesson plans and activities for kids from DL-TK.

New life Bible object lessons. Easter eggs symbolize fertility and rebirth. In Lenten devotions, teach children that Easter eggs represent eternal life. Just as birds care for their young in eggs and rejoice when newborns emerge, a Christian experiences new life or rebirth from old sins in Jesus. Hiding Easter eggs simulates how a Christian should seek God. Easter baskets simulate nests which shelter baby birds. God shelters his children in safety of his love. Children might decorate their Easter egg crafts with images of birds, nest, chicks, spring, the cross or Jesus.

Ministry to Kids has free printable religious Easter coloring pages. 

Catholic Mom has free printable Holy Week activities for kids and Sunday Mass gospel reading printables too. 

Lenten devotions: Catholic Holy Week countdown using Easter eggs. For these Easter egg crafts. you'll need 8 plastic eggs, a basket and Easter grass or green construction paper. For Bible object lessons, place one item in each egg that relates to the Easter story and a slip of paper with the Bible verse that mentions the item. You'll find the Easter story in the Gospel of Luke chapter 22, 23 and 24 (verse 1-12), or Mark chapter 11 (verse 1-11)chapter 14, 15 and 16 (verses 1-8). It's contained in the other two gospels as well, but Luke and Mark are the best retellings.

Label each egg as follows and place these items inside:

Palm Sunday--a piece of palm, dry grass or a plastic donkey (to remember Palm Sunday, when Jesus made a triumphal entry into Jerusalem)

Monday of Catholic Holy Week--a piece of cracker or crouton (to remember Christ's institution of Holy Eucharist at the Last Supper)

Tuesday of Catholic Holy Week--a dime (the 30 pieces of silver Judas was paid to betray his friend Jesus)

Wednesday of Holy Week--a tiny piece of branch with thorns (Crown of thorns)

Holy Thursday--a nail (to symbolize that His hands and feet were nailed to a cross)

Good Friday--a cocktail sword or toothpick (to remember that Jesus was pierced with a sword in his side, from which poured water and blood)

Holy Saturday--a stone (the stone that was placed in front of the tomb of Christ and later miraculously removed)

Easter Sunday--Nothing! This reminds us of the empty tomb on Easter morning.

Open one egg each day from Palm Sunday through Easter Sunday. Light a candle for this special time. Ask a young child to explain to the family or group what this item could mean. The family can share their ideas, experiences or scripture references to the item. You might all sing a hymn or chant to remember this part of the story. Sing Crown Him with Many Crowns, All Hail the Power of Jesus's Name or Te Deum. Extend Easter egg crafts, by having children to illustrate Bible object lessons they've learned. Combine illustrations in a family memory book and use for Lenten devotions in years to come.

For the love of Mister Rogers Neighborhood, thank you for making each day special

 Hello my dear children and adult friends of the Omschool. Today I'm thinking of one of my most beloved television performers and that is Fred Rogers" of Mister Rogers Neighborhood and the Neighborhood of Make-Believe. I was a little older by the time Mister Rogers came on TV and we didn't  have television anyway. But quite early on I must have watched an episode because instantly I was enamored with this gentle man and his friends in the real people neighborhood and the one of his imagination. 

When I became an adult and a teacher (and had an old B&W TV finally) I'd turn on the show and watch it to relax after a long work day. It was a sort of spiritual experience, like doing daily devotions going with Mister Rogers to meet his neighbors and the lovable characters who inhabited Make-Believe. When children came along they were introduced to and loved "Missa Rowie" in their turn too. 

There's nothing very fancy about the show. Just a pretend house, a trolley, puppets, props and some people to visit. Sets for TV shows were different back then. Some were even set all in one room, like the Honeymooners. Mister Rogers had a table and a few chairs where he'd talk with people or do simple craft projects. He was so affirming and positive. Always smiling. I'll bet he smiled in his sleep.

When I was younger, I didn't live in any  house or  neighborhood long enough to consider it mine. I spent a lot of time alone. I just read that Mister Rogers did too.  Though his family had a nice home. I guess that just shows that people can feel lonely in a variety of circumstances. 

I can relate to his experiences of being teased for weight problems. By people who were lonely and miserable themselves and who needed to hear the message Fred would grow up to tell the world. I identify with being unable to participate in sports because of health issues and being misunderstood for that. His make-believe world has extra special significance. I love how he turned misfortune and misunderstanding around to create puppet friends for himself and for us. This resonates. 

I created worlds in my head. I recall playing alone down by the fishing docks in Alaska and making a homemade fishing pole. It didn't work but I persevered despite teasing from the fishermen. It still didn't work.  But that didn't stop me pretending it did. I didn't have any toys so I mentally repurposed a stump into a rolltop desk with acorns and bits of moss as office supplies. 

I read about fantastically beautiful places called Tashkent and Samarkand when I was five. I thought they were only pretend and that magic carpet was the only way to get there. Well, 53 years later, I discovered, wonder of wonders, they're real! And I can visit! I don't need a magic carpet (but it's still fun to fly that way). 

I would sit behind a chair at the babysitter's and envision a ballet studio. I had an entire routine worked out in my mind. I didn't have any dolls just mental images. I might have seen a book on Juilliard. And didn't know any of the words. Those would come later when my own daughter danced. And for so little knowledge, my imaginary ballet was pretty accurate. 

Maybe that's why I liked Mister Rogers' community. And I liked him for peopling it with kind people. When life hands you bullies, make neighbors. And maybe why it made me a little sad too. A yearning for something I would have liked to be part of. But you know, that's where imagination and a pay-it-forward spirit comes in handy. I have a never met a person I couldn't befriend. I cherish them all and you can never have too many. 

I think Mister Rogers felt the same way. He wanted us to feel welcome. When I'd watch TV at Grama's house I thought the people were talking to me. They weren't of course. Except for Mister Rogers. He talked to us. He made us feel seen and heard. He made up songs to help us with challenges we might be facing alone. Even if you were an adult. He risked ridicule and censure to get the message across that kids, that we, were important and that he cared. I don't know about anyone else but I believed him. 

Mister Rogers was the patron saint of my classroom and then later homeschool. And I appreciate his kindness and warmth. I want to spread some of that in my own way, through this website. I don't know who reads it but I want you to know that I don't need to, to care about you. This world is a better place with you. 

So celebrate the wonderful world of your imagination! Build your oak tree rolltop desks and barnacle fishing poles. Or whatever YOU want to build!  Go to Uzbekistan or wherever YOU want to go. Dance your arabesque or whatever YOU want to do! Do it for it for us all!  

And because this blog is about free stuff too, here are some free printable Mister Rogers Neighborhood coloring pages! And here are some coloring pages of his best-loved character Daniel Tiger. Blessings and peace to you from the Omschool. You really do make each day a special just by being you. 

Free kids trash craft projects with recyclables and printables

 Hello my friends of the Omschool! Teacher Omi (grandma) here with some easy, free trash craft projects to make with your recycle bin and some free printables. So I call these trash crafts because we reuse items that would probably get tossed in the trash. These are just right for Earth Month with an environmental focus on reduce, reuse, recycle and repurpose.

Today's trash craft projects feature ways to reuse plastic milk jugs. Here are ideas to make recycled milk jugs into sand toys for the beach and garden tools. Make a set of eight recycled sand toys and garden tools, just in time for spring break and summer fun. Homemade kids trash crafts from recycled materials are great for beach play. If they get broken, you're not out any money!

Repurpose and reuse recycled milk jugs for preschool, school, scout troop, 4H group, camp and day care kids crafts. These recycled kids crafts work well for small hands. And because you know I'm all about Montessori and homeschoolers, these activities are geared for the multiage classroom. 

 You'll need

-two clean plastic milk jugs per child 

-permanent marker 

-scissors (children's Fiskars scissors work great) 

These crafts projects allow kids' to make a gardening bucket or plant starter with garden tools and a sand pail, strainer and sifter sand toys 

To begin, draw a line around the base of your recycled milk jugs, about three inches from the bottom. Poke a hole anywhere in the line with sharp scissors. Cut along the line to remove the top half (set aside for later). Now you have a sand pail or gardening bucket or plant starter. 

For sifter or strainer sand toys or garden tools, poke holes in the bottom of recycled milk jugs.  Repurpose and reuse the remainder of recycled milk jugs for other sand toys and garden tools. Draw a circle around the top of the milk jugs, about two inches down from the mouth. Poke a hole and cut around the circle. Now you have a funnel or sand castle mold for beach sand toys. 

With the leftover piece, you can make a trowel or shovel. To make a trowel, draw along the indentation on the jug where the handle is. Snip the lower end of the handle to separate it form the jug. Poke a hole on the line and cut along the line. Trim the top part above the upper end of the handle to a v-shaped point. You will have a flat surface with a handle to smooth out surfaces and a corner surface for edging. These garden tools make great hoes or trowels for a small garden or potted plant. 

If you cut it with a zigzag edge it can be used as a garden rake. These simple kids crafts provide excellent scissors skills practice. Make a shovel by drawing a circle around the part where the lower end of the handle attaches to the jug, about an inch or so from the handle. Snip the top end off from the jug. Cut along the circle you've drawn. Now you have handled shovels to use for sand toys or garden. 

I'll add pictures later when Omi and Opi finish the milk in the milk jug. 😀For more super easy, cheap or free kids trash crafts visit FreeKidsCrafts.  You get free printable craft project patterns for all the crafts shownd. 

Mousekin children's book series lesson plans for life science

Hello friends of the Omschool! Teacher Omi here with some beloved children's literature classics from my childhood! Just in time for Children's Book Week and Earth Month in April, here are kids books that for preschool and emergent readers on nature. And these books star a little creature named Mousekin in his many woodland adventures. 

Using the Mousekin book series, by Edna Miller, you can teach complete units in life science. With Mousekin, childrean explore camouflage, hibernation, ecosystems, habitats, symbiosis and more. Edna Miller, a naturalist and children's book author introduced us to Mousekin, a white-footed mouse, with her first book Mousekin's Golden House, in 1964. 

Here are lesson plans using the Mousekin books in preschool and elementary life science activities. Each Mousekin book contains a glossary of science terms and animal species, as well as suggested reading and further reference.

Mousekin's Golden House (1964) Perfect for Halloween, fall and autumn harvest lesson plans. Looking for a place to hibernate in winter, Mousekin discovers how other forest animals prepare for winter. When Mousekin finds a discarded carved jack-o-lantern pumpkin, he makes it into a cozy winter den. Children will learn about how eastern woodland habitat creatures ready themselves for winter.

Mousekin's Christmas Eve (1965) Our furry friend finds another cozy nest when he finds himself unexpectedly indoors for the holidays. 

Mousekin Finds a Friend (1967) Seeking safety yet again, the little white-footed mouse discovers an ally in s surprising way. He learns more about predator, prey and also community relationships in the animal kingdom. 

Mousekin's Family (1972) Through the eyes of a young mouse, we see how different animal species raise their families in the wild. 

Mousekin's Birthday Lovely story of gestation, birth and care of a family of white-footed mice. Beautifully drawn images. 

Mousekin's Woodland Sleepers  (1970) Companion book for Mousekin's Golden House, Mousekin's Woodland Sleepers explores in more detail how different species hibernate, including where they hibernate and how winter sleep cycles work. Mousekin meets a hibernating woodchuck, bear and chipmunk. Mousekin also learns about predator/ prey relationships in winter, including the predatory screech owl, skunk and fox who do not hibernate. Excellent book on habitats.

Mousekin's ABC (1972) Excellent forest field guide and reference book.

Mousekin Takes a Trip (1976) Mousekin ends up in a new environment with new creatures when the house he's wintering in migrates south! 

Mousekin's Close Call (1978) While eluding a hungry weasel, Mousekin explores how different creatures protect and camouflage themselves and their young. Mousekin's Close Call shows different predator/ prey relationships, habitats and how the food chain works in an eastern woodland forest.

Mousekin's Mystery (1983) A forest fire leaves Mousekin homeless and fills the forest with an eerie glow. Mousekin discovers bioluminescence from the fox fire fungus. This book explores habitats and symbiosis also.

Mousekin's Thanksgiving  (1985) In his quest for winter food stores, Mousekin discovers that some creature is eating his winter stores, but in the process, making more winter food stores available. Mousekin's Thanksgiving explores how creatures rely on each other in a symbiotic relationship within habitats.

Mousekin's Easter Basket (1986) Perfect for spring lessons, Mousekin explores different nests and eggs in his search for shelter. Perfect book to help children identify how birds, insects, amphibians and reptiles design their nests and protect their young.

Mousekin's Lost Woodland (1996) Mousekin's beloved home is destroyed when the shared pond is drained to build a new house. Teaches children about deforestation, wetlands protection and ecology. 

There are a few I may have missed as Edna Miller was a prolific writer, penning Mousekin stories for over 30 years.