October 22, 2015 WBB Feast Days & Holidays, WBB Primary, WBB Junior High, WBB Intermediate, REL Seasons - Feast Days/Holidays, REL Asset - Activity, REL Catechetical - K–6, REL Topic- Saints
By: Allie Johnston
On the first day of November, the Catholic Church celebrates All Saints’ Day. As Catholics, we honor the saints as followers of Christ who lived lives of holiness on earth and now share eternal life with God in Heaven. On this solemnity, Catholics celebrate all the saints including those who are known and unknown. On this Feast of All Saints, we are especially mindful of our patron saints: the saints whose names we share, those that our families honor, or that our schools or parishes are named for.
Solemnities are important celebrations and holy days of obligation. All Saints’ Day is a great celebration for the Church. On All Saints’ Day, we are obligated to attend Mass to praise and worship God and honor the lives of the saints.
Complement your All Saints’ Day lessons and celebrations with a printable activity for primary aged students. This All Saints’ Day for Kids Mini Book can be used in the classroom or at home. Children can honor all of the saints and the rich impact they had on the lives of others.
To use this All Saints Day for Kids Mini Book, download and print copies of the handout for each child. Encourage students to read the Mini Book, or read each page aloud with children. Remind children that they can repeat the good work of the saints after learning about them. Children can then color each page by drawing portraits of themselves alongside the saint. Assist children in cutting out the pages and stapling them in order. Encourage children to share their completed books with family and friends. Explain that they can use the books to teach others about the good work of the saints!
If you are looking for All Saints’ Day resources for older children, or additional All Saints Day for kids materials, explore an All Saints Day: Activities to Engage Youth eBook or a Junior High American Saints Mini Lesson for great ideas.
As an alternative All Saints’ Day activity, assign students a small-scale research project and invite them to complete this handout. Completed handouts can be reported within a classroom setting or bound into a reference book for the parish or school. You can also celebrate All Saints’ Day in class or at home with a special prayer service based on the theme “Built on a Rock.”
What are some ways you celebrate All Saints’ Day with the students in your religious education program?