Countdown to Easter Activities

Editor's note: Today, we welcome a guest post from Jen Frost of the great blog "enter under my roof" with a special family activity to kick off Lent. I'm thrilled that Jen will soon be joining us as a regular contributor. Be sure to check out her fantastic blog! LMH

The inspiration for this project came from a desire of having a countdown to Easter Sunday while also having something we could do to celebrate Lent together as a family (besides our nightly readings). I also wanted to find something that would work for families regardless of their type - whether you're a family of one, a family of young children, a family of teenagers, or a family in retirement, it was important to me to create something that would work for everyone.

To celebrate Lent this year, try something new - at the start of Lent, you create a chain out of forty strips of paper - each of the strips has a simple activity for the day that you are encouraged to do together as a family. As the strips are torn off, and the activity completed, the chain gets shorter and shorter as it counts down to Easter Sunday.

To make this countdown:

1. Download the free printable HERE and print (two pages total).
2. If you want, decorate the back of the paper OR print on colored paper OR whatever you like to jazz it up a bit. I printed ours on two different sheets of colored paper, with the writing on the inside/white portion and the color left for the outside.

3. Cut along the lines until you have all 40 strips cut.
4. Link the strips together with a piece of tape per ring with the text facing inward and your design (if you did one) facing outward.
5. Hang the chain in a central location in your home, and begin using it on Ash Wednesday.

I'd love to hear your comments on the project, how it worked for your family, or how you celebrate Lent with your family! Please feel free to share this link however you like (but thanks for referring back to this as the source)!

Jen Frost, after 13 years in the corporate world, followed her heart one year after the birth of her son and became a stay-at-home mom. When not chasing a toddler, she leads the Marriage & Family Life Ministry at her parish and rings in the handbell choir (secretly hoping one day to "go pro" as part of the San Diego Symphony!) at her church. She is blessed to have found an amazing man to call not only her husband but her best friend. Jen's personal blog focuses on ways you can celebrate your faith at home and provides activities you can do together with your kids and as a family: http://enterundermyroof.blogspot.com.