The Renewal Project
Simple. Achievable. Life Changing.
“Behold, I make all things new.” – Revelation 21:5
Simple Ideas for Renewal for Preschool Children
Ideas done within the Home
Teach them to talk to Jesus through simple prayers.
- Teach them easy, repetitive prayers they can memorize, like:
- Morning: “Good morning, Jesus. I love You. Help me to be kind today.”
- Night: “Goodnight, Jesus. Thank You for my family and friends. I love You!”
- Guardian Angel Prayer: Preschoolers love the idea of having a guardian angel watching over them.
- Sign of the Cross: Help them learn how to make the Sign of the Cross properly. Make it fun by practicing slowly and gently guiding their hands.
- Spontaneous Prayers: Teach them to talk to Jesus in their own words, like saying, “Jesus, I love You” or “Help me be kind today.”
Create simple faith traditions at home.
- Family Prayer Time: Let them participate by holding a candle or making the Sign of the Cross.
- Holy Water Blessing: Let them dip their fingers in holy water and make the Sign of the Cross before bed.
Introduce them to saints and holy role models using simple, short stories about saints who loved Jesus.
- St. Thérèse of Lisieux: A childlike saint who showed love through small acts.
- St. Francis of Assisi: His love for animals and nature is relatable to children.
- Blessed Carlo Acutis: Although he was older, his love for the Eucharist can inspire little ones.
Saint Crafts ($) or Coloring Pages (free). Use this time to tell them a short story about the saint’s kindness or love for God.
Foster a loving image of Jesus and Mary using images and statues.
- Show pictures or statues of Jesus, Mary, and the saints.
- Say things like, “See how Jesus is smiling? He loves you so much!”
- Introduce Mary as their spiritual Mother.
- Teach them to say, “I love you, Mary!”
- Let them hold or kiss a small statue or image of Mary with reverence.
- Simple Marian Prayers:
Teach them about God’s creation.
- Point Out God’s gifts in nature and thank God for creation.
- When playing outside, say: “God made the sun and the trees!” and “Jesus made all the animals. Isn’t He wonderful?”
- Nature Crafts:
- For example, create leaf rubbings or nature collages and tell them, “God made all of this because He loves us.”
- Introduce the Cross and the Eucharist with simplicity.
- Explain the Cross with love. Let them hold a small cross or crucifix and say, “Jesus loves you this much!”
Teach them to gently kiss the cross as a sign of love for Jesus.
- Point to the Eucharist during Mass, quietly tell them, “That is Jesus!” as the priest lifts the consecrated host.
- Use reverent language: “Jesus is with us in the Eucharist. We can tell Him we love Him.”
Practical tips for preschoolers.
- Story time with Jesus: Read simple Bible stories together.
- Prayer Jar: Let them place small intentions (drawings or simple words) in a jar.
- Faith Crafts: Create cross necklaces, Jesus hearts, or saint dolls. ($)
- Faith Books: Use age-appropriate Catholic picture books to introduce Bible stories & saints. ($)
Ideas done within the Church
Bring them to Mass with joy.
- Mass Participation:
- Talk with them about the parts of the Mass, even if they don’t fully understand.
- Point out meaningful moments: “Look, Jesus is coming to us in the Eucharist!”
- Explain the basics. In simple terms, say “Jesus is really here at Mass,” and “We are praying together as God’s family.”
- After Mass, ask gentle questions like “Did you hear the singing? What words do you remember?” “Did you see the candles? Why do you think we light them?”
- Pray with them after Communion. If they are too young to receive, have them fold their hands and say a simple prayer like, “Jesus, I love You.”
Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
- Have your child participate in Catechesis of the Good Shepherd if it is available at your parish, or a nearby parish.
- If it is not currently available near you, consider asking your parish priest about bringing it to your parish. If he agrees, partner with other parents to serve in this ministry.
Ideas that can be done anywhere
Encourage acts of kindness.
- Teach small acts of love. For example, “When you are kind to your friends, you are showing Jesus’ love!”
- Encourage small but meaningful gestures, like sharing toys, helping their parents with simple tasks, and giving smiles to brighten someone’s day.
- Praise their kindness: When they act lovingly, say “You are being like Jesus!” “You’re bringing God’s love to others!”
Keep faith joyful and loving.
- Make Faith a Joyful Experience:
- Smile and speak about God with gentleness and warmth.
- Avoid making prayer feel like a chore, let it be a moment of peace and love.
- Reinforce God’s Love Constantly using phrases like “Jesus is always with you!” “God loves you so much!” “You are God’s precious child!”