Lent for Children, Teens and Young Adults

Updated March 7, 2025

Lent is the primary penitential season of the liturgical year. It begins on Ash Wednesday and ends with the Easter Triduum, which celebrates the ultimate act of love: Jesus' passion, death and resurrection — the foundation of the Christian faith. We offer the following resources, that incorporate prayer, fasting and almsgiving, to help youth deepen their experience of Lent.

For Children

25 Ideas for What Kids and Teens Can do for Lent

Most of these ideas are appropriate for kids ages six and older. The best way to introduce younger children to Lenten practices is for them to see adults and older kids in the family practicing them; use their natural curiosity and desire to be “grown up” as a springboard for talking about what you’re doing and why.

CRS Rice Bowl Activities for Grades 1-8

This includes prayers, lesson plans and activities specifically for children to help them take part in this traditional Lenten program incorporating prayer, fasting and almsgiving.

Holy Heroes Lenten Adventure

Offers free, daily Lenten activities for kids ages 5-12, including video, audio, coloring pages, word searches, crossword puzzles, step-by-step through the Mass and more.

Lenten Retreat for Kids

This resource offers a list of easy activities for kids to do during a Lenten retreat.

Lenten Activities for Children

This resource from Catholic Icing may be just what you are looking for. It offers lots of practical activities to teach children about Mardi Gras, Ash Wednesday, Stations of the Cross and more.

Seven Themes of Catholic Social Teaching for Grades 1-8

This resource from Catholic Relief Services can be used to teach young people about Church teaching while helping them learn about some of the realities facing our brothers and sisters in different countries around the world.

Stations of the Cross Coloring Book

Download this PDF from Catholic Mom or the Catholic Kid to help your children participate in this meditation for Lent.

Teaching Catholic Kids

This resource from Our Sunday Visitor offers reflections, activities and stewardship ideas.

The Jesus Tree Lenten Devotionals for Families

Catholic Sprouts offers this Lenten devotional for families, one from the Gospel of Matthew for younger children and another from the Gospel of John for older children (first holy Communion age or older). It offers daily Lenten prayer, Scripture and reflections.

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Teens and Young Adults

Pray for the People of Ukraine and the Holy Land

Pope Francis has repeatedly asked everyone to pray for peace in Ukraine and the Holy Land, prayers that are still desperately needed. During Lent, "consider lifting the people of Ukraine up in prayer to the Lord in the context of the Stations of the Cross," said Bishop Anthony B. Taylor in 2022. Pray "for an end to the conflict, for peace and justice, for all who have died and for all who are in harm’s way." Consider using the prayer the bishop used when he led the stations. Other options include praying for the intercession of Mary through the rosary or praying a novena. Or offer up a day of prayer and fasting for peace in the Holy Land.

2025 Fast‧Pray‧Give Calendar

Busted Halo's digital Lent calendar shows every day of Lent and Holy Week but doesn’t let you open each day until that day. Each link will lead to a special new Lent-themed Daily Jolt and Microchallenge.

25 Ways to Do Works of Mercy in Arkansas

This list offers practical suggestions on how to perform the spiritual and corporal works of mercy.

25 Great Things You Can Do for Lent

Busted Halo offers this new, practical list that cover a variety of suggestions.

Pray at 40 Days for Life

The Lenten campaign of 40 Days for Life begins on Ash Wednesday and continues through March 24 in Little Rock and Rogers. Sign up to pray for an hour to pray for an end to abortion.

102 Things You Should Really Give Up for Lent

This list offers a wide range of options from the comical to the considerate to the deeply challenging, which serve to transform by the end of the season.

Beginner’s Guide to Adoration

This article from Life Teen International offers advice for anyone unfamiliar with the praying before the Blessed Sacrament. See Eucharistic Adoration in Arkansas to spend time with Jesus at a Catholic church near you. If your parish schedule doesn't work for you, visit the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Little Rock, which offers adoration every day except Mondays. The National Eucharistic Revival, which continues through June, offers "Revival: A Lenten Devotional for Eucharistic Renewal" to assist you in your time with Jesus in adoration, or watch the "Jesus and the Eucharist" Study with your youth group or campus ministry to deepen your understanding of Catholic teaching on the Eucharist. 

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Bishop Anthony B. Taylor Homily Library

Through his homilies, our bishop breaks open the Word and offers tangible ways to apply the Bible to our lives in today's world. 

CRS Rice Bowl Activities for Grades 9-12

This includes prayers, lesson plans and activities specifically for teens to help them take part in this traditional Lenten program incorporating prayer, fasting and almsgiving.

Discover Christ in Service

Service is a great way to see Christ in the faces of those in need. There are many ways to help others. Based on the spiritual and corporal works of mercy, we came up with 25 ideas to perform these works in Arkansas. These include volunteering at your parish, school or local social service organization, visiting the sick or elderly or adopting a child who needs a forever family.

Lent: One Day at a Time for Catholic Teens

Katie Prejean McGrady and Tommy McGrady offer spiritual guidance for Lent on topics such as relationships, being your best, competition, control, fear and forgiveness. Each daily devotion is based on Scripture that connects with a topic important to teens and includes weekly videos.

Pope Francis: Lent Calls Us to Journey Together in Hope

In his Message for Lent 2025, Pope Francis invites the faithful to “journey together in hope," and to take the opportunity to ask ourselves whether we are truly willing to heed God's call to change our lives. During the Jubilee Year 2025, we are called to be "pilgrims of hope." A jubilee is a "time to re-establish a proper relationship with God, with one another and with all of creation." Many are making a pilgrimage to Rome, but for those unable to do that, they can make a pilgrimage to Little Rock, Fort Smith, Pine Bluff and Helena to venerate the Diocese of Little Rock Jubilee Cross and obtain a jubilee indulgence. Speaking of indulgences, Pope Francis offered lots of ways to earn one including through works of mercy and penance, which are perfect for Lent. | Follow the Holy Father on X

10 Ways to Experience Lent 2025

Many give up something for Lent. We invite you to consider taking up a practice you wouldn't do otherwise.

How to Pray: 6 Tips for a Better Prayer Life

In this article from Life Teen International, prayer is explained in a tangible, practical way offering tips like: "Say Hello" and "Be Yourself."

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20 Unique Things to Give Up for Lent from FOCUS

The Fellowship of Catholic University Students offers this list, which complaining, procrastination, using negative words about yourself, driving impatiently or spending time alone when you could be with others and more.

Into the Desert: How to Live Your Lent with Purpose

This blog from Life Teen International discusses prayer, fasting and almsgiving in the context of the directive: "Turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel."

A Meaningful Mess: Lent in the Season of Little Ones

This blog post from Busted Halo address the challenges and beauty of observing Lent for parents of young children.

Prayer Book of Intentions Online

In addition to posting prayer requests, we invite you pray for the intentions posted on our website at your parish, school or with your youth or young adult ministry group.

Reconcile with God through Confession

"Even now, says the Lord, return to me with your whole heart ..." (Joel 2:12). See regular Arkansas Confession Times or take part in a special communal reconciliation service held during Lent at a parish near you.

Stations of the Cross

If unable to take part in this Lenten meditation at your parish or campus, we invite you to reflect on Jesus' passion and death online through this resource offering reflections from Catholics in Arkansas.

What Should I Do For Lent? Pope Francis' 10 Tips

This reflection from FOCUS college ministry looks at advice from Pope Francis and applies it in practical ways for Lent.

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