"There is no surer means of calling down God’s blessing upon the family than the daily recitation of the Rosary.”
-Pope Pius XII
Mary is the Mother of Jesus, the Mother of Our Church, and a Mother to us all. There is no more powerful intercessor than Mary, so who better to ask to pray for us?
It’s never too early to introduce your children to a devotion to Mary and to praying the rosary. Yes, it is a long prayer, but don’t let that deter you. Young kids can sit and listen to the rosary and learn it over time, or you can split up your rosary to just pray one decade each day.
Check out our other tips to introduce the rosary to your young children.
Start Small
Introduce your children to the prayers of the Rosary by starting small. Teach them the Glory Be, the Our Father, and the Hail Mary. Once they know these prayers, they can join in with you for the majority of the Rosary
Keep resources handy
Keep rosaries and rosary cards on hand so little ones can pray along. For toddlers, buy thick wooden rosary beads. For babies, check out a chewie rosary. Get rosaries that will appeal to your child, whether that’s one in their favorite color or one with sparkly beads.
For very little ones, print out coloring pages about Mary and the rosary and keep books about Mary on hand to occupy them while your family prays.
Get Crafty
Did you know you can make rosaries at home? These can be simple, made with string or pipe cleaners and beads, or more intricate, made with jewelry making supplies. There are tons of tutorials online to choose from and you might find that making their own rosary will help your child connect more deeply with the prayers.
Sing
Children love to sing! Teach them to sing the Hail Mary and the Our Father. Brother Francis has a digital download of all the prayers of the rosary set to music.
Let Them Lead
Give your child the opportunity to lead a decade of the Rosary. Older kids will feel so proud once they are old enough to be given this responsibility. Younger siblings will anxiously wait until they are old enough to lead too.
Get Moving
There are lots of ways to include movement into your prayer, which can be especially helpful for younger kids. Have your children draw a sidewalk chalk version of the rosary and pray outside. Jump to the next bead. If you’re stuck inside, pray each decade of the rosary in a different room of your house. Being allowed to get up and move during the rosary will help even your figetiest kid get their wiggles out.
As parents, we experience first hand the overwhelming love we have for our children. Now, think how Mary loves us! Introduce your own kids to this powerful love and this motherly relationship by praying the rosary with them.
When she’s not writing about faith, Anne Metz works for Growing Catholics, whose mission is to bring Scripture to all, especially tweens and teens.
