Dear Faith Formation children, parents and catechists,
The resources and material below will help you in your Faith Formation and Journey. From Pre-K to 6th Grade, these are tried and true, Holy Owned and Operated Tested – Ones We Like (HOOT-OWLs™), actually used in and for Faith Formation for upwards of ten years and beyond.
ELEMENTARYFaith Formation
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Little Ones - Ages 3-5
Preschoolers are fun! They are curious and have a natural trust that is easy to develop into faith in God. They LOVE Jesus and can develop a pretty complex and deep spirituality that becomes a firm foundation from which to build a life of discipleship. Any parent of a preschooler knows that they like to “do it myself!” and so activities that allow them the freedom to do it themselves are the cornerstone of great catechesis. Letting your preschooler lead prayer, set up the family sacred space (or at least help), giving them a role to play in worship (yes, even Mass) are ways to incorporate their independence and gives you ample opportunities to lead and teach them in the faith. Below are some great resources to help these littlest ones build their relationship with Jesus and the family:
Young Children
Catholic Icing – Crafts for liturgical year and saints and more! She even has an actual Preschool curriculum you can purchase at a very reasonable price.
Teaching Catholic Kids – parent newsletter published by Our Sunday Visitor, Sunday Gospel reflections, crafts, liturgical season information and saint stories.
Catholic Sprouts – The Daily Podcast for Catholic Kids!
EWTN shows – Tomkin is their newest show for littles, it’s short and cute, and gets the lesson across. If mine were still little I’d have them watch it!
Early Elementary - Ages 6-8
These kiddos are just entering the age of reason, which in the Church means they are able to distinguish between right and wrong. It is typically at this age they are beginning to enter the phase of catechesis known as Sacramental Preparation. Essentially now is when we focus on First Reconciliation and First Communion preparation. And for those who live in a diocese or parish where “restored order” is in place, your child is also preparing for Confirmation. This is A LOT to cover and most parishes just don’t have the time or resources to address each family’s needs. We offer the following to help you out as you accompany your child through these times and momentous occasions of Grace:
Early Elementary Children
Catholic Icing – Crafts for liturgical year and saints and more!
Look to Him and Be Radiant – Lessons, crafts, coloring pages, book recommendations, and more from a Catholic school religion teacher/Director of Religious Education
Teaching Catholic Kids – parent newsletter published by Our Sunday Visitor, Sunday Gospel reflections, crafts, liturgical season information and saint stories.
Dynamic Catholic Sacramental Preparation programs – these are free and can be used as a supplement to your parish program.
EWTN shows – My Catholic Family is a great one for this age.
Brother Francis – Videos, music, books, games, and more. Brother Francis is a cartoon monk who leads the children through lessons on all the basic Catholic doctrine. A great resource, especially for those who learn best visually and audibly.
Your Curriculum Publisher site is a great resource, too! So make sure to check those for supplements like games, discussion questions, and full lesson plans for home and parish use. Many of those websites are listed in the “If you or your parish use a curriculum” tab at the bottom of the webpage.
Older Elementary - Ages 9-11
As your child enters this stage, you can expect them to start questioning you. This is not a bad thing. We want them to develop their intellect and will as God has designed them. It is your job to help them find the answers to their questions in a way that develops those gifts of humanity in a way that will bring them closer to the Creator who gave them. We offer you some ways to incorporate the teachings of Jesus about morality (think Beatitudes and Sermon on the Mount) and also some deeper teachings about the Church, the Sacraments, and above all the BIBLE! Some of these resources may on the surface appear to be for older children, but in our experience, younger children are in need of some of these lessons. You know your child best and can assess what may be beyond their maturity, or just right.
Older Elementary Children
Look to Him and Be Radiant – Lessons, crafts, coloring pages, book recommendations, and more from a Catholic school religion teacher/Director of Religious Education.
Teaching Catholic Kids – parent newsletter published by Our Sunday Visitor, Sunday Gospel reflections, crafts, liturgical season information and saint stories.
Sunday Connection – Loyola Press makes it easy to discuss the Sunday message with your family or class.
Findmysaint.com – A website that is easy to navigate and has great depth of information on saints!
Your Curriculum Publisher site is a great resource, too! So make sure to check those for supplements like games, discussion questions, and full lesson plans for home and parish use. Many of those websites are listed in the “If you or your parish use a curriculum” tab at the bottom of the webpage.
Kristofer Cowles, MHD
Beth Cowles, MACE
Lead Catechist
Whatever age your children are...
…Prayer and building your relationship and theirs with God is your number one priority. To assist you in this there are many resources that we want to share with you. Some are print resources, others are web-based audio and video resources. Our prayer for you is that you stay in contact with your parish catechetical leader and faith formation team at your parish to receive the best possible support and care.
To the Father, through the Son, in the Holy Spirit!
Prayer Resources
Knowing how to talk with God and how to listen to Him is pretty difficult sometimes. He is the creator of the…well, everything, so that can get a little intimidating, frustrating, or embarrassing.
No worries! We’ve got the solutions right here with Prayer Basics and some free downloadables of how to pray and some old reliable Catholic practices and devotions.
For Valentine’s Day:
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Free Resources
To the Father, through the Son, in the Holy Spirit!
Browse our complete set of resources by clicking here. Categorized for easy finding, we constantly update these offerings with items on our site and from around the web.
Parent-catechists and Parish catechists
Franciscan at Home – For a small subscription you can get in-depth training and mentoring from some of the world’s most respected and renowned Catechetical leaders. (And Beth happens to be one of those Mentors, and Kristofer will be soon!)
Catechist’s Journey – A Loyola Press sister site for Catechists to learn from and share with one another. Joe Paprocki is the website creator and lead catechist.
The Religion Teacher – Jared Dees’ site with weekly lesson plans, activities, and other useful information and resources for teaching your students.
If you or your parish use a curriculum
Most commonly used in parish catechesis, if your parish uses curriculum from one of these sources, ask your parish catechetical leader or pastor for access codes:
Sophia Press Curriculum Site – Parents or catechists can use the free downloads for Sunday Gospel lessons, current event lessons (for High School), and using Sacred Art for teaching the faith. (Scroll to the bottom of the page for these resources and to sign up to have them delivered to your inbox.)