I taught my kids how to pray the Rosary when they were only 1 and 3. Was it perfect? Absolutely not. There was arguing over the beads and crawling around, but the beauty of this time together praying the Rosary as a family far outweighed those challenging moments.
You can teach your kids how to pray the Rosary, no matter how old they are. Here are my tips for praying the Rosary with your family.
Start with One Decade at a Time
When I started praying the Rosary with my kids, they were 1 and 3. Our Lenten goal was to pray one decade per day. Much more than that would have been too much for their little brains. But let me tell you, that one decade was beautiful. They would fold their hands in prayer, name someone they wanted to pray for, and follow along with the beads.
Even older kids may benefit from one decade a day. It teaches them to focus and put more careful thought and reflection into the prayer rather than racing through five decades carelessly.
Try out my FREE Mysteries of the Rosary coloring pages and worksheets here. This is a great way to start one decade at a time.
Make the Rosary Hands-On
One of the great things about the Rosary for kids is that it is already hands-on. The beads are a manipulative that they can hold as they pray. Little kids may not fully understand how the full set of Rosary beads work, so my favorite Rosary for kids comes from Shining Light Dolls.
It is a large-scale decade version of the Rosary (see it here). The beads are large wooden balls. My kids love holding them and taking turns placing the different colored beads onto the Rosary.
Another way to make the Rosary hands on is with a book. As they pray, they can use a book to guide them in thoughtful reflection or choose one with images to help them visualize the mysteries.
And even your youngest kids, you know the ones that will put the Rosary in their mouth, still should feel part of the prayer. That way your bigger kids see everyone participating. Get a teether Rosary or rattle Rosary. My kids loved both of these.
Take Your Rosary on a Walk
We all know our kids have to be moving constantly. Sitting still at the dinner table is not even an easy feat for most of us. So, asking them to sit still for a full Rosary could be a challenge. My family takes a walk every night after dinner. This would be a great time to pray together.
Help Them See the Mysteries
As kids pray each decade, it can be helpful to provide them a visual of each Mystery of the Rosary. And we all know kids love stories. So, the mysteries turn the Rosary into more of a story prayer to follow along. It is best that they have images
Rosary Workbook and Coloring Book
For kids that love to color and write, this Rosary Coloring Book and Workbook is a great option. Each mystery comes with a coloring page and a reflection worksheet. They will learn about the mystery, make a connection to their life, pray for an intention, and color.
Rosary Prayer Guide
This full-color prayer guide provides beautiful illustrations and thoughtful reflections for each mystery. Each mystery comes with a visual, and four guiding points: Read, Look, Think, Pray. It helps them to notice what is happening in the image and to reflect on the lives of Jesus and Mary as they pray. Plus, kids can follow along the decade of beads with their fingers.
Printable Worksheets and Coloring Pages
If you like the idea of the workbook and coloring book, but want to get a printable version, click here for the bundle of all 4 Mysteries of the Rosary. You can purchase a set of mysteries like Joyful, Sorrowful, Glorious, or Luminous. But it is best to get the whole bundle (it is better than buy three, get one free!).
FREE Sample of the Rosary Worksheets
If you want to dip your toes in and try out some Rosary coloring pages and worksheets, make sure you grab your freebie here. You’ll get one mystery from each set of mysteries to try out!
Let Go of “Perfect” Prayer
I don’t know if there was ever a time that my kids prayed the Rosary “perfectly.” I don’t even think I can say I pray it perfectly as an adult. There will be talking; there will be running around. When we pray with the wooden Rosary set, they argued over the color of balls and taking turns. You have to lower your expectations.
You also need to just keep going. Don’t give up after a frustrating prayer time.
If they struggled listening today, then try again tomorrow. If you make a habit out of praying the Rosary as a family, then it will become a habit for them, too. Model the behavior you want them to do. It will catch on eventually!
With these simple tips, you and your family can pray the Rosary, too. It takes practice, letting go of perfection, and finding something for your kids to connect with (hands-on Rosary, book, coloring page, etc.)
