Moving Jesus Along a Holy Week Path: An Activity for Kids

While pulling together my post on Holy Week ideas I kept running into these cute Holy Week banners and wanted to create something similar, but without felt. (I have a bit of an aversion to felt... I cut up tons of it when Bean started the Little Saints preschool program and now I avoid it when possible.)

I found a beautiful wooden Holy Week craft at Joyful Mama's Place and instantly knew that it was the version of the felt craft that I was looking for. I gathered some supplies, tweaked the prototype, and in a few hours created this...

Jesus (the wooden doll) will begin his journey down the path of Holy Week on the far left green tile with palms for Palm Sunday, and then be moved one space each day until he reaches the far right gold tile with flowers for Easter Sunday.

We might add a tea light to each square as the days progress and light them at night during our Lenten family prayer time. The addition of fire always goes over well during prayer time.

So you wanna make your own? Here's what you'll need:

• A wooden board that is roughly 3x24 inches
• Acrylic paints
• Wooden doll
• Paintbrushes
• Ruler (preferably one as cool as mine)
• Pencil
• Embellishment symbols (optional, not pictured)

Step 1: Divide your Board

Using your ruler and pencil, divide your board up into 8 equal parts. If you have a custom cut board that is 24 inches long, each part will be 3 inches. Ours was about 22 inches long since I found it in the pile of random wood in our crawlspace.

Step 2: Paint the Squares

Here are the colors I chose for the various days:

• Palm Sunday - Green (for the palms)
• Holy Monday to Holy Wednesday - Progressively darker shades of purple (for the color of penance)
• Holy Thursday - Brown (for Jesus giving us His body in the form of bread at the Last Supper)
• Good Friday - Red (for the blood Christ shed)
• Holy Saturday - Black (for the day of mourning and waiting)
• Easter Sunday - Gold (for the glory of the Resurrection)

Step 3: Paint a Jesus Doll

For instructions on how to paint a wooden doll, check out my tutorial!

Step 4: Embellish with Symbols

Here are the symbols I chose for the various days:

• Palm Sunday - Felt Palms (I know, don't judge me.)
• Holy Thursday - Mini Chalice and Paten (It looks like Shepherd's Closet is no longer making my set... which will temporarily be relocated from our Saint Doll Cathedral... this set would work just as well. You could also make some out of clay.)
• Good Friday - Crucifix 
• Holy Saturday - Stone 
• Easter Sunday - Flowers

I'm lovin' how this craft turned out and can't wait to add it to our repertoire this year!

Check out these posts for more of my liturgical ideas!
Ideas for Lent
Ideas for Holy Week
Ideas for Easter Season

Be saints, it's worth it!
Lisa