3 Fun creative ways to pray the Rosary with kids

The Rosary holds great power and is known as a “spiritual weapon” against the forces of evil. St. Padre Pio encouraged regularly praying it, saying, “Love the Madonna and pray the Rosary, for her Rosary is the weapon against the evils of the world today.” 

In modern times, research finds the Rosary to be a reliable source of inner peace. The rhythmic, repetitive recitation activates the parasympathetic nervous system, calming fears, lowering cortisol and heart rate, and yielding positive psychological benefits. (Here’s how to pray it!)

Knowing of its benefits for mind and body, you might want to make it a regular habit to pray the Rosary and include your children. Children tend to love repetition and predictability, so this prayer is beautifully suited to them. Even very young children often enjoy participating in the family Rosary. 

But sometimes kids might start to complain and drag their feet about the “same old, same old” prayer routine. If that happens, we’ve got a few fun family Rosary ideas for you to pray in a different way, engaging the children in a hands-on activity while they join you in prayer and meditation.

We saw this idea on the Be A Heart blog, and while Erica Tighe Campbell mentioned it for the feast of the Annunciation in March, in many parts of the world it's also a perfect activity for the warm days of summer.

The idea is simple. Take a nature walk and collect small items like pinecones, acorns, stones, and sticks. Then lay out each item as you pray to create a rosary on the ground. It’s a beautiful way to bring the wonder of God’s creation into your prayer and occupy little hands in a meaningful way. 

This fun idea comes from Kendra Tierney Norton of Catholic All Year, who makes a rosary out of chocolate chips to honor a special Marian feast. I was inspired to do the same for my kids, and I can confirm: the kids can’t get enough of it!

While Kendra’s family enjoys their chocolate chip rosary for the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary in October, you could do it any time of year, and it would be especially fitting for this summer’s Solemnity of the Assumption on August 15 and the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary on September 8. What better way to honor Our Lady’s feasts than with a joyful celebration involving both prayer and candy?

Have you ever seen a “Living Stations of the Cross"? It’s a traditional devotion in which people pose in the scenes from the Stations of the Cross to bring to life the Passion story. 

With a few minutes of planning and some basic props, your children can put together a Rosary version, posing to recreate what the Rosary scenes might have looked like, and taking a few moments after praying each decade for the kids to rearrange themselves in a new tableau. Bed sheets and big T-shirts make great biblical costumes, and the Joyful Mysteries in particular lend themselves well to reenactment.

Children with a flair for the dramatic are sure to love this idea—it would be a great activity for a group of children, such as at a Rosary potluck, a youth group meeting, or a family reunion. 

If they’re not up for recreating the scenes, there are a few other ways to get everyone involved in a living Rosary. Participants can stand in a circle to form a giant rosary shape, perhaps with some people holding pictures for meditating on each mystery.

It’s not anything out of the ordinary or exciting, but I’ll tell you how my family likes to pray the Rosary together. At bedtime, after the kids have put on their pajamas and brushed their teeth, my husband and I bring them into our bed to snuggle and pray together. Each child leads a decade. My kids have grown to really love our family Rosary time, because they associate it with these cozy and happy memories. As we keep seeking peace and calm in this crazy world, I hope for the same for your family, too.

How does your family pray the Rosary together? Let us know in the comments!