For adults, Lent is often a special time of prayer and reflection through added Lenten worship services, fasting, studying the scriptures, and serving others. It’s important to remember that, with extra worship and other church events, young children may be in the nursery more than usual.

These young children bring wonder, excitement, and discovery to both Lent and Easter. Their energy will light up the room, and the best way to help them feel welcome is to include them while decorating!

Here are some decorating activities that will assist little ones experience the long, prayer-filled Lenten season and grow in their faith. Children will create items so the whole room tells the story of Lent and Easter!

The VERRRRRY Long Caterpillar

How to get started:

• Hang a long sheet of mural paper on a wall in your nursery at child height.
• Draw a caterpillar face on cardstock and cut it out.
• Tape it to one end of the mural paper.
• Cut circles out of cardstock that children can use to make parts of the caterpillar body.
• Set out crayons. 

Continue by talking to children about a caterpillar. Show them a picture of a caterpillar. Explain that caterpillars are very special because they don’t stay caterpillars forever. They go into a cocoon, and when they come out, they’re totally different!

Give each child a circle and invite them to decorate it with crayons. Help children write their names on their circles.

When they are finished coloring, tape the circles to the mural paper in a horizontal line to make a long body that connects to the caterpillar face. Use crayons to add legs if you want.

Add new body circles each Sunday in Lent.

Before Easter Sunday, rearrange the caterpillar face and body circles into a butterfly shape. Children will notice the change right away. Share with children about how Jesus went into the tomb and came out again. Caterpillars go into cocoons and come out as butterflies. Celebrate your beautiful butterfly and the risen Jesus!

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