As I looked ahead at this week, I realized that my family may not be able to celebrate St. Francis of Assisi's feast day in some of our usual ways, but that we may have time to focus on the feast day outdoors with friends. So, I thought it was a perfect time to make another scavenger hunt sheet, which I am sharing with you today as a FREE printable!
In conjunction with the introduction of our Symbols of St. Francis of Assisi Outdoor Scavenger Hunt, I will likely:
- Open with a prayer.
- Have a chat with the children to see what they already know about St. Francis of Assisi.
- Read from whichever of our home and library collection of books about St. Francis I can lay hands on before the 4th. (See list below.)
- Ask children what they typically notice in in depictions of St. Francis.
- Explain that St. Francis is patron of ecology (the study of the relationships between living things and their surroundings, or environment) and, so, I thought it would be fitting to explore our surroundings while doing a scavenger hunt inspired by symbols of St. Francis.
Then, I will set the children loose with colored pencils (and cameras for some), to begin hunting for the items on the printable. As the children hunt, in the boxes on the scavenger hunt, they can make a sketch, write a check mark, or pen a verbal description of what they found.
(You can see my Saint Anthony Nature Scavenger Hunt post to get a visual of how they might work.)
Finally, I will wrap up by chatting about the significance of some of the symbols (as described on the second sheet of the printable) and will lead the children in a closing prayer.
{Disclosure: Some of the links which follow are affiliate ones.}
- Picture Book of Saints
- Dragon Slayers: The Essential Training Guide for Young Dragon Fighters
- Loyola Kids Book of Saints
- Brother Sun, Sister Moon
- Saint Francis of Assisi: A Life of Joy
- Francis: The Poor Man of Assisi
- Francis: The Poor Man of Assisi (The Life of a Saint)
- Saint Francis and the Wolf
- Brother Wolf of Gubbio: A Saint Francis LegendHandprint Books
- The Song of Francis
- The Knight of Assisi
- Amazing Angels and Super Saints CD
More Liturgical Celebration Ideas for This Week
Click through any of the images or text below for other ideas related to this week's feast days.
Guardian Angels on October 2
St. Michael’s Symbols 3-Part Cards Free Printable
An Easy, Active Game for St. Michael's Day (with a Free Printable)
Planning St. Michael’s Feast Day Tea: A Resource Round-Up
St. Theodore Guerin on October 2
St. Francis on October 4
I'd
love to see snapshots of your nature walk if you go on one. I also
welcome your ideas for living the liturgical year with children.
St. Francis of Assisi, pray for us.
