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All Saints Day is less than a month away and, last night, I was inspired with the idea of making a pack of game challenge sheets to match the ten saints introduced in the book Jackie's Special Halloween - a must-have picture book for All Saints Day.
Each sheet in the pack includes:
- a game title
- an image of the saint
- a short description containing information about the saint that connects to the challenge
- a brief challenge (the game or activity!) to remind children - and adults - how to play.
The ten challenges are:
- Build a Church like St. Francis of Assisi, where children will build a church structure with cross in it or on it using whatever materials you provide: recyclables, Duplos, Legos, K'nex, rocks, blocks, etc.(This is a long-time favorite of ours that we've used every year, even when having belated parties due to sickness. The challenge sheet is updated only slightly.)
- Be Humble and Willing
like St. Martin de Porres, where children will sweep cotton balls (or any other material you decide) around obstacles, remembering how St Martin is often depicted with a broom as a symbol of his humility and willingness to help.
For St. Martin de Porres, you could also opt to do the 7-Station Obstacle Course I have previously shared.
- Honor Our Lady Queen like St. John Paul II, where children will pray to Mary while pinning a crown onto her.
- Teach with a Stick in the Dirt
like St. Teresa of Calcutta, where children will recall how MotherTeresa began her ministry with “poorest of the poor” by walking around the slum, finding some small children and begining to teach them using a stick in the dirt and will try their hands at communicating a message using only a stick in dirt, Pictionary style.
My intent is to have either real dirt or sand or homemade "dirt dough" in a tray with a stick and Bible heroes cards (like the ones in this set) next to it. Then, children can play in pairs, with one child drawing a card and then using the stick in the dirt to get the other child to name the Bible hero, before the other child goes.
- Send Roses from the Heavens like St. Therese of the Child, where children will toss roses from a chair or ladder (as Heaven) into a basket (Earth).
- Knock Down Poverty’s Effects like St. Vincent Vincent de Paul, where children will bowl down plastic pins marked hunger, poverty, thirst, loneliness, sickness, and abandonment with a ball marked charity, much like we've done in the past when knocking out sin like St. Rose of Lima.
- Travel with Tears and Prayers like St. Monica, where children will use a dropper to move "tears" from one cup to another one a distance away while repeatedly praying, “Dear God, I pray for conversion.” (I will likely set up two of these next to each other so kids can race.)
- Balance St. Augustine’s Books, where children will balance books just like we have done in the past for St. Thomas Aquinas.
- Make a Church for Our Lady
like St. Juan Diego, where children will build a church with a cross and an image of Our Lady of Guadalupe as we have before with an instant challenge, or using prayer cards, printed images, or pencil and paper along with recyclables, Duplos, Legos, K'nex, or blocks.
- Create Stick Crosses like St. Kateri Tekawitha, where children will fashion a cross of sticks to remind them to pray no matter where they are.
I am excited to use these this year, and hope you enjoy using some of them, too! I'd love to hear how your celebrations turn out and would also welcome ideas and links to other favorite All Saints Day party recipes, games, activities, and prayers. Please do take a moment to share yours with me. Thanks!
You can find all my All Saints Day posts here.
Saints in Heaven, pray for us.
