Plan for An Assumption Day Playdate - A Round Up

Our local Catholic homeschool group is planning another small gathering this week in order to celebrate the Assumption of Mary.

Another family will be hosting our Assumption celebration, but I've been asked to lead it.  Thus, I have been busy collecting and brainstorming possible plan ideas.  ("Possible" because I will not finalize plans until I see how many families RSVP and what ages their children are.)

The mom who is hosting requested prayer, snacks and a story, maybe a look at some famous paintings of the assumption, and, then, further activities and free play.

So, here is a round up of some of the ideas I have gathered.  I'd love more to choose from though.  So, if you have any, please do share them in a comment!

 Pause for Disclosure:  Some of the links which follow are affiliate links to Amazon and Holy Heroes for your convenience.  Should you choose to click through the to make any purchases today, we may receive small compensation at no extra cost to you.  We thank you for supporting us this way. Full disclosure here.

Prayer

Image Credit:  Holy Heroes

As we do with many of our Saint celebrations, we will likely begin our celebration of St. Mary's Assumption with a circle time that opens with prayer. 

Among the many prayers for the day I looked at Our Catholic Prayers, Women for Faith & Family, Pray More Novenas, Mary Pages, Catholic Online, and Church Year. Net, it is one from the latter I think we may use:

Alternate Catholic Collect for the Feast of the Assumption

Father in heaven,
all creation rightly gives you praise
for all life and all holiness come from you.
In the plan of Your wisdom
she who bore the Christ in her womb
was raised body and soul in glory
to be with Him in heaven.
May we follow her example
in reflecting your holiness
and join in her hymn of endless life and praise.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.  
from the International Committee on English in the Liturgy (ICEL)

Image Credit: Amazon

Of course, we will also likely pray at least a decade of the Glorious Mysteries together on our own, or using one of our favorite rosary CD's, the Glorious Mysteries by Holy Heroes. 

Since we will have littles among us who do best with hands-on prayer activities, but not always with rosary beads, I might offer each child a clear plastic cup, water, blue water beads and herbs and wildflowers so we can build bouquets in "vases" while praying.  Basically, each child will place one flower or herb sprig in the vase per prayer, and, at the conclusion of the prayer, we can place the vases below a statue of Mary that will sit on a white cloth, perhaps surrounded by cotton.

We can, then, use the centerpiece we have created as a focal point for chatting about God, Mary, and the Assumption, using the children's ideas about the symbolism to lead our discussion.  Connections that may come up are:

• Mary was the Mother of God on earth.
• Jesus talked about "living water" in the Bible.
• Mary was assumed, body and soul, into heaven.
• Mary is often depicted in the colors blue and white. Blue is often assoicated with royalty, peace, nature (the sky), and the Heavens.  White is associated with purity and virginity.
• When we pray to Mary, we ask for her intercession.
• In some areas, people bless flowers, herbs, vegetables, wheat or grapes on the Assumption.

Famous Paintings

Image Source: Wikipedia

While still gathered in our circle, we may enjoy a quick art study of famous works of the Assumption.

We will leave these out with drawing boards, art supplies and blank paper should the children later wish to create their own images of the Assumption.  I may also leave out copies of The Triumph of Jesus, which has coloring pages of the Assumption as well as printouts of free coloring pages found online and linked at my 2012 Planning an Assumption of Mary Tea: A Resource Round-Up post or Our Assumption Day Tea – A Day Full of Moments of Grace post.  (I'd also love to know your favorite free Assumption Day coloring links!)
 
Snacks and Story Time

If my children do not wish to wait for the actual Assumption to enjoy our Assumption Day Waffles, we shall bring the fixings for those to share with others.

Or, perhaps we shall bring yogurt parfait toppings, much like we had last year during our Simple Assumption Celebration for the Sick.

Or, grapes, vegetables or herbs, since all of those things are traditionally blessed on the Assumption in one part of the world or another.

Or, beer bread, herbed biscuits or one of the other ideas I initially collected when researching for Assumption Day teas.

Plus, whatever others bring!

Along with these yummies, we will read The Dormition of the Theotokos by Sister Elayne aloud, if I can figure out where I last laid my copy of it.   If I cannot, we will read about Mary in the awesome Dragon Slayers: The Essential Training Guide for Young Dragon Fighters, portions of one of my favorite Mary books, Just Like Mary, or parts of whatever favorite Mary book comes in from the library in time!

 

Other Activities

I always like activities that encourage sensory input, so among the activities we may do are:

• reflecting holiness mirrors is an idea that came to mind when I read the prayer shared earlier in this post.   My thought is that children could use fine motor skills and get tactile input while decorating the borders or inexpensive mirrors using Sharpies, paint pens, glue, collage cut outs, etc.
• open-ended art activities to encourage fine motor skills as well as tactile and visual input.
• dramatic play to encourage imagination, proprioceptive, tactile, and vestibular input. 
• an "in Heaven" shaving cream slide or sensory play pool  to encourage tactile input.

We may also choose to enjoy other craft an activity ideas that I've collected on my growing Assumption Day Pinterest board.
 

Follow Martianne @'s board 8.15 Assumption Day on Pinterest.
 
I welcome other ideas, too, so if you have any great ones before Thursday, please let me know about them!

Practical Advice and Encouragement for Homeschooling High School {A Review of The Conversation}

I am not a classical education purist, nor do I have high school age children, so why on earth would I choose to review Leigh A. Bortin's The Conversation by Classical Conversations?

 

First, because I have heard nothing but fabulous things about Classical Conversations from friends who use the program at home and in co-ops.  Second, because even if the classical education model is not a perfect fit for my family, it is an educational path that I respect and am inspired by and is, therefore, one I find myself reading up on regularly.  And, finally, because all around me I see homeschooling families suddenly enrolling their children in private, public or hybrid schools as their children hit high school age and, while I realize that one day my children may request to experience brick-and-mortar schools and my husband and I may acquiesce, I never want to send my kids to "regular school" simply because I have given up on educating that at home and in our community.

What is The Conversation?

In The Conversation,  is a 267 page, soft cover book that is full to the brim with practical advice and encouragement for parents who wish to follow the home education path through high school, teaching their children to think critically and explore God-given gifts.  In it, Leigh A. Bortins looks back at 30 years of homeschooling and makes a convincing case for families to stay the course through high school, focusing themselves on the use of rich conversations that may help students:

• get into college (if they wish to do that).
• enliven academic content while connecting with family members
• maintain accountability for good habits which make learning possible.
• further develop a life long love of learning.
• strengthen and unify family bonds
• develop virtue 

 
Knowing this, it was a no-brainer for me to choose to read the book.  I thought it might cement a few ideas for me, personally, on how best to lay the foundations in our home that will continue to be built upon straight through high school and beyond, while also becoming a solid resource that  could recommend to others in the local and online homeschool communities I am a part of.

My thoughts were spot on.  The Conversation has had me scrawling notes, mulling over ideas, discussing passages with local homechool friends and confirming that this is a book I will reread as my children get older.  It is also one that I already am recommending to those further along in their homeschool journeys than my family is


As the third book in a series of that includes The Core: Teaching Your Child the Foundations of Classical Education ad The Question: Teaching Your Child the Essentials of Classical Education, The Conversation:  Challenging Your Student with a Classical Education focuses on the final stage of a classical educational model:  rhetoric.  It does not, however, jump right into this stage with no background.   Rather, it offers a quick primer on the classical education model overall, which, in the most simplistic terms, can be broken down into the following three stages:

• grammar, a stage all about words and naming, where memorization is an important tool

• dialectic, a stage all about questions and relationships, where we begin to examine and analyze the facts we have collected in the grammar stage, asking questions

• rhetoric, a stage all abut conversations and expressing truth, where we act on knowledge gained about new subjects, write essays, present hypotheses, lead discussions and so forth

Then, it dives into detail on the rhetorical stage, focusing on how the fine art of conversation can be applied to:

• Reading
• Speech and Debate
• Writing
• Science
• Math
• Government and Economics
• History
• Latin and Foreign Languages
• Fine Arts

and, most importantly, to developing students into virtuous adults that can go to college or pursue other avenues as they desire, never losing a love of learning.

Part One of the book opens with answers to questions parents might have regarding homeschooling highschool and does a dynamite job of instilling confidence in parents about this stage of education.  It also offers the aforementioned primer and defines rhetoric.

Part Two of the book is the longest and provides specific details, examples and thought-questions about how to apply the five canons of rhetoric (invention, arrangement, elocution, memory, and delivery, which are all described in the book) to each of the academic disciplines previously listed.  Of course, in doing so, it also continually points back to the purpose of education, not just the content or the how-to's, that is, to guide students to becoming virtuous adults! 

 

Part Three of the book includes four appendices:

• five effective conversation games
• common rhetorical devices (terms and definitions)
• a comprehensive resource list aligned to the chapters of the book
• candid parent responses to the questions, "What are your top concerns about homeschooling through high school?" and, "...what has been your greatest joy as a result of homeschooling through high school?"

There is also a helpful index.

A Worthwhile Read!
 
In the introduction to The Conversation, we hear about show the author's sons and young men like them she knows:

dance, sing, travel, play instruments, study rigorous subjects, work with their parents, and serve in the community... love Latin, physics, and literature.... take the SAT's, AP's and apply to college... quote Aristotle, Augustine, and Aquinas as well as Sherlock Homes, Bilbo, and Adele.... paint house, plant gardens, play Ultimate Frisbees... know the dames of the giants of history on whose backs we all stand.

And, depending on recent happenings in our own lives, might nod enthusiastically in acknowledgement of "me, too", smile with confidence thinking, "That's exactly what I want for my children!", or exhale disheartened, thinking, "That will never be my kid!"

Regardless of how we respond - with vigor or discouragement - as we continue reading, we discover that confidence can only build and disillusionment can be dispelled.  Teaching homeschool through high school is possible.  Guiding students to positive, proactive and virtuous adult lives can be as easy as exercising the art of conversation.

In a logical, encouraging manner, Ms. Bortins whets our appetites for more in Part One of the book by addressing parent concerns and describing what rhetoric is.  Then, she makes practicing rhetoric through the high school years accessible through meaty chapters on Part Two, before she finally lays out dessert in the appendixes of Part Three.  Throughout all three parts, she offers a healthy serving of wisdom here, a delightfully tasty practical example there, and oodles of highlighter-worthy thoughts to satisfy both classical education purists and eclectic homeschoolers throughout.

Learn More

• Find Classical Conversations on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+, and YouTube.

   

• Read what 75 homeschooling families with children of all ages thought about the book.
  
  
  Whether you follow the classical education model or not, might adding more of the fine art of conversation to your homeschool approach bring fruit?  If you think so, this could be a book for you!

Summertime Sips: Fresh Basil Lemonade

Summertime is a perfect time to harvest fresh herbs and sip on homemade lemonade, especially when trying to cool off in a house with no air conditioning.  So, that's exactly what Jack and I did recently.

Despite my typical black thumb, the mini-Mary gardens that the children and I made this spring are surviving!  So, we've been on a mission to enjoy and experiment with the herbs growing in them.

Our recent experiment resulted in a Jack and I creating a concoction which we found so refreshing:  

Fresh Basil Lemonade!

It was so easy to make with ingredients we had on hand.  Want to try it, too? It takes but a few minutes from prep to sipping!

Fresh Basil Lemonade 

Serves 2

Ingredients:

2 cups filtered water
1 tablespoon basil
the juice of one freshly squeezed lemon (about 1/4 cup of juice)
1-2 tablespoons raw honey, to taste
1-2 tablespoons pure maple syrup, to taste

Directions: 

This refreshing drink could not be easier to prepare.  Simply snip  enough basil to fill a tablespoon, squeeze the juice out a lemon, and, then, place these two ingredients and two cups of water into Magic Bullet or blender along with a tablespoon of raw honey and a tablespoon of pure maple syrup.

Blend until the basil is broken up.  Taste, and, if you want sweeter sipping, add another tablespoon of either maple syrup or honey.  (We chose to add another tablespoon of honey).

Pour over ice and savor immediately!

Or, if you don't relish the green basil floaties, pour into a teapot like Jack ended up doing to filter them out.

"Delicious!"

How do you enjoy a bounty of basil?
What summertime sips have you been enjoying?

Topical, Hands-On Science Written for Homeschoolers by a Homeschooler {A Review and Freebie Link}

Hands-on, accessible science.  That is the kind of science I have found in Science Unit Studies For Homeschoolers and Teachers by Funtastic Unit Studies, and it's exactly the type of science I like to dive into with my children.

No dry, difficult, mandatory-to-study, yet hardly-engaging science books and curriculum are welcome in our home.  We'd rather immerse ourselves in interest-led studies and hands-on explorations.  Thus, when I heard I might have the opportunity to review Science Unit Studies For Homeschoolers and Teachers, I was delighted
 
20 Science Units for Ages 4-13




For our review, we received a 201 page, soft-cover book that contains 20 science units written by Susan Kilride, a homeschooling mom with a degree in biology, for parents and teachers who may not have a background in science, but who wish to engage their children in enjoyable science activities that will capture interest and open eyes to just how fun the world of science can be.
 

Without question, science is everywhere.  The kids were able to connect part of the fishing workshop they went to during a camping overnight to the lateral lines information in the Fish part of the Animal unit we did from the book!

The first 10 units, written to taught to children that are 4-7 years old are:

• Our Senses
• The Human Body
• Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Life
• Animals
• Insects and Their Kin
• Fun with Magnets
• Stars and Planets
• Health
• Beginning Plants
• Animal Ecology

The next 10 units, written to be taught to children 8-13 years old are:

• Insects
• Microscopes and Invisible Creatures
• Atoms and Molecules
• Matter
• Chemistry Fun
• Weather
• Force and Motion
• Simple Machines
• Light and Color
• Plants II

Each unit varies in length and number of activities, but follows the same basic pattern. 

The first page of each until contains a full-page list of materials needed for the entire unit.  Most of these materials are things you might have around the house or could easily obtain any discount, drug, grocery, hardware or pet store.  One unit though, Microscopes and Invisible Creatures, requires the use of a microscope for some of the activities.  A few other units contain some unconventional "supplies", too, albeit not too difficult to find, such as tadpoles.

An optional activity that typically requires a pet store or pond visit to secure materials is raising tadpoles.  We were lucky enough to headstart a bunch of tadpoles rescued from a family member's backyard pool before the pool shock went into it.  The concise directions and tips in the Animal unit study we did actually gave clearer instructions on doing so than some of the library books we took out as supplements.

 
Following the materials list, each unit is broken into logical parts that contain easy-to-grasp background information and activity instructions, along with some helpful diagrams and images.
Some of the units written for 4-7 year olds include informal reviews and all of the ones written for 8-13 year olds include brief multiple choice tests.

The author states in the Note to Reader at the beginning of the book that while the book is written by a homeschooler for other homeschoolers, most of the units have been tested in the classroom.  Therefore, the book can make a worthwhile resource for co-ops and elementary classroom teachers as well.

The author also recommends that, since some units build upon prior ones, the units should taught in order.  However, as a fellow homeschooler she is aware that many homeschoolers (like me!) go our own way, so, she simply advises that if we take the units out of order (which is perfectly okay to do!), that we do not go our own way with safety precautions.  The units are written for parents and teachers to do with children, not for children to do on their own, and some activities, such as using a stove or having littles round materials that could become choking hazards, should only be done with adult supervision.

So Far, So Pleased

For the purposes of my family's review of Science Unit Studies For Homeschoolers and Teachers, we were asked to read through the book and complete at least one unit.  As soon as it came by post, that's exactly what I commenced doing.

Spying a snake in the grass is always cool. Doing so right after doing Part 2: Reptiles of the Funtastic Animal unit is even cooler!

In paging through the book, the first thing that I noticed is how well-laid out it is.  Clear, organized text lends itself to making hands-on science easy to bring from page to reality.   Information is easy to understand.  Oodles of activities are explained with step-by-step directions.  Diagrams and graphics exemplify and clarify things.  Topics vary widely across different fields of science making them easy to connect with real-life experiences and community events. Thus, science accessible for even non-sciencey parents and teachers to teach to youngsters.

The second thing I noticed while browsing the book is that the illustrations, though, quite helpful, were not on par with the quality of the actual written text.  Sometimes pixelated or fuzzy, sometimes just surprisingly rudimentary, the images might lack appeal for some readers.  However, despite their lack of graphic appeal, the quantity and content of the illustrations in the book seemed to be in just the right balance with the text in order to bring clarity to users.
 

One of the better black and white images in the book was a close up of snake scales alongside an activity that suggested doing a crayon rubbing of a bike tire as a part of making your own paper snakes.  It could not hold a candle, however, to spying a real snake skin when we went for a nature walk after studying mammals and reptiles, though!  I just love when real life and lessons dovetail on one another!

The third thing I noted when reading through the book was the author's sensitivity to food allergies.  Some of the activities included in the book involve food.  As a teacher and parent, I know connecting food to facts can make learning more appealing to children and I am all for that.  However, as a mom who deals with food sensitivities and restrictive dietary preferences, I am also well aware of the need to skip certain activities (such as making ice cream as suggested in one unit, which won't fly with our casein-free diet here).  Thus, I was happy to see that the author reminded readers to consider food allergies and also provides plenty of activities so that if food-based ones need to be skipped, there are still other learning experiences to enjoy!

Finally, I appreciated how some of the units build slightly on one another in content and complexity and how the final ten have review quizzes for those that like that sort of thing, yet how each unit can stand alone so that those who wish to pick and choose topics based on their own children's interests can do so.  I always prefer resources that can be dipped into as time and interests allow rather than demanding a one-size-fits-all, rigid approach.  I find
Science Unit Studies For Homeschoolers and Teachers is just such a resource.  Actually, it is the best of two approaches: while offering flexibility to families that crave it, like mine, the book also is designed to be used from cover to cover in order for those that prefer a more consecutive approach.

Animals and More
 
 When I read the unit titles to my son Jack, he decided we should focus on animals, so that is what we did.  Following the five parts of the Animals unit study, we learned some new things (and revisited concepts we already had studies) about Mammals, Reptiles, Amphibians, Birds and Fish. In doing so, we did not do every activity listed in these parts (of which there were 19), but rather chose 1-3 from each part of the study.

On a hot, hot day, the kids enjoyed learning about mammal body regulation as directed in the book by making fans, wetting one arm each, and, then testing how evaporating water cools the skin

As library programs, community happenings, books, and life brought other topics to the fore for the kids and me, I connected the Animals unit to them and also browsed other units for enrichment activities.
 

A community program about birds and their beaks tied in well with the Bird part of our Animal study!

Flexible for Home, Co-op, or Classroom Use

So far, we have only used the book at home, but ideas from it made their way into group settings, too.  Here, Jack is raising his hand to share information on Animals at a creature feature show we attended.

I am delighted to have Science Unit Studies For Homeschoolers and Teachers on my resource shelf now and look forward to dipping into it again and again, following my children's interests, expanding concepts touched on elsewhere, and, perhaps, leading some group studies.  As someone who has taught in regular classrooms as well as in both formal and informal homeschool co-ops, I find that the information and ideas contained in this book are rich and flexible enough for such settings as well as simply for family use.  I'd recommend taking a peak and deciding if it might suit you and yours!

Learn More

Inquiry-based learning is so vital!  After I chatted with the kids about mammals as described in the Animal unit, the children fetched their magnifying glasses so they could look at their skin close up, inspecting their hair, etc.

• Science Unit Studies For Homeschoolers and Teachers sells at various vendors for $16.95.

• If you like to try before you buy, please try two science units out yourself with free pdf units from the book.

• Enjoy some other Funtastic freebie topics on history.  

• Read what 85 Schoolhouse Crew Review members thought about the book's fun ideas for teaching science.

Celebrate St. Ignatius through Food and Fun!

This past week, some of the children and adults from our local Catholic homeschool group enjoyed learning about St. Ignatius through food and fun!

Gathering Time

We gathered at a friend's home and, while the kids got re-acquainted with some free play, I set up in the shade of the back yard.

Once all was set up, we gathered on a blanket for opening greetings and prayers, which included the Sign of the Cross and two prayers from St. Ignatius' own words, the Suscipe or the Prayer of Generosity.  We learned, too, that our host family's close friend is a Jesuit priest, which was cool, and recalled that Pope Francis is also a Jesuit. 

Then, we chatted about what a saint is, in general, and who St. Ignatius was, specifically.   I invited the children to share anything they knew about St. Ignatius, and, in doing so, we segued into the next part of our gathering: snacks and drink!

Faith (Geography and Etymology) Through Food

One of the children shared that St. Ignatius has been a soldier who laid down his sword in order to follow Christ.  That led us to the snacks (which the children were eagerly awaiting!)

We gathered around each snack, chatting about how each related to St. Ignatius.

I told the children the story of how, after deciding to follow Christ, St. Iganatius saw a vision of the Virgin and Child Jesus.  Shortly thereafter, he laid down his sword at a shrine.  Blue (blueberries) is a color traditionally associated with Mary.  White (apple and pear slices) is often associated with purity.  Sword-shaped toothpicks remind us of the sword St. Ignatius laid down (and make for a fun way of eating that was a big hit!)

Next, we talked about nachos.  The chips the nachos were made from have three sides.  These reminded some of our children of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.  It reminded other children of the Holy Family.  I let them know it reminded me of the traditional hat of the Jesuits, which was triangular in shape.  Further, I asked of the children associated any part of the world with nachos.  of course, they did -- Latin America.  We talked about how Jesuit missions began in Europe but have since spread all over the world.  We also talked about the etymology of the word "nacho", which I first heard about on Catholic Cuisine.  In short, "Nacho" was a nickname for a man named "Ignacio" (or Ignatius) who is said to have created nachos.  (Whether he was named after St. Ignatius of Loyola, though, is unknown.)

We then talked about the gluten-free, casein-free pumpkin-corn bread, which a friend had adapted from a recipe at Lemons & Anchovies.  This recipe is authentic to the Basque region, where St. Ignatius was from. 

Likewise, we had cran-apple cider, which reminded us both of the region St. Ignatius was from, since there is a traditional Basque cider, and our own region, since cranberries are common here.  This connection, in turn, was to remind us that although St. Ignatius lived long ago in another part of the world, his impact affects us even today in our part of the world.

Stories and Sharing

(Please note:  Some of the links which follow for your convenience are affiliate links to Amazon. for your convenience.  Should you click through them to make any purchase, we may receive small compensation.  We thank you for this and invite you to read our full disclosure.)

Once the children had served themselves snacks and cider, we gathered together to chat further.  Using small globe and  a cloth map of the world, we identified where St. Ignatius was from (the Basque region of Spain), where he traveled (the Holy Land), where he studied (France), and where he directed the Jesuits from (Rome).  I also read aloud to the children about St. Ignatius from the Loyola Kids Book of Saints, pausing the story there to add additional details and information that I'd gleaned from other sources.
 

As the children finished up their snacks, some chose to color, using markers and color sticks on images of St. Ignatius printed out from Coloring Saints and Herald Entertainment.

Child-Friendly Spiritual Exercises

Once our St. Ignatius story time was over, it was obvious the children needed "wiggles" time, so we gave the children a reason to run about the yard while practicing a child-friendly spiritual exercise.

We quickly chatted about how St. Ignatius had transformed from being a soldier who fought in battles to being a strong follower of Christ.  In doing so, I mentioned how both soldiers and followers of Christ can become stronger through disciplined training and how St. Ignatius developed Spiritual Exercises which are still used today in order to strengthen himself as a follower of Christ.  I asked the children if they'd like to learn some of these exercises, adapted to kids and, then got started on three activities that were inspired by Ignatian Spirituality for Kids.

 
For the first exercise, we talked about how St. Ignatius made a practice of finding God in all things and how we can, too.  I challenged children to spend five minutes inspecting the entire yard and treeline on their own, in pairs, or in trios, to find small, interesting things that their peers might not also find., which they should bring back to our gathering blankets.  (For the sake of our friend's gardens, I added the stipulation that said things must not be broken off the stems of anything else.)

The children then eagerly ran about collecting interesting rocks, pine cones, leaves, blades of grass, etc., which they brought back to the blankets when I called "time" and shared about.  As they did, we noticed how unique and special each object was and what it might remind us of.  We also connected a duct tape sword that one child was holding back to God:  God made people and natural things in the world.  People took the natural things and made the materials which they then made the sword with.

We thanked God for His wonderful creations and emphasized how EVERYTHING really does go back to God!

Then, we transitioned to our second spiritual exercise:  imaginative prayer.  We talked about how St. Ignatius recommended that  people read through gospel passages, placing themselves in the scene, letting it play out, interacting with the characters, and noticing senses and feelings.  We then tested this type of prayer out by having the children get comfy and close their eyes while I did a dramatic reading of Jesus Calms the Storm from A Child's First Bible, complete with added sound effects. 

Finally, we transitioned to our third spiritual exercise: children's daily examens, which we learned about by making a  5-Finger Daily Examen craft.

Life of St. Ignatius Obstacle Course

As the children finished up their 5-Finger Daily Examen crafts, they went off to a swing set to play.  Then, we called them back to introduce them to choice activities that included Gospel Dramatizations to remind us of St. Ignatius' imaginative prayer, Visions of Mary (or drawing Mary and the Child Jesus in chalk), and a Life of St. Ignatius Obstacle Course.
 

The children were most interested in the latter, so I proceeded to review key events in the life of St. Ignatius with the children as I drew quick sketches on white boards and had the kids help me set up whiteboards and props for an obstacle course.

As soon as the course was laid out, two children commenced racing through it, followed by more children and moms!  What fun we had.

At Station One, like St. Ignatius, we were "born in a castle" and, later, picked up swords to charge forth as soldiers.

At Station Two, we "were shot" and had to drag our leg to the next station, still holding our swords.

At Station Three, we tried to stretch our legs which had healed shorter than our other legs, by tying a "cannonball" to it.  As such, we went forth, sword still in hand.
 

At Station Four, as we convalesced, we picked up stories of saints and Jesus to read.  Then, carrying a copy of the Picture Book of Saints, while dragging our "cannon balls" and still carrying our swords, we went forth.

At Station Five, we finally we gave our lives to Christ, saw a vision of Mary, were healed and, then, went to a shrine before deciding to live in a cave for nearly a year to repent.  Thus, we laid down our swords, took off our canon balls, knelt by a small state of Mary to pray a Hail Mary before picking up a basket to carry forward calling out, "Alms for the poor!"

At Station Six, we went to the Holy Land to spread the Word, but did so with such enthusiasm, that we were asked to leave, for fellow Christians feared we would be kidnapped and sold for ransom or killed.  Moving forward with a cross or crucifix we enthusiastically called out, "Follow Jesus!"

At Station Seven, we joined boys in a Latin class in Paris and continued our studies for ten years, meeting the men who would form the Company of Jesus, or Jesuits.  Here, we prayed an Our Father.


At Station Eight, we saw the Jesuit order go from ten men to over a thousand spreading out in missions to Europe, India and Brazil.  We spun either a small globe or a globe ball around.

Then, after some years, sick and blind, we went to Station Nine, our death and onto Heaven.

What fun these races were and how they helped us remember highlights of St. Ignatius' life.

Wrapping Things Up

Upon the conclusion of the races, we cleaned up and the kids cooled off with free play in an air-conditioned basement.  Since then, my own children have been using their 5-Finger Daily Examen and referring to St. Ignatius and the Jesuits daily.  I hope the other children were impacted by our celebration, too, just as I pray you and yours might be if you hold a similar event!

I'd love to hear about your favorite resources and ideas for sharing about St. Ignatius and the Jesuits with children.  I'd also be delighted with anything you'd like to share in the way of food and fun as related to saints for upcoming feast days.  May we continue to bless one another and the children in our lives with enjoyable, yet meaningful study and celebration of the saints!