Lent for kids
Lent is the 40 days when Catholics get ready for Easter by praying more, giving something up and helping others, just as Jesus prayed and fasted for 40 days in the desert. In 2027 it begins on Ash Wednesday, February 10, and ends with Holy Week and Easter Sunday, March 28.
Jesus in the Desert
Three ways to keep Lent
- 1
Pray
Give God a little more time: a new prayer, a decade of the Rosary, or a visit to Jesus in church.
Ideas for kids
- Learn the Act of Contrition
- Pray the Stations of the Cross on Fridays
- Say one decade of the Rosary each night
- 2
Give something up
Fasting means saying no to something good so our hearts have more room for God. For children, it’s something small and freely chosen.
Ideas for kids
- No dessert on Fridays
- Less screen time, more time together
- No complaining at dinner
- 3
Give to others
Almsgiving means sharing what we have with people in need, like Jesus asked us to.
Ideas for kids
- Put coins in a Lent box for the poor
- Give away a toy in good shape
- Make a card for someone who is lonely
Lent 2027
- Ash Wednesday: February 10
- Palm Sunday: March 21
- Good Friday: March 26
- Easter Sunday: March 28
Questions about Lent
Why is Lent 40 days?
It recalls the 40 days Jesus spent praying and fasting in the desert before he began to preach (Matthew 4:1-11). From Ash Wednesday to Holy Saturday there are 40 days if you don’t count the Sundays, because every Sunday celebrates the Resurrection.
Do children have to fast in Lent?
No. The Church asks adults from 18 to 59 to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, and everyone from age 14 to skip meat on those days and on the Fridays of Lent. Younger children aren’t required to, but they can choose a small sacrifice of their own.
Why is purple the color of Lent?
Purple is the color of waiting and of saying sorry. The priest wears purple in Lent, as in Advent, while we get our hearts ready for a great feast: Easter.