Shrove Tuesday Celebration Prayers!

Shrove Tuesday, known in some places as Mardi Gras, is the day before Lent starts and is traditionally a time for using up all of the nice ingredients in the house ready for a time of fasting in the next 40 days.  This is why we have pancakes!

Really, this is a time to help children to celebrate all of the good things (especially food!) that God has given us.  So, along with celebratory pancakes, here is a celebratory prayer activity...

You will need: Balloons (at least one per child), permanent marker pens (e.g. Sharpies), music, lots of space.

Get children to write or draw on the balloons things (especially food) that they would like to thank God for.

Play the music and get the children to bat the balloons in the air, not letting any fall to the ground.  When the music stops, children need to grab a balloon and thank God for one of the things written or drawn on it.  Repeat until everyone is tired and needs to eat pancakes!

Extra activity: Encourage each child to bring an item to donate to a local foodbank and to think about and pray for people who don't have enough to eat.