How to Teach the Hallowtide Triduum: Lessons on All Hallows’ Eve, All Saints’, All Souls’; & FREE November Bulletins!
How to Teach the Hallowtide Triduum
Do you need ideas to teach the Hallowtide Triduum? If you hear “Triduum” and immediately think of the days leading up to Easter, you’re right, but there’s another Triduum on the Catholic calendar. The Hallowtide Triduum is a three-day celebration that covers All Hallows’ Eve (October 31), All Saints’ Day (November 1), and All Souls’ Day (November 2).
Think of it as three days of honoring the whole Church – the saints in heaven, the souls in purgatory, and, well, you and me here on earth, still figuring things out. It’s like a giant family reunion with heavenly and earthly branches, minus the awkward small talk.
Here are 6 easy ideas to teach the Hallowtide Triduum and get your kids focused on saints and heaven instead of thinking only of ghosts and candy!
All Hallows’ Eve
October 31st is where the Hallowtide kicks off – and yes, this is where Halloween fits in. It originally had nothing to do with candy and costumes but was about preparing for the holy days that follow. The “eve” in All Hallows’ Eve means the vigil before All Saints’ Day, just like Christmas Eve comes before Christmas Day. Over time, it became a cultural celebration with spooky stuff, but it still carries that deep spiritual reminder: we belong to something bigger.
All Saints’ Day
November 1 is all about celebrating the saints, both the famous ones with churches named after them and the less well-known ones – like maybe your grandma or that super nice guy from your parish who lived his faith quietly. All Saints’ Day reminds us that we’re all called to be saints.
All Souls’ Day
November 2 is when we pray for the faithful departed – all those souls who may still be in purgatory, on their way to heaven. It’s a time for remembrance and intercession, like a giant Catholic family prayer meeting. We pray for our loved ones, trusting that our prayers help speed their way to the fullness of eternal life.
Teaching Hallowtide in the Classroom
Okay, so how do you teach kids about this without losing them to the excitement of Halloween costumes and candy? I included a few ideas at the end of this post. But, this list has so much more!
1. Break It Down with Reading Comprehension Worksheets
Kids love learning new facts, especially when they’re connected to things they’re already excited about (like Halloween). Start with a basic explanation of the Hallowtide Triduum using reading comprehension worksheets. Give kids the facts to start your teaching on Hallowtide, All Saints’ Day, and All Souls’ Day.
I’ve got a set that walks students through the origins of All Hallows’ Eve, All Saints’ Day, and All Souls’ Day. You can use these worksheets to discuss how each day is part of one celebration of life, death, and eternity.
You could work on these together by letting the kids read passages aloud and take turns being the ‘teacher’ to explain what they’ve learned to the class. Or, when you just need everyone to work quietly for 10 minutes, pass out the packets and let the kids read and learn while you check your email. The packets contain all the necessary information and are designed so they can be completed independently.
Here’s a link to a bundle of ALL THREE passages & worksheets!
2. Dress Up as Saints on All Saints’ Day
Encourage students to come to class dressed as their favorite saints on All Saints’ Day. It’s a fantastic way to make the saints feel more relatable to kids. You can make it part of a lesson by having each student share one fact or a short story about their saint. To add a competitive twist, have the rest of the class guess who the saint is! This helps reinforce what they’ve learned in a fun, memorable way. Plus, it’s a great alternative to traditional Halloween costumes and can give them ideas for their next saintly Halloween outfit! This post has 25 ideas for EASY saint costumes. I can’t emphasize EASY enough…the focus is to have some symbols of the saints, not to look like the saint. Kids can grab a stuffed animal, connect it to Saint Agnes, and their costume is done!
3. Visuals, Visuals, Visuals – Use Posters!
Kids are super visual, so it helps to have posters around the room to remind them of the season. The reading comprehension worksheets each include a page for students to create a mini-poster with notes from the lesson. I like to use these as a starting point, then as we watch videos on a topic or read a skit, they can keep adding information.
Then, of course, they get hung up for everyone to see! Kids try harder if they know their work will be displayed, and they are also shockingly proud of it. Even a senior in high school will point out their little poster to their friends. That shouldn’t surprise me, but it makes me smile every time!
After the information is hung up, it’s time to get ready for a colorful celebration with this adorable and educational collaborative coloring poster. Each student colors a page, and then the pages are combined to make a huge bulletin board. The final image is a glorious All Saints’ Day party with silly cartoon saints gathered together, hitting a piñata and hanging out with Jesus!
Saints included in the poster:
- Saints who levitated: Saint Catherine of Siena, Saint Teresa of Avila, Saint Michael the Archangel, Saint Joseph of Cupertino, and Saint Martin de Porres.
- Other beloved saints: Saint Jose Sanchez del Rio, Saint Kateri Tekakwitha, Saint George, Mary the Mother of God, Saint Dominic Savio, and even Jesus!
4. Create a Prayer Chain for the Souls in Purgatory
Since All Souls’ Day is all about praying for the dead, get the class involved in a special activity by creating a prayer chain. Cut strips of paper and have each student write the name of a loved one who has passed away, or they can just write “for all the souls in purgatory.” Link the strips together to form a chain, and hang it in the classroom or bring it to church to offer as a collective prayer. This visual helps them understand how their prayers can support those who have died and shows the unity between the living and the dead in the body of Christ.
5. Bring Saints to Life with a Skit
One fun way to get students really engaged is with a skit! Some magic happens when you use Readers’ Theater. Kids are reading the same content, but when everyone has parts and they’re reading a play, the kids sit up and follow along instead of zoning out. I made a NEW skit this year to leverage that attention while teaching about the Hallowtide Triduum.
Do your students want to know the TRUTH about Ghosts, Zombies, Witches, Spirits, Demons, and Skeletons? This Readers’ Theater covers it ALL with Bible stories, quotes from the Catechism, and Catholic teachings on the Triduum of All Hallows. Halloween, All Saints’ Day, and All Souls’ Day.
You can also use the Saint Skit Bundle, which has mini-plays featuring different saints, including some well-known and lesser-known ones. The rest of the month could be focused on learning saints to prepare for Hallowtide Triduum! It not only makes it fun but also helps kids connect on a personal level. Plus, they’ll start thinking about the saints as people who lived real lives with challenges similar to their own. If you want more information about the skits, check out this post.
6. Decorate a Classroom Altar for the Hallowtide Triduum
Set up a small classroom altar or sacred space for the Hallowtide Triduum. On All Hallows’ Eve, you can decorate it with pumpkins or candles (symbolizing the light of Christ). On All Saints’ Day, add pictures or statues of the saints, and on All Souls’ Day, let students bring in photos or names of deceased loved ones to place on the altar. This gives them a visual and tactile way to connect with the meaning of each day and shows how each part of the Triduum is interwoven.
Common Questions Kids Might Ask When you Teach the Hallowtide Triduum
Trust me, once you start talking about saints and souls, the questions will come flying. Here are some common ones and how you can answer them:
1. “Why do we pray for people who are dead? Aren’t they already in heaven?”
Not quite. We believe that some people may still be in purgatory – a place of purification – before they’re ready for heaven. Our prayers help them on that journey.
2. “Is Halloween bad? I thought it was about witches and scary stuff.”
Halloween started as a holy day, preparing for All Saints’ Day. It’s become more of a cultural thing now, but it can still be fun as long as we remember the deeper meaning behind it. The costumes and candy are just the modern twist.
3. “How do people become saints?”
Saints are regular people who lived holy lives and followed Jesus in extraordinary ways. They made mistakes, just like we do, but they always tried to love God and others. The Church officially recognizes some people as saints after a long process of checking their lives and miracles.
4. “Can I be a saint?”
YES! Every baptized person is called to be a saint. That doesn’t mean you have to be perfect – it means you try to love like Jesus and keep saying yes to God, no matter what.
5. “Why do we call it All Hallows’ Eve? What does ‘hallow’ even mean?”
Good question! “Hallow” means holy, so All Hallows’ Eve is the evening before the day we celebrate the holy ones – the saints.
Teach the Hallowtide Triduum
The Hallowtide Triduum is a beautiful time to teach kids about the full picture of the Church – heaven, earth, and purgatory. It’s a reminder that we’re all connected, and our prayers and actions here on earth matter not just for ourselves but for those who have gone before us. Plus, it’s a great opportunity to weave faith into something kids already know and love about this time of year.
How do you teach the Hallowtide Triduum?
For a limited time, you can get the bulletins for the rest of this Liturgical Year AND the bulletins for 2025 (Year C) for a discounted price! Get it today and you’ll have everything you need to keep your kids focused at Mass for over a year.
This is also a great time to reach out to your parish and encourage them to buy the bulletins and print them for the whole church each weekend!
This page has detailed descriptions of the bulletins if they want more information.
November Catholic Kids Bulletin
Remember, for a limited time, you can get the bulletins for the rest of this Liturgical Year AND the bulletins for 2025 (Year C) for a discounted price! Get it today and you’ll have everything you need to keep your kids focused at Mass for over a year.
Enjoy our FREE Printable Catholic Kids Bulletin worksheets, aligning with weekly Mass readings. Immerse your children in the world of coloring pages. They correspond to the Gospel, monthly Mass activities, Psalm handwriting, and entertaining word searches. Navigate through the liturgy order provided in each bulletin to enhance your kids’ Mass experience. You can help them foster a deeper connection to worship. Uncover the intricacies of the Mass structure and delve into Catholic History with engaging coloring pages showcasing saints. Elevate your children’s Catholic education by incorporating our interactive and educational resources into their learning journey.
Have you used Catholic Kids Bulletins before? If you have questions, check here…
November Catholic Kids Bulletin
Noviembre Boletín para Niños Católicos
Mass Bulletins include…
- Ordinary Time
- Saint Michael the Archangel, Saint Raphael the Archangel, Saint Gabriel the Archangel
- Saint Therese the Little Flower
- Ordinary Time
- Saint Francis of Assisi
- Saint Jude
These FREE Catholic Mass Bulletin Printables are offered each month in order to help young Catholics learn at Mass. For example, you are welcome to print and share with others. If you can afford it, click Support CKB on the left. You can donate to help pay for the time and effort put into these pages. Thanks!
