Holy Week Activities That Are Low-Prep and Full of Meaning
Every year, I know Holy Week is coming—but somehow, it still sneaks up on me. By the time it arrives, everyone around us is already in Easter mode, and I’m scrambling for Holy Week Activities to make sure my students actually understand what this week is all about. I want it to be meaningful, but I also need activities that are easy to prep and don’t require a ton of extra planning.
Holy Week really is such an important time in the classroom. It’s a chance to pause, reflect on the final days of Jesus’ life, and help students connect with the meaning of Lent in a way that sticks. Whether it’s through hands-on games or quiet moments of prayer, I’ve found that a few simple, thoughtful activities can go a long way.
Here are some of my favorite go-to Holy Week activities that I use in my own religion classes. I’ve mixed in a few totally free ideas with some fun and meaningful resources—like Lent Bingo, “I Have, Who Has?”, Holy Week Reading Packets, and Lent Sorting Cards—to help you keep things simple, engaging, and focused on what matters this week.
🖊️ 1. Free Blackout Poetry Holy Week Activity – Turning Sorrow into Hope
If you haven’t already done this activity, don’t miss it! Assign this art project, turn on your favorite Holy Week movie, and relax while the kids work.
Students receive a printed page from Matthew 26 or 27, which tells the story of Jesus’ passion and death. Using a black marker or colored pencils, they “black out” all but a few words—selecting phrases to create their own poem that reflects hope, resurrection, and grace.
After creating the poem, students can draw a resurrection image over the words, visually expressing the message of new life. It’s a powerful way to reflect on the sorrow of Good Friday and the joy of Easter Sunday.
I tell my students that the minimum expectation is creating a sentence that makes some-sort of sense, and covering the rest of the page with color. Some students find a simple sentence and black out the rest of the page. MOST students choose to amaze me with a truly meaningful poem and fantastic artwork over the words.
🎯 2. Lent Bingo Game – A Fun Holy Week Activity to Learn and Review Lenten Vocabulary
I’m always amazed at how excited kids get about Bingo. With 40 unique bingo boards and calling cards that include definitions, this game is great for individuals, families, or classrooms looking to explore and reinforce important Lenten vocabulary.
- 40 Unique Bingo Boards filled with words like Ash Wednesday, Confession, Holy Week, and Resurrection
- Calling Cards with words AND definitions to boost comprehension
- Easy-to-use format with educational and faith-based focus
If you need a last-minute game to keep kids focused the Friday before Easter, this is perfect!
🔄 3. “I Have, Who Has?” – Holy Week Activities
This quick-paced review game is always a hit! I Have Who Has is usually thought of as an elementary activity, but I’ve used this with High School as well and it’s a great review for all ages. Students each get a card with a Lenten event or symbol and a clue about what comes next. As one student reads aloud (“I have the Last Supper. Who has the day Jesus died?”), the next card continues the sequence.
Great for:
- Reviewing Holy Week events
- Practicing active listening
- Building community
Play it as a class or in small groups and race against the clock for an extra challenge.
🃏 4. Lent Events Sorting Cards
These Sorting Cards are so versatile! Use them for:
- Timeline games: Have students put Lent and Holy Week events in order.
- Group challenges: Divide into teams and try to sort the fastest
- Play Spoons or Baby Monkey Astronaut: Click here for instructions.
📖 5. Holy Week Reading Comprehension Activities
Help students reflect on each day of Holy Week with age-appropriate reading materials. This readings include the meaning of the day AND the unique changes to the Catholic Mass for each day. It’s a perfect review before attending all the extra services for Holy Week. Each packet includes:
- 3 reading levels (upper elementary, middle school, high school)
- 10 multiple-choice and 10 discussion questions
- Graphic organizers and mini-posters
- Holy Week Overview: Give students an overview of the Holy Days leading to Easter
- Palm Sunday: Students reflect on Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem.
- Spy Wednesday: Discover the meaning behind Judas Iscariot’s betrayal of Jesus and how it fulfilled Scripture.
- Holy Thursday: Learn about the Last Supper, the washing of the feet, and the institution of the Eucharist.
- Good Friday: Reflect on the Passion and death of Christ, exploring themes of sacrifice and redemption.
- Holy Saturday: Explore the quiet anticipation of the Easter Vigil and the profound mystery of Christ’s descent into the tomb.
- Easter Sunday: Celebrate the joy of the Resurrection and how it gives hope to all believers.
💡 More Free and Simple Ideas for Holy Week Activities
- Palm Sunday Parade: Have students make palm branches or signs and re-enact Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem.
- Stations: Pray the Stations one more time before Lent is over! Here are some ideas.
- Foot Washing Reflection: After reading John 13, invite students to write about a time they served someone else.
- Silent Prayer Challenge: Try a few silent minutes on Good Friday to reflect on the cross—simple and powerful.
- Prayer Walk: Stop at different spots around the school to pray for others and reflect on Jesus’ journey.
- Confession: If you haven’t attended a Confession service yet this Lent, remember to get to Confession! Here’s a post with tips and ideas.
Holy Week is a powerful time to help students connect with their faith in a real and thoughtful way. With a mix of creative activities, prayer, and reflection, you can guide them through the story of Jesus’ final days without overwhelming your lesson plans. Whether they’re working on blackout poetry, reviewing key events with games, or quietly reflecting through Scripture, these moments help make the meaning of Holy Week stick.
First Communion Gift Idea!
This Catholic Saints & the Eucharist Puzzle Book is a perfect way to help kids connect with the Eucharist in a hands-on way. It’s full of word scrambles, cryptograms, and puzzles that introduce 23 saints who had a deep love for the Eucharist.
You can download the file to print and use in your classroom, or order printed books if you want something ready to gift. Whether it’s for your students, your own kids, or a godchild preparing for their big day, this is an easy, meaningful way to keep the focus on faith.
April Catholic Kids Bulletin
***There are THREE ways to get Catholic Kids Bulletins***
- ✨ 1. Enjoy a FREE Download!
- I created these bulletins as a new mom who couldn’t afford resources like this for my kiddos. So, these will always be free for anyone who needs them! Free downloads are made available a week or two before each new month begins.
- ✨2. Monthly Purchase
- Not ready to commit to a full year? No problem! You can buy this month’s bulletins for just $9 to help support my small business.
- ✨3. Full-Year Purchase
- Save time and get the entire YEAR of Catholic Kids Bulletins in one easy download! This comprehensive resource includes both Spanish and English versions, covering every Sunday and Holy Day of Obligation. This page includes detailed descriptions of the bulletins if you want more information.
- ✝️ Weekly Gospel Connection:
- Each bulletin includes a coloring page that reflects the week’s Gospel reading.
- ✨ Saint of the Week:
- Each week highlights a Catholic Saint, inspiring kids with the stories of holy men and women.
- ✍️ Weekly Activities:
- Kids can dive into fun activities, which are different every week. The bulletins may include Psalm tracing, mazes, color-by-number, puzzles, and word searches.
- ✔️Mass Liturgy Outline:
- The top of each bulletin features an outline of the Mass, helping kids learn the order and structure of the liturgy as they follow along.
Have you used Catholic Kids Bulletins before? If you have questions, check here…
If you like these bulletins and likewise want to extend the learning about the Mass, check out these activities!
April Catholic Kids Bulletin
Abril Boletín para Niños Católicos
April Bulletins include…
- ✝️ Lent
- ✝️ Saint Faustina (I love this book for moms!)
- ✝️ Divine Mercy Sunday (Beautiful Prayer Handout & Coloring Page)
- ✝️ Holy Week
- ✝️ Palm Sunday
- ✝️ Mary, Mother of God
- ✝️ Saint Benedict of Palermo
Follow Catholic Kids on Social Media for more ideas and resources to make it easier to teach your kids about our faith!
