Simple Stations of the Cross Booklet for Kids

 

If you are looking for a simple way to include your children in the Stations of the Cross, whether at a parish prayer service or praying together at home, we’d love to share this simple Stations of the Cross booklet with you. You can download it here. Just print, cut horizontally and vertically, stack in order, and staple the pages together. Or you could print and cut, then hang up the Stations as a tool for prayer during the Season of Lent!

You can find color versions of these Stations (and lots more activities) in the Catholic Paper Goods shop, and read more about the Stations of the Cross in our new book All about Lent & Holy Week: Sharing the Seasons of Repentance & Salvation with Children. These resources were made in cooperation with Shari Van Vranken of Catholic Paper Goods using artwork from our new book!

You can find it at The St. Paul Center here or on Amazon here, or we'd love for you to ask for it at your local Catholic book store. It's also available as an ebook in both places if that's more your style! 

And you can find all of the free resources linked in this post:

Hands on Stations of the Cross (for one, or for a group!)

A long, long time ago (2012!) I posted a set of Resurrection Eggs (for the stories during Holy Week) that I made with our CCD program. A couple of years later, I also made a set of Way of Light Resurrection Eggs (for the stories during the Easter Season). We recently had a CCD family day focusing on the Stations of the Cross. Kids aged 5-14 participated, and I knew that the little ones would benefit from something hands-on before we went to the church to pray the Stations together. I thought about making a version of the Resurrection Eggs, but really wanted to make sure we were hitting all of the traditional Stations of the Cross- and then I remembered how my friend Bonnie prayed the Stations with her kids back when her now teenagers were toddlers. So, inspired by Bonnie Engstrom (who tells me she was inspired by Kate Wicker), I set up a symbol for each Station for the kids to collect, complete with artwork and a table tent explaining the meaning of the symbol.

You can certainly use this idea to make a hands-on set of the Stations of the Cross for your own home, but I wondered if maybe someone else had seen activities like this and wanted to be able to replicate it for a whole group. So I made sure that I used objects that were affordable on a larger scale and created printables using public domain images (or my own art) so that you would be free to print them yourself. 

I ordered simple cotton bags for the children to put each object in (fyi, I got 4x6 bags, but 5x7 would have been a better choice) and added a tag that they labeled "Stations of the Cross" and wrote their name (important since they will look exactly alike). Practically speaking, the set would be easier for preschoolers to use at home if they were in a box, rather than having them dump the bag out when you are planning on using them. But the bags were a simple and affordable way to package them for the activity at church, and then parents can always change up the storage when they take them home. The rock, nail, cross, and medal are also choking hazards for little ones, so if you are making these without parents present, it might be a good idea to give them a heads up before those items get lost around their house! ;)

Here is the list of objects according to each Station: (You can obviously switch these up based on supplies you have on hand or your own creative ideas!)

• Station 1- Jesus is Condemned to Death- Rope for His arrest (piece of twine)
• Station 2- Jesus Takes Up His Cross- Cross (small wooden cross)
• Station 3- Jesus Falls the First Time- Bandage (I wrote a #1 on the bandaids, the kids stuck them on a purple card before putting in their bag)
• Station 4- Jesus Meets His Mother- Miraculous Medal
• Station 5- Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus- Helping hand (image of a hand, but this would be a good one to trace and cut out your own hand)
• Station 6- Veronica Wipes the Face of Jesus- Veronica prayer card (block print made by me)
• Station 7- Jesus Falls the Second Time- Bandage (Bandaid with #2)
• Station 8- Jesus Meets The Women of Jerusalem- Tissue for the tears of the weeping women
• Station 9- Jesus Falls the Third Time- Bandage (Bandaid with #3)
• Station 10- Jesus is Stripped of His Clothes- Piece of cloth
• Station 11- Jesus is nailed to the Cross- Nails (we added one large nail to reduce the chance of them falling on the floor and getting lost. Three large nails would be even better)
• Station 12- Jesus Dies on the Cross- Crucifix (we used a picture, but adding a small crucifix would be great)
• Station 13- Jesus is Taken Down from the Cross- Pieta image
• Station 14- Jesus is Laid in the Tomb- Stone for the stone rolled in front of the tomb

I had some of these items already on hand- like the nails, stones, miraculous medals, twine, and cloth. I was able to print the images at our parish office, so I only needed to purchase the bags, crosses,  (affiliate links) and bandaids, which worked out to about $.60 a child, so quite inexpensive! We also gave every family a copy of this Stations of the Cross book to make it easier for them to pray at home.

We set up each Station in order and the children went down the line to collect their items. Parents walked with their younger children, and I loved listening to them read the name of the Station to their child while pointing to the art, and then read the description from the table tent with the short meaning of the object.

If you'd like to make these with a group, here are copies of all of the printables I made!

Hands-on Stations of the Cross List

Stations of the Cross Mini Posters

Hands-on Stations of the Cross Table Tents

Station 4: Miraculous Medals

Station 5: Helping Hand

Station 6: Veronica (Also available for you as a print here)

Station 12: Crucifix

Station 13: Pieta

You may also like this printable Prayer before a Crucifix card, which is a handy way to get kids involved in praying group Stations even when they aren't able to follow the book the congregation is leading:

St. Veronica Block Print- Feast Day 7/12

 

This image of St. Veronica was inspired by many years of praying this line from Fulton Sheen's Stations of the Cross:

“O Lord, the day I was born anew of water and the Holy Spirit, the image of your Cross was engraved upon my heart. Today you ask me: ‘Whose inscription is written thereon?’ It is be yours, then let me render to God the things that are God’s. Grant that like, like Veronica, I may brave all human respect to carry your image about with me, not on a veil but on the tablet of my heart. Bestow on me the grace to be so much like you that others among whom I live may see something of you in me, as the maidservant saw something of you in Peter. If they do not see in me the marks of your passion, let them at least see the sparks of your love.”

-Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, Way of the Cross, Station VI

Click here for a free block print of this St. Veronica image, perfect for her Feast Day on July 12th or to display during Lent.

This block print was the first time I tried a reduction print with multiple layers of color. It isn't perfect, but I enjoyed the process and will definitely try it again! You can see some of the process in this video on Instagram:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Katie Bogner (@katherine.bogner)

Lent Radiant Roundup

It's almost time for Lent to begin! Ash Wednesday is on February 22nd. If you are looking for some ways to bring the beauty of the prayer, fasting and almsgiving to your children or students, here's a whole roundup of ideas: 

First up, here are some favorite posts:

Lent: Pray, Fast, Give Foldable* (Also in Spanish and Portuguese)

What Lent Looks Like* Coloring Page/Printable

Best Stations of the Cross Books for Kids

Give Up & Take Up*: Lent Youth Group Lesson, Videos, and Resources

Lenten Art Gallery Walk & Visio Divina

Practical Ideas for Lenten Acts of Mercy using the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy *

And tons more Lenten posts: 

Lent: Ideas for 40 Days* (Roundup Post of Links)

Lent Family Weekly Plan*- Sunday Gospels and Fasting/Giving using the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy (editable)

Lenten Prayer Challenge Board* (Also editable)
Stations of the Cross Sunset & Silhouette art project

The Significance of the Sign of the Cross Study*
Lent Notes Foldable*
Lent Word Cloud*

Lent Looks Different (Classroom decorations)
Using the Stations of Cross as Inspiration for Acts of Charity Foldable*
The Sound of Lent: A Lent Playlist
Videos for Lent, Holy Week, and Easter: A playlist
Lent Youth Group Resources
Books for Lent and Holy Week for Kids and Adults

Memento Mori & The Bone Church Lesson, Slides, and Reflection Sheet*

Here are a few ideas for Holy Week and the Triduum if you like to plan ahead!

Holy Week Family Retreat & Journal* (In English, Spanish, and French, and with an editable schedule)

Holy Week Family Retreat & Journal* 2021 Update

What the Triduum Looks Like* Coloring Page/Printable

Connecting the Passover and the Passion*- A Youth Bible Study

Passion & Resurrections Peg Doll Set

Paschal Candle Craft for Kids

The Best Stations of the Cross Books for Kids

Have you been praying the Stations of the Cross this Lent? This beautiful, traditional prayer is a rich and meaningful way to meditate on Our Lord's Passion while looking towards His Resurrection. I use the Stations of the Cross all throughout Lent in my classroom- we pray them together, the students make projects about the Stations, they write their own versions, and they lead them for the school. To help with their prayer and reflection, I've got a big basket with a huge variety of books about the Stations for them to use, and I'm always on the lookout to add more to the collection.  Because I teach junior high, a lot of the books are intended for an adult audience, but it is always great to find well made versions for kids.

In case you are interested in adding a new Stations of the Cross book (or two!) to your collection before Holy Week, I thought I'd give a run down of some of the best books I have for kids. I included quite a variety, because "the best" version is going to mean something different to everyone based on age of the kids and how you'd like to use it. Some of the details that you might consider:

• Style of the illustrations
• Reading level and length of the text for the prayer and reflection
• Inclusion of Scripture or Scripture references
• Text of prayers like the "We adore you, O Christ..." and Stabat Mater
• Traditional Stations of the Cross or new Scriptural Stations
• Designed for communal prayer or personal prayer
• Affordability for having multiple copies for a group
• Size and quality of the book

Two quick notes: 

-I did include a little * giving my top recommendations for certain uses. Those can be found at the bottom of the summaries.

-And one way that I adapt a lot of these books for communal prayer, even for our whole school, without having hundreds of books (...and not making photocopies... just say no to copyright violation, friends!) is to use one book as the reader script and then to give everyone a prayer card with the "We adore you, O Christ..." prayer so that they can more actively participate. I've got a free printable for that at the bottom of the post if you'd like to do the same.

In the links below, I've included some Amazon Affiliate Links. However, I always encourage you to consider shopping with the publisher, at a local Catholic book store, or directly from the author when possible!

15-Minute Stations of the Cross For Kids

• Written by Jared Dees and illustrated by Ezekiel Saucedo
• 5x8" 100 pages, black and white illustrations, paperback, regular weight paper
• The book includes an Intro and four different sets of Stations of the Cross: a Five Minute Stations, Family Stations, School Stations, and Virtues Stations.
• Jared knows kids and classrooms, and his understanding of both are apparent in this great collection of prayers for the Stations of the Cross. He acknowledges that while kids can have short attention spans, his goal was to be "respectful of their attention" in the way that the prayers are presented. Giving them meaningful prayers that connect to their lives in language they can understand, this book is going to get a lot of use in both homes and classrooms. 
• If you can't tell from the post-it notes all over the book in the picture, I immediately put my copy to use for our all school Stations of the Cross a couple of weeks ago. They were simple for my 8th graders to lead and essentially no prep for me, but they were perfect reflections for the school kids. I had three separate teachers tell me later how great they thought they were- easy to understand and easy to relate to kids' lives. 
• *Top recommendation for a resource for teachers and catechists.

The Way of the Cross

• Written by Juliette Levivier and illustrated by Anne Gravier
• From Ignatius Press here
• 6.5x8.5", full color, hardback, glossy pages
• Each Station includes a Bible verse and reference, longer story, and a 2-3 line prayer.
• Also includes pages on the story of Holy Week, the tradition of the Way of the Cross, looking to the Resurrection, and how to pray. Each are very short and written with the young child in mind- these pages would be great to use to explain those traditions at their level.
• Might be a little long to pray aloud a large group of younger kiddos (like in a classroom or church), but I can definitely see this being used with a family at home.

Scriptural Way of the Cross for Children

• Illustrated by Tricia Dugat of Providential Co.
• 5.5x8.5" full color, paperback, glossy paper, 30 pages
• Tricia is one of my favorite modern illustrators, so I was so glad to add her interpretations of the Way of the Cross to my library!
• Each Station includes an adapted Scripture reading and a one line prayer. The "We adore you, O Christ..." prayer is on each page, making it perfectly set up for leading the Stations aloud for a group.
• This book is based on the Scriptural Way of the Cross, a list of events about Jesus' Passion from the Bible. It was first used by Pope John Paul II in 1991 and has since been approved for congregational use. The Scriptural Way of the Cross includes slightly different events from the traditional Stations, such as the Agony in the Garden, the Scourging, Peter's Denial, and the Good Thief.  I love that the book helps tie together those important stories of the Passion of Jesus for the collective memory of the children who will pray with it. 
• It would be good to note that it would change the way you would use the book if praying with the physical Stations in a Church- these will not match, but are perfect for private devotion with a class or family, or even for personal Bible study.
• *Top recommendation for the Scriptural Way of the Cross, awesome for home or classroom.

The Stations of the Cross for Children

• Written by Jerry Windley-Daoust and illustrated by Vicki Shuck
• 5.5x8.5", full color, paperback, heavyweight paper pages
• Each Station has a simple reflection and short prayer, and includes Scripture reference for the story.
• Also has an "About this Book" and "Ways to Use" page for grownups, as well as optional prayers to include when praying the Stations.
• This book follows the Scriptural Stations of the Cross book, which gives insight into the stories of Jesus' last days. Just a note that it will not match the traditional Stations used in church.
• The illustrations are warm and they convey the emotions and sacrifice without being gory or scary, making them especially good for young children or kiddos that are more sensitive.
• *Top recommendation for kiddos that need a gentler version of the Stations of the Cross.

Stations of the Cross For Kids

• Written by Regina Doman, illustrated by Chris Lewis
• 8x6.5" full color, paperback, heavyweight pages
• Includes a detailed illustration, Bible verse, reflection, short prayer, Prayer of Love to Jesus by St. Alphonsus Liguori, verse from Stabat Mater in English and Latin, and a sidebar with historical info and other details. The book closes with full text of Psalm 22.
• With more mature illustrations from the awesome Chris Lewis of Baritus Catholic, I think that the content of this book is perfect for older kids and teens. Layers of meaning are embedded in both the pictures and text, making this book something that encourages deep reflection with each new reading. All of that info on each page might make it challenging to follow if praying with it in a group, but I think it is a wonderful resource for private prayer and reflection.
• *Top recommendation for older kids and teens.

OSV Kids Stations of the Cross

• Written by Colleen Pressprich, Illustrated by Adalee Hude
• 5x7", full color, paperback, heavyweight pages, 32 pages
• Adalee Hude of Brightly Hude is another favorite modern artist, and I think that her illustrations are simple and sweet, perfect for younger kids.
• This book includes the "We adore you..." prayer, a story, a few discussion/reflection questions, and a short closing prayer. The set up is ready made for leading prayers for a group.
• I love the addition of the reflection questions- they would be perfect to ponder quietly, or even have kids use as journaling prompts.
• *Top recommendation for something affordable to use with a group in school or classroom that is short and purposeful.

Stations of the Cross cards from Catholic Family Crate

• 4x6" heavy, full color cards that come in in a sturdy storage box
• While not in book format, these wonderful cards are a perfect tool to facilitate praying the Stations of the Cross with your family, and then also provide art that you can keep on display.
• They include kid friendly art on one side and a short reading and prayer on the reverse.
• These are the Stations that I have on display in my classroom this Lent, taped up across one wall. I like their consistent color scheme and the prayers on the back are perfect for kids. As my students have been working on a Stations of the Cross project, these cards are frequently flipped over and referenced.
• I really, really appreciate the connected Bible verses listed on each card. References to any Gospel passages tied to that story, as well as other passages from Scripture are included. This is a wonderful resource that expands the use of the cards to reading the story of the Passion directly from the Bible.
• Also you can use code BOGNER20 to get 20% off these Stations Cards or Stations of the Cross ring (perfect for bringing to church!) or any item or subscription. The resources from Catholic Family Crate are wonderful- catechetical, attractive, easy to use, and well made. I am really, really impressed by their new Faith in a Year Memberships and all that is included!
• *Top recommendation for families, especially since this one can be used in more than one way! Pray as a family, hang up as art, or bring along for your kids to use at a parish presentation of the Stations of the Cross.

A Journey with Jesus: Stations of the Cross for School Children

• By James Allen (The Liturgical Press)
• 8.25x5.25", BW, paperback, regular paper pages
• Includes a reader reflection in first person perspective of one of the figures at the Crucifixion and then a longer group prayer. I think the first person perspective can be a powerful way to think about the Passion for kids, but the shift each Station might be difficult for younger kiddos. The length of the prayers that are read aloud also would be a challenge for younger students.
• Specifically designed for use with a group of school children, it also includes suggestions for use for the teacher/leader. It is nice to have a version intended for group prayer in a school setting.
• ***Unfortunately, this one seems to be out of print, but is listed at the book seller above and you could look for it on on ThriftBooks, ebay, etc.

No Greater Love: Stations of the Cross for Young People

• By Amy Welborn from Creative Communications
• 4x5.5" full color, paperback, thinner paper pages
• Short meditation, long prayer, one line Bible verse
• Available in bulk- more info on this below.

By His Cross: Stations of the Cross for Young Catholics and Their Families

• By Jerry Welte from All Saints Press
• 4x6" full color, paperback, thinner paper pages
• Longer reflection, short prayer
• (From the 2021 catalogue, so I couldn't find a link for this one. Check out the 2022 option below.)

Bulk Books for Stations of the Cross with Kids

• All Saints Press and Creative Communications are some of the only publishers that I've seen that offer affordable bulk discounts and have kids' versions of the Stations. However, all of the ones that I have in my classroom and the new 2022 ones that I'm linking below aren't really great for communal prayer- they have a longer reflection for each station, but do not have a leader/response part. Here are a couple of examples:
• Journey to the Cross and Sample inside pages This one has good illustrations and does have a short line that could be used as a group prayer.
• Step up Close to Jesus and Sample inside pages This one's reflections are a little longer, and also has a line at the bottom that could be used for group prayer.
• (I'd love to see an affordable bulk booklet option for kids that is actually designed for communal prayer with a large group- Something in the $1/book range is what would be practical when buying for a whole school- If you know about an option, please comment below or send me an email!)

The Way of the Cross for Children

• 5.5x7.5" 32 pages, full color illustrations, glossy paper, paperback
• From Catholic Book Publishing
• Includes a reflection, leader prayer, group prayer, line from Stabat Mater.
• While admittedly the cover art a little dated looking, this little book has great age appropriate, child friendly language and is actually set up for communal prayer. I like that it has a traditional feel and includes the Stabat Mater on each page.

Walking with Jesus to Calvary: Stations of the Cross for Children

• Written by Angela M. Burrin and illustrated by Maria Cristina Lo Cascio
• 9.5x8.5", full color, hardback, glossy pages
• Includes an intro to the Stations and how to pray pages, longer story for each Station of the Cross, a short prayer, and closes with traditional prayers for the Stations and prayer intentions. I really like the watercolor illustrations that are simple but have some beautiful details. This one definitely has more of a "storybook" feel that would be great for families.
• ***Unfortunately, this one seems to be out of print, but you could keep an eye out for a used copy on ThriftBooks, ebay, etc.

Stations of the Cross Cards: Catholic Paper Goods

I really like the simplicity of these Stations of the Cross from Catholic Paper Goods. She has them in tons of options, including on a purple background or just black & white for easy printing, large 8x10 prints, and coloring pages. 

*New additions since this post was originally published:

• Building Blocks of Faith Stations of the Cross (St. Alphonsus Liguori's traditional Stations combined with Lego brick photos)

Print Your Own Stations Book

If you are looking for a way to have an affordable set of Stations of the Cross that can be used by everyone in your family, classroom, or school this is the best printable set of Stations I've seen- it has everything needed to pray as a group. It is set up to print on 8.5x14" paper: Printable Stations Book 

Stations of the Cross Art & Activities

If you are just looking for Stations of the Cross art to hang up or use in a prayer space, or would like a hands-on Stations of the Cross activity for kids, these are some of my favorites:

• Catholic Paper Goods: Printable 8x10 Art or Coloring Pages
• Catholic All Year: Printable Coloring Book (I hang the individual pages up in my classroom)
• Jen Norton Art Prints
• Call Her Happy- Stations of the Cross Finger Puppets and One Word Stations of the Cross
• Almond Rod Toys- Stations of the Cross Blocks
• Catholic Icing- Printable Standing Stations of the Cross
• Bonnie Engstrom- Stations of the Cross Box for Kids (awesome for toddlers and preschoolers!)
• Look to Him and Be Radiant- Sunset & Shadows Stations of the Cross Art Project, Stations of the Cross Acts of Mercy Foldable

Prayer Before a Crucifix Mini Shrines/Prayer Cards

One way that I've used some of the books above in large group (without having multiple copies) is by having one reader leading from the book and everyone else with this Prayer Prayer Before a Crucifix prayer card. This encourages their response and prayer with each Station, and then afterwards, they can fold it in half and stand up to make a little Mini Prayer Shrine. Feel free to use these with your own kids during Stations or as a little display for their desk or dresser during Holy Week!

Click here to print the Prayer Before a Crucifix mini shrines:

If you know of any other great Stations of the Cross books for kids, make sure to send them my way!