I posted this prayer card puzzle idea over ten years ago, and now I'm happy to share a Spanish version with you! These prayer memorization cards come in handy for little ones just learning prayers, as review games, or to aid an older child catching up on catechesis. Adding a manipulative and a visual can be a helpful tool for all types of learners. Even if they know these basic prayers in their own language, they could be challenged to learn in a second language so as to be able to pray with other believers!
Here are a few ideas for how to use them, whether in English or Spanish:
1. For early readers, print a white copy of the master sheet and let the child color in each box as they can read a word, starting with easy sight words like the and be first and working up to harder words. When the whole sheet is filled in, read the whole prayer. A pencil or pointer could be used to tap each word as it is said.
2. For early readers, give the child the master sheet and one or two words. Have them see if they can visually match the word card to its spot on the master sheet using letters that they already know. Read the word together. Work up to more and more cards until their word recognition allows them to read some of the prayer themselves.
3. When the prayer is partially memorized, no matter the age of child- Cut a master sheet into horizontal strips, mix them up, and help the child arrange them until the whole prayer is in order.
4. When the prayer is partially memorized, no matter the age of child- With the whole sheet cut into cards, give the child only the words needed for a particular sentence or phrase. Let them arrange those into the correct order, and read the sentence out loud. Then give them the next few words, put them in order, and read it all together. Continue until the whole prayer is finished.
5. When the prayer is partially memorized, no matter the age of child- Print two copies of the prayer cards on different colors. Cut one up and leave the other whole. Piece together the prayer like a puzzle. Turn this into a timed challenge or competition if appropriate.
6. When the child is near mastery, give the child only the cards with no master sheet. Mix them up, and challenge them to put all of the words in order. This could be a quiet time activity just for personal challenge, or could be used with older kids with a timer or in a competition.
Click here for the Our Father in Spanish:
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