Prayer Puzzles

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Help children memorize common prayers

SARA JONCKHEERE

Memorized prayer has an important place in our Catholic faith, but memorization can be a challenge for students, especially if they are not regularly exposed to the prayers. Turn memorization into a game with this prayer puzzle craft. Students can practice the important prayers of the faith in a hands-on way.

Supplies Needed

■ Cardboard puzzles*
■ Permanent markers
■ Ziploc storage bags
* The size of the puzzles depends on the level of your students. Fewer pieces will definitely be easier for younger students to manage.

To assemble

  1.  Take an already assembled puzzle and carefully flip it over so the picture side is facing down and the cardboard side is facing up.
  2. Using permanent markers, write out a commonly memorized Catholic prayer on the cardboard side that your students need help with. Try to include at least part of a word on each puzzle piece.
  3. The spacing can be tricky, but try to cover the entire puzzle with the words to the prayer so there are no blank pieces.
  4. Break apart the puzzle pieces and store in a Ziploc bag with the name of the prayer written on it. Using the prayer puzzles To assemble the puzzles, have students dump out the pieces of the puzzle and turn them so all the cardboard sides with the words are facing up. Have students assemble the pieces by going through the words of the prayer and practicing putting the words in order. Once the puzzle is assembled, read and pray the words on the
    puzzle.

Using the prayer puzzles

To assemble the puzzles, have students dump out the pieces of the puzzle and turn them so all the cardboard sides with the words are facing up. Have students assemble the pieces by going through the words of the prayer and practicing putting the words in order. Once the puzzle is assembled, read and pray the words on the puzzle.

IDEAS FOR YOUNGER STUDENTS
For students who do not know the prayers on the puzzle, give them a copy of the words or create a poster with the words that they can use as a guide. This will make it more of a matching activity until they become familiar with the prayer.

If students can read the words, have them read the prayer aloud once they finish assembling the puzzle.

Have recorded versions of the prayers for students to listen to while they are assembling the puzzle. Give them the option to listen to the recording on repeat as they work on one specific prayer at a time. It would also be helpful to have a pause feature so they could pause the recording as they look for that part of the prayer.

IDEAS FOR OLDER STUDENTS
Have students try to recite the prayer from memory once it is assembled.

Allow students to make the puzzles and write the words on the back for prayers they specifically need to work on. Make the puzzles a little more challenging by having more pieces or writing the words on an angle (from the top left corner to the bottom right corner).

Have them lead the class in the prayer once they have their puzzle assembled.

Let us pray

Dear Heavenly Father, help us to learn the traditional Catholic prayers and allow them to become a part of our everyday life so that we may honor you daily. Amen.

 

Sara Jonckheere, MA, is an elementary school teacher turned work-at-home mom. Creating digital curriculum and resources, she shares teaching ideas at  SaraJCreations.com.

This article was originally published in Catechist magazine, October 2018

PHOTOS: SARA JONCKHEERE

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