10 Good Friday Traditions- Ideas For Observing This Day In Your Home

Good Friday is a very important day for Catholics. It’s the day Jesus died on the cross for us and saved us from our sin. Not only is it an important day, it’s a day of fasting, prayer, and mourning.

good friday traditions

Here are some simple ways to observe Good Friday in your home with your kids:

  • Fast. This is required by the Catholic church if you’re health and 18 years or older, but I also encourage my kids to skip snacks and any other frivolous eating throughout the day.
  • Keep fun activities to a minimum. I know that the world wants to throw Easter parties and have egg hunts on Good Friday, but it’s just not the time for fun and celebration.
  • Skip work and/or school if possible. That’s pretty easy for us as homeschoolers- I realize not everyone has this option. Although even when I was a little girl, my mom never sent us to school on Good Friday.
  • Eat hot cross buns for breakfast. Legend says there was a priest in 1361 A.D. that gave out hot cross buns to the poor on Good Friday morning, and the tradition was born.
  • Wear black. It’s the color of mourning.
  • Read the passion story from the Bible. We like to read the passion story from scripture with this symbolic scripture lunchscripture lunch to teach the Easter story on Good Friday
  • Do extra good deeds and sacrifices. If you have a method for tracking sacrifices such as a crown of thorns, encourage your kids to do this today.
  • Go to Stations of the Cross or Veneration of the Cross at your local Catholic church. You may even be able to find a live Stations of the Cross in your town. I also like to use our Stations of the Cross eggs and listen to our Stations of the Cross CDlenten stations of the cross eggs
  • Watch the story of the passion on a movie. I really like The Passion Of Christ for me, and I like The Greatest Adventure Easter Story for little kids.
  • Good Friday is the first day of the Divine Mercy Novena, so don’t forget to start it.
  • The most sacred hours during Good Friday are from noon to 3:00, because this is when Jesus was on the cross. They’re sometimes known as the 3 hours of agony. During this time, hold a silence in your home, and encourage your children to do the same (to the best of their ability). Turn off the phones, TV, and other devices. Pray the sorrowful mysteries of the rosary, read from scripture, have your children quietly draw or color religious pictures, encourage them to meditate on the passion through their passion peg dolls, or read religious books.

If you want to take the moment of silence from 12-3 a step further, you can make my stand up crucifix craft with your kids. At 12, tape Jesus on the cross, and begin the silence in your home. At 3:00, take him down and place him in the tomb.

good friday activity for kids

On Easter Sunday, you can replace him with the resurrected Jesus!

I have a new set that is a printable stand up EASY stations of the cross craft. And the best part? The crafted stations stand up, but store flat so you can keep them to use again and again! Get your stations of the cross craft here.

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Perfect for families! Each month you gain access to printable activity pages, crafts, home altar pieces, and more.
 
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We are also going to be making our Good Friday pages from Holy Week In Handprints.

good friday craft for kids

 

I also have a free printable page for kids to fill in about the crucifixion here.

You can find all of my Lenten resources for families here.

Comments

  1. You are amazing and brilliant! I love your ideas. Thank you!

  2. Eileen Hartnett says

    Inspired~Thank you!!

  3. im Evangelical but I find your ideas to be VERY useful. We just returned from Good Friday services so it’s too late this year but I will definitely be incorporating them into our Easter observance next year with my grandkids! Thank you so much.

    Sheril Roediger

  4. I am southern baptist, but some of these are good ideas for next year

  5. wonderful to hear of such faith and devotion in these strange times of today. commendable.

  6. so cute

  7. Tracey Vinson says

    Thank you for this. Not everyone was taught (me) how to honor this day. Thank you.

  8. I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints…(aka Mormon) however I love your ideas. Thank you for sharing!

  9. Jillian Ayers says

    This has strengthened my faith. Thank you very much for the work here!

  10. I enjoy some of your activities. Just an FYI Jesus was on the cross from 9:00-3:00. But from 12:00-3:00 darkness fell over the land.