All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day: A Meaningful Classroom Activity
Since All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day are so close together, I’ve often combined the two celebrations into one special day in my classroom. It’s a wonderful opportunity to teach children about the saints, the power of prayer, and the beautiful tradition of praying for those we have lost.
A few years ago, I came across a beautiful printable from Look to Him and Be Radiant, and it inspired me to put together this simple, meaningful activity for my students. I love that it gives the children a chance to learn about our Catholic faith and create something they can take home and share with their families.
Begin with All Saints’ Day
Start the day with a discussion or lesson about the saints. For younger students, I like to begin by asking what they already know about saints. You might be surprised by what they say!
One important thing to explain is that we don’t pray to the saints as we pray to God. Instead, we ask the saints to pray for us, just as we might ask a friend or family member to pray for us. We believe the saints are in heaven with God, so why not ask them to pray for us, too?
You can also introduce the children to the idea of patron saints. Different saints are associated with particular needs, places, and situations. For example, St. Christopher is the patron saint of travelers, and St. Anthony of Padua is often called upon when something is lost.
After your discussion, hand out an All Saints’ Day coloring page. This is a great way to reinforce what the children have learned while giving them something fun and engaging to work on.
Next, Introduce All Souls’ Day
Once you’ve talked about the saints, explain that All Souls’ Day is a special day when we pray for all the faithful departed, including those we have loved and lost.
This can be a beautiful opportunity to talk with children about remembering loved ones in prayer. We can even pray that our loved ones can one day also become saints like we just talked about.
Keep the conversation gentle and age-appropriate, allowing children to participate in a way that feels comfortable for them.
Create a Prayer Candle to Take Home
Now comes the hands-on part of the activity!
What you’ll need:
All Souls’ Day printable
Pass out the glass jar candles ( I bought some at my local dollar store and peeled the stickers off) and paint markers. Let the children decorate their candles. Encourage them to make their candles special as they think about the people they want to remember in prayer.
Explain that they can take their candles home and use them with their families as they pray for loved ones who have died. The All Souls Day printable from Look to Him and be Radiant has space on the back where children can write the names of their loved ones, this can be used as a guide for their family prayer time.
An adult should supervise the use of candles. Families can also use the decorated candle as a keepsake without lighting it.
Bringing It All Together
I love activities like this because they give children more than just a lesson to remember. They help connect what we teach in the classroom with the faith we live out at home.
All Saints’ Day reminds us of the holy men and women who have gone before us and inspire us to grow closer to God. All Souls’ Day reminds us of the importance of praying for those who have died and keeping them close in our hearts.
Combining these two celebrations is a simple way to help children understand both traditions and carry them into their family life.
I hope this activity is helpful as you plan your own All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day celebrations in your classroom! Be sure to visit Look to Him and Be Radiant to explore their beautiful Catholic resources.
Want to add this to your classroom?
Download the All Saints Day Coloring Page
Download the Eternal Rest Prayer
Supplies I used for this activity:
*Contains affiliate links
Acrylic Paint Markers (I have used these for so many projects they are great!)
Glass Jar Candle (these are similar to the ones I purchased at the dollar store plus no stickers to peel off!)
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