Religion
Catholic Talks for Children
Catholic Traditions in Crafts
This book includes 23 pages of Crafts relating to Christmas. There really isn't an Advent segment, but as Advent is a time for preparing for Christmas, it is certainly an appropriate time to make crafts for Christmas. Mrs. Ball explains that it would certainly be possible to write an entire book on crafts for Christmas, but that here she is providing only a sampling. Some projects you'll find include: Luminarias (a variation on the paper bag variety that are safer, longer lasting and more intricate), a special Christmas tree filled with Christian symbols, German Cookie Ornaments, Ukranian Straw Ornaments, Crochet-Edged photo ornaments, Lacy Snowflakes, Potpourri Pie, Photo Earrings, and Christmas Card Sachets. Where appropriate, the author explain the religious background or significance of projects and each project includes detailed instructions and a black and white photo.
This book was donated for review by St. Gabriel Gift and Book Nook
Catholic-opoly
Do your children like to play Monopoly™? Then, they might enjoy this Catholic alternative. Rather than encouraging children to attain as much wealth as possible as in Monopoly™, the goal of the game is to build as many churches and cathedrals as possible in order to "spread the Word of the Lord."
Each game comes with instructions, game board, play money, churches and cathedrals instead of houses and hotels, "Biblical" tokens, such as an angel, ark, or chalice, to move around the board, Faith cards, Community Service cards, deed cards, and dice. The game board includes countries of the world, such as Poland and Ireland; continents, such as South America and Africa; and famous or important Catholic sites, such as the Vatican, Jerusalem, and Mount Sinai, instead of streets; and famous shrines and cathedrals instead of utilities and railroads. The alternative to "Go to Jail" is "Go to Confession" and the alternative for "Just visiting" is "Just Praying."
On the back of the "deed cards," are several interesting Catholic facts, such as the Apparition at Fatima on the Portugal card or the first parish established in the U.S. on the U.S.A. card. Biblical locations include facts about why these places are important, such as "Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist at the river Jordan", and a scripture passage to look up in the Bible. An example of a Faith card, which replaces a Chance card, is "Your novena has been answered. Advance to 'In The Beginning.' Collect $200." An example of a Community Service card, which replaces a Community Chest card, is "collect $30 as a blessing for being Youth Group leader.
As you move your token around the board, you will be learning interesting Catholic facts on the back of the various deed cards as you collect them and build churches and cathedrals. For those who don't want to spend hours playing the game, a shortened version is also offered.
Board Game for 2 to 6 players, ages 8 and up
Celebrating the Faith in the Home
This book contains ideas, history, personal anecdotes, traditional prayers, instructions, etc. for incorporating religious traditions into your family's celebration of Advent and Christmas. Using just one or two of the ideas listed in this book will make this season much more meaningful for you and your family. Some of the traditions which are explained include: the Advent Wreath, the Christ Candle, the Advent Calendar, the Jesse Tree, Advent Paper Chains, Kris Kringle, Letter to the Christ Child, Christmas Wheat, Christmas Creche, Christmas Baking, Advent Songs, Spiritual Reading, Christmas Cards, the Christmas Novena and Advent Feasts. Also includes ideas for celebrating Christmas Day and the feasts immediately following Christmas – St. Stephen's Day, St. John's Day, Holy Innocents Day, St. Thomas Becket, the Feast of the Holy Family, New Year's, the Solemnity of Mary the Mother of God, the Feast of the Epiphany, the Baptism of Our Lord and Candlemas. The ideas are simple, the layout very easy to follow and the activities are especially for larger families with small children.
Celtic Heritage Saints
This book offers short, readable biographies of sixteen of Ireland (and Scotland's) greatest saints (covering the years from St. Patrick through 1142). The writing style and illustrations are reminiscent of Once Upon a Time Saints by Ethel Pochocki (Bethlehem Books). Despite the simplicity of the book (approximately a 4th grade reading level) it covers an important and oft-forgotten part of Catholic history. The great monasteries of Ireland fostered learning, culture and faith that eventually spread to all of Europe (through the help of some of the great missionary saints portrayed in this book) and was a major factor in the renewal of the Catholic faith after the fall of the Roman Empire and the conquests of Europe by the barbarians. The stories are of the following saints: St. Patrick, St. Ciaran of Clonmacnoise, St. Enda of Aran, St. Brendan the Navigator, St. Kilian (Apostle of Franconia), St. Brigid Mary of Gael, St. Columbanus of Bobbio, St. Colmcille Dove of the Church, St. Finian of Clonard, St. Malachy O Morgair, St. Hilda of Whitby, St. Carthage of Lismore, St. Margaret of Scotland, St. Dympna of Gheel, St. Kevin of Glendalough, and St. Comgall of Bangor.
My children enjoyed the stories as a read aloud (especially appropriate for celebrating Saint Patrick's day, but it would also make an enjoyable and very worthwhile addition/supplement to a study of this era of history for almost any grade level.
Chats With God's Little Ones
Chats With God's Little Ones is a unique Catholic religion course for the youngest of students from pre-kindergarten up through the second grade. Written to the teacher, the lessons are designed to be used orally with the student in a Charlotte Mason three-step style of asking the child, answering with the child, and the re-telling by the child. The lessons are presented as guided scripts for the teacher, who can personalize them and adapt them to the needs and interest of the child. In the words of the author, "I have written a step by step guide to enable you to arouse the child's interest, apply the Faith to his daily life, and convey to him your love of Jesus and Mary and of the child himself. Our chief aim, after all, is to inflame his heart with love of God and His Holy Mother, and enkindle in him the desire to please God."
Chats With God's Little Ones is a 94 page, spiral-bound book with a laminated over. The binding allows the book to lie flat so that is can be used during the lesson time with the child. At first glance, the book seems very simple; it isn't! There are 63 lessons of new material arranged into 24 chapters, in addition to 24 review lessons, one at the end of each chapter. The lessons begin with the teaching of the basic Catholic prayers and the meaning of these prayers. The lessons continue with instruction in all of the basic catechism lessons, intermixed with an introduction to Bible History. The back of the book includes simple drawings and suggestions for art projects for each of the chapters. This is a full-year religion course for Pre-K, Kindergarten, and First Grade. It is designed to also be used in the first semester of Second Grade, with sacramental preparation taking place in the second semester.
I really like this course, and I am using it both in Kindergarten as an introduction to our Faith and in First Grade, with an eye toward mastery and understanding. In our family, we tend toward a Charlotte Mason-based approach in the youngest years, and the style of this course fits in very nicely.
CHC Lesson Plans: 3rd Grade, Appendix Three "At the Feet of Mary: Holy Rosary Project"
30 sheet supplement to the larger resource reviewed here.
This rosary resource includes a cut-and-color rosary booklet featuring half-page illustrations on each of the 20 mysteries of the Rosary by Anna May McCallum. This project is designed to cover five weeks - an introductory week and one week each for the Joyful, Luminous, Sorrowful and Glorious mysteries of the Rosary. This resource also provides instructions for compiling the book (along with the child's own meditations on each mystery), suggested book, movie and game ideas, meditations on each of the mysteries of the Rosary (including commentary by the Pope from his encyclical on the Holy Rosary) and beautiful commentaries on four great Shrines in Europe from a young girl who visited them (Loreto, Lourdes, Rue-de-Bac and St. Peter's Basilica). A very beautiful resource.
Christmas Turtles
This is a simple, charming and true story, from the author's own childhood, of a grandmother and her four grandchildren, for whom she makes Christmas Turtles each year with the pecans from her own yard.
The children discover the real "magic" that goes into making these favorite treats and how very much their grandmother really loves them. A recipe for the turtles is included in the back!
The layout of the pages is unusual. The typeface is quite large and the illustrations look like they were drawn by the narrator, the author as a young girl. My son complained about the faces at first, but once I read it aloud to all of my "middles" (ages 4-11), they all REALLY loved it and especially can't wait to make some turtles themselves.
The book came into our lives at a perfect time, when we're trying to move toward more homemade gifts for Christmas and for making more time during the busy holidays to do things like baking with the children.
Available from your local bookstore.
Christopher's Talks to Catholic Children
What a beautiful book! Do you imagine teaching the catechism to your children through stories and illustrations? This is the book to use. Christopher's Talks to Catholic Children is a book of stories for children from the youngest ages up through elementary school. Written in the first person with a friendly, gentle tone, each story is a beautifully-presented lesson in the whole of the catechism. Even better, the author has included simple line drawings in the stories that he recommends be drawn by the storyteller during the telling of the story and copied by the children to help them remember the lesson.
This edition is actually the two original books bound into one volume. Book 1 contains stories on such topics as God, the Angels, the sin of Adam and Eve, actual grace, the sacraments, baptism, confirmation, the resurrection and the ascension. Book 2 continues with lessons on the other sacraments, the communion of saints, the Holy Souls, the Mass, and each of the commandments, in terms that can be easily understood by children. There is one section after Book 1 titled "For Grown-ups Only" that gives many teaching hints and notes on the lessons for points that may be confusing to children. The section at the end of Book 2 gives specific guidance for the preparation of children for First Penance and First Communion.
I'm delighted to have found this book! It is a wonderful addition to our religion classes and should have a place in every Catholic home. It could be used profitably in homeschools of every description. My only regret is that this book was published in softcover only. It is printed on high-quality, easy-on-the-eyes off-white paper in the style of the books produced by Ignatius Press. I can foresee a lot of wear on the cover when the book is used with several successive children, and I would prefer a hardbound book to keep for the next generation.








