Teaching children prayers is necessary especially the prayers that we Catholics use most often. One prayer that is over looked is Grace Before Meals, but here are a few activities that might be helpful to learn this prayer.
catholicallyear.com- Grace Before Meals color printable to hang in your home or classroom
looktohimandberadiant.com- Prayer Before Meals card (you can color it)
crusaders-for-christ.com- Grace Before Meals handwriting in print and cursive (scroll down for these and look under Catechism, then under Grace)
nashvilleras.com- More than 100 Missions Bible Memory Games and Other Activities
catholicteacher.com- Meal Prayer Lesson with activities and craft
I found a craft from The Big Book of Catholic Customs and Traditions for Children's Faith Formation by Beth Branigan that is so creative and fun that the children will learn this prayer in no time.
Grace Mobile (page 17)- Follow the directions or put your own twist to this imaginative craft that all kids will enjoy making. (*I used a hot glue gun and attached a plastic fork to a paper napkin that had an index card glued inside of it. When I used a paper hole punch to put a hole in the napkin, the index card gave it more support making the item more stable to attach to a hanger with a ribbon. From this mobile craft I came up with a 3-D craft the students could make. Students can make a placemat and then glue the items on it like a place setting and also the prayer on the plate.)
Grace Before Meals 3-D Picture- Students make a placemat any way they like using a large piece of construction paper 18 X 12”and other craft supplies. Then glue a napkin, silverware, plate, and a plastic cup on it like a place setting. Students then glue the Grace Before Meals prayer on the plate.
catholicicing.com- Catholic Dinner Prayer Printout (scroll down to this)
The traditional Grace Before Meals prayer printed out to glue on to the center of a paper plate.
*After my students make their placemats I asked them, “How do we set a table?” We then do it slowly step-by-step making the craft (I have the students glue the prayer on the plate later) so hopefully they can help out at home setting the table.
I then say to my students: Do any of you say “grace” or thank God before you eat your meals? Do any of you have a “standard” grace you say at home? (Give a few examples.) Why do we say grace? Is it important? Why? Sometimes we can easily forget to thank the Lord for all He has given to us and a great way to remember is to always pray to Him to thank Him for the food He gives us to eat each day. We have lots to be thankful for. Let’s not forget to say thank you to God.
The activities below are free, however they can only to be used for classroom and personal use. They may not be published on any websites or other electronic media, or distributed in newsletters, bulletins, or any other form or sold for profit. Reproduction or retransmission of any materials, in whole or in part, in any manner, is not permitted. All graphics/images/clipart etc. used on these activities are not my own and are from various internet sources.
Grace Before Meals Roll a Prayer (worksheet)- Cut out prayer strips. Students roll a die to collect all the pieces to their prayer. The first one to collect all the pieces to the prayer is the winner. Students then glue in the spaces provided the prayer in the correct order.
Grace Before Meals Handwriting Sheet (manuscript)- 2 versions
Grace Before Meals Game or Worksheets- 2 versions
