Intergenerational Lent Resources

The Intergenerational Lent Resources linked below will help you celebrate Lent whether as a faith community or as an individual household. This also includes intergenerational resources for Shrove Tuesday, Ash Wednesday, Palm Sunday and Holy Week. There are resources for intergenerational worship and events, plus resources that you can share with households of all types and ages. You can choose what Lent resources or ideas will work for your congregation and households.

Purple cross as purple is the colour of Lent

What is Lent?

Lent starts on Ash Wednesday and ends on Easter Eve (Easter Saturday).  It is a period of 40 days (not counting the Sunday’s), which represents the 40 days that Jesus was in the desert fasting & preparing for His ministry.  Lent helps Christians prepare for Easter.

Some Christians might fast by forgoing certain meals or even just give up one thing during lent such as chocolate, coffee or watching TV.  They might spend more time in prayer to draw closer to God.  And they might give to others in need.  Money saved from what they’ve given up for Lent can go towards helping others.

If you’d like to know more about Lent or are looking for a clip to share with your congregation that explains Lent you might like to watch this YouTube Clip from Busted Halo.

Celebrating Lent

Below are a number of Lent resource with the links sorted into categories. Starting with ideas for worship and intergenerational events for the whole community. This is followed by many ideas for resourcing households to celebrate Lent together and explore faith at the same time.

You might like to make up a pack of resources for households.  Just choose a few, print them off and add the necessary materials.  You can even collate a few resources that households can select from and let households choose what they would like to use. For more on collating resources for households you might like to download my free Collating Household Resources for Special Seasons resource.

Intergenerational Lent Worship and Event Ideas

Shrove Tuesday

Shrove Tuesday also known as pancake day is celebrated on the day before Ash Wednesday, the final feast before the 40-day Lenten fast leading up to Easter. Historically this was a time for confession (or “shriving”) and using up rich ingredients like eggs, milk and sugar.

plate of pancakes ready for Shrove Tuesday with eggs in the background
  • Pancake Party – ideas could be used for an all-age activity evening

Ash Wednesday

Ash Wednesday marks the first day of Lent. Participants who attend an Ash Wednesday service often receive ashes on the forehead or back of the hand in the shape of a cross as a reminder of mortality and the need for God’s grace. The ashes are usually made from burnt palm branches from the previous Sunday.

dish of ash for Ash Wednesday

Lent Worship Ideas

Bible Explore from NZ has ideas for each week to match the lectionary:

And some Messy Church Ideas

Lent Intergenerational Events

  • Lent Event from Uniting World – 40 days of faith-filled action for God’s creation
  • Easter Walk Through – 16 stations with pictures, story, an action point & an activity
  • Purchase Lent 2026 Year A – a Cross-Generational Lenten Resource from Faith Inkubators. Can download a free sample

Palm Sunday

Palm Sunday commemorates Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem and signals the start of Holy Week before Easter.

Holy Week

Holy Week is the solemn, final week of Lent, focusing on the Passion (suffering, death, and burial) of Jesus, beginning with Palm Sundany and leading to Easter Sunday. Key days include Maundy (Holy) Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday.

Good Friday

A memorable Good Friday service was when our minister at the time decided to move most of the pews and have a large cross in the worship space. In working out what to do with the pews we pushed most of the pews into the centre of the worship space, covered them with white cloth and use black cloth to make a very large cross on top of the pews (pictured above). The majority of us stood around during the service although there were some pews or seats left out for those that needed them. Yes, it was a bit uncomfortable but Good Friday or what happened to Jesus was not comfortable. During the service we were invited to throw herbs and flowers onto the cross.  Two young boys spent ages walking around and picking up all the herbs and flowers that had fallen onto the ground to make sure it went onto the cross. Definitely a space where all ages were welcomed and included in the service.

large black fabric cross on white fabric covered chairs with flowers and herbs sprinkled on it

Household Lent Ideas

pancack mix with picture of the Celebration leaflet and one of the placemats from the Pancake Celebration Pack.
Pancake Celebration Pack
Ash Wednesday Ritual instructions with a small tub of ash and some heart candies all from the Ash Wednesday Ritual Pack
Ash Wednesday Ritual Pack
Lent Journey Mat with coloured circles and arrows to help you countdown to Easter
Lent Journey Mat

Shrove Tuesday

In our house the tradition is to have pancakes for dinner on Shrove Tuesday. Everyone has to have one pancake with savoury topping before they can have sweet toppings.

  • Purchase a Pancake Celebration Pack – pack includes placemats with Shrove Tuesday facts & a pancake joke, along with ideas for a family celebration (discounts for bulk purchases if you want to gift this to families/households in your congregation).
  • Shrove Tuesday Party Packs – More ideas for celebrating Shrove Tuesday at home with your family or invite others to join as well. Or put together party packs for households or small groups.
  • A savoury pancake topping idea if you’re having pancakes as a meal
  • More ideas for Shrove Tuesday at Home

Ash Wednesday

Lent

A mix of one-off, weekly and daily activities for households to use during Lent.

Lent Devotions and Daily Readings

  • A Devotional for Lent at Church and Home – each day has 3 sections: “Dig In”, “Question” and “And..”. Use all 3 sections or just “Dig In”.
  • Purchase Amon’s Adventure – A family Story for Easter which can be read during Lent, leading up to Easter.  28 Chapters – Read a chapter every couple of days or start on Palm Sunday & read several chapters a day, finishing on Easter Sunday.
  • Easter Family Faith Trail – a series of stations with activities that families can use at home in a way that suits them. (Australian)
  • Purchase Easterific Faith Adventures – Families explore & experience the rich meaning of Easter by completing action challenges, discussion questions, and more. 
  • A Sent People – 6 family sessions about being a sent people with a challenge to join God in His transforming mission each week has a starter question, a story to read or watch and a family movie suggestion.
  • Our Transforming God – 6 family sessions focusing on transformation with a challenge to ‘let God change the way you think’ – each week has Think, Read, Watch (family movie suggestion), and Talk options.
  • A Pilgrimage of Grace – 6 family sessions to explore God’s amazing and transforming grace – each week has something to talk about, explore, think and watch (family movie suggestion.
  • Purchase 40 Days “Love Builds Up” Family Challenge – choose from personal or the appropiate size for your congregation
  • Lent in a Bag – Weekly devotions with the theme of “Praying with Jesus” – Put bags together for all your families/households
  • Another Lent in a bag idea to put together
  • Even more Lent in a bag ideas – see what other churches have put in their Lent bags
  • Or Lent in a Box – send a digital version or put together a box

Palm Sunday

Holy Week Activities

Maundy Thursday/Last Supper

Good Friday

Easter Saturday

This Intergenerational Lent Resources Page has covered Shrove Tuesday, Ash Wednesday and Holy Week (including Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Saturday), along with ideas for the whole season of Lent. Whilst this has covered Easter in some of the suggested resources a fuller Intergenerational Easter Resources page is also available.