How To Pray the Rosary as a Family

The rosary may seem to be a prayer that is too long and repetitive for young people. Taking the time to explain to them what the rosary is and the difference with the chaplet is a first step. We can also take a moment to explain to them how to recite a rosary so they know how to proceed. Other tips exist to make this prayer more engaging and so that children see this prayer time as a moment spent with the Blessed Virgin.

Explaining the rosary to children

With simple words adapted to the age of the children, we can tell the origin of the rosary, which consists of three chaplets. We can take the time to explain that it is a very simple prayer that everyone can recite, even children. For this, we can illustrate our words with the story of the different apparitions of the Virgin. Indeed, Marie was addressing children and said: “Pray the rosary, my children!" such as in Fatima. After taking the time to tell the beautiful story of the rosary and the saints associated with this devotion, we can offer different books adapted to their age which tell the story of saints who have prayed their rosary so many times.

Tips for praying the rosary with children

There are different tips to help children, and we can set them up according to what suits them best.

The interest of images

Children need to stimulate their imagination, and for this, concrete aids are needed. A child will find it difficult to fully understand the different mysteries and meditate on them. For this, there are different booklets with images illustrating the mystery in question that change depending on the day. This image is accompanied by a simple sentence, allowing the child to understand what it is about.

We can also offer children coloring pages on the various mysteries such as the annunciation, the nativity, the death of Christ on the cross. Thus, children can become familiar with what is meditated during the rosary. Coloring pages can be proposed according to the day of the mysteries: (the time will seem shorter)

• Monday and Saturday coloring: the Joyful Mysteries
• Tuesday and Friday Coloring: The Sorrowful Mysteries
• Wednesday and Sunday coloring: the Glorious Mysteries
• Thursday coloring: the Mysteries of Light.

The Children's Special Rosary

It is important that children can participate in the rosary in a way that they will not feel bored. We can integrate them into the prayer of the rosary by having them recite a decade of the rosary. We can thus give them a rosary designed especially for them. The different colors used will help them to better count the ten Hail Mary's. 

How can I motivate my kids or teenagers?

The duration of a rosary may be long for small children and boring for teenagers. It is probably best to start with only one or two decades for the youngest so that they become familiar with this Marian prayer.

As far as our teenagers are concerned, do not hesitate to involve them. In concrete terms:

• They can entrust a prayer intention to each decade
• They can read the meditations of the different mysteries
• They can choose a song for the middle or the end of the rosary

With Hozana, pray the rosary and pray with your family

On Hozana, you will find different proposals to help you lead family prayer. If you want to learn more about the rosary, you can meditate on it with a community. 

If reciting an entire rosary is too complicated, don't worry ! You can download the Rosario app, created by Hozana, to pray a decade with others. You can also participate in a novena to pray with your family through different challenges offered