Getting Kids to Pray the Rosary

I was asked how to help young kids start praying the Rosary AND how to get older kids to understand the importance of praying the Rosary.

Let’s start with the older kids.

If you have toddlers, just scroll down.

Teens and Older Kids

1. Watch an inspiring movie.

Movies inspire people, including your teens.

One film you can consider as a stepping stone to help them understand the importance of the Rosary is the recent Fatima movie, released in 2020.

A large part of the message of Fatima was to pray the Rosary every day.

The movie by itself won’t be enough, but it is a stepping stone.

After the movie, read through the messages of Fatima with your family.

If your kids want to keep going, they can learn about Our Lady of Kibeho, a Vatican approved apparition of Mary in Rwanda, in an interview with a survivor of the 1994 Rwandan genocide. This video can help instill the importance of the Rosary and the Seven Sorrows.

2. Pray A Scriptural Rosary

Try a Scriptural Rosary with your kids.

Each bead has a verse to reflect on.

A Scriptural Rosary only takes 5 minutes longer, yet it can feel shorter because it is easier to stay focused and reflect on each mystery.

Here are video aides from the Catholic Crusade: Joyful, Sorrowful, Glorious, Luminous.

Here are free printouts that we put together to help aid your family (Set the printer to double-sided).

If you prefer visuals, here are visual cards you can use for each mystery. Buying these helps support our ongoing animation productions.

3. Rosary Booklets and Reading

Check out your local Catholic bookstore.

Going to a Catholic bookstore is a great experience in general for your kids to find things that interest them.

There are a lot of small booklets to help with understanding the Rosary out there. I am certain your local Catholic bookstore will love to help you find one right for your family.

If you want to go even deeper with your older kids, read through Pope John Paul II’s apostolic letter, Rosarium Virginis Marie.

In this beautifully written letter, Pope John Paul II walks us through a few significant historical moments of the Rosary and previous popes and he describes the importance of praying the Rosary. Pope John Paul II also tells us here the reason for the new Luminous mysteries.

Little Catholics

For your toddlers, I have two recommendations.

1. One is the Little Rose Shop’s lovely fabric book for the Rosary.

On the same page, you can scroll down and find wonderful recommendations to help little Catholics with the Rosary as they grow.

They also have pray-along videos to go with their books!

2. Secondly, Catholic Sprouts has board books of the Rosary! Each page has an image of the mystery to help your little Catholics follow along. (Feel free to use our "catholicstoriesforchildren" code, it's 10% off anything in the store).

What do you do to help your kids pray the Rosary?

Reply and let me know! Your answer can help other Catholic parents and families.

In Christ,

Trevor