Lenten Fasting Ideas
- Give up coffee (or only brew it at home)
- Give up certain social media sites, or limited them to certain days/time of day
- Give up electronics after a certain time in the day (i.e., no screens after 8 p.m.)
- Sleep without a pillow
- Wake up without hitting the snooze button
- Shower without hot (with only lukewarm) water
- Keep the thermostat several degrees cooler
- Park in the back of the parking lot and say a prayer as you walk to the grocery store
- Abstain from reading gossip/rumor sites
Unique Things to Give Up
- Social Media
- Caffeine
- Hatred
- Television
- Complaining
Kids / Teen Fasting Ideas for Lent
- Give up a favorite toy or game
- Fast from social media for a day
- Give up a favorite snack
- Drink only water at school
- Give up a favorite chair at home or seat at school
- Go without headphones/air pods for a day
- Play your favorite game, focusing on helping others instead of winning
- Allow others to pass in front of you in the lunch line
Things your family can start doing during Lent
- Spend time volunteering as a family
- Allow kids to be the one to place money in the basket during the offertory at Mass
- Introduce children to a charity and explain to them how and why to donate to it
- Have children identify a toy they are willing to donate to Goodwill
- Help children pick an article of clothing they’ll donate to bless someone in need
- Create a jar to collect change to donate
- Donate food to a food bank
- Donate a service (free homework tutoring, free professional assistance, etc)
- Give a smile to someone you pass who may be living on the street (instead of ignoring them)
- Follow new charities on social media and engage with their posts
- Support a business that advertises with Christian media