Ascension Day Plans

Having worked out our plans early for a change I thought I would share them wtih any one who might be interested.
I hope they are helpful to some of you.

Ascension Day:
"Easter week and the days thereafter are ones of happiness and Christian Joy in the life of the risen Lord. Although the Church includes the Feast of Pentecost int the Liturgical season of Easter, Ascension Day is actually the feast that terminates the events of the Saviours life on earth.
This feast has been celebrated since the earliest Christian times, and by the fourth century had spread to throughout the entire Christian world of that time.
It was an old European custom to eat a bird on that day because Christ had 'flown' to Heaven. In Western Germany, bakers gave their customers pieces of patry made in the shapes o fvarious birds. In England, the day was celebrated with games, dancing and horse races. In Central Europe, families went hiking and on picnics."--Catholic Traditions in the Home and Classroom.♥

Plans for the day ♥♥♥

♥ Books:
Read from the bible about Ascension and to the little ones from The Catholic Picture Bible.

♥ Take down the Large crosses from the hill.

♥ Activities and Crafts:
--Make a kite from various materials- cross frame with paper or plastic cover.
--Make a flying Streamer bag-- All Year round.
--Home made wind mills with coloured paper on stick.
--Make a parachute out of hanky or small piece of fabric , tie to the parachute a small figure, ie a small gnome or other wooden figure and drop over balcony.
--Make a butterfly mobile from tissue paper and pipe cleaners-- The Children's Year.
--Wrap streamers of ribbon around a piece of dowel, glue well, and let children run with them-- The Children's Year
--Dove Mobile Spiral -- The Children's Year.
--Blow bubbles with bubble wands with home made bubble mix and wands.
-- Blow up ballons and have ballon races or just batting them around.

--Colour in Ascension day picture , another one here and a third one and dove colouring picture.
--Or fill in dove shape with scrunched up tissue/crepe paper.
--Felted picture using fleece and either place on as in Magic wool or dry felt a picture.

♥All Seasons Wreath:
--Fluffy clouds and doves floating around using some of the activities crafts.

♥ Enjoying Nature:
--Have a kite flying contest with the kites made and an outdoor picnic/afternoon tea.
--Run around with steamers made from above.
--Lay down and just watch the cloud movement.

♥ Cooking:
--Make a dove cake: cut out dove shape using a picture of a dove from a slab cake or make slab cake and put dove shape on top with white cream on chocolate background.
--Dove cookies from cutouts again. Ice with white icing or trace like gingerbread cookies at Christmas.
-- Cook meringue's as they are really light and could represent air or clouds.
-- Cloudy Sky Sweets (updated 2010)
-- Tiramisu I love this sweets (update 2010 Catholic Icing)

♥ Main meal:
--Chicken probably Apricot with white rice and ice cream for sweets.


♥ Table decorations:
--Green tablecloth with glitter and stars on the cloth.
"The stars on the green cloth show the connection we now have between heaven and earth because of Jesus' ascension. The flowers show that Jesus' words and works are flowering even now on earth."-- The big book of Catholic Customs and traditions. ♥
--Place mats of cloud formations, printed out and laminated.
--Place cards of cotton wool with each persons name on it.
--Laminated book mark of the Ascension.
--Statue of Divine Mercy, Sacred Heart, and Good Shepherd, Circle this with flowers.

♥ Some other Lesson plans- Catholic Mom.com

Blessings,