Stations Of The Cross For A Child?

[EDDIE51]

My granddaughter age 6 attends a Catholic faith school.She has been given a homework task to say what the 'Stations of the Cross' mean and how they affect her and her family.
I can google it but what comes up is far too advanced for a 6 year old, can anyone come up with an explanation in words that a 6 year old can understand?
My personal view is that they can not expect a 6 year old to understand such concepts but that won't help her get her task completed.She attends the school because it has an outstanding reputation for educational excellence rather than because of her or her parents faith!

[Jackdaw33]

They tell the story in pictorial form of Jesus' last night on earth and the events leading up to the crucifixion. They are a reminder of his suffering and death.

[naomi24]

Far be it from me to encourage the brainwashing of children, but homework is homework. This might help.

http://www.ainglkiss.com/stations4kids/

[Togo]

Eddie if you quickly scan through these dozen condensed explanations and get the girls parents or yourself of course to just go through them with her she will have her own take on the stages to talk about.

http://media.loyolapress.com/assets/lent/stations-eng/stations-eng.html

[Togo]

With you there Naomi, homework is homework and grandad is grandad.

[Jackdaw33]

You don't have to be 'brainwashed' to understand their meaning and significance to believers. By the way, they are not restricted to catholic churches, many anglican churches also have them.

[mikey4444]

Although I am an atheist now, what jack said earlier is what I was taught at my Catholic Primary School in the 1950's.

Its not really difficult to explain, even to a young child.

[naomi24]

jackdaw, //You don't have to be 'brainwashed' to understand their meaning and significance to believers.//

Children don't become believers until adults brainwash them.

[EDDIE51]

Thanks people , with a bit more Googling I have found this seems to be close to what I am looking for, but I still think it is a bit too difficult for a 6 year old. What do you think?
https://wau.org/resources/article/re_stations_cross_kids/
I am hoping to avoid the 'moral' argument, personally I do not approve of this level of indoctrination for a young child, but I am not going to let her get in trouble for not doing her homework.

[Ellipsis]

The link Naomi posted was excellent:

http://www.ainglkiss.com/stations4kids/

Perhaps you missed that each of the stations on that link was also a link - for example, here's the first station:

http://www.ainglkiss.com/stations4kids/k1.htm

You can move to the second station by clicking at the bottom of that page, and so on ...

[Mamyalynne]

Eddie both your link and the one Naomi posted are good references to use.

[Peter Pedant]

yeah if you likes the teaching standard then you have to accept the er teaching that goes with it

( up down up down ting a ling etc )

she is meant to repeat her relijos instrukshos class
and what she learnt there ( obviously very little )

not mentioned in the bible - and doesnt count anything like Mass ( or er smash as we called it)
Twelve images put up on the walls of the church
The idea is to process around the images
and they induce a prayerful state of mind ( but otherwise do not have any effect - like blessing or making you more holy ) - which remind one of the twelve events on the way to Calvary

You sing a special hymn ( stabat mater - dolorosa ) during this - twelve times if you want - most people dont - its a long 'un. Time for prayer and (directed) reflection

go home and have tea

( Simon of Cyrene helps to carry cross - falls once - falls twice are three of the stations which means that I only have nine others to recollect)

[woofgang]

In order to avoid the moral argument but to provide an err umm “wider perspective” would it be helpful to talk with your littly about why such activities were used in the church? About very few grown ups being able to read and write and books were rare and expensive so the church used pictures and activities to help people to remember things they thought were important (or “important things” if you want to avoid the judgement)

[EDDIE51]

^^ Excellent point woofgang I shall mention that, thanks.