Religion Elementary

The 3-D Passion Play Cut ‘n Color Kit creates a spectacular miniature theater when completed. It displays in a circle format and includes four ready-to-color, 3-dimensional scenes (The Last Supper, The Agony in the Garden, The Crucifixion, and the Resurrection). Three are back to back on the bottom and one is perched on top. (You might like to display it on a lazy-susan in order to change between scenes). Easy-to-follow, step-by-step, illustrated instructions are provided to insure success. Once completed, children will have a beautiful theater to re-enact the events of Holy Week, beginning with the Last Supper through the Resurrection, along with numerous movable characters, and 3 mini-booklets (Biblical excerpts from The Agony in the Garden, The Crucifixion, and the Resurrection). Besides the miniature booklets, there are scriptural verses printed along the perimeter of each scene. Also along the top tier there are nine virtues: Joy, Peace, Faithfulness, self-control, etc. Finished size: 10" x 10" x 13 ½". Younger children will need some adult supervision.

This is a lovely and inexpensive Rummy game that also teaches the mysteries of the rosary. It includes two colorful cards, illustrated with Old Masters paintings, for each 0f the twenty mysteries of the rosary. The Rummy game requires both matching and ordering the mysteries. Instructions are included.

So far, we've been using it as a memory game - and even my five year old (who admittedly is a memory enthusiast) loves it. It actually has some weaknesses as a memory game (too busy on the backs of the cards, images are rather small) that don't detract at all from its intended purpose.

Available from jody's Hands-on Learning

The Saint Search Game is played in the same fashion as Bingo. After picking a saint token from the pile, instead of covering a number on a square, the player crowns the saint with a golden nimbus (token). The player to cover the first row, horizontal, vertical, or diagonal, wins. An alternate version for longer play is to cover the whole card. Another method of play not mentioned is to cover just the four corners. The cards use the same 40 saints and symbols found in the Litany game. Since both symbols and names are used on the game cards and tokens, children do not need to be able to read in order to play the game. If an older child or adult is playing, they could read the information from the booklet while the children are covering their saints. Each game comes with 12 playing boards (5” x 6 ½” cards), 40 saint tokens, 200 golden nimbuses and a saint symbol information booklet (This is the same booklet as found in Litany.). For a new fun twist on Bingo that reminds children of the saints, the Saint Search Game is sure to be a hit.

(Additional Review) "Essentials and Accidentals"

Once Saint Thomas Aquinas was in a class that Saint Albert the Great taught. One day St. Albert asked why this was silly: "I am a human being and I have a high pitched voice; therefore all human beings have high-pitched voices."

St. Thomas said that Father Albert should be pointing to an "essential" and not an "accidental". An essential is what all of what you are talking about have. An "accidental" is what only some of what you are talking about have. For example, how big a room is, what shape it is, what color it is and what it is used for are all accidentals. The essential thing about a room is that it is a space between four walls and has a ceiling and a floor.

I thought that this was very brilliant.