May is one of the most beautiful months to live liturgically in the home. The Church places before us beautiful feast days, amazing saints, and a deep devotion to Our Lady, all woven into the rhythm of spring and new life. This is a month that naturally invites us to slow down, gather our children close, and root our days in what is true, good, and eternal.
Below are simple, meaningful ways to celebrate the most important feast days in May, without overwhelm and without turning your home into a checklist!
May 1: Feast of Saint Joseph the Worker
This feast honors the dignity of work and the quiet strength of St. Joseph as provider, protector, and model of obedience.
Simple ways to celebrate:
- Read a short story or picture book about St. Joseph
- Let your children participate in meaningful work in the home
- Say a family prayer asking for diligence, humility, and trust in God
- Make something together with your hands (woodworking, baking, fixing something)
You can also use your St. Joseph Freebie Pack to anchor the day with gentle structure and hands-on activities.
May 13: Feast of Our Lady of Fatima
A beautiful opportunity to bring Marian devotion into your home in a tangible way.
Family tradition idea: Bake Broa de Milho (Portuguese Cornbread)
This simple, rustic bread connects your family to the culture of Fatima and makes the feast memorable for your children.
I like this recipe for Broa bread by Spruce Eats.
Other ways to celebrate:
- Pray a decade (or full) Rosary together
- Tell the story of the Fatima apparitions in a simple, child-friendly way
- Light a candle and consecrate your family to Our Lady
The Ascension of the Lord
Traditionally celebrated on May 14th, but often moved to the following Sunday in most diocese in the United States.
The Ascension is a joyful reminder that Jesus is alive and that Heaven is our true home! A fun hands-on activity to celebrate the Ascension with your kids is by making Heavenly Cloud Dough! Here is a recipe below to whip some of this fun sensory dough.
Heavenly Cloud Dough
Ingredients
Directions
- Add cornstarch to a large mixing bowl
- Measure and then add conditioner to the bowl
- Use a long wooden spoon to mix the two ingredients together until it gets too hard to stir.
- Use your hands to finish mixing the dough together. (can knead by hand or put it in a gallon size zippered storage bag to knead it.)
- Test glitter in a small handful of dough to see if it combines well or if it sticks to hands!
- Enjoy!
*Adapted from recipe by Southern Plate
Notes:
- If it’s too dry, add more conditioner (or oil)
- If it’s too wet, add more cornstarch or just wait a while for it to absorb. (It dries out quickly so be sure to put in a sealed container as soon as it’s not being played with!)
- Skip food dye entirely since clouds are white!
- Glitter is optional since it may stick to hands more than the dough 😜
Extend the lesson:
- Talk about Heaven as a real place
- Ask your children what they imagine Heaven will look like
- Read the Ascension account from Scripture
- Let children shape clouds, crosses, or symbols of Heaven
Trinity Sunday
The Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs: Art & Architecture Collection,
The New York Public Library. “Die heilige Dreieinigkeit.” The New York Public Library Digital Collections. 1837 – 1842
This feast invites us into mystery. One God in three Persons.
Simple ways to introduce it to children:
- Draw a triangle and label Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
- Use a shamrock example like Saint Patrick did! (Grab our FREE St Patrick Printable Pack for the trinity craft and labels!)
- Pray the Glory Be
More resources are coming for this one, so check back soon!
Pentecost
Pentecost is the birthday of the Church and a great day to teach about the Holy Spirit!
Celebrate with:
- Wearing red
- Reading the story of Pentecost in Acts
- Reading The Holy Spirit and the Greatest Adventure
- Reading The Feast of Pentecost
- Reading Building the Way to Heaven
- Inviting the Holy Spirit into your home through prayer
You can also use our Pentecost Gifts of the Holy Spirit Craft from the shop to make this feast tangible and memorable while also teaching your children about the 7 gifts of the Holy Spirit.
Saints to Highlight This Month
Saint Isidore the Farmer
A perfect saint for spring. He reminds us that ordinary work, done with love, becomes holy.
Saint Joan of Arc
A bold example of courage, obedience, and listening to God’s voice even when it is difficult.
Both of these saints are included in your Knowing Them Saint Unit Study Pack for May, making it easy to dive deeper without extra planning.
Living Marian Devotion All Month Long
May is dedicated entirely to Our Lady, which means you do not need to wait for a single feast day to honor her!
Simple traditions to begin:
Mary Garden
Plant flowers together and dedicate the space to Our Lady. Even a small pot or corner counts.
May Crowning
Let your children gather flowers and crown a statue or image of Mary. This can be as simple or as beautiful as your family desires.
Daily Marian Rhythm
- Pray a Hail Mary together each morning
- Keep fresh flowers near a Marian image
- Sing a Marian hymn during your day
Celebrating Feast Days in May
Liturgical living in May does not require elaborate plans or perfect execution. It is built in the small, faithful choices made day after day. A prayer here. A simple recipe there. A story told at the table. A feast day you made a point to talk about.
When your children grow up, they may not remember every activity. But they will remember that your home belonged to God. That the faith was not something you visited once a week, but something you lived every single day.
And that is the goal.
