A fantastic sensory experience for folks of all ages is preparing the dried palm leaves to be burned for Ash Wednesday!
On Transfiguration Sunday (last Sunday before Lent) Tori gathered the children at the front to touch and explore last year’s leaves. They were dry and poky, textured and brittle. We enjoyed the crackling snapping sounds of breading the leaves into pieces to place in our fire pit (to be burned later that afternoon safely outdoors).
We talked about how the oil would be mixed with the ashes to mark our foreheads and even the adults got involved taking turns at the back during the service preparing the palms.
This is a great ASMR experience as well, for adults who respond to aural stimulation!
For even more fun hold a bonfire after the church service and watch they leaves smoke and crumble into ash.