Helping Young Children Participate at Mass with LOOK UP!

A candle glowing near the altar. The sound of people singing. Father wearing a different color this Sunday. There is so much for a young child to notice at Mass—but sometimes they need a little help knowing where to look.

That’s the idea behind my book, LOOK UP! at Mass with Louis and Lily: giving children a gentle way to discover the Mass while they’re at Mass.

Created for children ages 4–7, this full-color book invites little ones to find, point, follow, and explore with their fingers. There are no pencils or crayons to manage. Just a book in their lap, a little curiosity, and the church around them.

Louis and Lily are the children’s guides. On the page, they help young readers explore familiar church objects and activities. Then the LOOK UP! cue encourages children to lift their eyes and discover something in their own church.

Children might count candles in a picture and then look for candles near their own altar. They can notice the windows, listen for music, or look to see what Father is doing. Each activity makes a connection between the page and the Mass they are attending.

The book is meant to be used flexibly. Children can open it at different places, linger over a favorite picture, or return to it when they need help paying attention again. There’s no need to finish every activity or keep up with a sequence.

For parents and grandparents, it offers a simple starting point for a quiet prompt: “Can you find that in our church?” Sometimes that small invitation is all a child needs to begin looking more closely.

With their own copies, two children sitting together might even explore different pages, each noticing something meaningful at their own pace.

My hope is that this becomes a familiar book children bring back to Mass week after week. What they recognize one Sunday may help them understand a little more the next. Those small discoveries can become part of a growing sense of belonging in their parish and a growing love for the Mass.

If you’re looking for a thoughtful Catholic gift for a young child or grandchild, LOOK UP! at Mass with Louis and Lily offers something you can share together, one Sunday at a time.

Explore LOOK UP! at Mass with Louis and Lily on Amazon.

For another way to share faith with little ones at home, read about my Catholic Advent Activity Book for Children Ages 4–7. Its five themed sections begin with coloring and a little prayer, followed by tracing, counting, matching, picture puzzles, and mazes for the season of preparing for Jesus’ birth.

If you prefer to print selected activities for your household or a class you lead, you can also read about the printable Catholic Advent Activity Pack and its copying permission.

Would you like to know how the book began? Read Behind LOOK UP!: How Going to Mass with My Grandchildren Inspired a Book for the quiet moments with my grandchildren that inspired Louis and Lily’s invitation to look up.

With blessings,
Sandra
Sandra Rose Designs