The Rosary is a beautiful, traditional prayer for Catholics. Meditating on the life of Christ alongside His Mother can bear great fruit in our souls as we allow the Mysteries of Jesus' life transform our hearts.

We have heard about the importance of praying the Rosary, especially as a family. But family life can be chaotic, especially with multiple children. The family Rosary, at least in our house, is not quiet, focused, or at all what I idealize. But the grace is in that. Our efforts to pray a family Rosary are not futile and not without merit. 

Pray the Rosary as a Family with these Six Tips 

Praying the family Rosary will probably be loud, kids will get distracted, someone will need to go to the bathroom, and chances are everyone is probably hungry. Just because it’s hard doesn’t mean it is not worth it! We are raising the next generation of Catholics and introducing them to the Rosary can form a huge part child’s prayer life.

These tips are designed to give you and your family a thoughtful prayer time that everyone can take part in. 

1. Take it slow. Pray thoughtfully. Don't rush prayer time, even if you can only make it through a decade or part of the Rosary. You want your kids to know the prayers inside and out, not just recite them in a monotone.
2. Set realistic prayer goals. When children are young and time is short, the best thing you can do is to take it one step at a time. If you can only get through one decade, so be it! You can always make your way up to the whole Rosary.
3. Include the Rosary in morning time. Morning time is perfect for the Rosary because everyone is already gathered in one place. This helps keep a steady routine of praying the Rosary.
4. Play Gregorian Chant in the background. This is a great way to help calm the mind and get you in the right place to pray.
5. Give each child their own Rosary. Make sure you take note of your child’s age when selecting a Rosary. There are Rosaries are made for babies, toddlers, and mid-kids/teens! For babies, we love Chews Life Rosaries, Gather and Pray Rosary Poppers for younger kids, and special occasion Rosaries for older kids/teens, such as First Communion and Confirmation Rosaries.
6. Pray using sacred art. The Rosary comes alive with sacred art. You could study how artists such as Fra Angelico and Caravaggio depict the Mysteries. You can also use picture study (check out our picture study on the Joyful Mysteries!) to further the child's engagement!

Praying the Rosary is a wonderful childhood (and lifelong) devotion. Whether you have one child or five, if your child is two or twenty-two, the Rosary can be a wonderful family tradition!

What tips work for your family? Do you have tips of your own? Share them in the comments below!