When selecting rosary beads for children, it is important to keep the child’s age and gender in mind. Children should be taught to care for their rosary beads.
There are many types of rosary beads for children, ranging from colorful plastic rosaries to wooden rosaries. There are even rosaries that glow in the dark. When selecting rosary beads for children, you should be sure to make your choice with care. While a very young child might appreciate a colorful rosary with big plastic beads, an older child will probably appreciate a nicer rosary that looks like the type parents and other adults have.
Plastic Rosaries
Very young children are attracted to bright colors, which is just one reason plastic rosaries can be a good choice for them. In addition, they can be very hard on delicate items, including rosaries with carefully crafted metal links. Plastic rosaries with plastic crucifixes and medals instead of metal ones are just right for babies and toddlers, particularly if the child still tends to put items in his or her mouth. These rosaries tend to be very sturdy, and they can be easily sanitized. You can even run them through the dishwasher to remove germs.
Plastic rosary beads for children made with different colored beads can also help youngsters learn how to say the rosary. Just be sure to check these rosaries for damage frequently, and repair or retire them if beads come loose so that they don’t become a choking hazard. Also, don’t leave very young children unattended with rosaries, unless those rosaries are too small to fit over their heads. As they are very sturdy and are designed not to break, they can be a strangulation hazard. If you keep rosaries around the house, keep them up and out of reach when they are not in use, both to prevent accidents and to help kids understand the need to handle religious items with reverence.
First Communion Rosaries
When a youngster receives his or her First Holy Communion, it’s a sign that he or she is growing up and growing in faith. This is a great time to take a step up from rosary beads for children to a set of rosary beads that the child can enjoy using as the years pass.
Girls and boys alike dress in white for their first communions, as a sign of purity. A white rosary is a customary first communion gift, and one that the child will treasure. Consider giving the gift of a mother of pearl rosary – this is made from natural mother of pearl shell, and will become more lustrous as time passes.
For a boy who might not appreciate the beauty of mother of pearl, consider replacing rosary beads for children with a set of rosary beads handcrafted from olivewood. This rosary is just as beautiful as its white mother of pearl counterpart, but has a much more masculine look and feel.
You’ll find mother of pearl rosaries and olivewood rosaries online, at HolyLand-Gifts.com. These surprisingly affordable rosaries are handmade by holy land artisans, and make outstanding first communion gifts that anyone will appreciate.