Salt Dough Crown of Thorns

Each year, when I've told the children that Lent is beginning imminently, they have immediately started exclaiming about how they "get to do the crown of thorns!" I have decided that this simple activity continued throughout Lent is the winner for our family. 

I park the baby's chair in the middle of the kitchen when we do cooking activities: he likes the commotion!

The crown of thorns is on a drape of black silk in our dining room.
The children will be allowed to remove thorns from Jesus' crown when they do sacrificial deeds.
At Easter, we plan to decorate the crown--perhaps with faux gemstones or flowers.

We've been talking with the five- and seven-year-olds for a few days about the nature of Lenten sacrifices, brainstorming sacrifices that aren't too big, aren't too small. I plan to write down their decisions on these handy-dandy forms.