Unfortunately, sometimes both become more the entertainment of adults than the spiritual edification of children or the praise of God. A first step in reaching children is to understand how human beings process and learn new information at various stages of development. Before they use language, young children use their senses to acquire information and infer meaning. As children grow older, language assumes a more central role in learning. As adults, language is usually the predominant way of acquiring information, even though we never stop learning through our senses.
Children are creatures of habit.
Repetition, whether it be a night time routine or the reading of a favorite story, provides order and security in children's lives. Repeated routines enable them to bring meaning, understanding and maturity to their experiences. The need for ritual can make the liturgy an engaging and relevant means of worship for children. The passing of the peace and signing the cross are only two of many ritual actions in worship that can have meaning for children. Children learn the meaning of these actions by repeating them within the liturgy.