Cemetery Fun!

Cemetery (1)So, maybe the words “cemetery” and “fun” have never been in the same sentence in your family but in mine they go together like peanut butter and jelly.  I can’t even count how often we have driven past a cemetery and the kids start to yell, “Mom, can we go to the cemetery, pretty please with cheese?!”  If we have time, I always oblige because cemeteries fascinate me.  Maybe that’s why we have so much fun in them as a family.

Visiting a cemetery is a perfect October outing.  Since this month has a holiday that might scare kids away from cemeteries, I thought I would share how you can enjoy them in a positive way too.

What’s so fun about a cemetery? Well, let me show you….

1.  Decorating the graves    

Sometimes we have specific family members’ graves we are decorating.  Other times, we go around and gather up the flowers that have flown off of gravestones and reapply them as best we can.

Decorating my father-in-laws' grave with the kids.  They chose the most colorful flowers they could find.  He would have loved that.
Decorating my father-in-law’s grave with the kids. They chose the most colorful flowers they could find. He would have loved that.

2. Symbol Hunting

Have you ever noticed how gravestone have different symbols on them?  Each symbol stands for something.  It might be an organization or a way of life….either way, it’s fun to see what new ones we can find and learn about what the symbols mean.  Graveaddiction.com & U.S. Genealogy & History Network are two websites that explain the meaning of symbols.

This symbol clearly states what it is for but not all of them are so upfront.
This symbol clearly states what it is for but not all of them are so upfront.

3. Grave / Tomb Rubbings

The first time I ever did a grave rubbing was in a beautiful, old cemetery in Stratford-upon-Avon.  It was so fun.  This is a great way to not only teach about the symbols but it’s a great art project as well.  All you need is some paper and a crayon and possibly some tape to hold the paper on, if you are wanting to copy a large area.  Here are some great tips for doing rubbings right!  Tip #1 – make sure the cemetery allows rubbings & #2 only do them on sturdy headstones.

grave rubbing

4.  Hunting for the Oldest Grave

This game usually has us running to the oldest part of the cemetery where we have to be very careful because some headstones just aren’t as sturdy as they used to be.  Obviously, Oklahoma doesn’t have extremely old graves marked but it’s still fun to see graves of those who lived and died in the 1800s.  And if you get to travel to the Eastern U.S. or oversees, then the excitement and graveyards are amazing.  My absolute favorite graveyard so far is The Jewish Cemetery in Prague.

Memorial Park Cemetery
This was taken at the Memorial Park Cemetery in North OKC.

In Oklahoma there are a lot of beautiful spots within cemeteries, but there are also many forgotten or negleted cemeteries.  I believe it’s important to remember those who came before us even if it’s simply reading the name on a gravestone of someone we didn’t know.  Part of me, finds that just reading their names pays them honor somehow.  

5.  Learning about Death

We’ve had a lot of death in our family.  I learned from an early age that this life is just a stepping stone to the next and not to fear the next step.  I never want my children to be afraid of dying.  Of course, we will always morn the loss of a loved one and that is completely natural, but I don’t want them to be scared of something that must eventually happen.

6.  Learn about Living

We like to look at the names on the gravestone and make up stories about what their lives might have been like.  We also talk about what we want to be remembered for after we are gone.  Many times in life we get wrapped up in things that do not really matter.  Talking about the purpose we have in life helps us keep our focus on the present and what is truly important.

We can choose to waste our lives or really live and make an impact that will be felt for generations.  Really, that’s the best lesson we can have every day.  We are important and here for a purpose.  Let’s not squander those moments, so create a great day to create a great life!

Do you enjoy cemeteries or do you just find them creepy?  

Previous articleThe 5 BEST Secondhand Shops in OKC
Next articleOKC Moms Blog: How it Came To Be
Kristi
I'm a wife to an amazing husband and a mother to four super active kiddos ages: 7 & under. Seven years ago, I traded in my career outside the home for a career as an adventurous homeschooling mom and gave up microwave cooking for organic homemade meals. Truly, dance parties, lots of prayer, and laughter are the only ways I stay sane, along with working out, traveling, crafting & reading in my spare time. Most of all, I love serving God, my family, my friends and my community. My family is constantly looking for ways that we can grow and have fun together while blessing others with what the Lord has given us. I hope my words will be a blessing to you!

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here