How to Celebrate the Feast of St. Anthony of Padua with Children (June 13)

St. Anthony of Padua is one of the most beloved saints in the Catholic Church, best known as the patron saint of lost things. But he was also a powerful preacher, miracle worker, and devoted follower of St. Francis of Assisi. His feast day on June 13 is a beautiful time to help children connect with this gentle and faithful saint.

Here are some simple, fun, and faith-filled ways to celebrate at home!

Set Up a St. Anthony Devotional Space

Start the day by creating a small prayer corner dedicated to St. Anthony. Our printable triptych and coloring page make it easy to set up a special spot where kids can sit, pray, and reflect.

Included in our St. Anthony printable set:

• Triptych display of St. Anthony with the Child Jesus
• St. Anthony Coloring page

Treats to Eat in Honor of St. Anthony

Bring the celebration to the kitchen with treats that tie into St. Anthony’s life and heritage!

Tonsure Treats

St. Anthony was a Franciscan friar, and his tonsure (the shaved circle on the top of his head) can be a fun food inspiration:

• Chocolate-covered donuts – the hole in the center is a perfect match
• Rice Krispies treats – drizzle melted chocolate in a circle on top to mimic a tonsure
  

“Lost & Found” Trail Mix- Create a snack mix with whatever’s “lost” in your pantry (nuts, pretzels, cereal, raisins, mini chocolate chips). Call it St. Anthony’s Lost & Found Mix, and let the kids help mix and serve it. Or you can even buy a premade trail mix for this occasion. Whatever is simple!

Portuguese-Inspired Treats- St. Anthony was born in Lisbon, Portugal. Try serving one of these: pastéis de nata (egg tarts), Portuguese sweet bread, Malasadas or linguica if you’re feeling adventurous.

Play Hide and Seek

St. Anthony is famous for helping people find what’s been lost—so what better game to play on his feast day than hide and seek?

You can keep it simple with a traditional round of hide and seek indoors or outside, or add a twist by hiding one small object (a wooden cross, saint card, or even a stuffed animal) and challenging kids to “find what was lost.”

Let little ones know they can always ask St. Anthony for help—even during the game!