We are going to be more intentional with Easter this year. I felt convicted about how much we focus on Christmas, but if Jesus had just been born and not died.. he would just be a man and my sin would still separate us from God. But our entire faith is based on the fact that he died and rose again conquering death and the grave so that I can receive the gift of intimate relationship with God and eternal life.
Here are some things we’ve done in the past and loved.. and some new things we are interested in doing this year!
- Palm Sunday– the Sunday before Easter (matthew 21)- printable maze, pin the tail on the donkey, reenact the scene (one kid or parent is the donkey, lay down coats and palm leaves), palm branches with traced hands, books: the Donkey that no one could ride, The Donkey who Carried a King
- Family Bible Study
- Leading up to Easter there are a lot of Bible study plans available on you version bible app– here are 2 I found that i like. The first one is for younger ones (or kids that can’t sit that long) and it comes with a video. The 2nd one would be more for middle school and up.
- There’s also a you version bible app for kids that we love!
2. CRAFTS http://www.trueaimeducation.com/resurrection-craft-for-easter/, holy week
3. MAUNDY THURSDAY PLAY (the Thursday before Easter, to reenact the scene of the upper room and ending in Jesus’s arrest).
4. HOST A SEDER PASSOVER FEAST Remember the exodus and God’s mercy and deliverance with this themed dinner. this website makes it sound so fun!: https://monogrammedmischief.com/2018/04/10/our-kid-friendly-messianic-seder-whew/
- Haggadah: program/bulletin of the night’s agenda (have a kid create the outline of the night and print it out or make copies)
- exodus component: movie (prince of egypt?), Book: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vV1Ctjb8ALg
- seder placemat: have kids draw the people coming through the parted waters or baby moses in a basket
- passover centerpiece: make a representation of the exodus using various crafts/ materials- we used lego people
- seder plate: something that represents the bitterness of slavery (maybe grapefruit, salt and vinegar chips), the salty tears (salt water, capers,, God’s provision (egg), mortar for bricks (apple sauce, yogurt), passover lamb (chicken nuggets, turkey)- you can use ANY food to represent these things… or set them out in the center of the table
- wine or juice (4 little cups): symbolizes freedom
- matzo/ breaking of bread
- fun games and things to represent plagues, music, red scarf over door step other ideas here (bowling the 10 plagues, passover detective (tell the story with some mistakes, and see if the detectives can find them, edible plague basket, seder grab-bag game etc)
4. Resurrection Eggs… telling the story of Easter
5. Resurrection Party– This is the day our debt has been cancelled, that our savior rose defeating the death and the grave, conquering evil and shame, and gave us a new life in Christ. We should celebrate like no other!
- Bingo cards– i print at office depot on cardstock! you can upload online and pickup curbside
- Treats that represent the resurrection – breakfast of donut and donut hole to represent the grave opened
- music playlist – click here for my spotify playlist (rattle by elevation worship, homecoming by cory asbury, come out of that grave by bethel & brandon lake, living hope by phil whickham, man of sorrows by hillsong worship, graves into gardens by elevation worship, come alive by the belonging co.)