10 Ways to Teach Kids About Easter

Are you looking for Easter activities to do with your kids while at home during the COVID-19 pandemic? I’ve updated this post with 10 simple things you can do at home during the week of Easter! Find it here & share with others: 10 Ways to Teach Your Kids About Easter – COVID-19 EDITION

 

If you’ve ever struggled to find ways to teach your kids about Easter, this post is for you! I’ve compiled a list of things I’ve used with my kids along with other ideas I’ve found online for you to try.

While it can feel overwhelming to explain Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection to a child, these resources will give you lots of ideas that you can use or adjust based on the developmental needs of your child and their level of understanding.

It’s so important that we teach our kids the truth that Jesus died for us, rose again, and is now alive – even when they are small.

Teach a child how to follow the right way; even when he is old, he will stay on course.” Proverbs 22:6

Let’s be intentional about teaching our children deep spiritual truths on a level they can understand and share with their friends.

10 Ways to Teach Kids About Easter: Hands-On Activities & Books

1. Resurrection Rolls

2. A Sense of the Resurrection: An Easter Experience for Families

3. Read a Children’s Book about Easter

4. Wash Each Others’ Feet

5. Resurrection Eggs

6. Read the Easter Story from a Children’s Bible

7. The Legend of the Sand Dollar

8. Easter Scavenger Hunt

9. All Wrapped Up Like Jesus

10. Easter Jesus Tree

 

1. Resurrection Rolls

Type of Activity: Baking

Supplies Needed: crescent rolls, marshmallows, cinnamon & sugar (or red sprinkles), melted butter, Bible

Biblical Truth Shared: Jesus went into the tomb and then rose again. Jesus is alive!

• For this activity, start with reading the Easter story from the Bible. Our favorite Bible for preschoolers is the Jesus Storybook Bible. As you work through the steps of the activity, remind your child about what you just read.
• Spread out the crescent roll triangles individually on a baking sheet. These represent Jesus’ tomb.
• Next roll one marshmallow first in butter and then in the sugar/cinnamon mixture. This represents Jesus’ body being prepared for burial with oil and spices. If your child is like mine (not okay with cinnamon), then try using red sprinkles to represent blood.
• Place the spiced marshmallow in the center of the crescent roll, wrap it up, and press the edges together so the crescent roll seals. This represents the tomb being sealed with the stone.
• Bake the crescent rolls according to the directions on the package.
• After they cool a bit, let your child open up one of the rolls. The marshmallow is gone – Jesus is alive!

For a visual of all these steps, visit Courtney’s post about Resurrection Rolls at Women Living Well Ministries.

2. A Sense of the Resurrection: An Easter Experience for Families

In December on my husband’s blog I shared about Truth in the Tinsel, an incredible resource for teaching your children the Christmas story during the Advent season. It’s an e-book with scripture, crafts, and printable ornaments developed by Amanda White from ohAmanda.com.

She’s a former church planter and children’s ministry director and now a mom who has the spiritual gift of turning regular life things into teachable moments for her kids.

Here she shares about her newest resource parents can use to teach their children the Easter story:

“12 simple activities to be done the few weeks before Easter will turn your home into a memorial to Jesus’ death and resurrection.  You’ll experience Jesus’ anointing, the Last Supper, Peter’s denial, the cross, the empty tomb and more. Memories will be made as your family uses their five senses to understand and believe the story of Jesus’ death and resurrection.

This simple eBook includes printables, Scriptures and specific conversation and starting points so you and your kids can get a sense of the resurrection.” 

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE OR LEARN MORE

Also, check out a sample page to get an idea of what the resource is like:

3. Read a children’s book about Easter

Maybe you’re reading this and you don’t enjoy baking and aren’t the crafty type (no worries, there is nothing that says you have to be crafty to be a good mom!).

You can still impart Biblical truth to your children on their level by reading books that tell the Easter story through the perspective of a child and on their level. Here is my personal suggestion for toddler/preschool age plus some I’ve seen others recommend:

Ages 2-5: What is Easter? by Michelle Medlock Adams

This is a board book that keeps little ones engaged with rhyming words while exploring the idea that Easter is not just about Easter eggs, bunnies, and dressing up for church. Instead, it teaches that Easter is about the truth of God’s son, Jesus.

Ages 4-7: The Berenstain Bears and the Easter Story by Mike Berenstain

The Bear cubs and Papa are candy-crazy this Easter! But Mama, with help from Papa, tells the cubs about Jesus’ resurrection and shows them that salvation is much sweeter than candy. Includes a colorful sticker set. {Amazon description}

   

 

Ages 7-12: The Story of Easter by Aileen Fisher

With an informative text and glorious illustrations, this book explains both how and why people all over the world celebrate Easter. It tells the biblical story of Jesus’ Resurrection and then describes how people honor this day and the origins of these traditions. Hands-on activities help draw children into the spirit of this joyous celebration of rebirth. {Amazon description}

Looking for a different type of Easter book? Check out this listing of books about Easter. There books in everyone’s price range!

4. Wash each others’ feet

Type of Activity: Hands-On Activity

Supplies Needed: warm water, a large bowl or basin, washcloths

Biblical Truth Shared: Jesus taught us to serve one another

Ages: 9-Teen

Read the story of Jesus washing the disciples’ feet in John 13:1-17.

Ask your children what they think that would be like to be the one washing another person’s feet or to be the one receiving the washing. Take them to another room where you have prepared warm basins of water and washcloths.

Play soft music in the background and encourage them to quietly take turns washing one another’s feet.

As a parent, you can participate in this process, potentially going first to visually show your children what to do and how it feels to be served in this way.

Afterwards, talk about how Jesus taught his disciples to serve one another before he was arrested and crucified and the powerful impact that made on them as they took on the job of spreading the gospel to the world.

Remind them that God calls us to serve just as Jesus did. Have them write down one way they can intentionally choose to serve someone else in the next week.

5. Resurrection Eggs

Type of Activity: Hands-On Activity

Supplies Needed: Set of Resurrection Eggs or make your own set

Biblical Truth Shared: Overview of the entire Easter story and the gospel message

Ages: 5 and up

Resurrection eggs are a visual way to walk your children through the Easter story. Each egg contains a small trinket that provides a reminder of a portion of the story. Use the pre-made resurrection eggs set or make your own using an egg carton, plastic eggs, and small items you can find around your house.

Number the eggs with a marker so they will be in the correct order when you’re ready to talk about the contents.

You can hide the eggs around your home for a mini Easter egg hunt, then have your child put them in the egg carton in number order.

Egg #1: Oyster cracker (or bread) – Matthew 26:26

Egg #2: Silver coins – Matthew 26:14-16

Egg #3: Purple cloth – Matthew 27:28

Egg #4: Thorns – Matthew 27:29

Egg #5: Rope – Mark 15:15

Egg #6: Cross – John 19:16-17

Egg #7: Nail – John 19:18

Egg #8: Sign that says, “This is the king of the Jews.” – Luke 23:38

Egg #9: Sponge (with vinegar) – Matthew 27:48

Egg #10: Cloves or spices – Luke 23:5-6

Egg #11: Rock – Matthew 27:59-60

Egg #12: EMPTY! – Matthew 28:55-56

Annette from This Simple Home shares these scriptures and a free printable you can use to have all the scriptures quickly on hand while you’re doing this activity.

Another option is to read this book to explain the concept of resurrection eggs:

6. Read the Easter story in a Children’s Bible

Let’s not forget the most important part of Easter – reading the story straight from the Bible with your children. God’s word is our life, our breath, our food, our sustenance through the joys and challenges of our daily lives. We want to impress this upon our children as well and this is a great opportunity to do just that.

Type of Activity: Reading

Supplies Needed: Your favorite children’s Bible

Biblical Truth Shared: Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection

There are many different options for reading the Easter story from the Bible. Depending on the age and developmental stage of your child, you can choose from one of these options or read straight from an “adult” version of the Bible.

If your child is reading independently, you may want him or her to read the story directly from the Bible to the whole family during a meal time.

If you have Resurrection Rolls for breakfast Easter morning, this would be a great time to incorporate the reading.

Here is my personal suggestion for preschool/early elementary age plus another that comes highly recommended:

Ages: 4-8 The Jesus Storybook Bible  – Also available in Spanish & on CDs (audio version)

What I love most about this Bible is how each story points directly to Jesus. While all biblical stories are not included, key ones like creation, the fall, Jesus’ birth, death, and resurrection are all part of this Bible.

All of the Old Testament Bible stories (Noah, Moses, King David, and more) point directly to Jesus, helping even young kids understand how Jesus is the central figure, the piece of the puzzle that makes everything in the Bible fit together.

Ages: 6-9 The Adventure Bible for Early Readers

This Bible is the New International Reader’s Version, a translation written for non-native English speakers. This makes it more accessible for your early reader.

This jungle safari themed Bible has lots of fun features including sections like “Life in Bible Times”, “Did You Know?” fun facts, “Let’s Live It” hands-on-activities, and “Words to Treasure” memory verses, along with games, a scavenger hunt, a dictionary/concordance, and 8 pages of color maps.

7. The Legend of the Sand Dollar

Type of Activity: Hands-On Activity

Supplies Needed: Sand Dollar  Don’t live near the beach? You can purchase sand dollars here.

Biblical Truth Shared: God’s creation reminds us of the truths of the Easter story (Romans 1:20)

Have your child look at the sand dollar and all its unique properties. Ask him or her to describe what they see then read the Legend of the Sand Dollar poem.

Have your child break open the sand dollar to find the beautiful doves inside. My mother did this activity with my 4 year old last week and we both were fascinated and have a new appreciation for the reminder in Romans that God’s creation speaks clearly about his power!

There’s a lovely little legend

That I would like to tell,

Of the birth and death of Jesus

Found in this lowly shell.

If you examine closely

You’ll see that you find here,

Four nail holes and a fifth one

Made by a Roman’s spear.

On one side the Easter Lily,

Its center is the star,

That appeared unto the shepherds

And led them from afar.

The Christmas Poinsettia

Etched on the other side,

Reminds us of His birthday

Our happy Christmastide.

Now break the center open

And here you will release,

The five white doves awaiting

To spread Good Will and Peace.

This simple little symbol Christ left for you and me,

To help us spread His Gospel Through all Eternity

8. Easter Scavenger Hunt

Type of Activity: Hands-On Activity 

Supplies Needed: a rock, two sticks, something black, something red, something white, something green 

Biblical Truth Shared: The gospel message 

Ages: 7-12

Take your kids to the park and read the Easter story (see suggestions above for options).

Give each child a list of items to find and a time limit. Once they come back with all the items, discuss the significance of each item as it relates to the good news of Jesus and God’s plan for his children. Sharing from Focus on the Family.  

Digital version: Use a digital device and have each child take pictures of items they find. Then turn the pictures into a collage that you can print and display.

Rock – the tomb

Two sticks – the cross

Something black – sin

Something red – blood

Something white – a clean heart

Something green – growing in Christ

9. All Wrapped Up Like Jesus

Type of Activity: Hands-on experience

Supplies Needed: Bible, a roll of toilet paper

Biblical Truth Shared: Jesus conquered death

For: Ages 5-10

Read Matthew 27:57-61.

Take the toilet paper and wrap your child up in “grave clothes”. If you have more than one child, have your kids take turns playing the part of Jesus and wrapping one another up.

After each child is wrapped up, have them try to break loose from the toilet paper. Talk about how Jesus’ followers must have felt when they found out that Jesus was alive. Sharing from Focus on the Family.  

10. Easter Jesus Tree & Devotional

Kids are familiar with the concept of having a tree at Christmas so why not carry that over into Easter?

Ann Voskamp from A Holy Experience and author of One Thousand Gifts shares a free devotional including 17 days of Bible readings, a short & simple action point, and a full color ornament of classic art to cut out and use to create your own Easter Jesus tree.

 

Interested in other ways to parent with purpose? Check out this series for more great ideas to use all year long!

 

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If you have more ideas on how to teach kids about Easter, I’d love to hear them! Please take a moment to share them in the comments.

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