What do you think about when you think of Easter? Candy-filled eggs, Easter baskets, little ones in brand new spring outfits, family brunches, and special services at church?
At Christmas many families do intentional activities that put the focus on the birth of Christ over a visit from a jolly man in red or presents. We have the opportunity to do the same at Easter—to keep the focus on the reason we celebrate, instead of on candy, baskets, eggs, and bunnies.
So what is the MAIN reason we celebrate Easter?
This seems like an obvious question, but to be clear, we wouldn’t need to celebrate Christmas if it weren’t for Easter. From the beginning, Jesus came to earth with a purpose. He predicted His own death. But, focusing on a gruesome death on a cross somehow doesn’t translate well to a three-year-old mind.
The reason we celebrate Easter can be summarized by the well known verse of John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
Easter was all about LOVE! God loved us and sent his Son to earth. Jesus loved us and gave his life so we could be forgiven. It’s all about LOVE!
So how do we communicate this great LOVE of God to our kids this Easter?
1 .Tell the story.
For preschoolers, use a good Bible storybook to read the story of Easter to them. Two of my favorites are The Big Picture Interactive Bible Storybook from B&H Publishing Group and The Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones. The story can also be downloaded to a tablet or other device from the Bible App for Kids. Using these bible storybooks helps parents tell the whole story without getting stuck on some of the less age appropriate details!
For older kids, have them read the story from the Bible themselves, but don’t try to read every verse in the Bible. Try using the book of John as your guide instead of jumping between all of the gospel books. Take turns reading, and allow time for questions. Answer the question that was asked by your child and avoid the temptation to dive into more than they were asking.
2. Make it tangible.
Much of our faith is based on abstract concepts and thoughts. The minds of preschoolers and children operate in a much more literal and concrete way. Look for ways to make the major parts of the Easter story tangible.
God Gave
Make up a story to tell your child that causes them to ponder the idea of giving their very favorite toy to another child who has no toys and is very sad without a toy. Would giving that toy away be hard? Could you do it? That is what God did because he loves us so much—He gave us His Son so that we could be forgiven and have life!
Jesus Died
The foundational truth that Jesus died on the cross cannot be ignored, even with our little ones. Without His death on the cross, there would be no forgiveness for sin and no way for us to reconcile with God because of our sin. The cross is crucial! Many of us decorate our homes with crosses. It is probably the most common symbol of the Christian faith. So make a cross with your kids! Go to pinterest or google and find a craft that you are comfortable with and that they would enjoy. The options truly are limitless. In my years of crafting with kids, I have made crosses from everything from construction paper to watercolors and from metal washers to safe matches! As you make your cross, repeat the truth that “Jesus died for our sins.” Even if your preschooler cannot fully grasp the depth of that truth, they will learn that is an important fact of our faith.
Jesus Rose Again
A fun and yummy way to illustrate that Jesus died, was buried in a tomb, and rose again is to make Resurrection Rolls! This baking project can become a family tradition in your home as you make a delicious treat with meaning for your Easter gathering. There are several different recipes you can find, but I like this one from Southern Living.
3. Acknowledge Friday, but get to Sunday!
Good Friday services often leave us with a heavy feeling in our heart. Jesus died. While it is good for older children, students, and adults to think about the weight of this sacrifice, many kids cannot handle this as the end of the story. We know it is not the end of the story! Jesus did die, but He rose again! We want to help our kids understand the sacrifice of Jesus as much as they are able to grasp, but we want to move on to the fact that Jesus conquered death, Jesus conquered sin, and Jesus can handle anything because He rose again! Especially in the days of COVID-19, we find so much hope that Jesus is bigger than sin and death. Jesus is bigger than our worries. Jesus loves us and is there for us no matter what we are going through. Easter Sunday brings HOPE!
I pray we can all find LOVE and HOPE in Jesus as we teach our kids about Easter this year!
MEET THE AUTHOR!
Sarah serves as the Children’s Minister at CRBC. After graduating from the University of Central Oklahoma with a B.S. in Special Education, she worked with kids and families in churches in Tahoe City, CA, New Orleans, LA, and Lawton, OK before coming back home to OKC. Sarah also has a Masters of Arts in Christian Education from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. She desires to see kids grow in faith that leads them to know Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior and to equip parents to help their kids along that journey. Sarah is married to Joe, and they live in Mustang with their new puppy, Momo.