I am sure you’ve noticed the store shelves lately; they are full of colorful bunnies, baskets, and every kind of candy treat imaginable. Crazy as it sounds, the symbols of Easter have become baskets and eggs instead of the cross and the empty tomb, or bunnies that bring candy instead of a Savior that brings life.   As Christians, we can get caught up in the activities and busyness of it all just like everyone else. We can easily allow our attention to get sidetracked and end up putting too much of our precious time and energy into the many activities that have taken away the real meaning of Easter. Should we be surprised that our children are more excited about the coming of the Easter bunny than the coming of God’s kingdom?

As Christian parents how can we make the true meaning of Easter a reality to our children? Is it possible to take these very items: baskets, bunnies, candy, and eggs, and use them as tools to teach our little ones about the spiritual realities of the most significant day of the year? I think so! Here are some great ideas I have come across that will assist you in making Easter fun, yet spiritually meaningful for your children.

Tell the Story of Easter with Eggs:

Instead of just coloring eggs this Easter, why not use the eggs to tell the story of God’s love and forgiveness?

• Before you hide the eggs, encircle each one with a colored strip of paper that tells one small part of the Easter story. After the eggs have been found, the children must unscramble the story and put it in the right order.
• When dying your eggs, write one attribute of God on the egg in crayon. It will show through the dye.
• Hide the eggs, as the kids discover the hidden eggs, they will also be discovering the  wonderful things that make Jesus so special.
• You could dye the eggs certain colors and use them to tell the story of salvation.

Teach them about Jesus by talking about what a REAL Easter bunny is:

I love this one! Use a bunny picture, a stuffed bunny, or a live one to teach some of the characteristics of Jesus that we should all try to have. Easter bunnies…

• Are white as snow because Jesus takes all sin away (Isaiah 1:18)
• Are gentle, kind hearted and forgiving (Eph.432)
• Have big ears that are quick to listen (James 1:19)
• Have big eyes to look carefully and choose what is good (1 Thessalonians 5:21)
• Have no voice for complaining or arguing (Philippians 2:13)
• Are quiet in prayer, but hop with thanksgiving and rejoicing (Philippians 4:4-6)
• Have big feet to go tell others about Jesus (Matthew 28:19-20)
• Eat what is healthy by filling up on God’s Word everyday (Psalm 119:11)

Define the terms of the Easter story:

Our children, especially the young ones, do not always understand the terminology we use. The Easter story, while beautiful, can be very confusing to children if we do not take the time to simplify the story in a way they can understand. An explanation of some of the bigger words can be quite helpful:

• Disciples – Jesus’s closest friends
• Pharisees  and religious leaders-the people who were not teaching the truth about God
• Arrested – guards took Jesus and would not let Him go
• Sanhedrin or court- leaders all got together and decided that Jesus should be punished for telling the people that He was God’s Son
• Righteous- Jesus told only the truth and did everything God wanted Him to do
• Condemned to Death- rulers announced that Jesus would have to die
• Crucified- they nailed His hands and feet onto a big wooden cross and left Him there until He died
• Tomb- a special place, like a small cave, where Jesus’s body was laid after He died
• Resurrection- even though Jesus had been dead for three days, God made Him come back to life so His friends would know that Jesus really was God’s Son
• Ascension- after Jesus came back to life and spent time with His friends, He was lifted up from the ground and floated above the clouds so He could finally go to be with God in heaven
• Second Coming- when He left to go back to heaven, the angels promised Jesus’s friends that He would be coming back one day to get all His friends

Hoppy Easter!!!