Easter is a time of celebration and renewal. For many families, attending church is an important part of the holiday. If you were looking for ways to engage the children in your church and make the Easter experience more fun and memorable, consider planning creative and entertaining activities.
There are endless possibilities for creating a festive and engaging environment for children to learn and grow in their faith. This article will explore some fun and creative Easter activities you can organize at your church to bring joy and excitement to the season.
Resurrection Eggs
Resurrection eggs are a fantastic method of teaching children about the Easter story. The eggs should be plastic and resemble those used in Easter egg hunts. But instead of containing candy, each egg holds a symbol that represents a different part of Jesus's death and resurrection. By opening one egg each day during Holy Week, you can teach the children about the corresponding event in the Bible.
Although you can purchase resurrection eggs, creating your own with the children at your church is simple and encourages them to think more deeply about the significance of each egg in the Easter story. To make your DIY resurrection eggs, number 12 plastic eggs from 1 to 12 and create a symbol for each event in the Easter story to place inside the corresponding egg leading up to Easter.
Cross Finger Painting
The Christian message can be summed up simply as follows: All people have sinned (Romans 3:23), and while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). Christ’s death superseded the Jewish blood sacrifice system that God originally instituted.
It was prefiguring of what would happen to the unblemished "Lamb of God" on the cross. The purpose of the cross-finger painting is to convey this message.
By having each child imprint their unique fingerprint on the cross, they’ll hopefully realize that Christ died for them. If an entire class participates in this activity, it will be a powerful experience to witness each child leave their mark.
Christ Aid Kits
Christ Aid Kits serve as a helpful reminder that, just as a first aid kit can provide relief when they’re experiencing physical pain or discomfort, Christ can offer them comfort and guidance during times of spiritual distress.
During this activity, each child will be allowed to select an item from the kit and explain to the class how it can relate to Christ's atonement and its ability to help them during trials. Quotes and stories can be incorporated to help convey the significance of each item.
To create the kits, begin by filling regular mouth half-pint mason jars with various items, then affix a "Christ Aid Kit" label to the top of each jar.
Cross-shaped Paper Mosaic
The cross-shaped paper mosaic is a meaningful way to teach children about the significance of Christ's sacrifice and resurrection. By tearing up paper to create a mosaic, children can visualize how Christ was broken and stripped of life for our sins. However, the beauty of the activity lies in the fact that, just like the pieces of paper were put back together to create something new, Christ rose from the grave on the third day, giving reason to celebrate. The activity can be enhanced by reading the prophecies in Isaiah 53, which predicted the coming of the Jewish messiah and were written over 700 years before Christ's birth.
To begin the activity, children can pick out the paper they want to use and tear it up with the help of an adult. The glue can be applied in little sections at a time using a sponge brush. The cross can be created first, with children layering the paper in a mosaic-like fashion until the entire paper is filled up.
Easter Egg Hunt
For a faith-filled Easter egg hunt, you can do the usual tradition of hiding plastic eggs filled with candy but with a unique twist. Instead of just chocolates and coins, you can also include puzzle pieces of a picture depicting Jesus’ resurrection inside each egg. After your church’s Easter service, the children can eagerly search for the eggs and discover a puzzle piece along with their sweets. Once all the pieces are collected, they can work together to assemble the picture of Jesus’ resurrection.
This activity serves as an opportunity for you to discuss the Easter story, with a simple explanation for the younger children and a deeper dive into scripture as they grow older.
Resurrection Garden
The Resurrection Garden is a great activity for children at your church to do together during the Easter season. It not only helps them understand the story of Jesus' resurrection but also provides an opportunity for them to learn about gardening and nurturing new life.
With just a few supplies, you can create a meaningful and educational activity for kids. The mini pot acts as a representation of the tomb of Jesus, while the small tray is used to build a hill.
To create a realistic environment, potting soil is added around the mini pot and is packed onto the pot to form the hill.
The pebbles are then placed at the opening of the tomb, and a larger rock can be used to cover half of the tomb.
The grass seed is then sprinkled onto the soil, and small twigs are glued together to make three crosses, which are placed on the hill behind the tomb.
By lightly spraying the soil every day with a water bottle, children can observe the growth of new life, symbolized by the grass sprouting from the soil.
The said activity can also be customized to fit the group’s needs. You can add decorations such as flowers or ribbons to the crosses or even paint the mini pot and tray to make them more colorful. You can also add scripture verses or discussion questions to the activity to make it more educational.
Empty Tomb Snack
Even if you were not a great cook, you can easily make an empty tomb snack with the children at your church. You only need graham crackers, peanut butter (or icing), small chocolate doughnuts, mini Oreo cookies, shredded coconut, and green food coloring.
Before you start assembling the snacks, you'll need to do a little bit of prep work. The first step is to add green food coloring to a bag of shredded coconut and mix it well by shaking it.
Then, cut the bottom of the chocolate doughnuts to make the "tomb" for the snack. Once you've completed these preparations, you can bring your kids together and commence the activity.
To assemble the snack, have the kids spread peanut butter on a graham cracker and place the chocolate doughnut on top to create the tomb.
Next, separate a mini Oreo cookie and use the side with icing to attach it to the front of the doughnut, signifying the "rock" that was moved away from the tomb entrance.
Finally, add green coconut "grass" to the remaining peanut butter to give the snack a complete look.
Easter Bingo
One Easter activity that will be a big hit with children is an Easter bingo game. It is a fun and engaging way to celebrate the holiday and keep kids entertained.
The game typically includes pictures or words related to Easter, such as Easter eggs, bunnies, chicks, flowers, and religious symbols like crosses or the empty tomb.
Players would aim to match the pictures or words on the bingo card with the items called out by the caller, who randomly selects them from a pool of options. The first to form a pattern and yell out "bingo" wins.
You can print out different Easter bingo cards or make one yourself. Regardless, make sure to laminate the bingo cards to ensure they last longer.
Afterward, add the option of using small candies as markers, which children will love.
Easter DVD Showing
Watching Christ-centered movies can be a great way to help kids understand the true meaning of Easter.
For instance, "The Greatest Adventures of the Bible" series features Bible-based animated stories that are suitable for children.
There is one particular episode that focuses on Easter. The story starts with Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, then proceeds to narrate the accounts of His betrayal by His disciples, His arrest, crucifixion, and ultimately His glorious resurrection.
The animation is stunning, and the storyline stays faithful to the Biblical narrative, making it a valuable resource for your church.
The computer-animated vegetable characters in the "VeggieTales" series also teach Christian values and morality. It features lovable vegetables in different stories, with "An Easter Carol" being one of them.
The film is similar to Charles Dickens's "A Christmas Carol," but instead of human ghosts, the cranky Uncle Ebenezer Nezzer is visited by vegetable ghosts.
Cavis and Millward team up with a music box angel in the plot to enlighten Uncle Ebenezer about the actual significance of Easter. With fun, catchy songs and an important lesson to learn, "An Easter Carol" is a must-watch for children.
Jelly Bean Prayer
Easter is a time of joy and celebration, and what better way to share the Good News of Jesus Christ than with some sweet treats? Children love Easter candy, and the Jelly Bean Prayer is a fun and easy way to spread the Easter Story.
Simply place at least one jelly bean of each color in a small bag, tie it with a ribbon, and add the Jelly Bean Prayer printable. For those who prefer M&Ms, there's also an M&M Easter Poem that can be used to share the message of Easter.
Easter provides an opportunity for churches to engage children in meaningful and entertaining activities. By planning creative and engaging events, churches can create an environment where children can learn about the true meaning of Easter while having fun at the same time.
From Easter-themed bingo and scavenger hunts to jelly bean prayers and Christ-centered TV shows, there are many ways to bring joy and excitement to the season.
By putting in the effort to plan these activities, churches can create a memorable and enjoyable Easter experience for all who attend.
