Do you have children at home? Do you want to help them remember the importance of the Easter holiday? Children learn best by moving and getting their hands dirty — and sometimes through enjoying fun snacks!
Try these fun interactive Easter activities with your children at home or at church:
Activity 1: Sink or Float
Supplies: plastic Easter eggs, assortment of differently weighted items to place in each egg (for example: gem clips, rocks, aluminum foil balls, cotton balls, keys, etc.), clear plastic tub, water
Give each child three to five eggs and ask them to place a different item in each egg. Ask children to predict whether the egg will sink or float, then place each egg in the water to test their predictions.
Remind your children that Jesus is the only one that can save us from our sins. Explain that because of our sins we sink, but Jesus died on the cross for our sins so we can live for eternity.
Romans 10:9–10 reads, “because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.”
Activity 2: Playdough Egg Cross
Supplies: playdough, seven to eight plastic Easter eggs
Guide your children to create a cross on the paper using the playdough and eggs.
Ask your children what they think of when they see a cross. The cross is a reminder of the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross for our sins. We deserve the punishment of death, but Jesus took our punishment even though He never sinned.
1 Peter 2:24 tells us, “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.”
Activity 3: Resurrection Rolls
Supplies: baking sheet, nonstick spray, crescent dinner rolls, large marshmallows, ground cinnamon, sugar, butter
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and spray the baking sheet with nonstick spray. Mix 2 teaspoons of cinnamon and 1/4 cup of sugar in one bowl. In another bowl melt 1/4 cup of butter. Lay out the crescent rolls on the baking sheet in triangle shapes. Roll a large marshmallow in the melted butter and then in the cinnamon sugar mix. Place one coated marshmallow on each crescent roll and roll it up like a ball. Make sure to pinch all the seams tightly to keep each roll closed. Demonstrate with one roll for your children and invite them to do the rest. Once the crescent rolls are wrapped and sealed, place them in the oven for 10–14 minutes. Read the next section to your children when your rolls are ready.
Help your children connect this activity with Easter by telling them, “Jesus‘ friends wrapped Him in cloth and placed Him in a tomb. Look at your rolls. Do you see the marshmallow anymore? No, it is gone. Three days after Jesus died, He rose from the grave. What a glorious day — He is Risen!”
Read John 20:1–18 together to find out more about Jesus’ resurrection.
Activity 4: Easter Egg Cookie Decorating
Supplies: egg-shaped cookie cutter, baking sheet, wire rack, sugar cookie dough, icing (in your children’s favorite colors), sprinkles
Roll out cookie dough and cut with egg-shaped cookie cutter. Bake and allow to cool on wire rack. Encourage your kids to decorate the cookies.
Show children a video of a chick emerging from an egg. Remind them that an egg brings a new life into the world. If you become a Christian, you are made new.
2 Corinthians 5:17 reminds us, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” The only way this is possible is because of Christ’s death, burial, resurrection and ascension into heaven.
Explain to your children how they can have a relationship with Jesus today and walk as a new creation.
Activity 5: Marshmallow Palace
Supplies: marshmallow chicks or bunnies, toothpicks, small marshmallows
Give each child one marshmallow chick or bunny. Encourage them to use the toothpicks and small marshmallows to build a home for the chick or bunny. Younger preschoolers will need help with this activity.
Tell the children that similar to their building a little marshmallow home, Jesus is preparing a home for Christians. Explain that forty days after Jesus rose from the grave He ascended into heaven. And now He is in heaven preparing a place for those who believe in Him.
John 14:2–3 gives Christians an eternal promise about heaven: “In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.”
Final Tips
Great job parents and teachers. Keep proclaiming the gospel to your kids! Here are a few final tips:
- Things will get messy, go with it!
- Open your Bible when you share God’s Word.
- If you have children that can read, use an age-appropriate Bible and encourage them to read the passage.
- Cherish these moments.
- After completing each activity, ask one of your children to pray, thanking God for His love for us.
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