(I got this post from southernsavers.com) This is a great Easter activity to do with your child/children. During this busy time of year, much like Christmas, the reason that we celebrate Easter can sometimes get lost in the fun of the Easter egg hunts, the Easter Bunny and of course, the candy. My kids have enjoyed doing this over the last few years.
What you will need:
5 plastic eggs of various colors
Picture of a donkey (print one from your computer)
Goldfish cracker, or other cracker your child likes to eat
2 small nails
Small rock (grab one from the yard)
Hopefully you should have most of the items already so if you have to buy the eggs the whole activity should cost around $1.
Open the blue egg. Let the child hold the donkey. (Use a picture of a donkey printed on
your computer to go in the blue egg) Read Matthew 21:1-9
Jesus was coming to Jerusalem for Passover. Some people cut palm branches from trees and
handed them out for people to wave. Some people laid their coats on the street like a carpet.
Jesus rode into the city on a donkey. “Hosanna! ” the people cheered as they waved their palm
branches. Some people cheered, “Hail to our King!” Jesus rode through the town on a donkey
because when a king rode on a donkey it meant he would bring peace. God loves us so much
that He sent Jesus to set us free and bring us peace.
Open the purple egg. Let the children eat the piece of cracker. (Use a gold fish, a ritz bitz,
or any cracker your child likes) Matthew 26:17-19, 26-30.
Jesus and His disciples (the 12 men who helped Jesus tell others about God) celebrated
Passover together. They went upstairs to a room in a house in Jerusalem. Jesus washed His
disciples’ feet to remind them that they were to care for others. Then Jesus and the disciples
shared a special meal. Jesus knew it would be His last meal with His friends. Jesus knew He
had to follow God’s plan for His life and die for our sins.
Open the yellow egg. Let the children hold the nails. (Show them how to make the 2
nails into a cross.) John 19:16-22
Jesus had to be nailed to the cross to die for our sins because it was God’s plan. The people
who loved Jesus were very sad. Jesus did not deserve to be punished. He had not done
anything. Jesus died so that we could be forgiven. The Bible says in 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 everlasting life.”
Open the green egg. Let the children hold the rock. (Use a rock from your yard)
Matthew 28:1-2
After Jesus died one of his followers wrapped Jesus’ body in cloth and put it in a tomb. The
tomb was a special tomb cut into the rock in a hillside.. A big stone was rolled in front of the
tomb to close the entrance. Guards were posted to guard the tomb. Jesus followers were very
sad that Jesus had died.
Open the orange egg. It is empty. Matthew 28:5-8
Early the next morning a lady named Mary Magdalene went to visit the tomb. When she came
to the tomb the big rock had been rolled away. The tomb was empty. It was good news! Jesus
was alive! Jesus went to heaven to be with God. Jesus was punished for our sins so that some
day we will get to go to heaven to be with God and Jesus.
