This past Sunday, our church had an Easter egg hunt after church. Before the Easter egg hunt started, each family was given a handout titled "A Meaningful Easter" that our new early childhood pastor had put together. It contained devotionals for each day, some recipes and activities, as well as book titles and CD's. I was so thankful for this little handout - it gave me daily devotionals to prepare my heart for Easter as well as some new and different things to do with my kids.
Earlier this winter, I had purchased a set of Resurrection Eggs to use with my kids during the Easter season. They have loved opening the eggs and having a hands on way to learn the Easter story. I would love to know what type of things you do with your children during the lent and Easter season. I want to be more deliberate in preparing for this season next year. During advent, I have made an effort to prepare my kids for the birth of Christ but I am feeling that I need to make more of an effort to prepare them for His death and resurrection.
Below are a few pictures of Mauryn in her first egg hunt (sorry I couldn't stop from sharing) and a few of the activities from the handout we received on Sunday. Enjoy!
Mauryn patiently waiting for the egg hunt to begin
What do you do while waiting - drag your basket around the hall
Oh, I found an egg
What, there is candy in these eggs - mom you've been holding out on me!
Jelly Bean Prayer
Red is for the blood He gave
Green is for the grass He made
Yellow is for the sun so bright
Orange is for the edge of night
Black is for the sins we made
White is for the grace He gave
Purple is for His hour of sorrow
Pink is for our new tomorrow
An egg full of jelly beans, colorful and sweet
Is a prayer, a promise, a loved one's treat!
By Charlene Dickensen 1997
Resurrection Rolls
Ingredients: 1 can refrigerated crescent roll dough or refrigerated biscuit dough * 8 large marshmallows * melted butter * cinnamon* sugar
1. Give each child one triangle shaped section of crescent roll or biscuit. This represents the tomb
2. Each child takes one marshmallow which represents the body of Christ
3. Dip the marshmallow in butter and roll in cinnamon and sugar mixture. This represents the oils and spices the body was anointed with upon burial
4. Lay the marshmallow on the dough and carefully warp it around the marshmallow
5. Make sure all the seams are pinched together well
6. Bake according to package directions
7. Cool
8. Break open the tomb and the body of Christ is no longer there
9. Celebrate God's love
Easter Story Cookies
Ingredients: bible * 1 c whole pecans * 1 tsp vinegar * 3 egg whites * pinch of salt * 1 c granulated sugar * 1 quart or gallon size zipper bag * wooden spoon * tape
Preheat oven to 300 degrees
Place pecans in a ziploc bag and let kids beat them with the wooden spoon to break into small pieces. Explain that after Jesus was arrested, He was beaten by the Roman soldiers. Read John 19:1-3.
Let each child smell the vinegar. Add teaspoon of vinegar to the mixing bowl. Explain that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross He was given vinegar to drink. Read John 19:28-30.
Add egg whites to the vinegar. Eggs represent life. Explain that Jesus gave His life to give us life. Read John 10:10-11
Sprinkle a little salt into each child's hand. Let them taste it and brush the rest into the bowl. Explain that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus' followers, and the bitterness of our own sins. Read Luke 23:27.
So far the ingredients are not very appetizing. Add 1 cup of sugar. Explain that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves us. He wants us to know and belong to Him. Read Psalm 34:8 and John 3:16.
Beat with a mixer on high speed for 12-15 minutes until stiff peaks are formed. Explain that the color white represents the purity in God's eyes of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus. Read Isaiah 1:18 and John 3:1-3.
Fold in broken nuts.
Line cookie sheet with waxed paper. Drop mixture by spoonfuls onto waxed paper. Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus' body was laid. Read Matthew 27:57-60
Place the cookie sheet in the oven, close the door and turn the oven OFF. Give each child a piece of tape and seal the oven door. Explain that Jesus' tomb was sealed.
Read Matthew 27:65-66
Go to bed. Explain that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight. Jesus' followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed. Read John 16:20 and John 16:22.
On Easter morning open the oven and remove the cookies. Take a bite. Notice the cookies are hollow.
On the first Easter Jesus' followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty.
Read Matthew 28:1-9
Source: "Simple Pleasures" A collection of favorite recipes, Christian Ministries
5 comments:
I feel the same way. It crept up on us without us realizing it!! We too do something similar to the Resurrection Eggs and we do the fun dying of the eggs & candy, but we also just really talk about what happened this week so many years ago...and of course our passover dinner! I find this holiday more of intense reflection in my heart more than anything....
thank you so much for sharing the recipes, etc. i, too, have been feeling ill prepared. in fact, we just got back from the bible bookstore only to find that they were out of resurrection eggs. man! my one feeble attempt failed! thanks for your help!
The pictures of Mauryn are so cute! thank you for sharing the recipes. =)
We made the Resurrection Rolls a few years back and the kids loved them. Oh, do I brave the stores for a tube of crescent rolls this late in the game? ;)
Whew...I am now caught up on your past two weeks of blogging!
Thanks for the great suggestions. I am going to share some of them with my mom for her preschool sunday school class.
My parents were visiting, and then we left for our two week vacation. We got back Saturday night, and when we got in the car to go to church this morning, I commented to my husband that I had not prepared AT ALL for Easter this year. I really didn't take the time I should have this year to reflect on the amazing sacrifice and glorious miracle of Jesus.
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