Easter and Christmas are the biggest holidays of the major Christian Religions. The Christmas story is fun, and easy to teach to kids. You can easily spend six weeks on it in Bible class.
Easter is a much more complex story for children to grasp.
For this reason, it only gets one or two weeks a year in Bible Class. I’ve been talking to my kids and teaching them the Easter story for several weeks now and have realized that I need to teach Easter all year long.
There are so many important Biblical points in the Easter Story. First, there is Palm Sunday. Next, The Last Supper and the Garden. Finally, the trial and crucifixion and the most important part: the Resurrection.
Here are tips for teaching Easter all year.
Act It Out
We are all used to the cute nativity plays every Christmas. There are also great opportunities for acting in the Easter story. Have a Palm Sunday parade and let them walk on their coats. Sit on the floor and drink grape juice and crackers. You don’t need to crucify someone on the cross, but kids could have fun being an angry mob. You can even make a “tomb”- we used a cloth draped over the table.
Read The Story
There are also great children’s Bibles out there, and Easter story books. I love The Easter Story from Usborne Books. The Beginner’s Bible also has a great version of the Easter Story.
Talk About It
Kids need repetition to learn. I know how important the Easter story is to my faith, so I am trying to instill it in my children. I am going to teach them this all year long. If it is something important for your kids, talk about it all year long. After you talk about it, ask them questions. Right now, my kids are a little upset that Jesus isn’t under the table (our tomb), they think he is missing. Eventually they will get it.
You are your child’s first and best teacher. Focus on what is important to you and teach it all year long!
