Getting Ready For Easter: An Activity For Kids

Easter is my favorite holiday.  I love it even more than Christmas!!   This week at my home, and thus here on Proverbs for Life, it is all about Easter.    Every day I’ll share with you what we are doing to help our kiddos come to understand and love Easter.

We began our Easter week on Sunday.  We started this week with the arrest of Jesus to show the small fries that it was sin that put Jesus on the cross.  Most of the time, my kids don’t think about what they are doing.  They just react.  They just do what they want to do.  In their mind, it isn’t disobeying, it’s just explaining why they couldn’t do what Mommy or Daddy just told them to do.  It isn’t lying, it’s just hiding the cookie as they back carefully out of the kitchen.  It isn’t stealing, it’s just looking at what is in Grammy’s drawer and playing with what they find.

This activity is a week long activity to show them how sinful we all really are.

To do this activity you’ll need:

• A box
• Red wrapping paper or cardstock/construction paper
• Brown Paper
• Cross template
• Scissors
• Tape or Mod Podge
• Strips of white paper (you’ll need a lot, no really, a lot)
• Pens/pencils

I used what I had on hand, which meant no red wrapping paper; I mod podged the box with red cardstock.  It’s been a while since I mod podged anything and I was starting to get the itch!!  If you go the mod podge route, you’ll want to wrap the box the day before you want to start this activity with your kids.

Begin by covering your box with the red paper.  Once the box is covered, cut a hole in the top big enough to slip pieces of paper into it.   While my mod podge was beginning to set, I traced a cross onto the brown paper, cut it out, and glued it to the front of the box.

Once you have your box ready, call in the kids.

I started by reading Mark 14:43-72.  I know this isn’t the traditional starting place, but there is a reason I started here.  I wanted to show them how sin put Jesus on the cross.  I pointed out the sin of Judas in betraying Jesus.  I emphasized the lying of the witnesses at Jesus’ trial.  I pointed out Peter’s sin in denying he ever knew Jesus, then cursing when he got caught.  We started with the arrest because this passage clearly showed the sin of those involved.  Then we talked about our sin.  What had we done just that day in our thoughts, actions, and speech?  I had them each take a slip of paper and write their sin down, as well as the punishment for their sin.

After everyone wrote out their sin. They put it in the box.

All week, we are going to keep a record of our sin.  Precious A has really enjoyed writing down little brothers’ and little sister’s sins and putting them in the box! Princess L is making sure she stays on top of Precious A’s sin!  Our box is already starting to get pretty full.

On Good Friday, we’ll sit down and read Mark 15:16-41 and explain that Jesus took the punishment for our sin when he died on the cross.  Because he shed his blood (the red box) we can have forgiveness instead of judgement.  When we confess our sin (write it down) and take it to the cross (put it in the box) we receive God’s grace and righteousness while he takes our sin.  The great exchange!  We will then open up the box to show that the box is empty (I’ll empty it when they aren’t around). Our sins are remembered no more!

Here are some questions to ask as you do the first part of this activity:

• What sin did Judas commit?
• Why did all the disciples run away?
• What sin did they commit?
• What sin did the witnesses commit?
• What sin did Peter commit?
• What sin have you committed today?
• What did Jesus say when they accused him and lied about him?
• What sin did Jesus commit?

Here are some questions to ask as you do the second part of this activity:

• What is the payment for sin?
• Why did Jesus have to die?
• What would happen if we had to pay for our own sin?
• When we sin what should we do?
• What happens when we tell Jesus we sinned and ask him to forgive us?
• What does God offer us in exchange for our sin?
• Why would God do this for us?

Easter is such a great opportunity to show our kids why Jesus came to earth.  Our salvation did not come because Jesus was born.  It came because he died.  He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our sins, the punishment that brought us peace was upon him and by his stripes we are healed.

Be intentional this week.  Make sure you take the 10 or 15 minutes each day leading up to Easter to share the deep truths of why we celebrate Easter.  If you need help with ideas, I’ll be sharing activities you can do in preparation for Easter all week.  Use them; share them with your friends.  Don’t let this opportunity pass you by!