He is risen! He is risen indeed! Celebrate the incredible joy of Jesus' resurrection with engaging activities and Bible verses to help young children understand and embrace the hope of this momentous event. Explore these ideas to teach the true meaning of Easter and celebrate Jesus' victory over death.
Scripture: Matthew 28:1-10; Mark 16:1-8; Luke 24:1-12; John 20:1-12
Read and Share Toddler Bible: pg 178
The Beginner's Bible: pg 450
My First Hand-On Bible: pg 350
Geared toward elementary-aged children, Buck Denver Asks: What's in the Bible? Volume Ten - Jesus is the Good News! explains the Easter story better than I have ever seen. Through catchy songs, humorous sketches, and clear Bible stories, Buck and his friends explain the importance of Jesus’ birth, life, death, and resurrection, showing how Jesus is the fulfillment of God's promises. This volume emphasizes the gospel message in a way that's accessible and enjoyable for children, helping them grasp the good news of Jesus with joy and clarity. Enjoy a clip from the video.
For late preschool or elementary-aged kiddos, The Tale of Three Trees by Angela Elwell Hunt tells the story of three trees that dream of their future. Each tree has a vision for what it wants to become: one as a mighty ship, another as a beautiful treasure chest, and the last as a tall mountain. However, their dreams take unexpected turns as they fulfill God's purpose in ways they never imagined, ultimately illustrating themes of hope, faith, and the significance of each tree's journey.
John 11:25 (ESV)
Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live.
Mark 16:6 (NLT)
But the angel said, 'Don’t be alarmed. You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead! Look, this is where they laid his body.
Luke 24:6-7 (NIV)
He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: "The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again."
Romans 10:9 (ESV)
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.
1 Corinthians 6:14 (NIV)
By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also.
Transform Easter from confusion to a meaningful celebration with the Take Me to the Cross Easter Activity Workbook. Packed with 7 engaging lessons and hands-on activities, this workbook helps young hearts connect with the true meaning of Easter— Jesus' resurrection. Make learning about the Passion Week fun and impactful for your children.
Here's a hill (make a fist)
Here's a cross (make cross with index fingers)
Where Jesus died (point up)
For you and me (point to others, point to self)
Here's a garden (hold left hand flat)
Here's a tomb (put right fist on left hand)
It's empty now (quickly open fist)
For you and me (point to others, point to self)
Sheet available in the Bible Activity Workbook
Sheet available in the Bible Activity Workbook
I have always been awed by the symbolism of the caterpillar turning into a butterfly and Jesus being in the tomb and rising again. Use this example to explain Jesus' resurrection to your child. This example can also be used to explain life without Christ and then having a new life once a person has accepted Jesus as their personal Savior.
Make a simple snack where a marshmallow (representing Jesus) is placed in dough (the tomb) and baked. When opened, the marshmallow is gone, symbolizing Jesus’ empty tomb.
Help children experience the true meaning of Easter through hands-on learning with our Resurrection Eggs. This engaging activity walks kids through Jesus' last days, from the triumphal entry to the empty tomb, using scripture-filled eggs and meaningful symbols. This simple activity captivates young hearts with the powerful story of our Savior.
Here is one way to do an Easter basket without the bunny. On Friday, as you discuss the cross, sin, and why Jesus died, place black rocks (or ones you painted black) in a basket. They represent sin and the sadness. On Easter morning, remove the rocks, replacing them with gifts to represent the gift of life that came through the death and resurrection of Jesus. Explain to the child that Jesus took away our sins and sadness, replacing them with the gift of forgiveness.
For Family Use: Print the Jesus is Alive worksheet. Decorate with crayons, paint, tissue paper, glitter, or other craft supplies.
The Wordless Book, introduced by Charles Spurgeon in 1866, provides a simple yet profound way to explain the Gospel. While additional colors have been added over time, the core story of God's love, sin, salvation, and eternal life remains the same. Explore recipes and activities to bring the story of the Wordless Book to life with children.
Help children experience the true meaning of Easter through hands-on learning with our Resurrection Eggs. This engaging activity walks kids through Jesus' last days, from the triumphal entry to the empty tomb, using scripture-filled eggs and meaningful symbols. This simple activity captivates young hearts with the powerful story of our Savior.
For Family or License Use: Cut out the inside of the cross on the Cross Template. Place the template on a large piece of contact paper, ensuring the contact paper is slightly larger than the template. Give the child small pieces of tissue paper, or provide tissue paper and scissors for them to cut. The child will place the tissue paper inside the open space of the cross. Once finished, place another piece of contact paper over the top to seal the cross. Trim off any excess, leaving a small border of contact paper. If desired, add the title "He Lives." Hang the completed cross in a window for a beautiful decoration.
Do this activity while telling the Easter story. Do not tell the child what you are doing but have him sit and listen. Then show the child the surprise at the end. You will have to practice this to make sure that your timing is correct.
Cut a piece of paper in half, length wise. Each 4 1/4" x 11" piece can be used to create a heart chain. (Begin the Easter story) Gently fold the paper in half, width wise. Fold again. Unfold. (Soldiers came to get Jesus.) The lines created will help you see where to accordion fold the paper. Now accordion fold the paper taking the edge of the paper to the first line. Flip the paper over and fold the width of the first fold. Continue folding until the paper is folded eight times. (Jesus is beaten and mocked and placed on the cross.) Lay the folded paper flat on a table with the first fold toward the left. Draw half a heart on the top with the center of the heart on the fold. Allow the curved part of the heart to partially overflow to allow for the hearts to be connected. (Jesus died on the cross as the punishment for our sins.) Cut along the lines (Jesus in the tomb). Open up the hearts (Jesus is risen!). Give each child a Heart Chain. Add the words "This is how we know", "what love is", "Jesus Christ laid down His life", and "for us. I John 3:16".
Help children plant a small garden with a tomb made of a small flowerpot and a stone rolled away from the entrance, symbolizing the empty tomb.
For another idea, place dirt in a shallow container. Cover with pieces of grass and rocks. Glue or string together sticks to form three crosses. Stick the crosses in the dirt.
Easter is a special holiday, but explaining its true meaning to young children can be a delightful challenge. That's why I created the Easter Treasure Hunt, a fun and educational activity designed for children ages 3-12. Dive into the heart of Easter and discover its significance through an engaging scavenger hunt adventure.
Introduce your preschoolers to the God's love with our fun and engaging New Testament Curriculum. Filled with interactive Bible stories, play-based activities, and learning crafts, this Curriculum brings the teachings of Jesus to life in a way young children will understand and enjoy.
Using painter's tape, tape a large cross on a piece of paper. Instruct the child to paint or stamp with a sponge to cover the paper. Then lift the cross to reveal the shape. Let dry.
If desired, paint a heart on top of the cross.
Paint or draw symbols of the resurrection (cross, stone, tomb) on rocks, and use them to retell the Easter story.
On a large piece of butcher block paper, write the words, "He is Risen." Have the children decorate with paint, crayons, and stickers. Hang it up as a reminder of the resurrection.
Head to the kitchen for some memorable cooking moments with these decilious kid-friendly recipes perfect for celebrating Easter.
Easter is a special holiday, but explaining its true meaning to young children can be a delightful challenge. That's why we've created the Easter Treasure Hunt, a fun and educational activity designed for children ages 3-12. Dive into the heart of Easter and discover its significance through an engaging scavenger hunt adventure.
Explaining Easter with colors is a creative and meaningful way to help preschoolers grasp the story in a way that connects with what they’ve already learned. Each color can symbolize an important part of the Easter story. Through color crafts, songs, and simple activities, children can visually understand and connect with the powerful message of Easter.
Interactive Bible Story
Discover ideas from the age-appropriate, Interactive Bible scripts available in the Old and New Testament Curriculum, 2 Year Interactive Bible Stories, 3 Year Interactive Bible Stories, and 4 Year Interactive Bible Stories
The answer to this question is found in I Corinthians 15:17 (NLT). “If Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless and you are still guilty of your sins.” When Jesus was resurrected, He demonstrated that death had no power over Him (Romans 6:9) and the punishment for sin was paid. Forgiveness of sins brought about by the resurrection allows us to have a personal relationship with God. We no longer have to live in shame or guilt. We can live in hope. Read more...
