For Christians, Easter is more than just a nice Sunday dinner with family, tons of chocolate candy, or a visit from the Easter Bunny. Yet, it’s hard to show children the true meaning of Easter when the holiday has become so commercialized with things that have nothing to do with the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Your children should know the real reason we celebrate; Jesus dying and then rising from the dead for our sins. Making Jesus the focal point of the holiday will teach your children that our faith as Christians is about the forgiveness of our sins by our Savior.
To show your children the love and kindness that God wants us to know, have them make Easter baskets for kids in need. Our family did this last year; my children had a great time filling the baskets with not only the typical Easter treats, but also with Easter eggs filled with scripture verses that they decorated and folded inside.
Still dye Easter eggs with your kids, but do it with meaning. Use symbolic colors to show the story of Christ. Black can be for our sins. Red can represent his death. Blue can be the color of sadness while he was on the cross. Yellow can represent his resurrection. Purple is the color of royalty; use this to represent Christ as king. Green can be for being made new. Be sure to leave some white eggs for our sins being made clean.
Using crafts around the house let your kids draw or create art that honors Christ death and proclaims his resurrection. You can even use homemade felt board to tell the story. Cut out a cross, a tomb, and the figure of Jesus and attach Velcro to the back. On Good Friday, arrange the craft to show what happens, according to God’s Word. Then, move him to the tomb. On Sunday morning, before the kids get up, replace him with a white cloth to represent his resurrection. Explain to your children after they wake up that Jesus has risen from the grave and our sins are made clean by his forgiveness.
By all means, put together Easter baskets with your kids. It can be done without involving the Easter Bunny. A new Bible, jewelry that honors their faith, candy that doesn’t represent anything aside from spring and other fun things that are God-centered would all make great additions to an Easter basket.
To me, Easter represents new life. This year, my children will receive fish and new fish tanks as a part of their Easter surprise. My parents always got us new animals for our farm. We would get baby chickens, ducks, and even one year a lamb.
As our sins are forgiven, we are given new life because of our Savior’s sacrifice on the cross and his resurrection three days later. Reiterate to your children that we are made new by God’s forgiveness.
At the family meal, talk about what they learned at Sunday School that day. Many focus on the death of Christ at Easter; be sure to let them know that Jesus rose from the grave.
You don’t need to eliminate the Easter Bunny all together. Just make sure your kids understand why we celebrate Easter.
Many different crafts, recipes, and projects can show your child the true meaning of Easter. What are some of your favorites?