Mecklenburg Community Church

Easter is a time where you want to make the season special, but you also want to really dig into what we are really celebrating and why we are celebrating it.

It’s easy to pack our Easter celebrations with activities and never actually spend time talking about what it is that we are celebrating. This week, we want to highlight some things you might already be including in your Easter celebration and how you can tie them back to the resurrection of Jesus!

DYEING EASTER EGGS

WHAT TO DO: Use any kit or food dye to color eggs with your family. You can also use white crayons to draw on the eggs before you dye them to leave designs.

WHAT TO TALK ABOUT: There is so much symbolism in dyeing Easter eggs! The egg symbolizes new life given to us through Jesus’ resurrection. You can also talk about how different colors mean different things and how each ties into the Easter story:

RED – The blood of Jesus on the cross
PURPLE – Jesus is King and royalty
PINK – A fresh beginning
GREEN – New life and growth
ORANGE – Hope, the dawn of a new day
BLUE – The heavens and sky

With older kids, you can talk about the sacrifice that is made in the egg - the death of one life to provide life for someone else.

EASTER WALK

WHAT TO DO: Take a walk outside to look for signs of new life -- green grass, budding flowers, leaves on trees, baby animals or anything else you might see. You can do this on your street, around the backyard, or make it a special outing and stop by The Grounds at Meck for a drink and take a stroll on the Meck Trail!

WHAT TO TALK ABOUT: New life is everywhere! When Jesus performed the awesome miracle of coming back from the dead, He made a way for us to have new life and be with God forever!

BAKING

WHAT TO DO: As you’re baking treats for Easter try this simple recipe to use as a talking guide for the Easter story!

Ingredients:

marshmallows
butter
cinnamon
sugar
crescent roll dough

Directions:

Take the marshmallow and dip it in the butter, then cinnamon and sugar. Place it in the middle of the roll dough, wrap it up, top the roll with cinnamon and sugar and bake according to dough instructions. When you bite into the roll, the marshmallow is gone!

WHAT TO TALK ABOUT: Jesus is represented by the marshmallow. After He died, He was wrapped up and put in a big tomb just like you wrapped the marshmallow up and put it in the roll. After three days, Jesus was gone just like the marshmallow! When Jesus came back from the dead, He paid the penalty for our sin and gave us the gift of new life. Search online for detailed directions or alternative recipes for allergies.

EASTER BASKETS

WHAT TO DO: Many of us will be packing Easter baskets for our kids to find, and we fill them with treats and fun toys for spring! Why not put something in there to help grow your child’s relationship with Jesus? Here are some ideas:

Books:

PreK : Jesus Calling the Story of Easter
K - 2nd : Jesus and the Lions Den
3rd - 6th: Miracle Man

Bible:

PreK - 2nd: Jesus Storybook Bible or Tiny Truth Bible
3rd - 6th: Action Bible, God’s Big Picture Bible, or an NIrV Bible

Toys:

Plush lamb, lamb toy or cup (Read John 1:29 together as you talk about this gift)
Flashlights, glow sticks or nightlights to represent the light of the world (Read John 8:12 together as you talk about the gift)

We hope this is helpful as you aim to celebrate Easter with Jesus at the center. Remember, don’t try to do all of these! Pick one thing and see how it grows in your Easter celebrations year after year.