A good starting point is to realize that Easter is bigger than any of us ever fully understand so we do not have to know all the answers. And not just any death – a very ugly, brutal, seemingly senseless death of an innocent person. It can be easier to chat with your son or daughter when you focus on personal reflections. 1. According to parenting expert Alyson Schafer, it doesn’t have to be so complicated. Sharing the Easter Story. One EXCITING Way to Explain Easter: The First Adam and the Last Adam. While the origin of its name is uncertain, some scholars accept the derivation proposed by the 8th-century English scholar St. Bede, also know as The Venerable Bede, whose tomb is in the magnificent Durham Cathedral in North-East England. The First Adam Explaining Easter to you young children is tricky. We can say something like: “When they put Jesus on the cross on Good Friday, it hurt. Easter, on the other hand, is much tougher. The days leading up to Easter are special, and they help us remember that we will always be challenged and tested, just as so many were back then. The telling of the story becomes a step in a process that hopefully will lead the child to the point of conversion and spiritual transformation at some point in life. Source picture books that tell the Easter story here. Experts explain why it's usually on a different day every year and offer fun and simple ways parents can involve their kids in celebrating Orthodox Easter 2021 which is on May 2. To make your own, label 12 plastic eggs with the numbers 1-12 and fill them as below: You can open one egg a day for the 12 days before Easter or open a couple eggs a week each week of Lent. Here is a great video to watch with your kids. The fact that we are all (our children included) totally dead in our sins, so God Himself is the only hope we have. When you want to search for meaning beyond the Easter bunny and chocolate. This is squarely a pagan tradition leftover from the spring festival of Eostre, a goddess whose symbol was a hare. Rejoice! This is a great post of information that will help me explain things to her. And we have an "Easter tree" on our kitchen table, with forsythia in bloom and painted wooden eggs dangling from the branches. Whether or not your church observes Lent, your family can at home. And… I've tried two approaches. The only way we can be saved is if God chooses to save us while we are still sinners (Rom. This is THE story of salvation. “Dad, why do we get Easter eggs?” “Well, buddy, there was this bloke called Jesus a very long time ago and he got crucified by some bad people…” “What’s crucify?” “It’s totally metal. One of our favourite things to do leading up to Easter is to watch Youtube clips telling the Easter story. I don't know how to explain Easter to my children—Penny, 5, and William, 2. Talk about Easter with joy and enthusiasm, and explain the symbolism of painted eggs and the wonder of resurrection, salvation, and life with God after death. Copyright 2020 More4kids International llc. Easter is new life, an empty tomb, forgiveness, resurrection, and more. Easter is celebrating spring and all the new life that comes with it. A request for more information may not be a request for a gospel presentation. You can buy sets of resurrection eggs or you can make your own. by mtsofan. Stacey has a Bachelor’s degree in Communications and French and a Master’s degree in English. Give each child a crescent roll triangle and explain that this represents the cloth that Jesus’ body was wrapped in. We are truly preparing for Holy Week, Good Friday and Easter Sunday. This was just what I was looking for thanks. The people who designed the Haggadah wanted to give future generations of Jews -- your child included -- a way to connect to the Passover story and re-experience the journey from slavery to freedom. How to Explain Jesus to a Non-Believer 1. Perhaps ask another adult to help with these activities as you are explaining the story of Palm Sunday to the children. 7. You have the joy and celebration of Palm Sunday and the even bigger joy and celebration of Easter one week later. No part of this article may be copied or reproduced in any form without the express permission of More4Kids  © all rights reserved. That’s why we celebrate Easter, but explaining the crucifixion to toddlers isn’t easy… Where do we start when a large part of the story is so cruel? How do you explain Easter to children? Take off the glove and explain that this is like physical death. Foolish Links For April « Home Is Where All Your Stuff Is: GROW! By Carolyn C. Brown. 6. Have the child completely wrap the triangle over the marshmallow and seal the edges together. Reconciling the true meaning of Easter with the secular, marketing-driven holiday the world celebrates can be tricky for adults, and even more difficult to explain to kids! Here are some suggestions. The culmination of Easter on Sunday is great joy and celebration, but it is preceded by death. Tell the Easter story in a way that creates hope not fear or anxiety. Easter marks the end of the 40-day period of Lent, which is a traditional time of fasting that begins … First of all, you may need to explain to them that sin is anything we do that keeps us from being friends with God. indeed. Go online and download Easter-themed, printable colouring in to bring the meaning of Easter to life. You can buy sets of resurrection eggs or you can make your own. Place in the oven for 10-12 minutes until golden brown. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. If a child wants more information, he or she will ask another question. I've tried two approaches so far. No one ever does. I took one 8year old and 2, 12 year olds and we went for a treasure hunt walk to find the items for the eggs then came back and discussed it all. She is also a freelance writer, a Children’s Minister, a PTA volunteer, and a Scout leader. How to Explain Palm Sunday to Children. Christmas is so much easier – babies, sheep, angels, stars. How to Explain The Easter Bunny Story. Pray that God would give you wisdom and that the … the course of the 4-5 Sundays before Easter. But will everyone whom God chooses to save come when they are called? As we journey through this world that is darkened by the shadows of the valley of death, we need not fear. Include Jesus’ resurrection as well as his death, Egg 1 – a piece of fur to represent the donkey Jesus rode into Jerusalem, Egg 2 – a cracker symbolizing the Last Supper, Egg 3 – a piece of soap, symbolizing Jesus washing the disciples’ feet, Egg 4 – three dimes to symbolize the 30 pieces of silver Judas received to betray Jesus, Egg 5 – a feather to represent the rooster that crowed three times, Egg 6 –  a thorn, symbolizing the crown of thorns that was put on Jesus’ head, Egg 7 – a die to symbolize the lots that were cast for Jesus’ clothing, Egg 8 – a small wooden cross or a nail to represent Jesus’ death on the cross, Egg 9 – a piece of black paper to symbolize the darkness that covered the earth, Egg 10 – a piece of cloth to symbolize the cloth in which Joseph wrapped Jesus’ body, Egg 11 – a rock to symbolize the stone that sealed Jesus’ tomb, Egg 12 – Leave this egg empty to symbolize Jesus’ resurrection. 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