Easter Resource Round-Up for Kids (Including a Recipe for Empty Tomb Rolls)!
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I love all things liturgal and seasonal - so obviously Easter is no exception. Here are a few things you can do to make Easter celebrations special with your kids this year!
As busy moms though, it can be hard to follow through on all. the. things. My encouragement to you is just start! We do celebrate the Lord’s resurrection every single Sunday but by slowing down and doing a little more around the once-a-year holiday in the church calendar, we can help our kids understand more and deeper.
Do what you can when you can. Have some fun and use this list to start.
I’ve included a variety of things here so you can pick and choose what to do with your kids!
Some links in this post are affiliate links. You can read our full disclosure policy here.
Bible Verses To Memorize
But the angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay...” (Matthew 28:5-6 ESV)
“But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8 ESV; you can also grab this in a pretty printable here)
“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.” (Romans 10:9; you can also grab this in a pretty printable here)
“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live
in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. “ (Galatians 2:20; you can also grab this in a pretty printable here)
Children’s Catechism Questions and Answers
As part of our series through the Children’s Catechism, you can work on these questions and answers with your kids:
Q. 137. Did Christ remain in the tomb after his crucifixion?
A. No; he rose from the tomb on the third day after his death.
Q. 138. Where is Christ now?
A. In heaven, interceding for sinners.
If you’re looking to dig deeper, check out this post on Christ’s offices of Prophet, Priest, and King.
If you're new here, be sure to check out this page for all the best resources and links for the Children's Catechism.
Make Empty Tomb Rolls
A friend told me about these a while ago and we’ve loved making them on Easter morning! Some people call them Resurrection Rolls and others call them Empty Tomb Rolls. They bake up easily but are a fun object lesson as you can see they are empty on the inside - just like the empty tomb on Easter morning!
So easy, here’s the recipe::
8 large marshmallows
3 tablespoons of melted butter
A mixture of equal parts cinnamon and granulated sugar (About 2 tablespoons of each)
A tube of Crescent Rolls (regular size, with 8 rolls)
To make:
Dip a large marshmallow in melted butter and roll in cinnamon and sugar mixture.
Place marshmallow on crescent roll piece.
Roll crescent roll dough completely around the marshmallow and pinch edges so it’s sealed.
Place into greased muffin tin.
Repeat for the remaining marshmallows and rolls
Cook for about 15 minutes at 350 degrees!
By using the muffin tin, you ensure none of the marshmallow leaks out into your oven! (Don’t ask me how I know that can happen!)
Other Activities
Tauna from Proverbial Homemaker has 8 Easter builds you can do with Legos. My kids could play with Legos for hours, so we will be doing some of these this year!
There is an easy empty tomb paper plate craft here from “Free-N-Fun Easter” with supplies you most likely already have.
I also love to buy caterpillers and watch them transform into butterflies every year around Easter. It’s so easy and so much fun to see little tiny caterpillers grow into huge (and gross) caterpillers and then watch them make a chrysalis and emerge as beautiful butterflies!
If you haven’t done that before - it would be a great Easter present for your kids!
Need to fill some Easter baskets? Be sure to check out this post I put together with a simple formula with lots of ideas to have Christ-Centered, Practical, and Fun items all together!
Some Great Picture Books Specifically About Easter
If you've been around this site before, you know I love children's books. So, of course I’m going to give you some options! Grab one or two of these - put them in a basket and then plan a few times to sit and read them.
The Donkey Who Carried a King by R.C. Sproul (pictured here) - From the Publisher, "The biblical teaching that Jesus was the Suffering Servant who carried the sins of His people when He went to the cross is vividly brought home to children in The Donkey Who Carried a King, a children's book from respected theologian, author, and educator Dr. R.C. Sproul.
Davey was a young donkey who was bored and unhappy because he was never given anything to do. Then one day, some strangers came to the gate and Davey's master picked him for a very special task. Davey carried the King, Jesus, into Jerusalem. A few days later, Davey saw some angry people making the King carry a heavy beam of wood. Davey could not understand it until another donkey helped him see that the King was being a Servant on behalf of His people.
The Donkey Who Carried a King offers a unique perspective on the events of Jesus' Passion Week and calls all believers, both young and old, to follow in the footsteps of the Suffering Servant for the glory of God. Jesus was willing to leave the glories of heaven to suffer and die in this world on our behalf, so we should serve Him with all our hearts.”
The Garden, the Curtain and the Cross by Carl Laferton - From the Publisher, "This beautifully illustrated hardback book takes children on a journey from the garden of Eden to God's prefect new creation.
Retelling the Easter story through a Bible overview, children will discover that 'because of our sin, we can't go in' but because of Jesus' victory on the cross, an even better garden awaits us..."
I wrote a whole post about this book (and the accompanying activity book) and you can even preview the whole book here so I won’t go on here about it!
The Parable of the Lily by Liz Curtis Higgins - From the Publisher, “Maggie, the farmer's youngest daughter, loves getting gifts, especially mysterious ones. One wintry day, she receives a package in the mail. She excitedly opens the package to find a bulb buried in a crate of dirt. This was not what Maggie expected. She had hoped for a doll or a game, not a bulb that would one day become a plant.
When spring comes, she finds the bulb in the cellar and tosses the lifeless thing into the garden, never to think of it again. . . . Until she walks outside on Easter morning and finds the most beautiful lily she has ever seen. Through the unique gift of a bulb, Maggie discovers the power of grace and forgiveness and the true meaning of Easter.”
The Friend Who Forgives by Dan DeWitt - From the publisher, “Do you ever talk before you think? Mess up? Let others down? That's what Peter did, again and again and again, and it led him to abandoning his best friend, Jesus.
Peter loved Jesus. He felt terrible when he pretended not to know him. He thought all was lost when Jesus died.
But Jesus is not like our other friends. He wants to forgive us when we are really sorry, even when we mess up again and again and again. And because Jesus died and rose again he can. Jesus' death took the punishment for all of Peter's mistakes and all our mistakes, and his resurrection showed the penalty was lifted.
Children know all about failing, but they don't always experience true forgiveness. This book points them to Jesus, the one who will forgive them again and again and again.”
If you are looking for other books for Easter gifts, be sure you check out my list of Favorite Gospel-Centered Resources (books, music, Bible study, etc.) for Kids here.
Need to fill some Easter baskets? Be sure to check out this post I put together with a simple formula for lots of ideas to have Christ-Centered, Practical, and Fun items all together!
As we celebrate the meaningfulness of the Lord’s resurrection, I hope you found some helpful resources here. And remember, you can show your kids the forgiveness and love that you’ve received in Christ every day. By pointing them to Him, you’re doing the best job!
