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| Thanks to Big Princess for the photo! |
I have been asked to lead the Egg Hunt at church. So of course I turned to Pinterest for my inspiration. Once again, since this activity is in the future, the pictures will be pins of the projects we are going to do. However, I wanted to post this prior to the event so if anyone else out there is looking for ideas, maybe you can get some inspiration!
Logistics: I will be doing these activities during "Children's Church", and the actual egg hunting will take place immediately following church service. The children's church ages for us are 3-7, but we'll be lenient on the ages this week! Several reasons for doing this:
1. Hopefully, we can get more people in church that day!
2. The children will be immersed in the Easter story in a meaninful way.
3. Since we rely on our teens to hide the eggs, and they are all going in 100 different directions, this will hopefully get more participants to help!
4. Grandparents and church members can stay after church to watch.
Here's the plan:
The activities will be based around this booklet I found that walks children through the Easter Story from Palm Sunday to Resurrection. I am going to print one and assemble one for each child.
The page shown on the pin above is the first story page. Each page is a different part of the Easter Story. I will tell the story in age appropriate terms, and then we will do an activity station to bring meaning to the children. Listed below are the activities I have planned that correspond with each page.
1. Palm Sunday - we are going to do leaf rubbings or just glue the leaves and glue fabric scraps representing the coats on the page of the booklet. (supplies needed - crayons, leaves, tacky or fabric glue, fabric scraps)
2. The Last Supper - I was totally inspired by Secrets of a Super Mommy's post on bringing the Last Supper to life. I am going to have the children sit on the floor, and if I can't find a low table, we'll have some folding tables laying on the ground. They will sit around the table, and I will give them grape juice, pass around loaves of wheat bread for them to break off a piece and eat, and possibly give them chunks of cantaloupe as well. (supplies: table, bread, juice already poured in cups on the table, bowl of cantaloupe for them to pass)
3. Jesus washes the disciples feet - While it would be more meaningful to actually wash their feet, the logistics would be a nightmare. Tights, shoes to put back on..... No time for that! So I am going to have wash tubs of water, scented with lavendar essential oil possibly (need to check on allergies?) and babies and Barbies for them to wash their feet. (supplies - water, tubs, dolls, towels)
4. Praying in the garden - We will go out under a 100+ year old oak tree on the church grounds and say a prayer, give them some time to say prayers alone. I'm sure they won't be able to focus, which will be another part of the lesson!
5. Death of Jesus - I am going to do my very best to put this on their terms. Little Princess asked me one time if Jesus thought we didn't have enough blood and that's why He gave his blood for us. So putting this in very simplistic terms is essential. At this point, we will begin making Resurrection Rolls inspired by Eat at Allie's. I will have the oven already preheated to 350, and the crescent rolls laid on sheet pans. We will use her terminology to explain what happened at Jesus' burial and the symbolism, make the rolls, and put in the oven and SET THE TIMER!) (supplies needed: sheet pans, parchment paper, 1 crescent roll and large marshmallow per child, bowls of melted butter and cinnamon sugar, paper towels)
6. Jesus is buried in the tomb - Since we started this with the rolls, while they are baking we will make salt dough caves. I am going to use this air dry salt dough recipe to make the caves on styrofoam bowls. I was inspired by No Longer Conforming's cave. I am going to add some black food coloring to give it a more tomb like look, as she did. But since there will be no time to bake them, I needed an air dry recipe. (supplies needed: salt dough rolled out thin (hoping to get someone to do this while we are doing the other activities to it doesn't start air drying too quickly), styrofoam bowls with the cave cut out, and a circle cookie cutter slightly larger than opening to cut the stone "door"
7. Jesus is alive! The salt dough tombs will illustrate this. We will also get the rolls out of the oven, and break one open to see that "Jesus" is no longer there! While they are cooling, I will tell the next story.
8. Jesus finds the disciples, and they eat fish on the beach We will talk about how Jesus met with his friends to tell them how much he loved them, and remind them that he had told them all exactly how it would happen. Jesus knows what is going to happen, and takes care of us! We will eat some goldfish and the rolls, and share ways that Jesus looks after us. (supplies: plates, napkins, goldfish)
By this time, I am thinking that church will be over, and the teenagers will have finished hiding the eggs. We will go out for our egg hunt (which usually doesn't take very long at all). The littlest kids get a big friend to help them. Then, we come inside and count the eggs, pile them back up, and they hide them 1 more time. While the teens are hiding them this time, the little ones will color their booklets. Their parents will be with them then, and I will have the children tell their parents the activities and story as they are working in their books. I will be cleaning up! :))
After the final hunt, we will give out prizes! Everyone gets the same prize, because Jesus loves us all the same. I was so excited to find this wonderful blog, Detail Oriented Diva. She has the most brilliant ideas for turning everyday items into Bible lessons and scripture. The post I linked to is what I am going to make this week for the prizes, I think. Balls of playdough, but I am going to put into sandwich bags with the labels attached.
Reality check: I have a crazy busy week. If I don't get around to making playdough, I am going to buy peeps and do this one I pinned by her.
Hope you were as inspired by these great bloggers as I was, and can use something I found. He is Risen!
