Easter

What happened on Day Two of Passion Week? Click to find out. Tell your children the events of this day some 2000 years ago.  You can be very animated as you tell of Jesus cleansing the temple because He loved God’s house so much and people were not respecting it.  Talk of ways to respect your church (keep it clean, don’t run inside, listen to your teachers, etc.)

Emphasize that your bodies are now the temple of God (1 Cor. 6:19) and we must take care of them.  Plan and prepare a healthy meal together and have a family exercise night. Research ways to have better nutrition. The Adventures of Junk Food Dude is an excellent book for children to learn about healthy food choices.  Here’s the link to see and hear it read on YouTube. 

Make a cross out of twigs or craft sticks and keep it in a prominent place during the Easter season.  Point out that it is empty because Jesus didn’t stay on the cross or in the tomb . . . He is alive!!

Let your children enjoy the secular traditions of Easter, but be just as intentional in telling them about what Christ was doing that first Easter. This site will help you use the tangible things of Easter to teach the intangible truths about Jesus.

Palm Sunday starts what we call Holy Week or Passion Week. This name represents the passion with which Jesus willingly went to the cross to pay for our sins.

Tell the Story:

Beforehand read all about Palm Sunday at Day One of Passion Week. Then tell the story with enthusiasm to your children. Emphasize that Jesus came riding humbly on a donkey, but will one day come again victoriously riding on a white horse.  In the ancient Biblical world, a leader rode on a donkey to signify peace, but he rode on a horse if he was coming in war.

The people greeted Him as though He were an earthly king that would save them from the Romans who cruelly controlled their country.  They put their coats in His path as He entered the city and they waved palm leaves before Him which is why this Sunday is called Palm Sunday. They shouted, “Hosanna,” which means “save us,”

Suggested Activities:

Make palm leaves out of green construction paper or white paper and paint green.  Let children cut into the edges.

Act out the story:  use a stick horse or a broom as the donkey or even let dad be the donkey 🙂  Let one child be Jesus and as he rides into the city, the rest of the family can wave the leaves.  Be excited about Jesus coming to save us!!

Have fun teaching the Greatest Story ever told this Passion Week!!  Follow Train Up The Child for information and ideas all week. Subscribe to get ideas delivered to your inbox each morning of passion week

Check out these free Easter resources available for download from Ministry-to-Children

Here’s a great song to sing as you act out the story: https://youtu.be/Kht2SR8P0ko