ABCJLM Easter Ideas
- ABCJLM Bible Story Activities and Crafts
- Activities and Crafts
- Books, Cd's, & Videos
- Using the story of a Caterpillar turning into a Butterfly
- Recipes
- Resurrection Eggs
- Tell the Easter Story with Colors
- Ideas on the Web
ABCJLM Bible Story Activity and Craft Ideas
View ideas for specific Bible stories used in the ABCJLM curriculum. Each link includes ideas such as corresponding books, verses, songs, poems, activities, printables, and crafts.
Activities and Crafts
• Easter Egg printables
Large Easter egg
Three medium sized Easter Eggs
• Die Easter Eggs and review colors, mixing colors
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Letters - Write the capital letter on one half of the egg and the lowercase on the other. Have the child match the letters.
Math - Basic hide and seek. Then have the child count how many eggs he found.
Colors - Have the child seek only one color of eggs.
Matching - Mismatch the eggs together. Have the child disassemble the eggs and reattach with the correct match.
Letters - Write the capital letter on one half of the egg and the lowercase on the other. Have the child match the letters.
Gross Motor - Play catch with the egg.
Group Games - Provide each group of two with a towel to hold. Play catch with the egg by tossing the egg between towels.
Race - Place the egg in a spoon and race to a designated spot without letting the egg drop.
Sensory - Place different items in the eggs to make different sounding shakers. (May need to tape the egg shut.) Shake with your favorite song.
Gross Motor - Place miniature golf with Easter eggs and a broom.
Letters and Numbers - Write a letter or number on a small piece of paper. Place instead an egg. Hide the eggs and have the child name the letter or number on the piece of paper.
Fine Motor - Paint with the eggs. Open the opened egg to dip in paint to form circles. Or, roll the egg around in fingerpaint.
Matching Sensory - Fill two eggs with the same item. Create several more sets with different items. Have the child shack the eggs and find the matching sounds.
Science - Place various items of weight inside the eggs. Roll the eggs down a slope and compare times.
Gross Motor - Have an obstacle race with the child holding the egg with different body parts. (i.e. under the chin, under the arm, between the wrist)
Vocabulary - Hide various items in the eggs. The much use a descriptive word describing the item found in the egg. (i.e. soft, blue, heavy, smooth)
Matching - Cut large stickers in half. Place each half on an Easter egg. Separate the eggs and have the child match the pictures.
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Tissue Paper Egg - Print off the Large Easter egg printable. Paint a small section of the egg with water-downed glue. Lay torn pieces tissue paper on the egg. Paint over the tissue paper. Continue until the entire egg is covered. Let dry.
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Tissue Paper Egg - Print off the Large Easter egg printable. Paint a small section of the egg with vinegar. Lay torn pieces of "bleeding" (vs. non-bleeding) tissue paper on the egg. Paint over the tissue paper. Continue until the entire egg is covered. Let dry. Peel off the tissue paper to find a soft surprise!
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Make a lamb handprint. Paint the palm and fingers of the hand black. Press down on a piece of paper with the fingers parallel and the thumb outstretched. Glue cotton balls on the palm and part of the fingers. Add eyes, a mouth, and ears on the thumb for the lamb's face. Add the title "The Lord is My Shepherd."
Books
Videos
Audio
For Older Children:
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Caterpillar to Butterfly
I have always been awed by the symbolism of the caterpillar turning into a butterfly and Jesus being in the tomb and rising again. If your child is familiar with the The Very Hungry Caterpillar
• Resurrection Illustration (Original source unknown)
Place a paper butterfly (a coffee filter butterfly works great) into a cardboard tube before the child sees it. Show the tube to the child while covering the sides of the tube with your fingers so he/she can't see the butterfly inside. Tell the child he/she needs to pretend the tube is a fat little caterpillar. Wrap your hands tightly around the tube. Say to the child, "The caterpillar wraps a cocoon around himself. Inside the cocoon it is very quiet and dark. The caterpillar stays there for a long time. That reminds me of the way Jesus stayed in the dark tomb for three days. Let's slowly count to three and remember how long Jesus was in the tomb. 1-2-3. When the caterpillar is ready, he pushes, stretches, and shakes off the cocoon." (Release the tube so the child can see the butterfly.) "And when he comes out, he looks different. Since butterflies have a new life after they come out of the cocoon, they can remind us that Jesus died for us and then rose again."
• Activities
Life Cycle of a Butterfly Booklet
Recipes
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• Easter Story Cookies - Honestly these are not cookies that get eaten at our home but the story is awesome!
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Wordless Book Cake - Also known as the Happy Birthday Cake (Original Source Unknown)
Items Needed:
3 layered round cake - red, green, and chocolate layers
White frosting
Yellow frosting
Candles
To make the colored layers - mix a white cake according to the box/recipe directions. Divide the batter in half. Drop several drops of green food coloring in one half, and red food coloring in the other half. Pour each into 8" round cake pans and bake according to recipe directions. When cooled, stack the chocolate layer, red layer in the middle, ending with the green layer with white frosting in between. Frost the entire cake with white frosting. Add yellow decorations and candles to the top.
Symbolism:
The chocolate layer reminds us that are heart is full of sin.
The red layer reminds us that Jesus shed His blood for our sins.
The white frosting reminds us that Jesus will forgive our sins and give us a clean heart.
The green layer reminds us to grow in Christ through praying, reading the Bible, and worshiping.
The yellow decorations remind us of heaven.
The candles remind us Jesus is the Light of the world.
More Wordless Book activities...
Resurrection Eggs
The whole idea behind Resurrection Eggs is that the eggs help tell the story of Jesus' last days on earth, His death, and His resurrection. It can be completed as a countdown to Easter or as a stand alone activity that you do all in one sitting. Most numbered egg contains a scripture verse (rolled up scroll style) and a corresponding trinket that relates to that part of the story.
There are various forms of Resurrection Eggs available to purchase or make. Each sets contains a variation of items and order leading up to the empty final egg. Most sets contain 12 eggs but Bonnie shared an idea of 20 Resurrection eggs.
Purchase Resurrection Eggs
Make Resurrection Eggs:
Idea #1
Idea #2 - Video by Cullen's ABC's
Ideas #3 - 20 Resurrection eggs with scripture and corresponding trinkets
I would encourage the Easter Resurrection Egg Daily Countdown video series by Cullen's ABC's. Begin the series 12 days before Easter. You will watch one video per day leading up to Easter Sunday. The videos include an alligator puppet explaining the different items in the Resurrection Eggs.
Watch them with your child or simply watch them to give you an idea of how to use the Resurrection Eggs!
Tell the Easter Story with Colors
- Jelly Bean Poem (Author Unknown)
Place this poem in a small bag with some jelly beans.
Red is for the blood He gave.
Green is for the grass He made.
Yellow is for the sunflowers so bright.
Black is for the dark of night.
White is for the grace He gave.
Orange is for the sun He made.
Purple is for the hours of sorrow.
Pink is for our new tomorrow.
A bag full of jelly beans,
colourful and sweet.
It's a prayer, a promise,
and a child's treat.
- A Special Easter Basket to Remember (Author Unknown)
Use this poem to create a craft or use a real basket. You can change the objects but keep the colors the same.
The green egg reminds me of the palms that welcomed Jesus into Jerusalem one day
The purple flower reminds me that Jesus shared wine and bread with His disciples.
The red egg reminds me that Jesus dies for us.
The brown bunny reminds me of the dark cave where Jesus' body lay.
The white lamb reminds me of the angel who said "He's risen!"
The yellow chick reminds me of the bright sun and the resurrection of Jesus on Easter day.
Ideas on the Web
Ideas from Storytime and More:
• Dye eggs the natural way - use natural ingredients
• Stained Glass Easter Eggs - use crepe or tissue paper to make this fun craft
• Read the The Golden Egg Book
Ideas from Preschool Playbook:
• Duck from an Egg - cute craft using hand prints and an oval
• Little Lamb - trace a hand print and add cotton balls to create an Easter lamb
• Egg Shell Man - fun craft that involves a planting some seeds, cute decorations
• Easy Easter Sun catchers - create little crafts to place in the window
• Footprint Ear Bunny - This is an adorable craft to give to a loved one.
More Easter Ideas:
Shirley's Easter Ideas - recipes, coloring pages, poems, songs, fingerplays
Christian Preschool Printables - color pages, printables, games, crafts
Preschool Sunday School Lesson Ideas - story, game, craft, snack ideas
Easter Activities for Children - color pages, crafts, dying Easter Eggs, poems, printables, recipes
Easter and Spring Activities - crafts and activities
Everything Preschool - arts and craft ideas
Jelly Bean Poem #2 and Craft Idea
Activity Village - free printables
Children's Ministry Magazine - wonderful ideas to do with a Church Group, Sunday School class, or as a family
A Glorious Easter - recipes, skits, Bible Stories, crafts, printables
List of Online Easter Resources
