Make a Palm Sunday Donkey Colt Craft.

Make a "He is Risen Laced Paper Plate" Craft for Easter from our Easter Craft Page

Plant an Easter Garden Craft from our Easter Craft Page

Stick donkey Toy Easter Craft for Kids - Your preschoolers will have fun riding on a donkey just like Jesus did on Palm Sunday. This little donkey can also be used to act out the Palm Sunday story. It is made from paper, yarn, and a gift wrap tube or rolled up newspapers. The pattern for this craft is available to members only.

Craft Stick Donkey Easter Craft for Kids - This craft is made with craft sticks, a craft spoon and yarn.  The pattern for this craft is available to members only.

"He is Risen!" Banner Easter Craft for Kids - This is a great Easter Craft for older children. Glue this Easter Cross banner onto a wooden dowel and add a golden fringe to the bottom.

Easter Folded Paper Game for Kids - Children pick a side, the teacher opens it up and tells the children what to do such as, "Say, It is true, Jesus loves me.

Egg Carton Sheep Easter Craft for Kids - Jesus was called the Lamb of God. He was our sacrifice. Children will love gluing cotton balls or wadded up tissue paper on this cute little sheep. This craft uses an egg carton cup and an egg shaped Styrofoam ball. Children glue, wrinkled up tissue, cotton, or tissue paper onto the body to make the sheep.

Also see Sheep Crafts

Easter Windsock Easter Craft- This windsock is made from card stock and crepe paper streamers. A pattern and directions for this craft is available to members only. Children will have fun coloring the pattern and then taping crepe paper streamers to the bottom. They look beautiful blowing in the wind. If you live in a rainy climate, you can laminate the paper and use plastic streamers instead.

Easter Lambs Color and Activity Sheet - This color sheet is available to members only.

Palm Sunday and Easter Bible Lessons

Easter Lesson - This lesson was sent in by Vicki Wiley. Children fill a clear plastic cross with layers of different colors of candy to remind them of different things in the Easter story. They could also use beads to make a bracelet.

"Jesus in a Big Parade" Bible Lesson - Children learn how people in Bible times showed love, and gave thanks and praise to Jesus, and how they can show love and praise him. They also learn that Jesus is very glad when we tell others about him. This lesson is found on the Member Only section of the Resource Room.

"The Happy Day and the Sad Day" Sunday School Lesson - Children learn the sad story of Jesus' death, and the happy results of his resurrection. Children color a fold up game and then play the game with the teacher or their classmates. This lesson is found on the Member Only section of the Resource Room.

The Last Supper - Jesus wants us to remember what he has done for us. Children color Christian Symbol Easter Eggs and talk about what each symbol stands for. This lesson is found on the Member Only section of the Resource Room.

Resurrection Cookies

1 cup pecan halves
1 tsp vinegar
3 egg whites
Pinch of salt
1 cup sugar
Zipper baggie
Wooden spoon
Tape
Bible

1. Preheat oven to 300 F. Place pecans in zipper baggie and let children beat them with the wooden spoon to break into small pieces. Explain that after Jesus was arrested he was beaten by the Roman soldiers. Read John 19:1-3.
2. 
   Let each child smell the vinegar. Put 1 tsp. vinegar into mixing bowl. Explain that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross he was given vinegar to drink. Read John 19:28-30.
3. 
   Add egg whites to vinegar. Eggs represent life. Explain that Jesus gave His life to give us life. Read John 10:10-11. Sprinkle a little salt into each child's hand. Let them taste it and brush the rest into the bowl. Explain that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus' followers, and the bitterness of our own sin. Read Luke 23:27.
4. 
   So far, the ingredients are not very appetizing. Add 1 c. sugar. Explain that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves us. He wants us to know and belong to Him. Read PS. 34:8 and John 3:16.
5. 
   Beat with a mixer on high speed for 12 to 15 minutes until stiff peaks are formed. Explain that the color white represents the purity in God's eyes of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus. Read Isa.1:18 and John 3:1-3.
6. Fold in broken nuts. Drop by teaspoons onto wax paper covered cookie sheet. Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus' body was laid. Read Matt. 27:57-60.
   Put the cookie sheet in the oven, close the door and turn the oven OFF. Give each child a piece of tape and seal the oven door. Explain that Jesus' tomb was sealed. Read Matt. 27:65-66.
7. GO TO BED! Explain that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight. Jesus' followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed. Read John 16:20 and 22.
8. On Resurrection morning, open the oven and give everyone a cookie. Notice the cracked surface and take a bite. The cookies are hollow! On the first Resurrection day Jesus' followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty. Read Matt. 28:1-9.

Sent in by Christina Coffey

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Easter Plays for Children

1. Easter Play - This play can be done at any time during the year and there are no lines to learn (except for the preaching).

You will need the CD, "All the Way to There" by John Berry. The play is acted out to the song "How Much Do You Love Me?" I had a 6 year old act out the part of the little girl, a teenager for the teen and an adult for the married woman. This song (in case you haven't heard it) talks about a small girl playing with a dinosaur and she asks her father (played by the Pastor) if he wants to play dinosaurs with her. He's reading a paper and puts it down and chases after her.

(We had a set of 3 stairs made that she could climb up). On the second stair, she turns around and looks at her dad. (In the song, it says that she asked, "How much do you love me? How much do you really care?" Then the dad follows the song, by touching his heart and stretching out his arms as the song plays the words "All the way to there". They hug and the little girl exits. Next scene is the teen calling her dad. She waits on the steps and he drives up (two chairs put together as dad pretends to drive.) She gets in the car crying. He anticipates that she needs to know how much he loves her, so he taps her on the shoulder and again touches his heart and stretches out his hands as the song plays "all the way to there". They part with a hug.

Last scene - a woman with a suitcase gives the dinosaur to her dad and kisses him good-bye and waves. She goes to the stairs and looks very sad and lonely (song says she's 1,000 miles away). Looking towards her, but sort of over her head, he touches his heart and stretches out his arms. She looks in his general direction and touches her heart and stretches out her arms too. The play ends like this.

Next, the preacher goes to the first step and talks about how joyous we are when we first find Jesus. How everything seems fun and we have so much exuberance. On the second step, the preacher talks about the "teen" years in a Christian's life --the years of conformity (The trial years). Finally, on the third step, we talk about the "married" state - how we have learned to trust Jesus for better or for worse, etc. and are waiting now to see Him face to face. Preacher should emphasize that Jesus loves us "all the way to there".

I added some very sentimental songs regarding how much Jesus loves us. At the end, I had the cast come up one by one, starting with the little girl and stand in front of the cross and put up her hands. I had asked some key members of the congregation before the play if they would come to the altar and do the same when they saw the cast doing this. The effect was phenomenal. When I turned around, the entire church was at the altar with their hands raised in praise!

Easy play, minimum of props and we only needed one night of practice! Hope someone can use this. Theresa

For more craft ideas go to the Easter and Spring Crafts Page

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Read the children the book "The Parable of the Lily". (I found this book at Wal-Mart for $6.00) and at K-mart for $4.28 in the Easter section.) If you can't find it at either store, you can buy it online at Christianbook.com. You may also be able to find this book at Wal-Mart. An Easter Sunday school lesson that goes along with this book is available on The Resource Room.

Make a paper flower bloom - This is a simple and surprising craft. Fold up the petals of a paper flower and place it in a bowl of water. After a few seonds the flower will start to open. A pattern this craft is available on The Resource Room.

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2. Decorate a pot or plastic container (cottage cheese containers, plastic cups, or other containers) with stickers. Tie a ribbon around the container and tape it in place.  Have your children fill the pots with soil. Give each child a flower seed to plant in the soil.  Tell them that this craft uses many symbols to remind them of what Easter is all about.  The bow reminds them of God's free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ.  The cross with red flowers reminds them that Jesus had to shed his blood and die for our sins so that we could have eternal life.   Jesus died and was buried.  When you see the new plant emerge, you will be reminded of the new life you can receive

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Cross Easter Crafts

Plastic Canvas Cross made from ribbon and plastic canvas.  You will need at least 20 minutes to complete this craft. They can be used as bookmarks or as decorations. This is a great craft for teens, and great to sell at craft fairs as a money maker. Click here for the directions and a pattern.

You can buy precut plastic canvas crosses that are ready to assemble from Oriental Trading Company. Go to www.orientaltrading.com and type in 48/2988 in the search box at the top of the page to find this craft. They cost $4.95 for twelve.

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Sea Shell and River Stone Easter Cross Craft - This craft is appropriate for older children, ages 8 and older. This craft would be great for Vacation Bible School Craft.

What you will need: wooden cross (The one pictured was purchased from Michael's Craft Store for 99 cents. It's about 8" long.) Small river rocks and sea shells. (You can use other things also like buttons, beads, or seeds.), Grout (Found at hardware stores.) I used antique white, tacky glue, rubber gloves, and sponge.

You can buy small river rocks and shells like the ones I used for this craft from Oriental Trading Company. (Just type in rocks or shells in the search box to find them. They are under Craft Accessories.) The wooden crosses are also available.

What to do:

1. Glue your decorations onto the wooden cross and let it dry overnight.

2. Make sure all the objects are glued on well.

3. Mix the grout according to the directions. Use rubber gloves and press the grout into all the cracks. Don't try to do the whole cross at one time. Work in sections. Let the grout set for a short time and them wipe off the top of the cross with a damp sponge. Rinse out the sponge and wipe it off again and again until it looks the way you want it to look. Do the whole cross this way. Let it dry overnight.

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Nail Cross Easter Craft - This is a very inexpensive and easy craft for Easter. You can also tie a red ribbon on the top of the cross or wind it around the middle to signify the blood Jesus shed.

What you will need: 2" masonry nails, 2 1/2" masonry nails, and thin wire. (Tru-Value Hardware Store)

What to do: Place the two 2 1/2" nails next to each other facing opposite directions.  Wrap the wire a couple or times around the nail about 1/3 of the way from the top. Place the two 2" nails next to each other facing in opposite directions. Place them on top and across the 2 1/2" nails and wrap the wire around the nails to form a cross.  Bring the wire up and around to the head of the nail at the top of the cross.  Wrap the wire around the head and then form a loop with the wire.  Cut off the excess wire.

You can buy this craft as a kit from Oriental Trading Company, $6.95 for 12 crosses. Type in 48/3102 in the search box at the top of the page.

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Stained Glass Window Easter Cross Craft - Here's a really fun craft for all ages. 

What you will need: Black construction paper, white typing paper, paper glue, crayons or markers, (Highlighter markers work very well.) and glitter glue. (optional)

What to do:

1. Draw a stained glass window shape on a piece of white paper. Cut it out. Try to make the shape as tall and wide as the piece of paper. Place the window shape on a piece of black construction paper and trace all the way around about 1/2" from the edge to make a black window shape that is a little larger. Also cut out a cross shape from black construction paper. A pattern for this craft is available to members.

1. Fold up the white window shape at different angles making sure to crease the fold each time you fold it. You can unfold it and then fold it again at a different angle. 
2. Keep folding and unfolding the paper until you can see that the patterns you created by folding the paper are about all the same size.
3. Unfold the paper and trace the lines you created by folding the paper with a dark marker. Color in the different shapes with markers and crayons.
4. When you are done coloring, glue the window shape on top of the bigger black window shape.  Glue the cross on top.
5. You can also add glitter glue to finish.

You can also make this craft to be hung on a window and make the stained glass part look translucent. To do this, cut the white paper and the black paper the same size, but cut out the inside of the black shape to make a frame. Prepare the stained glass part as described above, but when you are finished, paint a very light coat of vegetable oil over the paper. Wipe off the excess and let it dry. Glue the black frame over the stained glass. Glue on the cross. Hang in a window to let the light shine through.

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Tissue Paper Stained Glass Window Craft

1. Cut out an arched window shape from the middle of a piece of black paper. Discard the cutout part.

2. Place some clear contact paper on one side of the paper cover the cutout area.

3. Give your children colored pieces of tissue paper to "stick" to the cut out area. Sent in by Jeanette

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Easter and Palm Sunday Games and Activities:

1. Act out the Bible lesson.  Dress up the children in Bible clothes. (See making no-sew Bible costumes) .  Using the palm branches they made in the crafts section below,  have them act out the lesson. One child can be Jesus and one the donkey. As Jesus rides the donkey through the crowd on Palm Sunday the other children wave their palm branches saying, "Hosanna" and "Jesus, we love you." They can also take off their coats and lay them in front of the donkey.
2. Play "Pin the Tail on the Donkey" game for Palm Sunday. You can buy it any where you get birthday supplies.  Use tape instead of pins.
3. Donkey Ears - Make donkeys ears for the children to wear on Palm Sunday. Just make a headband out of construction paper and attache large ears. Sent in by Jeannet

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Easter songs:

1. Easter Time
   (Sung to: Jingle Bells)

   D
   Easter time, Easter time,
   D
   We have so much to do.
   G                                  D
   Time for bunnies, time for eggs,
              A7
   But time for Jesus too.

                 D
   Oh, Easter time, Easter time,
   D
   Jesus showed His love,
             G                            D
   He died for us and rose again.
              A7                         D
   He's with the Lord above.

If you like this song, consider purchasing "Praise 4 God ~ Just 4 Kids©" a collection of more than 75 simple songs and poems of praise

 

For more even Easter Crafts go to Easter Page 2 .