Celebrating The Resurrection with your kids

A few years ago, when Inara was 2, we did an Advent calendar with her. It was great, and I was surprised how much she caught on at such a young age. As Easter approached, I looked for something similar. I didn't want Christ's resurrection from the dead and defeat of sin to go un-celebrated. The only thing I could find was Resurrection Eggs, but I was just looking for something different. 

So I gathered resources from my 2 favorite Mommy bloggers of littles (Amanda at Oh Amanda, and Desire at When You Rise). And I put together one activity a day during to do during Holy Week (You can see what we did the past 2 years here). Well this year, Amanda has put together a something much more organized and I am SOOO excited to use it!  This year she released her ebook "A Sense of the Resurrection: An Easter Experience for families."  I've just skimmed some of it.  Guys, its going to be great!

I love her vision for what this book is.  "These are not small craft projects or little devotions. They are big experiences that will help you lead your children into an understanding of and relationship with Jesus." Yes, and yes!  The book is broken down into 12 activities to allow your kids to use their senses to experience the resurrection and its power.

Quote from "A Sense of the Resurrection: An Easter Experience for Families"

 Each chapter or "day" is set up to include a "sense" (sight, smell, etc.), scripture, activity, and a talk.  Yes, there is some sort of crafty activity, but I love that she reminds us that the craft isn't the point.  Its even easier because the ebook includes a printable bunting for each day.  Honestly, I'll probably pick 2 or 3 of the activities to do that I think will be the most meaningful to Inara and then do the bunting the other days. I'm not super crafty and don't love that type of thing, but I do love teaching Inara about Jesus and at this age, crafts is a helpful tool.

Now that Inara is older, I'm so excited for the conversations we will be having this year.  It's only $7.99, which is really a steal since it comes with the printable bunting!  I probably won't get to start until next week, but I can't wait!  So, who wants to join me?

Disclosure: I received a copy of the book as an affiliate, affiliate links are included.  But all opinions are 100% mine!  

 

Holy week

Last year we did some holy week activities. I really wanted to do more this year, but with a new baby around...I just couldn't get much planned. I didn't want to not celebrate at all just because we couldn't go all out, so we did what we could...which I am learning is my new way of life with 2 kiddos :)  Also, no pictures...also something I am learning with 2 kiddos...its rather hard to document life!

Palm Sunday, I read the story of Jesus riding into town and then we watched this video from Crossroads. She really liked it and wanted to watch it over and over.

Monday, we didn't read anything. I forgot..oops!

Tuesday we read about the woman who washed Jesus' feet an anointed him with the alabaster.  We read from our Jesus Storybook Bible.

Wednesday we read about Jesus washing his disciples feet and the last supper.  We read the story last week too (we read from our Jesus Storybook Bible pretty much at ever meal, so we go through it pretty quickly), and she really was taken that Jesus was more interested in other people than himself.  Last year when we did this, Justin washed her feet and we had our own little last supper.  But this year, I thought she could follow in Jesus' footsteps and be interested in serving others.

I thought we could make some muffins for our neighbors who are having a rough time right now, let them know we have been praying for them, and invite them to church on Easter. Normally when we make muffins for other people, we make enough for us to have some too.  But I told her this time, we were going to be only thinking of our neighbors and were not going to have any. She did surprisingly well  and only asked a few times to eat some.  We also spent some of our time cooking praying for our neighbors.  When we were stirring the batter, we asked God to stir up in their hearts a desire for Him.  When we filled the muffin cups the batter, we asked God to fill their hearts with the Holy Spirit.  It was so good! Why have I never thought of doing this before?! Our neighbors also have a little girl Inara's age living in the house, so I thought Inara could use some of her own candy and make the little girl an Easter basket.  We used a basket my parents gave Shepherd and Inara was not happy at first.  She said "Mom, that is his basket".  Then I explained how we are all going sacrifice and think of others first...so Justin and I took candy from our basket too.  We took them over, and it went really well (more on that later)

Thursday we read about the Garden. I had planned on reading it in the dark to add some more dramatic effect, but that wasn't possible.  I figured reading the story was the important part, not how it was read.

Friday we read about the crucifiction.  I really wanted to focus on it being called "Good Friday".  We had a really good conversation.

Me: Inara, why do you think it is called "Good Friday"?

Inara: Because Jesus died?

Me: Yeah, that's right. Why is that good?

Inara: Because he died for my sins.

Me: Yup!  And do you know what a sin is?

Inara: Sin is when you disobey God.

Me: That's right.  Do you always obey God?

Inara: Well, sometimes I do. But sometimes I don't

Then I tried to explain how I don't always obey God either and that's why He came for us. To rescue us soe can love and obey Him now.  After a few minutes she got distracted by a new toy, but it was still a nice conversation to see how much she is learning.

Saturday, we purposefully didn't read anything.  On this day, Jesus' disciples were scared a confused. They probably felt alone...their best friend was gone.  So I tried to explain this to Inara, so she could try to understand how they felt. I am not sure she understood and I think didn't make as much sense the day we did it as much as it did in my head...does that make sense?

Sunday, we made resurrection rolls like and a little resurrection craft just like we did last year.  It was fun and the girls were covered in butter and cinnamon/sugar mess, which led to a quick bath during which this happened:

Poor guy!  I was so busy with them, that I kind of forgot about him chilling in the swing.  I walked by him and burst out laughing! The really funny thing was that he LOVED it.  When I un-did his swaddler so his entire face wasn't covered, he got so pissed! Funny little boy :)  Then we went to church.  We all made it to church on time with 2 toddlers (who helped me cook, received baths, and were all dolled up), an infant, and a tired hubby who slept all morning from working all night! I really don't remember the last time we made it to church on time. Last year I remember being thankful we kept it low key and stayed together at home, but I also wanted to make a bigger deal this year.  Well this year that didn't happen...so maybe next year we will try to make it more celebratory.

Poor Inara and her crazy hair (she won't let me do anything with it.
Don't you just love MK's curls?! I was kind of jealous
after seeing how beautiful her hair is after a bath, no combing or products added

I was telling Justin that whenever I do things like this for her, I feel like I always end up getting more from it than she does.  When I was putting together the basket/muffins for our neighbors, I was going to take a picture and post it here.  (which I forgot..surprise surprise) I had the muffins and basket next to each other and then the invitation to church propped up on them.  The front of the invitation just had a cross and simply said This. Changes. Everything.  I stopped there and stared. It does change everything!  Without the cross my life would be radically different, really in every single way.  Without the cross I wouldn't love (or even care) about my neighbors.  Without the cross, Easter would be all about the bunny and not about true joy.  Without the cross, I would just survive each day instead of having joy in everyday. The cross really has changed everything. Has it changed you? I pray it has!

Happy Easter!

This Easter we had the most low key and relaxing Easter. It was really wonderful. We woke up and read the story of the resurrection from...yep...you guess it. Our Jesus Storybook Bible.  After we read the account we made a little resurrection craft.  I saw this from the ladies at When You Rise.  I first had Inara color a picture of Jesus when he wasn't on the cross.  After that I just cut a hold in the side of our kleenex box.  We crumpled up some newspaper for our "stone". We put out colored picture of Jesus in the tomb and then put the stone over it.

The stone over the tomb opening

We told Inara that after the put him in the tomb, all his friends would have gone home to get some sleep. So I sent her and Justin in the living room to pretend to sleep. When they were gone, I took Jesus out and set him aside. Inara came back the stone was "rolled away" and she looked for Jesus.  I asked her what was in the tomb. She first responded "Jesus is". But then when she looked...he wasn't there. She was actually surprised and started look around for him. It was fun to pull out her colored picture of Jesus and remind her that he is NOT in the tomb, because Jesus isn't dead...he is ALIVE!

Then after Inara's nap we made some resurrection rolls. I had never made these before, but they seemed pretty cool. I found some examples here, here, and here and combined recipes and also ways to tell the story.

Helping her dip the marshmallows 

She was more interested in being naked and just eating the marshmallows

All cooked and ready

The empty tomb!

We had a good time. It was a low key relaxing day. But it did seem to be lacking in celebratory things.  Next year I think we need to do a better job of making it fun AND learning about Easter. You live and learn right? 

Easter- Good Friday

We actually didn't do our Good Friday activities on Good Friday because we were gone all day long. But who cares right? :) Once again, we started by reading from our Jesus Storybook Bible where Jesus was crucified then put in a tomb.  Inara had been asking to color with these little animal markers, so we started by coloring a picture of the Cross. I tried to find a picture with Jesus on the cross because that is what happened today. So we did.  She noticed his "boo boos" on his hands and feet, and really colors those the most.  She asked why he had "boo boos" and we tried to explain, but I could tell she didn't really understand.

Then after she was done coloring we did one last thing. I saw this from Amanda at Impress You Kids.  It seemed like a really good idea, and I think when Inara gets older it will be good too.  We colored in a little red dot on her hand and said that it was like Jesus' boo boos on his hand.  Then we wrote her name over it because his boo boos are there because he was nailed to the cross and died in her place.  She looked at them for a while then wanted Justin and I to do it as well. We did and it was a good reminder that Jesus died for my sins too.  Being a parent is good.

Easter- The Last Supper

Right before the last supper, Jesus washed his disciples feet. Justin thought it would be a really good idea to wash Inara's feet. So we did. It was...interesting.  When washing the disciples feet Simon Peter says "Lord, not me feet only, but also my hands, and my head"..and well that's what happened to us too. Inara was so excited to have Justin wash her feet. She didn't want him to stop and was seriously crying when we were done because she wanted him to keep washing her feet. It was interesting. I was disappointed at first. Thinking "oh man. She just doesn't get it". But then I realized neither did the disciples...and neither do I. I know Jesus wasn't surprised by Simon's response, but it must have bummed him out that his best buds just didn't get what he was doing or why he was there.  But how often to I totally miss the point...all.the.time. So anyway, it was a good realization for me, of who Christ is and what he has done

Then after Inara recovered and stopped crying. We read some more from our Jesus Storybook Bible about the Last Supper, and then we had our own version of the Last Supper with some fancy bread we bought at the store.

Easter Day 3

*Ooops forgot to post this on Tuesday :)

Yesterdays Easter activity was a little different. We read from our Jesus Storybook Bible about when Jesus was in the Garden.

"I will trust you, Papa," he said.  "Whatever you say, I will do."

We wondered what kind of activity we could do to show how to be obedient, without just telling her to do something.  We thought about how Jesus obeyed God because he trusted him fully. So that's kind of where we went with Inara. We talked about trusting and obeying, how justin and I try to trust and obey God even when it's sad and hard...but it is so good. The she asked a very simple and profound question "why do I get sad?". Justin jumped right in explaining we get sad because of sin in the world and that is why Jesus died on the cross... So we don't have to be sad anymore. 

So our plan was to take her into the kitchen, stand her on the counter, and ask her to jump to us. She would have to trust us that we would catch her, in order to obey. (Just as Jesus trusted and obeyed God).  We put her on the counter and she didn't want to be there at first, so she sat down. We explained that she can trust us so she needs to obey and jump off, and will will catch her. Then she got excited. She still didn't want to stand up, but she "jumped" off and into my arms. Then it was Justin's turn. He asked her to stand and even though you could tell she was a little nervous about standing up so high and jumping...she did! We really tried to drive the point home that she trusted and obeyed, just like Jesus.  And how sometimes it is hard, scary, and sad to obey God...but we can obey him because we can trust Him.

I am excited to share more with her each day, and I know she is learning a little bit here and there, even if its nothing profound!

Holy Week

Even before Justin and I had Inara we really wanted to make a big deal out of Easter.  It is the ultimate holiday for us.  In December when we read through "Truth in the Tinsel" from Amanda at ImpressYourKids.org. We really were amazed at how much Inara learned.  So when Valentines came around, we kind of did our own countdown and "redeemed" valentines day to teach Inara about real love...the love of Jesus.  

So as Easter approached I gathered ideas from other awesome bloggers (what did people do before pinterest...I do not know!)  Justin and I slowly whittled down the ideas for what we wanted to do with Inara, and each day this week we will do some sort of activity/craft about Easter.

Yesterday we bought her this cute little cross necklace and it was in a little wooden box. Inara really loves all types of containers, so I knew we had a winner. When we gave her the gift, we wanted to make sure she knew WHY we were giving it to her.  Often when I am wearing jewelry, she asks me who gave it to me and why. So our hope is that when she sees her necklace or box, she will ask those questions.  We told her that when she looks at her necklace/box, we want her to remember that Jesus died on the cross for her sins and then rose from the dead.  She really likes her necklace and has worn it all day yesterday and today.

Today we started off our Holy week celebration by starting with Palm Sunday. I got this idea (once again) from Amanda.  After we read the account from John, then we traced Inara's hand, cut it out, glued it to a pop-sickle stick to make our own palm branches. Justin got out his guitar and then we all sang and waved our "palm branches".  I am excited to do a little activity everyday in anticipation for Easter!  *Eventually I'll get around to posting about our spring party where we did baskets, eggs, and candy...eventually :)*