Thinking of Easter

Easter for Toddlers

As Lent continues, we long for Easter and the victory Jesus won over death.  I hope to teach Moriah more about Easter this year, as she was especially interested in Christmas and the birth of baby Jesus.  We enjoyed focusing on the arrival of our Savior at Christmas, and she was thrilled to consider that He came as a baby.  As a 2 1/2 year old she asks lots of questions, and can retain what we're teaching much more than she could last Easter.  While Christmas offers many opportunities to teach, I'm thankful that we can choose to teach throughout Holy Week leading up to Easter as well.  After all, without the Resurrection at Easter, our Christmas celebrations of the baby Jesus would be in vain!

These are some ideas we hope to try this year as we celebrate with our busy toddler.  

Of course we'll be flexible, and I won't promise or expect everything to happen :)  

I'd love to build a collection of more Easter books based upon the
Biblical Easter story.  This list is full of titles that sound great!

 

from HeartFelt Truths

First, I plan to purchase this banner which we'll use throughout the Holy Week. 
I especially love the helpful illustration of the dark felt being laid over the scene on
Good Friday, and the "He is Risen" yellow felt being displayed on Easter morning.
I made my own Advent scene using their free patterns,
but purchasing this one seems like a good idea since it's slightly more involved.

from Impress Your Kids

On Palm Sunday, I hope to make these hand print palm leaves,
to use as we learn some Easter songs.

from Catholic Icing

If I can print these pictures in color I think the toilet paper roll "puppets"
would be helpful to use as props throughout the week as we discuss the Easter story.

from Gretchen Reads

On Wednesday, we'll make this play dough Easter Mountain as Noel Piper suggests
in "Treasuring God in Our Traditions".  I was a bit intimidated by the thought of the
pipe cleaner figurines she described making, so I think we'll photo copy a Jesus
picture from one of Moriah's children's Bibles.  Gretchen did that in the picture
above, and it seemed like a great idea so that Moriah can recognize a familiar picture.

from Thalita Dol

On Good Friday this cross craft with wooden popsicle sticks and a heart in the middle
helps describe that out of His love for us Christ died on the cross in our place.

from Totally Tots

On Easter Sunday this simple craft clearly shows that Jesus isn't in the tomb
any more!  He's risen, praise the Lord!

from Eat at Allie's

We'll also make Resurrection rolls again this year,
but I'll be certain to seal the crescent rolls better than I did last year. 
The object lesson is off a bit when there's no hollow middle :)

If you're curious about other Easter ideas,
check out my "Spring Is Here" Pinterest board,
where I've been busy storing ideas for this year and the future!