How to teach kids about Easter
- Eljoh Hartzer, MTh
- Mar 6
- 4 min read
Easter can feel like a super difficult concept to teach to children - I get it. As someone who grew up Christian and has worked in kids and youth ministry for over a decade, I've faced challenges like this many times. I promise this post will guide you with some new and fun ways to teach kids about Easter.
Luke 18:16 "Let the children come to me! Don't try to stop them."
As you read on, consider the following question:
Jesus often pulled children into the middle of what He was doing, yet we find it challenging to do the same thing. Why is that?
May you find space here to pause, reflect, and abide.
At the end of this article is a free Easter coloring page to prayerfully dive deeper.
Easter Lesson Ideas for Kids
Teaching kids about Easter does not have to be hard. Truly, you can be empowered and enboldened by the Holy Spirit to talk about Easter in a way that connects young hearts to Jesus.
Here are some ideas:
Walk through the 7 days of Holy Week and break the lesson into 7 parts where you talk about what Jesus did each day
Look at Old Testament Prophecies that Jesus fulfilled (like Zechariah 9:9)
Talk to them about the truth about the Easter bunny and Easter eggs, contrasting it with what the Bible teaches about Easter
Explain to them why Easter is Good News
Difficult concepts of Easter that kids can understand
I'm always blown away by the depth of understanding that kids bring to the table. From as young as three years old, some kids will understand many of the more difficult concepts around Easter, like:
death (a grandparent or pet)
Jesus (our friend, God became man)
cross (as in, how Jesus was crucified)
sin (as simple as bad things we do)
The joy and challenge of doing Kids Ministry is that we get to find ways to connect the dots for them.
Easter is when we celebrate that God sent us Jesus. Sin is a bad thing that stood between people and God. Sin led to death and brokeness, but God missed us so much that He decided to build a bridge. He did that by the cross. Because of Jesus's death and resurrection we can live close to God again. Jesus is alive and we can find fullness of life in Him.
Top Tip: Use the BRIDGE DIAGRAM to explain the Gospel message of the cross this Easter.
Vine Creative Studio holds a collection of what I like to call 'encounter tools', resources connecting hearts with Jesus. You're welcome to try one out with my free Workbook on Living as a Wholehearted Follower or Coloring page on the Fishes & Loaves Miracle.
Tips : Teach Kids About Easter
Whether you are a parent trying to teach your own children the meaning of Easter or if you're leading a children's ministry at church - we're all in the same boat. The Bible says that Easter is the best news ever. So, how can we share it joyfully and faithfully?
Tips for Teaching Kids About Easter:
Take a building blocks approach in the weeks leading up: Talk about sin, death, eternal life, God, Jesus, and love. Then just weave it all together on Easter.
Remember that Easter is a Sunday when extra families tend to visit church (who's not there every week): This is both an opportunity and a challenge. Your lesson should be super basic for the child who's never heard anything like it before, yet deep enough to make the child who's there every week feel something.
You might be interested in my printable Easter Activity Pages too :)
John 3:16 - "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life"
Looking for an Easter Lesson that's not been done a million times?
If you (like me) have been around the block with kids ministry and feel like you've taught about Easter in almost each imaginable way... I want to challenge you to tie it to the Old Testament. This is how we move kids ministry beyond entertainment and towards real faith formation.
For example, compare the stone rolled away from the tomb's entrance with the stone covering the lion's den where Daniel was thrown in. Look at the significance of the three days Jesus spent in the tomb or why the curtain in the Temple tore. What does the Passover festival represent and why is Jesus called the spotless lamb?
I hope this post helped break you out of the Easter box a little and see it in a new and fresh way.
Easter Prayer for Kids
Dear God, loving and kind. Thank You so much for Eastertime.
You sent Your only Son to make a way for me to be close to You forever. May I always continue to abide in the Vine. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Your Invitation to Go Deeper
Go even deeper with this idea by using the free coloring page I made for you on this topic. There are many more coloring pages like this one in my EASTER printable workbook.
P.S. If you enjoyed this article and would like to stay in touch, I want to invite you to join my newsletter by leaving your email below.
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