Easter with young children
Faith at Home: Exploring Easter with Young Children
Christmas lends itself naturally to children’s ministry, with the story of a newborn baby, stable animals, catchy carols and twinkling stars. But how do we help children engage with Holy Week and Easter, which is altogether a much more complex and adult story, with some troubling and traumatic themes?
Perhaps you are wondering how to support and encourage children, godchildren, grandchildren, nephews and nieces during this very special time for the Church? Please see below ideas and recommendations. If you have other suggestions, I would be delighted to hear them!
- Reading the Easter Story Together.
In the summer of 2024, I conducted some research for the Growing Faith Foundation about the intersection of church and home in faith development. One of the emerging themes was the importance of particular children’s bibles to different families. Do you have a favourite children’s bible, perhaps one given as a gift at baptism?
Here are some of my current favourites for reading the Easter Story together:
The Beginner’s Bible, Zonderkids: 2016.
This edition features short, snappy stories which are ideal for little ones with short attention spans, or early readers.
The Lion Storyteller Bible by Bob Hartman and Krisztina Kallai Nagy, Lion Hudson: 2018.
A perennial favourite of vicars taking school assemblies, this book is specially designed for reading aloud to children.
Children of God Storybook Bible by Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Collins: 2010
Beautiful words by the late Archbishop Desmond Tutu combined with a range of illustrations from artists all around the world.
The Beginner’s Bible Lion Storyteller Bible Children of God Storybook Bible
Or if your children enjoy listening to a Yoto player, the God’s Big Promises Storybook on Yoto is currently very popular in the Shamel-Wood house!
- Make an Easter Garden
Constructing an Easter Garden is a tactile way for children to engage with the Easter story. They can collect stones to use as the tomb/cave and find little sticks for making crosses. A mini garden the size of a dinner plate can make a lovely centrepiece during the holiday weekend and children can retell the story in their own words.
Homemade Easter Garden
- Display an Easter Scene
Many households have special nativity scenes which form part of their Christmas decorations during the festive period, but what about an Easter scene? A robust one will allow children to play with the figures and act out the story, and to ask questions about the different characters.
WATINC Easter Table Decoration, Amazon Multicoloured ‘Nativity’ Scene, TK Maxx
If you would rather not purchase an Easter scene, you could always try to make one together out of salt dough, play dough or recycled cardboard.
- Praying together
Families often have their own prayer rituals, such as saying grace together at a meal or saying the Lord’s Prayer at bedtime. For some special prayers during the Easter season, please see below. If you have a smart speaker at home, you could try asking it to open the Church of England and play the prayer of the day.
True and humble king,
hailed by the crowd as Messiah:
grant us the faith to know you and love you,
that we may be found beside you
on the way of the cross,
which is the path of glory.
Amen.
Collect for Palm Sunday
We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you,
because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
Holy God,
holy and strong,
holy and immortal,
have mercy upon us.
We glory in your cross, O Lord,
and praise and glorify your holy resurrection:
for by virtue of the cross
joy has come to the whole world.
from the Liturgy of Good Friday
- Action Songs
Unlike Christmas, many Holy Week songs can be tricky for children. Here is a version of “Sleeping Bunnies” we enjoyed singing at the children’s craft workshop on Saturday:
See the Lord Christ Jesus, lying in a tomb
We can’t wake him, we’re feeling full of gloom.
We loved him; we miss him; come back soon.
He is risen, happy day! He is risen, happy day! He is risen, happy day! Happy day HOORAY!
- Eating Hot Cross Buns
And finally, of course the ancient medieval tradition of Hot Cross Buns can be an enjoyable way to talk about the cross as a way that Christians remember Jesus.
Hot Cross buns, credit: Unsplash
Wishing you all a very happy and holy Easter!