Easter Preparations

I have being thinking long and hard about how to teach and prepare Hannah for Easter.  After lots of searching and looking I found endless amounts of crafts, songs, coloring sheets and activities all about bunnies, eggs, and candies.  I even found a respectable amount of material on the real reason my family celebrates Easter: because of Jesus death and resurrection and all that Jesus accomplished for us.  However, most of what I found was too old for Hannah.  She's only 2, so I wanted a few activities and things that she would enjoy and understand.  I also did not want to glaze over the work of the cross or miss it entirely which surprisingly seems to be the most common phenomenon.  What Andrew and I will do is present it in such a way that it is age appropriate and sensitive.

Here is what were are going to do:

Easter Coloring Book:

I'm made a story book out of these Easter Story Coloring Pages (here): 

Easter story wheel:

I got the pictures from this really cool easter booklet (here) and then put them onto a wheel.: 

Easter Story Eggs/Resurrection Eggs:  

We will introduce all of the objects in the eggs in a story format, and we will do it all on Easter.  Then next year we can do it leading up to easter one egg at a time.  I put this together after seeing a great set made over at Catholic Icing (here).

What is in my eggs:

1. Palm Branch- Jesus triumphant arrival in Jerusalem.  Matt 21:1-11
2. Soap – Jesus washed the feet of the disciples.  John 13:1-17
3. Small cracker piece – Last Supper Mark 14:22 
4. Flower- Jesus prays in the Garden. Matt 26:36-46
5. Three dimes – Judas betrays Jesus for 30 pieces of Silver.  Matt. 26:14-15 
6. Twine or a small piece of rope - Jesus is arrested. Matt. 27:1-2 
7. Crown of Thorns - Matt. 27:29 
8. Nails - Matt. 27:31 and John 20:25 
9. Cross –John 19:17-18 
10. Sponge – The Soldiers offered Jesus something to drink.  John 19:29-30 or Matt 27:48 
11. White fabric and Spices – Burial clothes and spices.  John 19:38-40
12. Stone – The tomb.  Matt. 27:65-66 or John 20:1-10 

Easter Play Scene:
I think this last one is my favorite and the activity that I am most excited about.  You can download the printable at Catholic Icing (a great blog, full of great ideas) (here).  I love that Hannah will be able to play with this set in order to learn about Easter.

The Easter Scene

Mary Magdalen, Mary, crucified Jesus, and the cross.

Two angels and the Tomb with a movable rock.  

Risen Jesus and 2 Soldiers.

That is how we will be teaching Hannah about Easter this year.