The Story of Easter for Kids at Grace Church Plano
Easter Sunday is approaching and now is the perfect time to tell the story of Easter for kids. Christians all over the world are getting ready to celebrate the most important event on our calendar in just a few short weeks. Here at Grace Church Plano, we try to think of new ways every year to revisit and remember the key events in the resurrection of our Lord Jesus. We believe it is particularly important to help children learn and recall these events. In this video, GraceKids pastor Tamara Stillwell breaks the story down into eight easy-to-remember steps, encouraging children watching at home to follow along with just a piece of paper and a pencil or crayon.
The Events Leading Up To The Death of Jesus
Tamara begins by telling us the sad events that led up to the resurrection of Christ. First, Jesus Christ was betrayed by one of his apostles, Judas. Then, Jesus was put on trial, mocked and beaten. Roman soldiers made Him wear a purple robe in mockery of His claim to be a king, and placed a crown of thorns on His head. They made fun of Him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!”
Jesus was then led away to Golgotha, outside of Jerusalem, where He was crucified. It was always God’s plan that Jesus would die in this way: God sent His son to die for all of us and take away all of our sins. In doing so, Jesus brought us back to God and opened up a way for us to get to Heaven.
This was the saddest day in all of history, but it was followed, three days later, by the happiest day in history.
Celebrating Easter: A Joyful Tradition for Young Hearts
In the spirit of celebrating Easter and engaging young minds, it’s essential to highlight the significance of Easter activities and devotionals that bring families together. Taking time to explore the Easter story with our kids not only deepens their understanding of this pivotal event but also enriches their Christian faith. At Grace Church Plano, we’re committed to offering a curriculum that encompasses the resurrection of Jesus Christ, fostering a nurturing environment where children can learn about God’s love and salvation.
Whether it’s through a detailed exploration of the Last Supper, understanding the role of Pontius Pilate, or recognizing the symbolism behind the empty tomb, our goal is to provide a comprehensive bible study that addresses all facets of the Easter story. Encouraging children to partake in devotionals and take time to pray not only strengthens their personal connection with Jesus but also underscores the miracle of Easter. As we celebrate Easter across the world, let’s remember the sacrifice of Jesus and the eternal life it promises, fostering a sense of gratitude and love in the hearts of our young ones.
The Easter Story for Kids, Illustrated in Eight Parts
The Easter story for children is at the very heart of Christian belief – the most joyful day of all time because it was on that third day after Jesus’ crucifixion that He rose again, having conquered sin and death. This story is told in slightly different ways in Matthew 28, Mark 16, Luke 24, and John 20-21, but these retellings can be broken down into eight key events.
To help explain these eight steps in the resurrection narrative story, Tamara encourages children to take a piece of paper and fold it twice so it is divided into four squares. Actually, there are eight squares in total – four on the front and four on the back. Children can now draw each event of the resurrection story – one in each of the squares on their sheet of paper. The eight events of the resurrection are:
1
Jesus dies on the cross. Children can represent this event by simply drawing the cross.
2
Joseph of Arimathea places Jesus’ body in the tomb. Kids can simply draw the tomb in Box No. 2.
3
The stone is rolled in front of the tomb.
4
Jesus’ enemies place guards to watch the tomb. These people were afraid that Jesus’ disciples would steal His body and then claim that He had risen. In Box No. 4., children can draw two guards, armed with spears.
5
Women come to the tomb to embalm Jesus’ body. On Sunday, a group of women came bearing spices to preserve Jesus’ body. They were not sure how they were going to roll the big stone away from the opening to the tomb. The kids now flip the page over. In Box no. 5, they can draw three women carrying spices.
6
The women find the stone rolled away from the tomb. Here, the kids can simply draw the tomb with the stone rolled away from the entrance.
7
Two angels appear to the women. The angels said to them: “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here. He has risen.” The kids can show their drawing talents by drawing two beautiful angels.
8
Later, Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene. Mary was the first person to see Jesus alive after his crucifixion. In the final block, the kids can draw this scene, showing her joy at the sight of the risen Lord.
There it is: the resurrection of our Lord in eight easy steps. At Grace Church Plano, we offer teachings about Easter in many different ways, but this is an example of how our GraceKids ministry makes the fundamental facts about our faith easy for kids to break down and remember. Our children’s ministry is open to all kids, from infants to 5th graders. We minister to babies aged 0-2 in the nursery, ages 3-5 in the preschool, and K-5th graders in GraceKids. We love to help children learn about God at their own level.
If you would like to know more about the story of Easter for kids at Grace Church Plano, contact Joni Broker.