I can’t take credit for this idea–these are sometimes called Resurrection Eggs.
PreparationNumber (with stickers or a marker) 12 plastic Easter eggs.
Put the following items in the respective eggs:
1: a leaf–real or plastic (if it vaguely resembles a palm branch, all the better)
2: a piece of cloth with a little perfume on it
3: a piece of a tortilla, pita, or bread or white clay shaped to look like flat bread
4: three dimes
5: Grapevine Wreath or Large Thorn
6: a Dice
7: a cross made out of wood, toothpicks, popsicle sticks, or paper
8: a nail
9: a piece of paper that says THE KING OF THE JEWS
10: a little bundle (wrapped in fabric, a baggie, plastic wrap, etc.) of spices–cloves would be nice
11: a stone–rounded would be best
12: leave empty
The ActivityYou can have your children take turns opening the eggs (be sure to go in order by the numbers). Here are the explanations for the items in each egg; I’ve made them appropriate for a four-year-old; scale up or down as necessary.
1: When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the people waved branches because that what people used to do when a king walked by.
2: Later, Jesus had a special dinner with his friends. A woman came and poured perfume on his head. This showed that she knew that he was the Christ and she knew that he would die soon.
3: The next day, Jesus had another special meal with his friends. We call this The Last Supper. This is when the sacrament began, because Jesus said that people who followed Him should have bread and wine to help them remember Him.
4: Judas was supposed to be one of Jesus special helpers, but instead he helped other men arrest Jesus. He did this because those men paid him money.
5: After Jesus was arrested, the soldiers were really mean to Him and made fun of Him. One thing that they did was to put a purple robe on Him and made Him wear a crown of thorns.
6: The cast lots where they gambled for His garments
7: Jesus was crucified.
8: When the soldiers put Jesus on the cross, they pounded nails into His hands and feet.
9: Another thing the soldiers did to make fun of Jesus was to put a sign on the cross that said THE KING OF THE Jews.
10: After Jesus died, His friends put his body in a tomb. Later, some of the women who followed Him came to the tomb to put spices on His body. That was something they did back then when someone died.
11: The tomb had a rock that could roll over the opening to seal it.
12: When they got to the tomb, they were amazed to find that the stone had been rolled out of the way and Jesus body was gone! Then an angel came and told them, He is risen; he is not here (Mark 16:66). This egg is empty because Jesus tomb was empty. Jesus tomb was empty because He was resurrected! (You may want to share your testimony of the resurrection at this point.)
Here are the scriptures that go along with each egg if you want them. You could either print them out, cut them up, and place the appropriate one in each egg, or you could read them as you explain what is in each egg.1: The people waved palm leaves and laid them in the streets when Jesus entered into Jerusalem. (Matthew 21:1-11)
2: And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as Jesus sat, there came a woman having an alabaster jar of perfume; and she broke it, and poured it on his head (Mark 14:3)
3: And as they ate, Jesus took some bread, and blessed it and then broke it, and gave to them, and said, Take and eat this is my body (Mark 14:22)
4: And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve disciples, went to the leading priests, to arrange to betray him to them. When they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him money. He began to look for an opportunity betray Jesus (Mark 14:10-11)
5: The soldiers wove a crown of thorns and out it on his head and they put a purple robe on him. (John 19:2)
6: When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, the soldiers divided his clothes among the four of them. They also they took his robe but it was seamless woven in one piece from top to bottom. (John 19:23)
7: It was the third hour when they crucified him. (Mark 15:25)
8: But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, r I will not believe it. (John 20:25)
9: The written notice of the charge against him read: THE KING OF THE JEWS (MARK 15:26)
10: When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought spices, that they might come and anoint him (Mark 16:1)
11: They said among themselves, who shall roll away the stone from the door of the tomb? And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away. (Mark 16:3-4)
12: Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. (Mark 16:6)
We’ve done this activity for a few years now and my children always enjoy it.
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