6 Special Christian Easter Activities for Families

Try these Christian Easter activities with your family this Spring!

Easter has become the new Christmas in the commercialized society that we live in. The eternally significant meaning of the holiday has been tucked away behind the bunny and the eggs (bunnies don’t even lay eggs, y’all) for far too long.

There is nothing wrong with Easter egg hunts and having some fun…we participate in that stuff too, but families have gotten so caught up in the “fun & magic” that they leave out the Truth & Light. As for me and my house, we will remember the sacrifice that Christ made and the events that led up to that Sacrifice before we open any sugar-filled eggs.

There are 6 Christian Easter Activities (one per day) that I really love to use with my kids throughout the week of Easter to help them visualize the pre-Resurrection timeline… I hope your family can enjoy them as well!

6 Days of Christian Easter Activities

Use these simple Easter Activities to teach your children about the events leading up to Jesus’ Crucifixion and Resurrection. Each day has Scripture to read, an activity to complete, and a specific event to discuss.

Christ-Centered Easter Activities for Families

Easter Activity Day 1: Anointing of Jesus at Bethany

–READ: Mark 14:3-9

³ And being in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, as He sat at the table, a woman came having an alabaster flask of very costly oil of spikenard. Then she broke the flask and poured it on His head. ⁴ But there were some who were indignant among themselves, and said, “Why was this fragrant oil wasted? ⁵ For it might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.” And they criticized her sharply.

⁶ But Jesus said, “Let her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good work for Me. ⁷ For you have the poor with you always, and whenever you wish you may do them good; but Me you do not have always. ⁸ She has done what she could. She has come beforehand to anoint My body for burial.⁹ Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.”

-ACTIVITY

Mix and dilute your favorite Essential Oils in a small jar. Place some wooden skewers in the jar to diffuse the scent into your room. You can decorate your jar as well. I taped scrapbook paper to our jar and wrote a verse on it (and misspelled anointed, but let’s have a little grace mmkay?)

-DISCUSS

Talk about the significance of the woman using an expensive oil on Jesus especially in the culture that they were living in.

Easter Activity Day 2: Palm Sunday/Triumphant Entry

–READ: Mark 11:1-10

1 Now when they drew near Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, He sent two of His disciples; 2 and He said to them, “Go into the village opposite you; and as soon as you have entered it you will find a colt tied, on which no one has sat. Loose it and bring it.  3 And if anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say,  ‘The Lord has need of it,’ and immediately he will send it here.”

4 So they went their way, and found the colt tied by the door outside on the street, and they loosed it. 5 But some of those who stood there said to them, “What are you doing, loosing the colt?” 6 And they spoke to them just as Jesus had commanded. So they let them go. 

7 Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their clothes on it, and He sat on it. 8 And many spread their clothes on the road, and others cut down leafy branches from the trees and spread them on the road.  9 Then those who went before and those who followed cried out, saying: “Hosanna! ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ 10 Blessed is the kingdom of our father David That comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!”

–ACTIVITY

Clean out a few (at least 3) tin cans. Write messages like “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord” and “Hosanna” on the cans. Poke a hole in the bottom center of each can and put a ribbon or string through each hole. You will need to tie a knot or place a washer at the end of the string on the inside of the can so it doesn’t fall out. Tie the strings together. Let your kids shake the cans to make noise and/or hang them up outside as a wind chime.

–DISCUSS

Talk about the loud sounds made by the crowd as Jesus made his Triumphant Entry into the city.

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Easter Activity Day 3: Jesus washed the feet of His disciples

–READ: John 13:1-17

1 It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.² The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. ³ Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from Godand was returning to God; 

⁴ so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. ⁵After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.⁶ He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”

⁷ Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”⁸ “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.” ⁹ “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”

¹⁰ Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” ¹¹ For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean. ¹² When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. 

¹³ “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. ¹⁴ Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. ¹⁵ I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. ¹⁶Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.¹⁷ Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

–ACTIVITY

Wash your children’s feet. They will probably think this is a little weird, but that’s okay! Use that awkwardness to explain how strange it was for Jesus to wash His disciples feet.

–DISCUSS

Talk about the significance of a master washing the feet of his servants in Jesus’ time.

Easter Activity Day 4: Last Supper/Passover Meal

-READ: Matthew 26:17-30

¹⁷ On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where do you want us to make preparations for you to eat the Passover?” ¹⁸ He replied, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘The Teacher says: My appointed time is near. I am going to celebrate the Passover with my disciples at your house.’” ¹⁹ So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them and prepared the Passover.

²⁰ When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve. ²¹ And while they were eating, he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.” ²² They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, “Surely you don’t mean me, Lord?”

²³ Jesus replied, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. ²⁴ The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.” ²⁵ Then Judas, the one who would betray him, said, “Surely you don’t mean me, Rabbi?” Jesus answered, “You have said so.”

²⁶ While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.” ²⁷ Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. ²⁸ This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 

²⁹ I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.” ³⁰ When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

-ACTIVITY

Make a Messianic seder meal complete with homemade Matzah bread. Download a free Seder meal cheat sheet below to help with this.

-DISCUSS

Talk about the significance of each part of the meal (especially the bread and the cup).

Easter Activity Day 5: Good Friday

-READ: Mark 15:17-20

17 And they clothed Him with purple; and they twisted a crown of thorns, put it on His head, 18 and began to salute Him, “Hail, King of the Jews!” 19 Then they struck Him on the head with a reed and spat on Him; and bowing the knee, they worshiped Him. 20 And when they had mocked Him, they took the purple off Him, put His own clothes on Him, and led Him out to crucify Him.

-ACTIVITY

Tape purple ribbon in the shape of a cross to your window or paint a purple cross.

-DISCUSS

Talk about the significance of the color purple and the mocking of Jesus during the Crucifixion.

Easter Activity Day 6: Resurrection Day!

–READ: Matthew 28:1-8

1 Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. ² And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it. ³ His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. 

⁴ And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men. ⁵ But the angel answered and said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. ⁶ He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. ⁷ And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you.” ⁸ So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word.

-ACTIVITY

Make Resurrection Rolls! I used this recipe and it worked great!

-DISCUSS

Talk about the significance of the Resurrection and the empty tomb.

All of these Christian Easter Activities seemed to resonate with my children. They were able to understand more clearly what Easter means to us through these 6 days. I hope that you and your children enjoy celebrating with these Easter activities as much as we did!

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