More Easter Ideas.

I went to Taste and See last night (a group for Moms of any age or stage in life where we get together and talk about things that are important to us. We meet every third Tuesday at the Watershed http://www.thewatershed.msites.com/) Anway, we got together and talked about ways to Celebrate Easter. Here is a copy of the information we got from Michelle Butler. I hope it helps. I know there are some things on there I would love to do with my kids.

Easter Ideas:

We always have a lamb cake. The mold can be found at craft stores or Ebay. We also give our daughter something to promote her spiritual growth and tell the Easter Story in great detail beginning a few days before. We discuss our emotion.
-Michelle Butler

Easter Egg Prayers:

Use a permanent marker to label seven plastic eggs with the numbers one through seven. Place the following items in the eggs: 1. A small square of bread; 2. a grape; 3. a piece of purple cloth; 4. a thorn; 5. a piece of a leather shoe lace; 6. a cross; and 7. a stone.

Hide the eggs around the room. Tell kids that you're going to have an Easter egg prayer hunt. Let kids hunt until they've found all seven eggs; gather and take turns opening the eggs in order.

After each egg is opened, have kids combine their knowledge of the Easter story to tell the significance of that item. Then have someone pray a prayer of thanks for that part of the Easter story. For instance, a prayer for the bread might be, "Thank you, Lord, that you are the bread of life. Thank you that you let your body be broken for us". If your children are very young or not familiar with the Easter story, tell about the items and offer thanks for them yourself.

Age 0-7 (ideas from Focus on the Family):

Help your little ones stuff hollow plastic eggs with one chocolate heart, because Jesus came to give us a new heart toward God. Then allow your little one to hand them out to friends, neighbors, or people you meet during the day. You might want to include a note inside with the passage from John 14:1 "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust in God; trust also in me, Jesus".

Hold a neighborhood egg hunt, but have one empty egg, representing the empty tomb. Whena child finds the empty egg he or she must call out, "He is not here he has risen, just as he said". Be sure to conclude the hunt with an Easter story on the lawn. I'd recommend The Parable of the Lily, by Liz Curtis Higgs.

Ages 8-18:

Sometimes the greatest joy is in the giving. Visit a nearby hospital or retirement home and greet one of the residents with a fresh Easter lily. You may want to attach a card with some encouraging words about hope we have in our risen Lord. Children this age might enjoy a surprise field trip for a sunrise service at the park or nearby lake. Be sure to bring a Bible, hymnbook or maybe even a guitar for a worshipful early morning celebration.

All Ages:

Since there are many new visitors attending church for the Easter service, make a point to greet and invite someone to lunch afterwards. Then remember to make plans to sit together next Sunday at church.

I hope this will give you some ideas. I am looking forward to see what God has in store for us this Easter.

Happy Easter!
Pauline