Easter Eggs and Bunnies: Five easy ways to teach kids the true meaning of Easter

Photo by: Grant Cochrane

Easter.

Chocolate eggs and chocolate rabbits that don’t taste too great. Peeps that come in all colors. Pastel M&Ms, jelly beans, plastic eggs for filling and hiding, dyeing real boiled eggs (and getting the dye all over one’s fingers), making a “nest” of colored eggs on plastic grass in the middle of the table . . . the stuff of memories.

The Easter bunny. When I was little, I envied my friends who got real, live, soft bunnies for Easter—or baby chicks. (Nowadays, I pity the bunnies, chicks, and the little girls’ mothers! I mean, what did they do when the rabbits and chickens grew up?)

Some think the holiday Easter began as an alternative to the pagan spring festival Eostra, but that hasn’t been proven. Eostra was a festival of fertility and new life, which might go along with the Christian theme of new life and the spring season.*

The hare was a symbol of fertility, but did you know that the cuckoo, fox, chick, rooster, and stork also supposedly tote eggs to children? It all depends on your culture!

Russian Czar Alexander III commissioned ornate gold eggs, hiding surprises, and encrusted in precious jewels for his wife’s Easter presents.

The secularizing of Easter is complete. There’s an Easter egg roll on the White House lawn, Easter bunnies, baskets of goodies, and lots of plush toys that don’t have anything to do with the real reason for Easter, Jesus.

Jesus rose from His grave! He is risen! This is what we celebrate on Easter.

Yes, it’s nice to celebrate spring, wear a pastel dress, and decorate the table with colored eggs. But, in all the pretties, tulips, and gorgeous colors, let’s not lose sight of the most important thing: Jesus’ victory over death, the fact that Jesus lives!

How can we teach our children (and grandchildren) about the real meaning of Easter? Here are a few simple, doable ideas I found online:

1. Prepare Resurrection Eggs. Use twelve numbered plastic eggs to teach lessons about Jesus passion and resurrection. Each egg contains a small item, easy to find in your home. 

http://www.tipjunkie.com/post/spiritual-easter-eggs/

2. Make Empty Tomb Rolls with your children. These sweet rolls start out with a wrapped up Jesus. Bake, and they end up as empty tombs.

http://www.aroundmyfamilytable.com/2013/03/empty-tomb-rolls/

3. Plant an Easter Garden. This one is simple and gorgeous! It will make a lovely centerpiece for your Easter table.

http://truecouponing.com/2013/03/how-to-make-your-own-easter-garden/

4. Make Easter Story Cookies with the kids and an open Bible. These are meringues that teach important lessons from start to finish. Learn to make them, step by step. http://fabulesslyfrugal.com/easter-story-cookies

5. Sing Easter hymns with your kids. “Christ the Lord is Risen Today” “He Lives” “One Day” “I Know That My Redeemer Liveth” “Christ Arose” When children learn biblical songs, they naturally learn Truth. The music makes it easy to learn the words and easy for the message to stick in their minds.

Let’s make this coming Easter Sunday a celebration of the resurrected Jesus! Let’s use it as a teaching opportunity for our children. Start now, especially if you are planting the Easter Garden, learning hymns, or preparing Resurrection Eggs. Enjoy!

He is not here: for he is risen!

(Matthew 28:6)

* History of Easter from http://www.history.com/topics/holidays/easter-symbols