Easter Week

The April 2011 Friend has a wonderful way to learn about what Jesus did during the 8 days leading up to Easter. You could read this all at once, or you could read them the 8 days leading up to Easter. To find it, go here.

Easter Week

Easter Object Lesson

You may have seen this before--it is quite popular around where I live. This is a fun way to talk about the life of Christ. The idea here is you put an item in each egg that symbolizes something you wan to teach about. I have seen it done many different ways. You can do items from His entire life. You can do items that represent miracles of Christ. A common theme at this time of year is to do items that represent events around the Resurrection. Here are some ideas of what you can fill the eggs with:

1. Plain Cloth: Represents swaddling clothes Jesus was wrapped in when he was born.
2. Straw: Represent the straw Christ was laid on after he was born.
3. Wood Shavings: Joseph was a carpenter
4. White Jelly Beans: Fruit of the tree of life. 1 Nephi 8: 10-11; 11:21-22
5. Plain Cloth or Plant Leaf: Represents the palm leaves and clothes placed on the ground as Christ made his triumphal entry. Mark 11:7-9
6. Croutons or Bread: Represents Christ as the living bread. John 6: 51
7. Fish Cracker/Bread: Miracle of the loaves and fishes.
8. Sacrament Cup: Christ asks for the cup to be removed from Him. Matthew 26:39
9. Bread/Sacrament Cup: Christ institutes the sacrament
10. 3 Dimes: Christ is betrayed for 30 pieces of silver. Matthew 26: 14-15
11. Rope: Christ bound and delivered to Pilate. Matthew 27: 1-2
12. Soap: Pilate washes his hands. Matthew 27: 24-26
13. Red Cloth or Thorns: Christ mocked as a king. Matthew 26: 28-29
14. Nail: Christ nailed to cross. Matthew 27-31-32
15. Dice: Soldiers cast lots for Christ's garments. Mattew 27: 35-36
16. Soil or Several Small Rocks: Earthquakes after Christ gave up the ghost. Mathew 27:50-51, 54
17. Cloth: Christ's body wrapped in cloth. Joseph wraps Him in clean linen, then places Christ in Joseph's own tomb. Matthew 28:58-60
18. Stone: Stone placed to gaurd Christ's body. Matthew 27: 57-60, 65-66
19. Spices: Women come to annoint Christ's body. Mark 16:1 and Matthew 28: 2 & 5
20. Picture of Christ: We rejoice in Christ. Mosiah 26: 20 and 2 Nephi 25: 26
21. Empty: Represents the empty tomb. Matthew 28: 6-7

You can see that it is really quite simple to come up with little things to represent the life of Christ.

For the younger toddlers, try just opening each egg, talking about it, and reading only a couple of scriptures that you feel are best to read. With older children, read through the scriptures as you open each egg. With children who can read, have them take turns reading scriptures.

Remember to ask questions as appropriate. Also remember to ask your children if they have any questions about what you are learning about.

Easter Object Lesson

The Ressurection: Spirit and Body

This is a lesson my husband taught to our children. The object of this lesson is to help your children understand a bit more about the spirit, body, soul, and Resurrection.

SONG IDEAS:

• Christ The Lord Hymn 200
• He Is Risen! Hymn 199
• Did Jesus Really Live Again? Children's Songbook page 64
• He Died That We Might Live Again Children's Songbook page 65
• Easter Hosanna Children's Songbook page 68
• Jesus Has Risen Children's Songbook page 70

SCRIPTURE: Alma 40:23

"The soul shall be restored to the body, and the body to the soul; yea, and every limb and joint shall be restored to its body; yea, even a hair of the head shall not be lost; but all things shall be restored to their proper and perfect frame."

LESSON:
First, read the scripture. Then put on a glove. You might get better focus if everyone in the family has a glove on their hand and plays along. Wiggle your fingers in the glove and talk about how your hand is making the glove move.

Then, take your hand out of the glove. Talk about how the glove can no longer move.

Then put the glove back on and point out that the glove can once again move.

Now talk about the application for your body. Explain that your spirit (the hand) is in your body (the glove). When you die, your spirit leaves the body. Because of Jesus Christ, you will be resurrected and able to enter your body again. Jesus was able to enter his body again after he died.

Ask your child(ren) if she can move her hands. She should say yes. Ask her to show you. Then have her move different parts of her body. Explain she can move her body because her spirit is in there.

Follow up with explaining that this is part of the reason we celebrate Easter. We celebrate that Jesus was Resurrected. You might get a comment about candy and Easter at this point. Yes, candy is fun, but bring it back that we celebrate Easter because of the Resurrection.

Bear testimony and have a closing prayer.

The Ressurection: Spirit and Body