Easter Activities and Resources

Just like Christmas, we try to incorporate Easter into our homeschool learning.  Some of our favorite activities for Easter are...

An Easter Tree
Every year, since the children were young, we have done an Easter Tree.  When we first started the tradition, we selected forty events in Jesus' earthly ministry from birth to ascension.  Each day, we read about an event and hung an accompanying ornament on our Easter Tree.  For the past three years, we have opted to read one entire Gospel in the days leading up to Easter.  This year, we are reading from Luke.  We read a chapter a day, and hang an ornament on a tree in the dining room.

Resurrection Eggs
Another tradition the whole family enjoys is our dozen Resurrection Eggs.  This year, the basket full of eggs are in the kitchen.  The children periodically hide and find these eggs throughout the house.  Each time, they open them, reveal a symbol or item which helps tell the story of Easter.  Having left these eggs out on the dry sink, they have become a tool for witnessing.  As children visit and play with the eggs, we are able to tell parts of the Easter story to them.

Easter Egg Decorating

Although a slightly messy project, dying eggs in this style has become an art form of sorts for our children.  Borrowing an idea from Martha Stewart, we use vinyl tape to cover parts of the egg.  The parts covered with tape will not dye.  We dip the egg in the lightest dye {usually yellow}.  Then allow the egg to dry.  By taping off more sections, these newly taped areas will remain yellow.  We then dip the egg in the next dye color {usually orange or green}.  We continue drying, taping, and dipping until the darkest color {usually purple}.  The overall effect is colorful and fun.  One year, I used this method in a co-op art class to demonstrate Pysanka.  In true Pysanka style, the artist would use melted wax instead of tape, but it helped to explain the method.

Easter Books
We keep a spring decorated basket full of Easter books in our living room.  Inside the basket are board books, picture books, and chapter books.  Our favorites include...
Board Books
I  Believe in Jesus, by John MacArthur
My Easter Basket: And the True Story of Easter, by Mary Manz Simon
Picture Books
Jesus Loves You, by Diane Stortz
I Believe in Jesus: Leading Your Child to Christ, by John MacArthur
He is Risen, adapted by Tess Fries
Jesus Lives! The Easter Story, retold by Laura Derico
Easter ABC's, by Isabel Anders
Easter Is...For Me! by Christine Tangvald
Jesus Is...For Me! by Christine Tangvald
The Parable of the Lily, by Liz Curtis Higgs
Chapter Book
Journey to the Cross, by Helen Haidle



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