Easter Egg Family Activity

As I have mentioned previously, I am cleaning out every possible thing in our place. I have made a few great discoveries: the camera cord (yesss!) and this great Easter activity.

Family traditions are so special to me. One family tradition I love is that every Christmas Eve growing up, my mom would give me one gift: a new nightgown or pair of pajamas. I'd wear it to bed, and be in it while opening gifts the next morning.

But another fun possibility is imagining new traditions I'll start with my own family (hopefully) (some day.) When I was in college in Missouri, it was a little silly to fly home for Easter, so I spent Easter for two years with my friend Keri's family. It was so fun! They are serious about their Easter traditions. For example, Keri's dad would write all these clues, and every family member would go on a major egg hunt. It wasn't the typical egg hunt, which is: find every egg you can as quickly as you can. From what I remember, you had a certain color of plastic egg: those were your eggs. You started out with a clue, leading you to your first egg. Then you followed from there with your second clue and so on. Each egg had a little something in it, and at the end there would be something bigger like a book or a shirt or something. How nice that Keri's family included me in that! I'm totally going to do that (hopefully) (some day.) :)

But I want to share with you my favorite tradition that Keri's family did. It was so interesting and such a neat way to include even little family members in the Easter story. It's very easy to gather the materials, so I thought I would share for you to make as well, if you wish.

Twelve Eggs About Jesus

(This page came from Keri's mom, Sandy, and has literally been missing for years in a box until I found it yesterday. Whoo-hoo!)

Use an egg carton and twelve plastic eggs. Number each egg from one to twelve. Inside each egg, put the object that matches the Bible verse. Hide all the eggs. Tell your children to find all the eggs. Then the parents read the first Bible verse. The person that hast the number one tells what is inside his egg. Continue down the list of verses until all twelve eggs have been opened. On Easter Sunday when your family sits down for lunch, have your children read the Easter Story using the eggs.

(Note: we didn't hide them, we just sat together and took turns opening eggs. Inside our eggs were the object and a strip of paper with the bible verse on them. We would look up the verses for our eggs. I think this is a better way to do this for older children or adults.)

Verses and Objects

(I'm going to link each bible verse so this post isn't too long, follow the link if you want to read them.)

1. Matthew 26:14-16

Judas betrays Jesus for 30 pieces of silver

(object: three dimes or any silver coin)

2. Matthew 26:26-29

The Last Supper

(object: cracker or bread)

3. John 13:4-17

Jesus washes disciples' feet

(object: piece of soap)

4. Matthew 26:47-56

Judas comes and brings the army, carrying swords and clubs

(object: cocktail sword)

5. Matthew 26:69-75

Peter denies Christ three times and the cock crows

(object: picture of a rooster or a small rooster from a farm set)

6. Matthew 27:1-2

Jesus is tied up

(object: a rope or a string)

7. Matthew 27:29

Crown of thorns put on Jesus' head

(object: use a vine, ivy, or part of a rose stem wrapped in a circle)

8. Matthew 27:32-38

Jesus crucified on the cross

(object: a nail or small cross)

9. Matthew 27:48

They took a sponge and filled it with sour wine. They put it on a reed and gave to Jesus to drink.

(object: toothpick with sponge on end)

10. Matthew 27:57-59

Joseph takes Jesus' body and wraps him in linen cloth

(object: white material)

11. Matthew 27:60

They put Jesus' body in the tomb and rolled a large stone in front of the entrance.

(object: a rock)

12. Matthew 28:5-6

They go to the tomb and the angel tells the people,"Jesus is not here. He has risen!"

(object: the egg is empty; Jesus was not in the tomb anymore. He has risen.)

Happy Easter!

He is risen!