Easter Lesson

The week prior to Easter I dropped the Bible lesson we were going through and started to teach her about Jesus Resurrection. Yeah, try teaching that to a 3 year old. So I think she kind of got most of it.

I tried to integrate it with other activities. So along with the Bible Story I tried to do other short lessons that integrated the theme of transformation and life.

We talked about insects. Well, really caterpillars and how they turn into butterflies. I showed her videos online of caterpillars transforming into butterflies. We even ordered some live caterpillars that will turn into butterflies. ( http://www.shop-insectlore.com/Butterflies/Live+Butterfly+Culture+3-5+Live+Butterfly+Larvae.axd ) . We talked about dead things and live things etc. I had these little pill things that you drop into water and little sponge insects would come out. It was cool.

And just when I thought she was kind of getting it she would look up at me and say, "Can I watch Sesame Street now?" then hop off my lap. Hilarious.

So the weekend of Easter I thought, I really want it to hit home with her. I had already gotten Easter eggs and some candy but I wanted Jesus Death and Resurrection to overshadow the candy and eggs.

On the way home from church an idea came to me...

I grabbed some sacks and put on the front of it a tomb with the stone over it. Inside the sack were all little goodies. This was going to be the mother of all prizes and I wanted them to desire it more than the Easter eggs.

After naps I did a quick 3 picture story board of Jesus's life, his Death on the cross, then his resurrection out of the tomb.

I showed them this little picture of Jesus. I told them that in one pink egg and one blue egg was this same picture of Jesus. And if you find that Jesus, it was the ticket to get the big goody bag.

They loved it and went off looking for the Jesus...and of course the gobs of candy waiting for them.

Digging in and looking for Jesus!

Ella Reese found hers!

Dean, not so much. He found the candy.

We took the Jesus and rolled the tomb away on the goody bags before opening them. It was so fun for then take the little Jesus and tape him on the bag in the open tomb. They thought is was so fun. And it was fun hearing them shout "Jesus is Alive!" in unison.

And their goody bags were filled with all kinds of fun stuff. Stuff that I had around the house. Bubbles, bead necklace kit (that I actually gave to ER for her last Birthday and she never played with), fruit snacks, and these candy filled play watches that were also leftover from her Birthday. No need to shop for Easter goodies!

I probably could have filled it with raisins and yogurt cups and they would have been happy!

Overall I was so thankful it all turned out how it did. I think ER finally understood and it was all together so fun! We will definitely do this again next year!

After wards, Ella Reese decided to make a drawing for our neighbor who was going to come and babysit later that night. She brought it to me having trouble cut it out and I could not believe she made this.

I did not help her at all. I just gave her color pencils and paper and left her alone.

She did it like in 20 minutes.

Amazing.

I hope as she gets older that she will see this as a generous gift from the Lord!

Ryan hooked up a work speaker thing to our laptop to make music louder.

I looked over and Dean had pulled it off the counter and was on his belly singing into it. So sweet!

...Annnnnd,..now the sugar meltdown.

Poor child. She does not even know how good she has it.