I think one of the hardest parts of this quarantine is upon us: Easter. What is Easter without a big egg hunt, the church cantata, a new dress, and a basket full of jelly beans?
Well, it’ll be different. But different doesn’t always mean bad. Here are a few ideas to help you celebrate Easter even without the usual bells and whistles. Whatever you choose to do, remember that your kids don’t think this is “wrong.” So if you make it seem fun, they will consider it fun.
Religious
On Palm Sunday (that’s today), place a palm branch or other green branch on your front door. Read the story of Jesus entering Jerusalem in Matthew 21:1-9. On the Friday before Easter, read the story of Jesus’ crucifixion in Matthew 27:11-65. And of course on Easter morning, be sure to read Luke 24:1-12.
Make resurrection eggs with your kids. These are a dozen plastic eggs filled with small tokens that refer to different parts of the Easter story. You can find full directions and a free printable to go along with them at lifeyourway.net.
Make resurrection rolls. These are also called “disappearing marshmallow rolls,” and each part of the recipe recalls an aspect of Jesus’s crucifixion and resurrection. Find complete instructions at yummyhealthyeasy.com.
Using stones and dirt in your backyard, create a “cave” like Jesus would have been buried in and roll a stone in front of it. On Easter Sunday, roll the stone away and celebrate that He is risen.
Secular
Make a “bunny” cake. First, bake two round cakes. One cake will become the bunny’s face. Cut the other into three pieces: two ears, made of the outer parts of the leftover cake, and one bow, made of the inner part of the leftover cake. Cover a large baking sheet or stiff piece of cardboard with aluminum foil and arrange the cake on the “platter.” Let your kids decorate it with white frosting and any other candies or sprinkles you have on hand. A Ziplock bag makes a great piping bag.
Make bunny ears out of an old headband and two sheets of construction paper.
You don’t need a dye kit to dye hardboiled eggs: you can use drinking glasses, a spoon, and food coloring to dye them. Don’t forget to add a splash of vinegar to each glass to help the color stick to the egg.
Have an egg hunt in your backyard. If you didn’t get all your Easter shopping done this year, get creative with what you put inside: puzzle pieces, homemade candy, coins, “coupons” for treats like extra screen time, or even “fortunes” are all good choices.
Decorate a tree in your yard or home with a garland of plastic Easter eggs; just open the egg, put a piece of curling ribbon across the opening, and snap it closed again. You can make the garland as long as you want it to be and still use the eggs later for your hunt if you need them.
Use balloons on Easter morning to spell out a significant word or phrase, using one balloon per letter. Hang them in a tree outside or string them like a banner inside the house.
Amelia Plair is mom and high school teacher in Starkville. Email reaches her at [email protected].
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