Our Easter Box Tradition

Six years ago, I started a simple little Easter tradition at our house. My oldest son had just turned two and I was very pregnant (and nauseous!? and exhausted!?) with my second. I felt like everywhere I turned, I was hearing and reading about other people’s amazingly creative and artistically beautiful plans to teach their kids about Easter.

I was intimidated by those ideas, didn’t think I had the energy or ability to pull them off, and wasn’t convinced my son would even understand the significance of Easter anyway.? So, I made up my own super simple and easy project.

I picked a different short story to read from a children’s Bible every day during the week leading up to Easter. After reading, I put a little object to represent that story into a plain old plastic bin. I left the bin out where my son could reach it. He looked through, played with, and talked about the objects whenever he wanted throughout the week. We called this our Easter Box.

Over the years, we’ve carried on our Easter Box tradition, although it hasn’t looked exactly the same every time. Last year I had all four of our kids decorate a little cardboard box to store our items in. Some years, we’ve missed a few days (or even the whole week!) because … well, life happens.? Now that my oldest two kids know how to read, we can add a few verses of Scripture after reading the children’s Bible story version. The depth of understanding and conversation has changed as my kids have grown. But the simplicity and flexibility of the process has stayed the same.

Here are the stories and objects we’ve typically used, along with the Scripture references. I have found I like to read best from the Beginner’s Bible, because the stories are short and straightforward for my young kids.

  • Palm Sunday

Story: The Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem (Mark 11:1-11, Beginner’s Bible pg. 427-432)

Object: a palm leaf (either real or paper)

So far, my kids have always come home from Sunday School with some kind of palm leaf, which makes for a nice and easy start to our Easter Box? … and also leads to lots of parades and shouting of “Hosanna” throughout our house during the week leading up to Easter!?

  • Monday Story: Washing the Disciples Feet (John 13:1-15, Beginner’s Bible pg. 437-439)

Object: a washcloth

In the toddler stage, especially, each of my kids have loved pretending to wash Mommy and Daddy’s feet!

  • Tuesday Story: Passover/Last Supper (Luke 22:7-20, Beginner’s Bible pg. 442-445)

Object: a piece of toy bread

  • Wednesday Story: Judas’ Betrayal (Mark 14:10-11 & 43-46, Beginner’s Bible pg. 446)

Object: a quarter to represent the 30 pieces of silver

This part of the story totally went over my kids’ heads for years. They just had fun playing with a shiny coin. (Supervised to avoid any potential choking hazard.?) But, after years of just introducing this story, now my oldest son at least can understand some of what that betrayal really meant.

  • Thursday Story: Jesus’ Arrest and Crown of Thorns (John 18:12 & 19:1-3, Beginner’s Bible pg. 447-449)

Object: a tiny branch from one of our bushes with little prickles (nothing too sharp)

  • Friday Story: Crucifixion (Mark 15:33-39, Beginner’s Bible pg. 450-452)

Object: a cross made of two craft sticks

  • Saturday Story: Burial (Mark 15:42-47, Beginner’s Bible pg. 453)

Object: a rock to represent the stone in front of the tomb

  • Easter Sunday

Story: Resurrection (Luke 24:1-12, Beginner’s Bible pg. 454-458)

Object: a picture that my kids colored in Sunday School

An easy item to put in the bin again for the end of the week.??

Our Easter Box has become a fun yearly tradition. My kids don’t understand everything yet, but I know that I am planting seeds in their hearts. And they are having fun playing while we do it! I’m eager to see God help them understand more and more about the meaning of the Resurrection in the years to come.

What simple ways do you try to plant seeds of faith in your children’s hearts about the Easter story?

?Katie

To read our original Easter post entitled, Unscrambling Easter: Teaching Kids the Importance without the Pressure, click here.

 

To read our original Easter post full of lots of Easter resources to help plant seeds about Jesus, click here.

Mom Win Wednesday: Janelle Gibbs

Laura
Laura

Hi Janelle Gibbs!  Welcome to the blog on this Wednesday!

Laura
Janelle

Hi Laura!  Glad to be here.

Laura
Laura

Can you tell us a little bit about the picture you sent us?

Laura
Janelle

Although you may not be able to tell, this picture was taken by a friend at our place. I love the sunshine and the smiles.

Laura
Laura

What a beautiful family you have, and so special to have such a great picture taken in your own yard!

So do you wear any other hats in addition to your [big, gigantic, hugely significant] Mom Hat?

Laura
Janelle

I am a barre instructor at the YMCA. I love teaching and I love working out, so it’s the best of both worlds!  Also, my DIY blog is a fun, albeit sporadic chronicle of my “perfectly imperfect” projects.

My husband and I also have a “mini farm” as I like to call it. A horse, chickens, rabbits, goats, dogs, cats, pigs. Caring for the animals teaches the kids responsibility and diligence. Plus it’s fun to have all the critters around!

It was always a dream of mine to publish a children’s book. Soon after my oldest was born, I wrote “Country Fun”. It includes stories from my childhood and lessons learned. My second book, “Cow Trails and Ponytails” is in the works!

Laura
Laura

Well, I know first hand what a great barre instructor you are as I attend (usually) weekly and then walk around like an 83 year old for a few days afterward.  And I just love your first book.  Can’t wait for the second one!

Tell us about your kids.

Laura
Janelle

Josiah (9) loves legos and reading, Jenna (7) loves frogs and singing,  and Joy (14 mo.) loves food and kitties!

Laura
Laura

Ah, boys and their legos!  And while I don’t have any girls running around my house, we have our fair share of singing and kitty-loving too!  What is a recent mom win you experienced that took time and perseverance to accomplish?

Laura
Janelle

One of my kids is prone to being a “Debbie downer”. She is very creative at finding something wrong with any situation, meal, outfit, day, toy, etc. The other day, I was tired of the negativity, but instead of correcting her (as would have been the norm) I decided to talk to her about Proverbs 17:22, “ A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.” That verse gives such a powerful mental picture to me! On the one hand, Mary Poppins with her spoonful of sugar comes to mind. Singing, dancing, joyful. The crushed spirit drying the bones part makes me think of a frowning skeleton walking around. Sad, melancholy, dry. We had some fun with that. And guess what? At the end of the conversation with my downcast daughter, she was laughing! Mom win! 🙂

Laura
Laura

I’d say!  What a great way to show her what it says is God’s word about the power of her attitude!  And that’s and image that I’m going to think of the next time I’m feeling that urge to complain rise up (which happens more often than I’d like to admit!)  Can you share a mom win you’d text your best friend?

Laura
Janelle

An ode to taking care of yourself as a mom… (I actually did text this to my sister as we are in a bit of a fitbit competition. ?):

Well 14 years and 3 babies later, I can still wear my $28 jean skirt I bought in San Diego on our senior trip! ?? I remember at the time thinking it was a huge deal to spend that much of my own money on a brand new skirt!

Laura
Laura

That’s hilarious!  And good for you for fitting in said skirt!  All those barre classes have paid off!  Anything else you’d like to share to encourage other moms like you today?

Laura
Janelle

God made me the mom of my kids on purpose! He’ll give me the wisdom and strength to raise them! Even though sometimes I wonder if I can handle it, I know God is right there with me, leading me with gentleness and showing me the way.

Laura
Laura

What a great reminder.  Thanks Janelle.  We are looking forward to hearing your voice a bit more often here on the blog!

Laura

As a mom, you may not have qualified for the Olympics, but you certainly deserve a spot on the podium in our eyes. There are no “perfect scores” in motherhood, but if you had a discipline breakthrough, managed a meltdown, or found time in your day to pursue a dream, then we want to take a moment and celebrate alongside you. Even the little “victories” add up to be big wins in the long run; so let’s champion each other. After all, we’re on the same team.  Click here if you’d like to be featured one Wednesday in the future!