How we did Easter

I wanted to do something that would allow the children to understand what Easter really is and why we celebrate it. I felt that there was too much emphasis on the Easter Bunny (I mean, seriously, how can the Easter Bunny be real ... can a bunny really lay eggs or can a chicken really hatch bunnies? I don't think so, so why should I let my children believe in such nonsense? We do let the believe in Santa because it is the spirit of Santa that we emphasize in our family but the Easter Bunny is just freaky)

Don't get me wrong, we still do the egg hunts and gift baskets, but we make sure that they know that they come from us and not the Easter Bunny.

Well, I got this bright idea to do a scavenger hunt (separate from the egg hunt) by telling the story of Easter.

I am rather happy that the kids seemed to listen more to the little snippets of the story between each clue and that they seemed to really get it.

Here's the snippets and clues for anyone that's interested in doing something like this for their family next year.

The Story of Easter

Every year, the Jews held a feast called the Passover. Jesus and His 12 disciples ate the Passover feast together. Jesus then presented His apostles with the first sacrament. He took some bread and blessed it. Then He broke it into pieces and told his apostles to eat the bread and to think of his body as they ate it. Then Jesus poured wine into a cup, blessed it and told the apostles to drink it and to think of His blood as they drank it. The sacrament is to help us to remember that Jesus suffered and died for our sins.

Where would you put the food if you were going to have a feast? (table)


After the Passover feast, Jesus and His apostles went to the Garden of Gethsemane. While there, Jesus went off by himself to pray. Jesus knew that He needed to suffer for the sins of all people. He did not want to suffer, but He chose to obey Heavenly Father. As Jesus prayed, He began to tremble because of the pain. He suffered so much that he sweated drops of blood. He was suffering for all of our sins so that we can be forgiven if we repent.

Where is there a place to plant a garden? (flower bed)


Judas, one of Jesus’ apostles, led the Jewish leaders to Jesus and identified Him for them by giving him a kiss on His cheek. The men took Jesus as a prisoner and they hit and teased Him and placed a crown of thorns on his head. He was tried by both the Jews and the Romans. The Jews wanted Jesus crucified, the Romans thought he was innocent of any crime, but they let the Jews crucify Him anyways.

Where can you find lots of programs that show people being mean to others? (TV)


The Roman soldiers made Jesus carry his cross up the hill. Then they nailed his hands and feet to the cross and raised him up. Jesus suffered on the cross for many hours. Finally, His spirit left His body, and He died. One of Jesus’ disciples took Jesus’ body and laid it in a tomb. A huge boulder was rolled in front of the tomb to keep anyone from stealing His body.

Where in the house can you be buried? (bathtub . . . by water)


When Jesus died, darkness covered the earth. There were also earthquakes, thunder, lightning, and fierce winds that spread throughout the world destroying cities and killing people. The Nephites in the Americas also suffered from these things, with the darkness lasting for three days.

What “trembles and shakes the earth” and is also dark inside? (dryer)


On the third day after His death, Jesus was resurrected. Mary Magdalene went to His tomb early that morning and found his tomb empty. She saw Jesus and thought that he was a gardener so she asked Him where Jesus’ body was moved. When He called her name, Mary knew that He was Jesus and that He was resurrected. She told the apostles that Jesus was resurrected. Jesus later visited the apostles and they felt his hands, feet and side and they knew that He was the Son of God.

Where do we go where we can lie down and rise up again? (beds)


Jesus also visited the Nephites in the Americas. Heavenly Father introduced Jesus to the Nephites as He came down from heaven. The Nephites felt the nail prints in Jesus’ hands and feet and the spear wound in His side. They knew that He was their Savior. While Jesus was there, he taught the people, healed their sick and blessed their children.

Where can we go to “visit” or “chat” with others, around the world, without leaving our home? (computer)


Since Christ gave us the gift of life on Easter Sunday, we give a gift to you … Happy Easter

Where is the one place you need permission to go? (parent’s room)