How to teach your child the meaning of easter

5 powerful ways to teach children, True Meaning of Easter

Dr Priscilla J S Selvaraj 4 Mins Read

Dr Priscilla J S Selvaraj

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The Easter Sunday marks the resurrection and ascension of Jesus to heaven. But, is that all to this sacred day? Read on to understand the true meaning of Easter and explain it to your child.

Toddler to Parent

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While Christmas denotes the birth of Jesus Christ, Easter signifies his resurrection - how he came back to life after his death on the cross and burial in a tomb. However, the true meaning of Easter or Resurrection Day (which is, in fact, a more appropriate term to refer to the day) has been lost amidst rituals and traditions involving Easter eggs, bunnies, and so on. Therefore, here are some simple ways to impart the true meaning of Easter to your child.

1. Explain in simple terms the story of Easter. Here are important points to include in your narrative (which can be done through simple story-telling or with the help of picture books, films, and videos):

• The birth of Jesus - how God sent his only Son to the earth to save mankind from sin
• The concept of sin and how it separates us from our Creator (with simple examples of wrongdoings)
• Jesus' life and ministry on the earth - highlighting his miracles and parables, and stressing his compassion and love
• Palm Sunday - the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem when people laid carpets of palms and clothes on the ground before him as if welcoming a king
• The Last Supper - the significance of the Holy Communion; how the bread and wine symbolize the body and blood of Christ that he sacrificed on the cross for us
• Good Friday - how Jesus died on the cross taking upon himself the sins of the world
• Resurrection - how Jesus came back to life on the third day after his crucifixion and burial
• Salvation - how Jesus' death and resurrection redeemed mankind from sin

Remember to keep the age of your child in mind while taking him through the narrative. Simplify as much as possible, so that your child understands.

2. Stress on the true meaning of Easter. Explain to your child that Easter eggs, bunnies, hot cross buns, and so on are merely symbols borrowed from pre-Christian cultures and traditions. In fact, the very term Easter is also borrowed from such traditions. It doesn't really convey the true significance of the event. Let your child understand that rather than following traditions and rituals or focussing on the celebration, we need to be able to relate to Jesus Christ's sacrifice on the cross and ensure we lead lives worthy of his love and grace. Also, as a family, start referring to Easter as Resurrection Sunday. This will help emphasize the true meaning of Christ coming back to life after his death on the cross. Your child will also understand it better.

3. Focus on values: Christ riding on a donkey on Palm Sunday, washing the feet of his disciples during the Last Supper—these acts symbolize humility. And, his dying on the cross for the sins of mankind is a sacrificial act. Let your child imbibe these values. Teach her to be humble and put the needs of others before hers. The little sacrifices that she makes to make others happy and comfortable will go a long way in helping her grow up to be a good human being. You can also visit homes for the aged, the orphaned, and the destitute, and spend some time interacting with the inmates and giving them some essentials or gifts. You can even encourage your child to save some of her pocket money to get something useful for the inmates of these homes.

4. Attend special church services: This is the time churches organize special services which highlight the Stations of the Cross (different points on the path to Mt Calvary that Jesus took while carrying the cross on which he was to be crucified), Christ's last words on the cross and so on. They help understand the meaning of Resurrection Sunday better. Also, churches put up tableaus, plays, skits, and conduct special choral services. Take your child along to attend these. They will help simplify the concept behind Good Friday and Easter.

5. Underline the theme of hope: Christ's death on the cross and his resurrection signify hope for mankind. Teach your child that she must not despair and be disappointed if something goes wrong or if she faces failure. There is always hope. She must bear in mind that nothing is lost. Even when she fails, she must keep trying until she succeeds. Also, this can be a time to recollect the lives of close family members who are no more and cherish loving memories of them.

'For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.' - John 3: 16 The Bible

Happy Resurrection Sunday!

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3 ways to teach your children the meaning of Easter

Parents

When you want to search for meaning beyond the Easter bunny and chocolate.

March 21, 2016, 8:47 PM UTC / Updated April 18, 2019, 8:11 PM UTC / Source: TODAY

By Rachel Campos-Duffy

Rachel Campos-Duffy is an author and TV host. This article was originally published in 2016.

Like Christmas, Easter has lost much of its religious meaning in popular culture. Ask your average kid what the holiday is about and they will tell you all about the Easter Bunny, eggs hunts and baskets full of candy.

For practicing Christians, Easter Sunday and the Holy week that precedes it are the apex of our faith. Without the resurrection of Christ there is no Christianity. Easter is about being saved and the promise of a new life after this one that gives true meaning and purpose to our time on Earth. And that’s just too important to not celebrate.

Related story: Candy-free Easter basket ideas for kids of all ages

So how can you bring the meaning of Easter back into your home, in a way that your kids can truly appreciate and remember? Here are a few ideas from my family:

1.

If you’re Catholic, you probably remember reciting the Stations of the Cross at church or school. Many other Christian denominations still carry on this beautiful tradition of meditating on the events of Good Friday that led to Jesus’s death and burial in the tomb. If your memory is a little fuzzy, you can go online to find station readings that are geared for kids. One year, many years back, I asked my kids to draw pictures of the 14 stations. The pictures were beautiful, and some were unintentionally comical.

I so loved them, I decided to laminate them. To this day, our family still uses these drawings when we pray the Stations of the Cross in our home during Lent. My kids really get a kick out of it when I pull out the old drawings every year. Inevitably, family prayer time becomes a bit of a laugh fest when they see their artistic attempts from years back. My husband Sean and I try to bring everyone back into focus... but there’s nothing wrong with a little laughter with our prayer.

2. Ditch the Easter Basket ...or supplement it with this easy craft idea!

On Good Friday or Holy Saturday, our children draw an image of Jesus on the Cross and cut it out. You can even make one out of clothes pins. Then, using small strips of white cloth (tissues will work), we wrap Jesus up, just as his disciples did when they took him off the cross. Then we place Jesus in a box with a lid (a shoe box will do) to symbolize the tomb. Finally, I send the kids out to find the perfect rock to put on top of the lid — again, to symbolize the rock that was rolled in front of Jesus’ tomb.

The children know that they are not to open the lid until Easter Sunday. We have a family altar in our living room, so we place our shoe box/tomb under the altar and we wait. On Easter morning, when they open the box, Jesus is gone and in His place are lots of treats and chocolates! I save the pictures of Jesus in their keepsake boxes because I know they will one day love to see how they saw and drew Jesus at different ages.

3. Bring back some old traditions

Take time on Holy Week to make hot cross buns with the kids. If you are too busy (or hate to bake!), make a tradition of taking the kids on a special trip to the bakery to buy them. Eating these sweet rolls with the symbol of the cross started in the Middle Ages and traditionally, they are only eaten on Good Friday. Be sure to recount the history of this delicious tradition, then enjoy them as a family!

It’s so fun for kids to dye eggs. But on Holy Thursday, we make a special batch of dyed eggs. Instead of pastel, the eggs we dye on Holy Thursday are dyed only red to symbolize the blood of Jesus. It’s a great way to start the conversation about Passover and the crucifixion and death of Christ.

Finally, keep Holy Week “holy” and special. Read books together about the meaning of Easter and watch religious movies. Find animated videos online and in your video store telling the Easter story of a selfless Savior, not a bunny!

My kids love old Hollywood movies and look forward to watching the Charlton Heston classic, “The Ten Commandments,” every year. The retro special effects and over-acting are fun to watch and the story is a great reminder of our Jewish roots in the Passover meal. We allow the older ones to watch “The Passion of the Christ” with us. This year, I took the kids to see “The Young Messiah,” another well-made religious movie that foreshadows the events of Good Friday. The discussions we have after watching these films never cease to amaze me. It’s important to remember that our faith is not passed on genetically. We are our kids’ primary teachers and it’s up to us to not only keep our Christian traditions alive, but to make our faith exciting and relevant to our children’s lives. I’ll be praying for you as you do your part to keep the “Christ” in Easter for your kids and family.

Easter is coming soon. How to explain to a child the meaning of the holiday? | Home and family

“Mom, why do you need to paint eggs?” “Why is it necessary to say “Christ is risen?” The son of my friend once said: “Mom, did I guess correctly? Christ is a name, but is He risen a surname?

Not all parents immediately find words for an accessible explanation of the meaning of this holiday. In general, if this is necessary?.. nine0003

Well, judge for yourself: children, accustomed to the thoughtless performance of rites, form a superficial attitude to important religious holidays and traditions. It is important that a child understands the meaning of what he is doing from childhood, because this will help him a lot in adulthood. They will not be able to “impose” anything on him simply because it is necessary and everyone does it. If now I teach a child to “look” deep into things, this will make him a reasonable and thinking person. nine0003

So, the Easter holiday. In what form to explain to the child why we celebrate Easter?

1. First you need to figure it out yourself

It's not bad for a parent to have clarity on something himself, if there is an intention to clarify the topic for his child. The Bible comes to the rescue. In all four Gospels, in the last chapters, the death and resurrection of Christ is told. In the Gospels themselves, Jesus explains why His sacrifice was needed. Gaining understanding in this matter, you will be able to better explain to the child the true meaning of the holiday. nine0003

2. Start a wonderful family tradition:

Set aside a special time before or during the celebration to read a Bible story that points out the meaning of the holiday. Talk to the children about what they heard and answer their questions. (The same can be done at Christmas.)

3. Explain the meaning of the word "Passover"

This word comes to us from Jewish history, and literally means "to pass by." At the same time, it is understood as a “sacrifice”, and this is connected with the story of the exit of the Jewish people from Egyptian slavery, which is also described in the Bible, in the Old Testament. The plot is this: God executes executions among the Egyptian people, because the stubborn Egyptian pharaoh does not want to let the Jewish slaves go free. nine0003

And now comes the time of the last execution. Each Jewish family receives a command from God - to take a lamb from the flock without a single flaw, slaughter it, anoint the doorposts with blood, and fry the meat and eat it with the whole family. During the night, the angel of death passed by every door anointed with the blood of the lamb, leaving alive the Jewish firstborn and smiting the firstborn of the Egyptians. After this execution, the Jewish people were set free. The image of a lamb from the Old Testament pointed to Christ, who offered Himself as a sacrifice for the sins of people, which is written in the New Testament. That is why the death and resurrection of Christ, the "Lamb of God" is the center of the Easter holiday, and not Easter cakes and painted eggs. nine0003

4.

Explain that Christ means "Savior sent from God." Resurrection means revived. Why did he come alive? Because He is not just a man, but God, who has power over death. To greet someone with the phrase "Christ is risen" is to share the joyful news of God's victory over death, over sin, and over the devil. Thus, the one who sincerely believes and accepts the sacrifice of Christ gains eternal life and freedom from sin and the devil. nine0003

5. Use a children's Bible with pictures

Show cartoons that do not distort the meaning of the gospel stories, visual illustrations. Most likely, when you tell your child about all this, an avalanche of questions will fall upon you ... Be prepared and rejoice in this - it means that your child opens his heart to such important aspects as faith and spirituality. nine0003

It may seem like a laborious, difficult task to implement this idea. But if we love our children, there is no need to look for easy ways. Otherwise, we will lose a lot, being satisfied with the formality ...

Tags: Easter eggs, Christianity, Jesus Christ, christian tradition, celebration, orthodoxy, traditions, Easter, holidays, Easter holiday

How can I tell my child about it? Advice to parents

In order for your children to celebrate Easter in the future, you need to tell them about this holiday. You need to do this regularly. Since childhood. So that by a conscious age in the memory of the child was postponed: Easter must be celebrated. Because this is a very important day in the life of every Orthodox person.

We will tell you how to tell your child about Easter. How to conduct a conversation. And what moments of the life of God should be mentioned. nine0003

This is a very important church holiday. Accordingly, a person very close to the child should introduce him to him. As you know, there is no one closer than dad, mom and other blood relatives for a child.

Also, it is very important that the child respects the person who introduces him to Easter. I saw authority in him. This will positively affect his perception of words. And Easter in general. nine0003

Do not try to tell your child about Easter if you yourself do not believe in God or do not honor this holiday. The child will immediately feel the falsehood in your words. And with skepticism will treat this holiday.

If you have a negative attitude towards Easter, then it is better to entrust the first conversation about it to your grandparents or spouse. It is important that a person truly believe in God and honor the holiday. And so that he speaks words about him from the bottom of his heart.

When talking about Easter, special attention should be paid to faith in God. A person must convey to the child that he can become kind and begin to feel joyful, light literally every day. To do this, he only needs to believe in God. nine0003

You should not start telling your child about Easter not too early, but not too late either. The optimal age would be approximately four to five years. During this period, children already perceive the information that parents are trying to convey to them. And yet, they begin to fear the death of their relatives. Parents, grandparents. The story about Easter will help them, among other things, to calm down. Accept that everyone dies sooner or later. And stop thinking that death can come into their lives. nine0003

When you talk to your child about this great event, do it in a calm environment. At the table or sitting with the baby on the couch. It is very important that the child listens carefully to you and is not distracted by anything.

Telling children about Easter in May is pointless. Because when the next holiday comes, about a year will pass. The child will forget everything you told him. nine0003

Instead, start talking about Easter at the end of March. Or early April. This is necessary so that the child can keep in memory information about the holiday. I was able to see it with my own eyes. And for the rest of my life I remembered when and how Easter is celebrated.

If you are serious about getting your child used to Easter, then tell him how to fast. If he is still small, then it is not necessary to refuse food. It will be quite enough to stop watching cartoons during Lent. Or play on the computer. This will help the child understand how important preparation for the church holiday is. And he will be able to get even more pleasure from Easter. Because he made an effort to prepare for it. nine0003

If you can correctly tell your child about the holiday, he can easily refuse to play. And will respect this great holiday.

It is necessary to talk about Easter in a very cheerful mood. Also, it is important that it was fun not only for you, but also for the child. But, at the same time, he should be focused on the conversation. And don't be distracted by anything else. For example, playing with toys. nine0003

If the child is distracted by something, then you will not be able to build a productive dialogue. Because he won't listen to you. And to perceive the words that you say to him.

If you can't figure out how to talk about Easter yourself, you can look for ideas in the Gospel. Or introduce the child to the relevant chapters of the Children's Bible. In parallel with this, it is very important to give the child comments on aspects of the history of Easter that are of interest to him.

It is very important to choose the right environment in which to organize a conversation about Easter. It also depends on her whether a teenager can perceive certain information or not. The right environment will make it easier to convey certain information to a teenager. And it will quickly be deposited in his memory.

Create a pleasant environment during the conversation. It is better to do this during the day, when the child's head is not yet clouded with unnecessary thoughts. And also when he is still awake. And can perceive new information from you. nine0003

While talking about Easter, you can tell your child about God. About how he lived. What stages did you go through. What are the characteristics of the person of Christ? And also about what events and when happened to him.

It is very important to convey that Jesus was resigned to voluntary suffering. And then he experienced a painful death. It happened at Calvary. When the death of Christ occurred, he was resurrected. This is how Easter came about. nine0003

It is very important to convey one idea to a child. Even if death occurs, the soul remains alive. And the person goes to heaven.

Also, you need to make sure that the child understands: Jesus sacrificed himself for the sake of people. Made it so that we, thanks to her, can live in paradise even after death.

The Easter story can be constructed in the following way. You can either use our template or come up with your own story. It is important that it includes all the necessary elements of the story. And she was helpful. nine0003

So, the story could be as follows:

“A long time ago, as much as 2,000 years ago, a beautiful woman, whose name was Mary, walked the Earth. The girl had the best qualities. Kindness, modesty, patience, and also mercy. For all the good qualities, the Lord fell in love with the girl. He made her the mother of his son. Jesus Christ.

When he became an adult, he finally decided on the meaning of his life. He realized that he wanted to help people. As a result, he devoted his entire life to serving them. nine0136