Most Famous Easter Egg

March 25, 2005 kensapp Leave a comment

This Easter egg was presented by Czar Nicholas II to his wife, Alexandra, on Easter Sunday, April 23rd, 1911. It was made to commemorate the fifteenth anniversary of Czar Nicholas II’s accession to the throne.

The opalescent and opaque white enamel egg is encased within a grid-shaped cage work of gold and green enamel oval-shaped garlands bordered by diamonds, which frame eighteen scenes painted by court miniaturist Vassily Zuiev, depicting miniature portraits of the Imperial family, the czarina, her husband and their five children, and highlights of significant occasions from their lives together, and major events of the reign. The dates of Nicholas and Alexandra’s wedding, 1894, and the fifteenth anniversary of the Coronation, 1911, are set beneath the portraits of the Czarina and the Czar respectively. Beneath a table diamond at the top of the egg is the crowned monogram of Tsarina Alexandra; the base is set with a rose-cut diamond – signed Fabergé.

Easter Collection
Games and Activities in celebration of Easter.

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Creative Teaching Ideas

Good Friday Easter Egg Hunt

March 25, 2005 kensapp Leave a comment

Under the cover of darkness, this truly becomes a “hunt.”
Afterward, the eggs’ contents offer an opportunity for enlightening discussion.

Materials
Give the traditional Easter egg hunt a twist by staging it at night with flashlights. Set up a maze-type area outside, and then hide the plastic eggs. Put candy inside some of the eggs, and in others, flathead nails, a strip of leather, coins, a communion cup, a communion wafer, and thorns from roses (available from a florist). Also leave some of the eggs empty (signifying the empty tomb).

Debrief
Once the hunt is over, gather kids and have them open their eggs. This becomes your Bible study as you discuss each item and the role it played in Christ’s death and resurrection.

See Conducting Scavenger Hunts for help, Hints, Safety Considerations, Rules, and other useful information to make your scavenger hunt a wild success!

Creative Scavenger Hunts: Once Lost, Now Found

is a 160 page e-book that explains everything you need to know to easily plan your very own scavenger hunt: Item Lists, Rules, Riddles, Safety Tips, Guidelines, Scoring, Tips for Facilitators and MORE! There are more than 50 complete ideas (scavenger hunts, photo hunts, video hunts, amazing race, etc.) to use at home, around the neighborhood, at the mall, in the park, on the beach, at church, and around town!

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Easter Collection
Games and Activities in celebration of Easter.

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Children's Sermon

Our Sins on the Cross

March 24, 2005 kensapp Leave a comment

Using a large bulletin board, place pins strategically to outline a cross. Wind a piece of string around the pins to create the form of the cross. Cut small pieces of black or brown construction paper. Explain to the children that Jesus died for our sins – things we do but know we shouldn’t do. Talk about the things we do that are wrong – sinful. (e.g. lies, taking something that doesn’t belong to us, hitting someone, talking bad about someone, etc) Let everyone write their sins on the small dark pieces of construction paper (one sin per piece) and pin it within the outline of the cross. Encourage everyone to add more of these pieces as they reflect on their sin, and when new sins are remembered.

Take off the sin papers, leaving the pins in place. These pins hold the memory of our sins which Jesus died for, and will now be used to hold decorations.

Create flowers out of construction paper and pin them on the cross with the same pins. An artificial vine with flowers could also be wound around the pins to create the triumphant cross.

The sin papers are then burned by the Easter fire: a white candle symbolizing the new beginning we have in Christ.

Variation
Instead of construction paper, use pieces of “flash paper” available from a local magician’s shop. When touched to a flame “flash” paper vaporizes in a flash of fire and leaves nothing behind. Warning: Have a teacher touch the papers to a flame and quickly let go to avoid getting burnt.

Easter Collection
Games and Activities in celebration of Easter.

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Object Lessons

Sand Dollar

March 23, 2005 kensapp Leave a comment

The markings on a sand dollar represent aspects of Christ’s birth and death.
1. The five-point outline on the front of the sand dollar represents the star of Bethlehem.
2. The five holes in the sand dollar represent the pierced hands, feet, and side of Christ.
3. When the sand dollar is opened, it yields five small objects that look remarkably like doves in flight, thus representing the Holy Spirit.

MORE IDEAS? See “Creative Object Lessons”
200 page e-book that explains everything you need to know when planning your very own object lessons. It contains 90 fully developed object lesson ideas and another 200 object lesson starter ideas based on Biblical idioms and Names / Descriptions of God.
Learn More…

Easter Collection
Games and Activities in celebration of Easter.

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Teaching Illustrations

Easter Bunny

March 21, 2005 kensapp Leave a comment

A man was blissfully driving along the highway, when he saw the Easter Bunny hopping across the middle of the road. He swerved to avoid hitting the bunny, but unfortunately the rabbit jumped in front of his car and was hit. The basket of eggs went flying all over the place. Candy, too.

The driver, being a sensitive man as well as an animal lover, pulled over to the side of the road, and got out to see what had become of the bunny carrying the basket. Much to his dismay, the colorful bunny was dead. The driver felt guilty and began to cry.

A woman driving down the same highway saw the man crying on the side of the road and pulled over. She stepped out of her car and asked the man what was wrong.

“I feel terrible,” he explained. “I accidentally hit the Easter Bunny and killed him. There may not be an Easter because of me. What should I do?”

The woman told the man not to worry. She know exactly what to do. She went to her car trunk, and pulled out a spray can. She walked over to the limp dead bunny, and sprayed the entire contents of the can onto the little furry animal. Miraculously the Easter Bunny came back to life, jumped up, picked up the spilled eggs and candy, waved its paw at the two humans and hopped on down the road. 50 yards away the Easter Bunny stopped, turned around, waved and hoped on down the road another 50 yards, turned waved, hopped another 50 yards and waved again!

The man was astonished. He said to the woman, “What in heaven’s name is in your spray can?”

The woman turned the can around so that the man could read the label. It said: “Hair Spray. Restores life to dead hair. Adds permanent wave.”

Easter is really not about the Easter Bunny or restoring a hare to life… Its about a Saviour whose life was restored and the promise that we will also share in a restored life. The Miracle of the Resurrection is the good news that adds a permanent wave to life!

Easter Collection
Games and Activities in celebration of Easter.

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Creative Teaching Ideas

Easter Verses Hunt

March 21, 2005 kensapp Leave a comment

Materials
Collect plastic eggs of a single color for each team of youth. If you want to have three teams you will need three colors of eggs. Take your favorite Easter Scripture Verse and cut it into the same number of pieces as you have eggs of a single color.

Activity
Have teams collect the easter eggs of their own color only. First team to find all the eggs and piece together the words of the scripture verse in the correct order win a prize.

Variation
Instead of plastic eggs, dye real eggs. Write the words from the scripture on each egg in wax before you dye them. You can also use a permanent marker to write the words.

Variation
Instead of scripture verses make a list of events.
Easter Events

See Conducting Scavenger Hunts for help, Hints, Safety Considerations, Rules, and other useful information to make your scavenger hunt a wild success!

Icebreakers Ahead: Take It To the Next Level

This 170 page resource not only provides 52 of the world’s most popular group icebreaker activities and games, but also includes lesson ideas and discussion questions to smoothly transition into conversations about the issues common to most groups.

Click here to find out how to get your hands on this incredible resource!

Easter Collection

Games and Activities in celebration of Easter.

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Object Lessons

Easter Cookies

March 18, 2005 kensapp Leave a comment

Ingredients
1 cup whole pecans, 1 teaspoon vinegar, 3 egg whites, pinch salt, 1 cup sugar, 1 large plastic zip bag, wooden spoon, mixing bowl, cookie sheet, wax paper, tape, Bible.

Directions
Preheat your oven to 150 degrees Celsius.

1. Place the pecans in a large plastic zip bag and let the youth beat them with the wooden spoon to break them into small pieces. Explain that after Jesus was arrested, the Roman soldiers beat him.
Read John 19:1-3.

2. Let each youth smell the vinegar. Put 1 teaspoon of vinegar into a mixing bowl. Explain that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross he was given vinegar to drink.
Read John 19: 28-30.

3. Add egg whites to vinegar. Explain the eggs as representing life and that Jesus gave his life to give us life.
Read John 10:10-11.

4. Sprinkle a little salt into both hands of each youth. Let them taste it from one hand and brush it from the other hand into the bowl. Explain that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus’ followers and the bitterness of our own sin.
Read Luke 23:27.

5. Say “So far the ingredients are not very appetizing.” Add 1 cup of sugar. Explain that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because he loves us. He wants us to know and belong to him.
Read Psalm 34:8 and John 3:16.

6. Beat with a mixer on high speed for 12 to 15 minutes until stiff peaks are formed. Explain the color white as representing the purity God sees in those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus.
Read Isaiah 11:8 and John 3:1-3.

7. Fold in the broken nuts. Drop by teaspoons onto a wax paper-covered cookie sheet. Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus’ body was laid.
Read Matthew 27:57-60.

8. Put the cookie sheet in the oven, close the door and turn the oven off. Seal the oven door with tape. Explain that Jesus’ tomb was sealed.
Read Matthew 27:65-66.

9. Wait a couple of hours. If you do this in the context of an overnight meeting, wait until the next morning. (Make sure the oven is off). Explain that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven, and in the same way Jesus’ followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed.
Read John 16:20 and 22.

10. Open the oven and give everyone a cookie. Notice the cracked surface and take a bite. The cookies are hollow. On the first Easter Jesus’ followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty.
Read Matthew 28:1-9.

Easter Collection
Games and Activities in celebration of Easter.

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Object Lessons

Roses and Thorns

March 18, 2005 kensapp Leave a comment

Materials
A Rose

Activity
1. Pass around a beautiful rose, with the thorns still intact, to the youth. Talk about how fragrant and pleasing it is.

2. Next bruise some of the rose petals and point out the thorns. Jesus Body was bruised for our iniquities and a crown of thorns was placed on his head.

3. Now Enlist someone to be a timekeeper and someone to take the rose and see how fast he/she can pull all the petals off the rose. (Make this into a fun contest). At the end of the “race” announce the time it took

4. Ask for another volunteer. Get the timekeeper ready and then announce – “Ok, let’s see if you can beat that time. Are you ready? Ok, get set….put it back together.”

5. This is an interesting moment.

Application
Sometimes things may seem hopeless. Christ was crucified, his body bruised, his blood shed and he was dead. While only God can make a rose, we can destroy it. In the same way, Christ’s was God in flesh, flesh created by God and then crucified by men. It seemed impossible to bring him back to life. But with God all things are possible. No matter how hard one tries, you cannot rebuild a rose. It’s ruined. But God can restore life through Jesus Christ. Give each person a rose to remind them of the Easter story.

Easter Collection
Games and Activities in celebration of Easter.

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Drama Ideas

The Resurrection

March 17, 2005 kensapp Leave a comment

Act out the Easter story with your youth. It will help them to remember the order of the events. It makes a great Children’s Message too!

Jesus died and was put in a grave. (Squat down and curl into a little ball.)
A giant rock was rolled in front of the place. (Pound on the floor with your hands.)
His friends cried and were sad that he was dead. (Pretend to cry.)
But on the third day, something happened. (Count to three on your fingers.)
A giant earthquake rocked the ground. (Have youth stomp their feet and clap.)
The giant stone rolled away. (Have youth roll over on the floor.)
Mary and her friends walked to the grave. (Walk in place.)
They felt the earthquake. (Stomp your feet.)
They ran to the open grave. (Run in place.)
They looked in. (Cup your hand over your eyes.)
A bright angel was inside the grave. (Shield your eyes from the brightness.)
The women were sad and afraid. (Act scared.)
The angel told the women that Jesus was alive! (Cheer.)
And so the women went to tell the disciples. (Run in place.)
Jesus appeared to them. (Act surprised.)
The women fell down at his feet. (Fall to the floor.)
They were so happy to see him! (Cheer and hug each other.)

Easter Collection
Games and Activities in celebration of Easter.

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Creative Teaching Ideas

Betrayed

March 16, 2005 kensapp Leave a comment

Needed
A large open area. An empty field works best, but a large room can also be used.

Set the stage
Remind the youth that when Jesus was betrayed by Judas, the disciples were frightened for their lives. The disciples were afraid they might be arrested if they were identified as followers of Jesus.

Activity
Form two teams of disciples. Appoint one “soldier” per team. Divide your playing area in half and designate opposite corners as “jail cells.” Set a timer for 2-5 minutes. Place one team on each side of the playing area. They may not leave their side of the area. Tagged disciples must go to the jail cell on their side and remain there until the timer goes off.

The two soldiers must turn away from the disciples, count to 20, and then must attempt to tag the disciples. After playing, the soldier on each team can pick someone else to be the soldier and play again. You can award the team of disciples which lasts the longest or has the most disciples outside jail at the end of the game time.

Debrief
1. How did it feel to be caught by a soldier and thrown into jail for being a disciple?
2. What feelings did you have while playing this game?
3. How do you think the disciples felt after Jesus was arrested?
4. What do you think you would you have done if you had been with Jesus when he was betrayed?
5. Has there been a time in your life when you denied you were a Christian? Denied Christ? Didn’t stand up to the pressure when you were persecuted for your faith?
6. Why is it sometimes difficult today to let people know that we are Jesus’ disciples?
7. What can we learn from this event in the life of Jesus and the disciples? Remind youth of the events after the resurrection and the changed Disciples boldly standing up for Christ.

Easter Collection
Games and Activities in celebration of Easter.

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