These A4 Easter Egg designs can be coloured or made into collages. Whatever you feel like doing! I’ve used wax crayons (you can blend the colours!), felt tips, tissue paper and some sugar paper circles. Cut out the egg shape after you’ve decorated it. If you want to paint then maybe print the shape onto card. Enjoy!
A couple of years ago we did some stories that tell us what God is like. I’ve put them here – all in one place. Much easier to find!
We took a story from the Bible to teach one truth about God each week. An alternative title would be ‘What does the Bible tell us about God?’
We answered the question by teaching that –
God is everywhere, God knows everything, God is holy, God is powerful and God is faithful. Of course the Bible tells us more about God than we have included here. We finished with the Christmas story – God has made a way for us to know him.
Although it was Christmas when we told the last story I would think it would be fine to tell the Christmas story at a different time of year.
Each week we used a story bag and a character or two. These varied from Pringle people, a mini Moses (toilet roll!) and knitted characters. I think the children liked the variety.
You could easily tell these stories to young children at home too.
Say hello to Hagar!
Hagar was very sad. She ran away from her home. She sat down and looked around. There was no one there. No one.
But God knew where Hagar was. He spoke to her, ‘It will be alright Hagar. Go back home.’
Hagar listened. She knew that God could see where she was. She knew that God is everywhere. Hagar said, ‘You are the God who sees me. You are the God who looks after me.’
Hagar was happier. She got up and went back home.
God sees you. God cares for you. Wherever you go, God is there.
Say hello to Pharaoh! Pharaoh was a very important man. But he was upset. he had had a dream. It was a strange dream and it worried Pharaoh. He wanted to know what his dream meant. What could he do? He sent for all the magicians and wise men. ‘They will tell me what the dream means’ he thought to himself.
But they had no idea!
Oh no! What could Pharaoh do? One of his servants was thinking. He was remembering someone he knew. He had an idea.
‘Pharaoh I know someone who can help. He is in your prison. He is able to tell people what their dreams mean.’ His mane was Joseph.
Pharaoh sent for him right way. Can you tell me what my dream means? he asked Joseph.
No! I can’t. But God can tell us what the dream means. How can God do that? He can because God knows everything. God told the young man what the dream meant. He told Pharaoh.
God knows everything about you and me too. He knows our names and he cares about us.
(Pharaoh and Joseph are made from pringles cartons)
Say hello to Moses!
Moses was looking after his sheep. What noise to sheep make? Baa!
He saw something. It looked different.
What was it?
Was it a funny looking sheep? No!
Was it a funny looking snake? No!
It was a plant that was on fire but it was still green and not burning up at all!
He went a little closer! (note – explain that the children must never go near to fire)
Then Moses heard God’s voice. ‘Moses, Moses’.
‘Here I am’, Moses said.
‘Don’t come any nearer. Where you are standing is holy.’
God was there and so an ordinary place had become extraordinary. God is holy
What does that mean? Holy means different to us. He is always great and he is always good.
Moses and God’s people were in a hurry. They were escaping from being slaves in a place called Egypt. They were leaving as fast as they could taking all their things with them. There were mums and dads and grandmas and grandads and babies and children just like you are hurrying away from Egypt. Moses was their leader.
But Pharaoh, the king of Egypt was coming after them! He wanted his slaves back.
Moses and the people hurried. Pharaoh and his armies hurried after them!
Then something awful happened.
Moses and God’s people came to a huge sea of water. They couldn’t go round it. They couldn’t go under it. They couldn’t go through it! They were scared. They said to Moses, ‘ Why did you bring us here to die!
Moses said.’ Don’t be afraid. Stand still and see how God will work to save you today.’
What was God going to do?
God is powerful. He is more powerful than anyone. He moved the sea. The water separated and it stood up like towers. The land became completely dry. God is so powerful. He was able to rescue the people. They walked on the dry land, with the water either side of them – all of them got safely to the other side.
One day a man called Zechariah was in the temple. It was a very special place where people went to worship God. Zechariah had a special job to do there – just once in his life! He was a priest and he had been chosen to go and burn some incense that would make the temple small beautiful. He was all by himself. all the other people had to wait outside.
Suddenly an angel was there with him. Angels are big, strong messengers from God. Zechariah was frightened!
‘Don’t be afraid’, the angel said, ‘God has heard your prayers and you and your wife Elisabeth are going to have a baby son.You will give him the name John.’
Now Zechariah should have believed the angel but he didn’t! ‘How can that happen? he said Elisabeth and I are far too old to have children!’
The angel said, ‘I am Gabriel. I stand in God’s presence everyday! I was sent to give you this good news. Now since you haven’t believed me you won’t be able to talk until the baby is born.’ Then Gabriel went away.
Zechariah finished what he was doing. He went outside but he couldn’t tell anyone what had happened!
He went back home. Time went by. Would God keep his promise?
God always keeps his promises. God is faithful. Zechariah and Elisabeth had a baby boy and they called him John.
We have heard about how God is everywhere.God knows everything. God is powerful. God is holy. God is faithful. Today we find out that God has made a way for us to know him.
Mary and Joseph were in the stable. That night something amazing had happened. Jesus had been born as a baby. Jesus was not just an ordinary baby – he was God’s Son sent from heaven.
Out in the fields there were some shepherds looking after their sheep. It was dark. There were stars up in the sky. Suddenly an angel was there! This angel had a message from God.
The shepherds were scared!
‘Don’t be afraid,’ the angel said, ‘I bring you good news of great joy that is for everyone. Today in the Town of David a Saviour has been born to you!’
Who is this Saviour? It is Jesus
The angel told the shepherds ‘ You will find the baby wrapped in cloths and in a manger’.
Then there were lots and lots of angels in the sky singing. It was such a special night – a Saviour had been born.
Then the angels were gone. The shepherds looked at each other. ‘let’s go and find this special baby’, they said to each other.
They dashed into the town and they looked. And they found him – the Saviour sent from God was there. God had sent Jesus to be our Saviour so that we can know God. The shepherds found Jesus. You can find Jesus too.
(The characters are from Early Learning Centre. The ‘straw’ is shredded tissue paper.)
Children of almost any age can decorate these simple egg shapes. We’ve used them at a toddler group, but they would be great for older children who would be able to do more intricate designs or pictures.
To make them you need to start with a salt dough. This is very easy. You need 2 cups plain flour, I cup of salt and I cup of water (add this gradually as you may not need it all). Kneed the dough on a floured surface and roll out to about 4mm thick. As you do this keep making sure it isn’t sticking to the work top. I used a template and cut around it. You could also use an egg shaped biscuit cutter. If you are making hanging decorations you need to make a hole for the thread about 1cm away from the edge.Smooth the edges of the eggs once you have cut them out. Then leave the shapes to dry. They will air dry, but it will take a long time (48 hours plus) or put them in a low oven, not more than 100C, for up to 4 hours. (They can burn so keep an eye on them). Once dry you can decorate with paint and/or felt pens.
We used felt tips to decorate but you could also glue coloured paper on to them and add glitter! A covering of PVA glue at the end will add a shine – but as you can see in the pictures the colours may run a bit.
We have travelled along the road to Jerusalem to reach the first Easter. Each week we’ve met different people that Jesus met on his journey and now we are at the end of our journey.
This weeks story is the Easter Story .. to tell you need Peter, Mary and the paper plate visual (or something similar.)
The Story
‘Our story has a sad beginning – Can you look sad? Jesus died on the cross on the Friday. He was put in a tomb (cave) and a big stone was put over the entrance.
His friends were very sad and frightened. A whole day went by – that was Saturday.
The next day was Sunday. A lady called Mary went to the tomb. When she got there something had happened. The big stone had been moved. What could she do? Who would help her?
Mary knew someone who could help her – Peter! She went to find Peter and John and told them what had happened.
They listened. Then they started to run. They were running as fast as they could to the tomb. John got there first and looked inside. It was empty.
Then Peter got there. He didn’t just look inside. He walked right in to the tomb. It was empty!
Jesus wasn’t there anymore. The Bible tells us that that he had died and then come alive again. This is happy news for you and for me.’
This leaf craft for Palm Sunday is to make at home. All our groups are closed – so this is somthing to make that uses a cereal box, crayons, pens, green pictures cut from magazines (I used a gardening catalogue) and some glue. Hopefully these are things that we have at home. If you don’t have any glue then crayons, pencils and pens will be great.
Cut a leaf shape out of your cereal box – make it as large as the box shape will allow! And decorate.
There is a short toddler group Palm Sunday story here.
The Bible story is from Luke 19:28-40 and Mark 11:1-10
‘Jesus and his friends were almost at the big city of Jerusalem. Lots of people wanted to see Jesus. But how was Jesus going to arrive in the city? Not in a car or a helicopter (they didn’t have those!) Not on a big, strong horse.
Jesus sent two of his friends to borrow a donkey. They bought it to Jesus and put their cloaks on it and he rode into the big city.
Crowds and crowds of people were there. There were mums and dads, grandmas and grandads and children just like you! They called out ‘Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!’ as Jesus passed by. They shouted, ‘hosanna!’ (which means ‘God saves’) They waved palm branches and threw their cloaks into the road.
They welcomed Jesus – the King sent from God.’
Some pictures to use to tell the story – you could use the printouts as a craft if telling the story at home or with older children.
Dowload the links to make the street scene
People pictures are available in this blog post
The donkey to make
https://lettheirlightshine.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/leglessdonkey.pdf
The street scene https://lettheirlightshine.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/streetscene.pdf
The trees and palm leaves
https://lettheirlightshine.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/palmleafsceneparts.pdf
I cut the cloaks out of material.
It’s a good time to share a rainbow – and maybe a Bible verse of hope.. Lots of people have been putting pictures of rainbows in their windows. I decided to join in. Maybe you would like to join in too.
This could be something that our toddler group families would like to do – I’ve shared the link below with our facebook toddler group page. You don’t need to use paint – any type of crayons, felt tips or collage would be great. I used the paint that I rescued from our store cupboard as we closed!
Hers’s a link all about sharing rainbows https://www.popsugar.co.uk/parenting/kids-put-drawings-up-in-windows-during-coronavirus-outbreak-47324740?fbclid=IwAR00_NvkRKY48jobq5St2LT3Gh2sq3HPvAzuQ3jWddlQQSMxF3oGI-cr0n0
