- The name 'Easter' has secular origins, however, over the centuries; it has come to be associated with the Christian celebration of the day that Jesus rose from the dead. Easter lessons should focus on this aspect. Christians believe the testimony of the Bible that Jesus Christ, a man who was also God's son, was crucified by the Roman army and put into a tomb for burial. Three days later, the Bible says, Jesus rose from the dead. Terms such as 'crucified', 'resurrection' and 'tomb' should be explained, as well as some brief history about the Romans during that period.
- Depending on the age level, understanding and maturity of the children, teachers may want to skip the graphic nature of the crucifixion and focus on the resurrection of Jesus. The Bible says that after Jesus was buried, many people mourned for his death. On the third morning, a group of women went to his tomb to pay their respects and saw that the tomb was empty. Angels appeared and told the women that Jesus was no longer dead and that he had risen and would appear to them again soon, which he did. This story of triumph may be more age appropriate for younger children.
- Although the point of the Easter story is that Jesus rose from the dead, children may have questions about why he had to die. The easiest way to explain this to children is to point out the difference between right and wrong. Explain that when we do wrong, we should say we are sorry and that the person we have wronged will forgive us. The concept of Jesus' death is much the same. People do wrong things, called "sin," that go against what the Bible teaches, and the Bible says that sin leads to death. Jesus died in our place, so that when we sin, we don't have to die -- because already he died for us. We just have to ask God for forgiveness, because Jesus took our place
- In order to share the entire Easter story with children, its is best to focus on the major points -- who Jesus is, why he had to die, what happened when he rose from the dead and how this miracle affects the world today. It's important that the Easter lessons are not simply told as stories, but rather that they be made relevant to children's every day lives. This can be done by asking questions such as: how do you think Jesus' friends felt when he died? Have you ever had to ask forgiveness from someone? Questions such as these will not only engage children in the lesson but will get them thinking about how the Easter story applies to their own lives. Games, songs, stories and pictures will help reinforce these concepts.
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