a meaningful easter...the simple way

If you are anything like me, you find yourself feeling inadequate before holidays. Life happens and the days sneak by. Before I blink, the 40 days have passed without any intentional actions on my part. I read grandiose plans and cute little activities from around the internet and I feel inadequate. I want to be that mom. I even envision my family gathered around the fire with the Bible singing hymns and discussing deep thoughts about this season of Lent. But that isn’t my reality. There is simply no time for such things right now and my priority is to focus on helping my kids. Not making the cutest wreath out of marshmallow peeps. I must remember that feelings of inadequacy are not from God.

While I can not do these things in my present season, anything and EVERYTHING that I do will glorify Him. Even the little things. Even the simple. I can spend a minute or two putting together something that will be meaningful for my children. So can you!

Quick. Easy. No guilt. No Martha Stewart wanna be. Just a few moms doing their best together.

Resurrection Eggs Countdown

Each day, for 12 days before Easter, I hide one the of resurrection eggs somewhere in the house. Once the kids find it,we read the portion of scripture that goes along with that egg. This gives me more time to focus on each part. I find that when you do the whole set together, it’s hard to really dig into the story.

Each day, we will color and complete one egg from this printable to go along with the countdown.

Don’t have 12 days? No problem, do 3 eggs a day or 4 eggs a day. Or do it after Easter. There is no need to feel the pressure to only talk about it BEFORE the holiday occurs. After all, this is one holiday that bears significance everyday of our christian walk.

Jellybean prayer

I love doing the Jelly bean prayer with my kids because it gives them an easy way to share the story of Jesus with others. And, hey, who doesn’t love a craft that involves candy? You can download a cute printable version of the poem here.

Red is for the blood He gave.

Green is for the grass He made.

Yellow is for the sun so bright.

Orange is for the edge of night.

Black is for the sins we made.

White is for the grace He gave.

Purple is for His hour of sorrow.

Pink is for a new tomorrow.

And handful of jelly beans,

Colorful and sweet,

Is a prayer, a promise,

A loved one’s treat!

Happy Resurrection Sunday!

Cross Skewers

There are a million great food ideas floating around pinterest, but I don’t have time for most of them. This is what I did last year. I took inventory of the fridge and used what I had on hand. Simply take a skewer and cut it in half to make a cross. Then fill it with anything soft enough string on. You could also use almost any kind of fruit, cheese, boiled egg, bread cubes, veggies (raw or cooked). Even chocolate.

Resurrection Rolls

This is a family favorite. It’s a simple, yet fun way to tell the story of Easer Sunday. This blog does a great job of explaining the process. If you want something with a little more detailed story, the Easter cookies are also a lot of fun. Check those out here.

Egg Hunts

Egg hunts can be so much fun. When we get out the box of Easter stuff, the kids immediately begin hiding eggs for each other. There are a lot of fun tips for egg hunts. You can hide eggs at a local playground as a random act of kindness. Just leave a basket and a note! A few years ago, we had a flashlight egg hunt…in our backyard at night. Great for youth, young adults, and those of us that never really grew up. Ahem.

Looking for non-candy ideas to fill those eggs? Click here.

Another favorite hunt is the lunchtime egg hunt found here. I LOVE this idea. Simply make bite sized lunch items and place them inside 12 different plastic eggs. Hide them for your child to find and then feast on.

Growing up, my mother-in-law always hid small chocolate eggs all over the house. The best part? Finding a few several weeks later. I haven’t tried this idea with my kids yet, but I figure it will be a fun addition as they get a little older.

Looking for more ideas? I’ve linked homeschool plans, egg decorating suggestions, and so much more here on pinterest.

Join the conversation. Share your family traditions or favorite ideas from around the web.

Kim Sorgius

Kim is just a girl, crazy in love with Jesus. She's a single mother of 4, a passionate homeschooler and life-long student. After teaching 8 years in public school, she traded her M.A. in Early Childhood for sippy cups and homeschool co-ops. Kim is the owner and editor of The Homeschool Village and Not Consumed where she encourages others to rest victoriously in the hands of God, rather than allowing life's difficult circumstances to consume.