I wonder what part of the Easter story you like best? Which part have you particularly noticed this year?
I wonder what you might make out of these shapes?
I love open-ended activities. We have creative materials out all the time for my daughters to create something whenever the mood takes them. And they do! Often before breakfast while still in their pyjamas. I have my own selection of craft supplies which I often use too, especially when I spend time with God. However, when it comes to responses to Bible stories, we can sometimes be a bit, well, controlling about what we want children to create, giving them a template, a set of instructions and an example so they can make something we’ve seen on Pinterest.
Don’t get me wrong, I love Pinterest! And I will happily nick and share ideas of lovely things to make. It’s just that when it comes to reflecting, processing, thinking aloud with paint, pens and glue, and creating, I prefer to be given a selection of materials and the freedom to use my own imagination. Last year, after sharing the Easter story with a group of 3- and 4-year-olds, I really wanted to give them a chance to process the story, to wonder about the bit that caught their attention, to chat with God if they wanted to, so I came up with this idea.
Using foam, I cut out loads of coloured shapes, bearing in mind the story I’m sharing, I made sure there were various rectangles that could be made into crosses, semi-circles which could be hills or tombs and circles which could be stones. I also made lots of triangles and small circles, attempting not to guide but to provide.
I found that they enjoyed having it as one of their response options, some of them creating versions of my pictures below, and others their own interpretation of the story. This could work with people of all ages, and so lends itself nicely to a station activity in an intergenerational, all-age or Messy Church setting. You could leave the pictures out or glue them onto the background as you think appropriate. Or leave it for people to decide what they’d like to do, a bit, you know, open-ended.
Looking for a fun, easy Easter activity? These Easter puppets are simple to make and you'll have fun telling the story together using the storyboard. Available as a book or a download
