Celebrating Holy Week with your kids is an excellent way to help children understand Easter. Little Pot, a fruit-bearing vessel, has created activities for each day of the week. In this post, we’ll share the different activities and the scriptures they are based on. Completing these activities will present the full Easter story leading up to Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection.

Holy Week, What and When?

Holy week is the week before Easter Sunday. It begins on Palm Sunday and ends the Saturday before Easter. This year Holy Week is Sun, Apr 2, 2023, through Sat, Apr 8, 2023. A lot occurs between Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a donkey while people shout Hosanna and the day he rose from the grave. The events in scripture tell us so much about Jesus and His love for us. Therefore, I’ve provided some scriptures to read daily, followed by an activity. You can find the illustrations for each day here.

Sunday – Palm Sunday

1. Read Matthew 21:1-11 together.
2. Collect branches
3. Lay them along a path
4. Imagine Jesus on a donkey walking over them.
5. Talk about what Hosanna means, Then sing Hosanna, clap, dance, and play any instruments they might make. You can find songs on Youtube to sing along with.

Monday – Jesus in the Temple

1. Read Matthew 21:12-17 together.
2. Use blocks to build with. Have them name the building they built.
3. Talk about what Jesus said the temple should be called.
4. What were the merchants doing at the temple?
5. What did Jesus do at the temple?
6. Spend time praying together.

Tuesday – The Fig Tree

1. Go on a nature walk and discuss which trees are growing or blooming.
2. Stop and read Matthew 21:18-22 together.
3. What happened when Jesus spoke words over the fig tree? Why?
4. How did this event reveal that Jesus was God?
5. Enjoy a snack of Fig Newtons.

Wednesday – 30 Pieces of Silver

During this day, children can learn much about how they feel about Jesus. My grandchildren love having money. If I give one of them a coin, the other one will become quite upset that they do not have any. They will fight over who has more pennies. It amazes me because they do not understand the value or worth of the money they desperately want to hold. On this day, they will see that Jesus is better than money.

1. Read Matthew 26:14-16 together.
2. Get 30 coins. (If possible, 30 silver dollars or 30 quarters)
3. Ask your child to count it.
4. How important is money to us?
5. What parts of knowing Jesus do we trade so we can have money?
6. Go on a shopping trip. Instead of buying something for yourself, get something to give a friend in need. Or, give the coins to a homeless person.

Thursday – The Lord’s Supper

1. Prepare some bread and juice.
2. Read Matthew 26:26-30 together.
3. Discuss what Jesus did, why he washed the disciple’s feet, and what was illustrated with the bread and wine.
4. Eat a piece of bread and drink some juice together.
5. Wash each other’s feet. Discuss how it feels to have someone else wash your feet and how it feels to wash another’s. What can we learn from this?

Friday – the Cross

1. Read Matthew 27:15-31 together.
2. Discuss the text. How do you think it felt to Barabbas?
3. Why was Jesus willing to die in his place? Make a cross with two sticks and a piece of string.
4. Jesus died in our place. Discuss that the Bible tells us that death is the payment for our sins. Talk about specific sins we commit each day and then discuss that Jesus died for those sins too.
5. Pray and thank Him for loving us that much.

Saturday and Easter Sunday

1. Read Matt. 27:62-28:7 together.
2. Discuss the text. What did Jesus say would happen, and what did happen?
3. Make a tomb replica using a small clay pot, a clay dish, dirt, and stones. You can find a lot of examples online.
4. Use a larger stone to cover the opening of the tomb.
5. Then on Easter morning, roll away the stone covering the opening of the empty tomb.
6. Explain that Jesus is alive, and that is why we celebrate Easter!

Below is a tiktok video of the activities.

You can find the descriptions as illustrations for each day here.

@dawn_stephens_books

HTTPS://Dawnstephensbooks.com/ideas-to-celebrate-Easter/ #easter #holyweek #activitiesforkids #acripturesunday #eastersunday #palmsunday

♬ Pieces (Solo Piano Version) – Danilo Stankovic

Celebrating all year.

If you enjoyed these Holy Week activities, I know you will love celebrating with Little Pot all year. Join the fruit-bearing journey and learn how the potter grows fruit through Little Pot; sign up below.

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By Dawn Stephens