Free Printable Sunday School Easter Lesson for Kids

Easter is one of our favorite weeks in our homeschool and at our church. I always do a special Easter lesson for kids the week leading up to Easter. And, we also have tons of Easter activities at church. While the Easter bunny is fun to talk about, we make sure our kids are celebrating the true meaning of Easter. Above all, Christ dying on the cross to save us from our sins is the true reason for the season.

As much as the world would like to make Easter about the chocolate eggs and the bunny, we make sure our kids have plenty of opportunity to study and reflect on this ultimate sacrifice that was given to them.

Are you are looking for a fun Easter lesson for kids? Whether it be for your homeschool or Sunday school, or just for a teaching moment, look no further than this easy Easter activity!

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Easter Lesson for Kids

This Easter lesson for kids has four parts: a story, a garden activity, a snack, and a video. This lesson will take about 45 to an hour in one sitting. Or, you can spread the activities out across the week and let the kids be more hands on in the learning. It can be modified for whatever time frame you are working with!

Part 1: Read a story

The first part of this lesson is to read the book “The Garden, The Curtain, and The Cross” by Carl Laferton.

This story is a beautiful explanation of how sin was introduced in the Garden of Eden. Man was then exiled from entering the garden because of sin.

Later, God told man to build a temple. But, because of sin, man would be separated from God by a veil hanging in the temple. They were not considered pure enough to be in the most holy place. (Exodus 27:33)

Sin is destructive and separates us from being with God.

But, then comes the cross.

Because of Jesus’ death, the curtain (veil) was torn in a violent earthquake, and we are welcomed back into the garden to be with God for eternity.

“The Garden, The Curtain, and The Cross” is the perfect Easter story to read to young ones. Not only does it perfectly explain the fall of man, but also the story shows children the redemptive power of Christ. Without the cross, we would be doomed to never enter God’s kingdom again. But, because of Jesus’ love and sacrifice, we have been invited to spend eternity in a place of no sin, pain, or sadness.

Part 2: Make & Eat Resurrection Rolls

If you have never heard of resurrection rolls, you’re in for a treat! This tasty snack not only teaches a powerful Easter message about the resurrection of Jesus, but is also a yummy and memorable treat for kids.

Because this is a fun and easy activity for little hands, I would encourage you to let the kids help out in making these rolls! However, if time is limited, you could have these made ahead of time and explain the meaning while the kids snack. Either way, don’t skip this fun activity that is sure to be a favorite Easter tradition for years to come!

Follow instructions for resurrection rolls & discuss the meaning:

You will need:

refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
jumbo marshmallows
unsalted butter
cinnamon
sugar

Follow the instructions at Lil Luna to make resurrection rolls!

Discussion:

“Break open your resurrection roll.”

“What do you see inside?” (an empty center! The marshmallow is gone.)

Read Luke 24:1-12. What did Mary Magdalene find when she went to the tomb on the 3rd day? It was empty! Just like the marshmallow was in the dough before we put it in the oven, Jesus’ body was wrapped in cloth and sealed in the tomb behind a large stone. When the women went back on the 3rd day, the stone had been removed, the cloth was left behind, but there was no body.

Our marshmallow (the body) was wrapped in dough (the cloth) and was sealed in the oven (the tomb). But, look! We opened the tomb, looked in the cloth, and the body is gone. The same is true for Jesus. He is not there. He has risen and is in Heaven with His father, God. We can remember this Bible story and this snack when we think of Easter morning and Jesus’ resurrection.

The goodness of this snack is a reminder of the unmeasurable love and goodness of Jesus. Every time we think of this sweet treat, we will remember the blessing and gift God gave us, the hope of His resurrection, and the promise of eternity because of his sacrifice.

Part 3: Youtube video

This is an optional video to watch with young children. It summarizes the Easter story, including the death on the cross and resurrection from the tomb, in a short 6 minute video for kids. If you have time, play the video while they enjoy their resurrection rolls!

Part 4: Gardening Activity

When I think of Easter, I think of springtime and gardening, of course!

Not only is gardening a fitting Spring activity, but it is also extremely relevant to the story of Jesus as well.

As we read in “The Garden, The Curtain, and The Cross,” the garden is where sin was first introduced. Though we could make the association of the garden being the place of sin and the beginning of death, it it is actually a beautiful creation by God to be enjoyed by man.

And, it still is!

As we have learned throughout this lesson, sin kept us from entering the garden, but Jesus’ sacrifice has opened the gates wide open for all who accept him into their hearts. We are invited back into God’s garden. And, all we have to do is believe in Jesus Christ, accept the Holy Spirit into our hearts, and share the good news of this redemptive love with others.

Just as the story of Jesus is a beautiful promise of eternal life, the garden serves as a reminder of what is waiting for us in Heaven. The garden is a relevant symbol of God opening His arms and awaiting our return to the place where we first began.

Create your own garden

Explain to the group that you are now going to plant your own “garden” to serve as a reminder all summer long of the beauty of the sacrifice Jesus made, the promise of Heaven, and the love God has for us.

1. Give each child a cup.

2. Have them fill their cup with potting soil.

3. Add a little water to the soil.

4. Plant a flower seed in the soil and add more water until the soil is damp.

5. Instruct the child to place the cup in a warm, sunny spot in their home.

6. Make sure they understand to water their seed just enough to keep the soil damp.

7. They can then transfer the growing flower outdoors once the last frost has passed, or they can repot it in a larger pot to keep by their door.

a cross and palm branch with text overlay easy kids homeschool Easter lesson with free printable. works great for sunday school too

Free Printable Easter Lesson For Kids

In order to make this lesson even simpler for you, it is all available to download in this free printable pdf! Also included is a free Easter coloring page that you can have the little ones do on their own.

This lesson is a great way to teach the true meaning of the Easter season, whether its for your own children at home or you are teaching children’s church. The lesson encompasses all the events that occur from Good Friday to Easter morning.

While plastic eggs, jelly beans, Easter egg hunts, and toys are all fun things, it is so important to talk about the death of Jesus, his resurrection, and the hope of eternal life that is only found in Him. Doing this through fun Easter Sunday school lessons is a great opportunity to share the importance of Jesus with little ones.

Sharing the perfect life of Jesus Christ every year is one of the most crucial lessons in children’s ministry. It’s not only giving a child the hope and salvation that comes from knowing Christ, but also the key to eternal life. What better way to have a Happy Easter than to share this good news?!