As a family centered around The Lord, it can become increasingly hard to keep our children’s attention on Jesus, while celebrating certain holidays. Often times, we as Christians can become easily distracted by made-up characters and pagan traditions and lose focus of the true reasons for celebration.
Resurrection Sunday is another one of those holidays where I struggle to divert my children’s focus away from the Easter bunny, baskets filled with candy, and colorful eggs and make sure they understand the true meaning of what we are actually celebrating. As believers, we know Resurrection Sunday is a celebration about the best news anyone could ever hear! News that is better than any mythical bunny or pagan Easter tradition. News that our Lord and Savior not only died, but ROSE from death TO LIFE for us!
The Creator of the universe offered up His only son, Jesus Christ to die a horrid death on a cross, for every one of us. Jesus became the sacrificial lamb, used to take away the sins each of us choose daily… so that one day we too can join our Father in Heaven. Once Jesus had taken His last breath, Joseph and Nicodemus went to Him. “Taking Jesus’ body the two then wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen.” John 29:40 They then placed Jesus in a tomb and a large stone was rolled against its entrance.
Everyone thought it was over… they thought their King was defeated. Little did they realize, the words Jesus was proclaiming before his death were about to come to fruition… Sunday was coming! Three days after Jesus’ burial, we experience a miracle. Jesus is risen!
DEATH HAS BEEN DEFEATED!
Now THAT is what I want my children to reflect on and celebrate when they think of Easter. This is why my husband and I find it crucial to integrate christian books and activities into celebrating each holiday. Not only are they fun for our children, but they also help to explain the importance and true meaning of holidays (like Easter) in a memorable way.
A sweet friend of mine introduced us to making “Resurrection Rolls” and it quickly became one of our family’s favorite tradition.
Resurrection Rolls:
Resurrection Rolls are a fun way to help you children celebrate the true meaning of Easter.
- 1 package of crescent rolls
- 8 large marshmallows (plus extras to snack on while you’re waiting for the rolls to bake!)
- 3 Tablespoons melted butter
- 3 Tablespoons brown sugar, mixed with 1 Tablespoon cinnamon
- Baking sheet wrapped in tinfoil
Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees. While the oven is preheating, read the story of Jesus’ death and ressurection to your children. This could be right out of a children’s bible or another type Christian book. Our favorite right now is “The Story of Easter” by Fiona Boon. 
After you’ve finished the story:
- Give your children a marshmallow
Say: “This marshmallow represents Jesus’ body. Jesus died for you and for me, because we have sinned and we need to be rescued from our sin.” - Say: “After Jesus died, his friends came and they put special oil and spices on Jesus’ body to get him ready for burial.”
Instruct them to roll the marshmallow in melted butter, then in cinnamon sugar. 
Say: “Next, Jesus’ friends wrapped his body in special cloths–almost like a mummy!”
Instruct your children to roll the cinnamon-sugar marshmallow up in the dough, so you can no longer see the marshmallow. (Press all of the seams firmly). Repeat for each of the crescent rolls. Now Place the rolls on a tin foil-lined baking sheet.- Say: “Next, they laid Jesus’ body in a tomb. A tomb is like a big cave carved out of rock. Then big, strong soldiers rolled a heavy rock in front of the tomb so nobody could get in or out of the tomb. We are going to put Jesus in the oven which will represent putting him in the tomb.
Now Put the rolls in the oven and set your timer for 10-12 minutes. Take the rolls out when they are golden-brown and let them cool. - Say: “Three days after Jesus had died, an angel of God appeared to one of Jesus’ friends. He told her that Jesus is alive! Jesus’ friends decided to look in the tomb where they had put Jesus’ body, but when they did, it was empty! Jesus is risen! And still today, Jesus is alive. Today he lives in heaven with God and in our hearts.”
Now cut open one of the rolls. The marshmallow has melted, so the “tomb” is now empty. Jesus is risen!
My children and I enjoy doing this simple activity together every Easter and we’ve found it to be such a fun way to remember what we are truly celebrating. I hope you and your family will enjoy it as well!
