Resurrection Scavenger Hunts

With Easter around the corner, you may be wondering how to share the reason we celebrate Easter with your kids in a matter in which they comprehend. Here are two separate activities families can use to encourage discussion about Holy Week and the gift we have in Christ’s resurrection.

RESURRECTION SCAVENGER HUNT
Look around your house and outside for these nine items that tell the story of Jesus:

1. Something black = our sin
2. 2 sticks = the cross
3. Something red = Jesus’ blood
4. A rock = the tomb
5. 3 of something = 3 days in the tomb
6. Something empty = “He is not here! He is risen!” (Matthew 28:6)
7. Something white = A cleansed heart
8. Something green = Growth in Christ
9. Something new = “The old has gone, the new has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

RESURRECTION EGG HUNT
While everyone loves to find candy in eggs, add meaning to your hunt by filling 12 eggs with these special items.

Egg 1: Vegetable Oil (cover any holes if necessary)
Meanwhile, Jesus was in Bethany at the home of Simon, a man who had previously had leprosy. While he was eating, a woman came in with a beautiful alabaster jar of expensive perfume and poured it over his head. The disciples were indignant when they saw this. “What a waste!” they said. “It could have been sold for a high price and the money given to the poor.”

But Jesus, aware of this, replied, “Why criticize this woman for doing such a good thing to me? You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me. She has poured this perfume on me to prepare my body for burial. I tell you the truth, wherever the Good News is preached throughout the world, this woman’s deed will be remembered and discussed” (Matthew 26:6-13).

Egg 2: Leaf
A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted,
“Hosanna to the Son of David!”
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Hosanna in the highest heaven!” (Matthew 21:8-9).

Egg 3: A Coin
Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve disciples, went to the leading priests and asked, “How much will you pay me to betray Jesus to you?” And they gave him thirty pieces of silver. (Matthew 26:14-15).

Egg 4: Bread
As they were eating, Jesus took some bread and blessed it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “Take this and eat it, for this is my body.” And he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. He gave it to them and said, “Each of you drink from it” (Matthew 26:26-27).

Egg 5: String
“Then Pilate had Jesus flogged with a lead-tipped whip” (John 19:1).

Egg 6: Cross
“Carrying the cross by himself, he went to the place called Place of the Skull (in Hebrew, Golgotha). There they nailed him to the cross” (John 19:17-18a).

Egg 7: Nail
But he replied, “I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side” (John 20:25b).

Egg 8: Dice
“They divided his garments among them by casting lots” (Matthew 27:35b).

Egg 9: Sponge
“A jar full of sour wine was sitting there; so they fixed a sponge full of sour wine on hyssop and held it up to His mouth” (John 19:29).

Egg 10: Spices
“They wrapped Jesus’ body with the spices in long sheets of linen cloth” (John 19:40b).

Egg 11: Stone
“Then they rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb” (Mark 15:46b).

Egg 12: Empty
“He is not here; He has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay” (Matthew 28:6).