Directions: This Easter hunt requires no eggs! Your kids will hunt for items that help tell the story of the last days that Jesus spent on Earth. ~Gather all supplies for the hunt! Hide each item in a different room and different areas of your yard. If you have more than one child, hide multiples of each item! ~Guide your children from room to room throughout the Easter hunt so that you are able to control the order in which the items are found. ~Start with a brief introduction. Tell your children that after each child has found one of a specific item, all the children will stop and hear a story from God's Word. It will be a time to put your item down, sit quietly, and listen. Then, the children will find another item and hear another story! ~Lead your children to the room where they will find the first item. Begin! ~After finding all of the items, try putting them back in order to tell the story again! Make it work for you: ~Ask your children questions based upon your family and your children's ages and understanding. Use a story Bible or summarize a passage in your own words for younger children. ~Shorten the hunt for younger children. ~Want to make it longer? Here are some ideas: Find Goldfish crackers for the breakfast by the sea in John 21. Find a new Bible for the Great Commission. Find dice, a crown of thorns, a rooster... 1
Supplies: Bible (or a Bible story book for younger children) palm branch or other leafy branch ~ Triumphal Entry chocolate coins or pennies ~ Jesus Cleanses the Temple heart-shaped candies ~ The Great Commandment scented body wash ~ Mary Anoints Jesus old shoe ~ Jesus Washes Disciples' Feet grape juice boxes or small bottles ~ Lord's Supper can or jar of olives ~ Gethsemane dimes and nickels ~ Judas Betrays Jesus cross made of sticks ~ Crucifixion sponge ~ Death of Jesus sad face ~ Burial an empty present ~ Resurrection small red candies (m&m's or Skittles) ~ Appearing to Disciples marshmallows ~ Ascension 2
This Easter hunt will be exciting! Are you ready to have fun? We won't be looking for hidden eggs. We will be looking for things that tell us the BEST STORY EVER! We will be looking for things that tell us the story of Jesus-- His death on the cross and rising from the tomb! This is the story of God's great love for us and the reason He calls us His children! "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead!" 1 Peter 1:3 We know the story of Jesus, but it doesn't begin in the New Testament. It is from everlasting to everlasting! The Bible tells us that "all things were created through Him and for Him!" He always was! "In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God". In the first book of the Bible in Genesis, we see our need for a Savior. Do you remember that? What happened? In Genesis 3:15, we read of God's promised Seed who will suffer and be victorious! Now Jesus is in heaven at His Father's right hand with all authority given to Him! He will one day come again! Promises and prophecies of Jesus can be found throughout God's Word in the Old Testament even before he came to Earth as a baby. And in the New Testament, we read about Jesus' earthly life in the Gospels. Can you name the Gospels? That is the part of the Bible where we find out about Jesus' birth, childhood, and ministry while He was alive on Earth. We will be reading from the Gospels today! Our Easter hunt story begins after Jesus was born and placed in the manger. It begins after He made sick people well and performed miracles. It begins when the time came for Jesus to die. It is about a sad day and a happy day! You will find objects and bring them back here. They will help us tell the story. Are you ready? Let's go! 3
Jesus was preparing to celebrate a special Passover meal with His disciples. This was the meal to help God's people remember that He saved them and brought them out of the land of Egypt. Jesus was traveling to Jerusalem for this celebration. What did the people do when they saw him? Can you find... ~palm branches? (or other branches with leaves) The Triumphal Entry Mark 11:7-10, Psalm 118:25-27 What does Hosanna mean? The next day, Jesus went to the temple. He was upset. We will find out why! Can you find... ~chocolate coins? or pennies Jesus Cleanses the Temple Mark 11:15-19, Psalm 69:9 Some were amazed at Jesus' teaching, and some wanted to test Jesus. They asked Him, "Which commandment is most important?". Can you find? ~heart candies? The Great Commandment Matthew 22:34-40 What does this mean in our lives? Mary showed her love and devotion to Jesus in a special way. Let's find out what she did! Can you find... ~scented body wash? Mary Anoints Jesus John 12:3-8 4
While Jesus and His disciples were celebrating the Passover meal, Jesus shows His love and teaches His disciples about having a servant's heart. Can you find... ~old shoes? Washing of Feet John 13:1-16 Think about how your feet would look if you walked on dirt in sandals every day. If the King of Kings and Lord of Lords served in this way, what should we do? "the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve" Matt 20:28 After the Passover meal, Jesus took the bread and the cup of wine. He told the disciples that His body would be broken and His blood shed. Can you find... ~grape juice? Institution of the Lord's Supper Matthew 26:26-29, 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 Who is our Passover Lamb? When do we celebrate the Lord's Supper? Jesus then went to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray. Olive trees grow there! After you find the olives, we can read some of Jesus' prayer. Can you find... ~olives? Jesus Prays in Gethsemane Mark 14:32-36 While Jesus was in the garden He was arrested. One of His friends betrayed him for thirty pieces of silver. Can you find... ~silver coins? Judas Betrays Jesus, Arrest of Jesus Luke 22:3-6, Mark 14:43-50 Where was Judas' treasure? 5
The men took Jesus away to Pilate the governor. It was time for the cross. Here is ~a cross made of sticks for you to hold. Listen to what the Bible says about the horrible things that happened to Jesus... Crucifixion John 19:1-5, 16-18 While Jesus was on the cross, he died. Here is ~a sponge. Listen to God's Word: The Death of Jesus Matthew 27:45-54 Talk about the veil tearing. What does this mean? It is because of Jesus' death on the cross that we have redemption and forgiveness of sins. It is because of His death that we have access to Heaven! After His death on the cross, Jesus was buried It was a sad day. His friends must have been lonely and sorrowful. Can you find... ~a sad face? Jesus is buried Luke 23:50-57 How do you think some people thought they might be saved? Through a death or a king enthroned on Earth? What would you expect from a savior or king? (Christ's humility and obedience unto death) The friends were not sad for long! They soon had the best present ever! it was a happy day! Here is your ~a present! The Resurrection Luke 24:1-12 Open your present to see what is inside. Is Easter about candy and bunnies and presents? When we receive gifts, let us remember the Giver of all things! We have a gift better than any other gift... We have the empty tomb! 6
Then Jesus appeared to the disciples They couldn't believe it was Jesus! What did they ask Him? Can you find... ~small red pieces of candy? We will put it on our hands to remember Jesus' wounds and think about what the disciples saw. Appearing Luke 24:36-40 Jesus talked to the disciples before He went to Heaven. Do you remember the Great Commission Do you remember the fish for breakfast? Then Jesus went back to heaven in a cloud. Can you find... ~fluffy, white marshmallows? Ascension Acts 1:9-11 Where is Jesus now? Jesus is heaven on His throne seated at the right hand of God! All authority has been given to Him! He rules and reigns! He will one day come again! "...that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all." Ephesians 1:16-23 Amen! :) Let's live for Christ! 7