If you’re looking for some Easter Bible readings for your family, keep reading.
I love using memorable, hands-on activities to help connect my children with Jesus and His Story. Every Easter, our family tradition is to make Empty Tomb Rolls. Our children help put the marshmallows into the dough and seal them up tight – just as Joseph of Arimathea placed Jesus in the tomb after his death and the chief priests and Romans sealed it. After the rolls finish baking and cooling, we take a bite, and surprise – there’s no marshmallow – it’s empty inside – just like the tomb was.
Five tips to help you share the Easter story with your family.
1) Read the Bible
There are many great resources for reading the Easter story, like Bible storybooks, videos, games, and fun activities – but the best resource is the Bible. Reading the Bible together shows your children from a young age that they can read the Bible too!
Narrative
The Easter story is a Gospel narrative. We recommend that start reading the Gospels when they start reading Bible because the Gospels are all about Jesus. The Gospel of Mark is a great read as it is easy to read and concise.
Translation
Choose a translation that is ideal for your child’s age. Did you know that Bible translations are assigned grade reading levels? You can Google this information and find the translation most suited for your children. We suggest the New International Readers Version or the International Children’s Bible for younger children (I use the ICB I with my children) because it’s an excellent translation that reads very simply but isn’t a paraphrase or storybook. For older children, try the NKJV or NLT.
Did you know that Bible translations are assigned grade reading levels?
Provide Context
Context is important. Many of the stories children read are fictional – tell them that the Easter story did happen, and took place many years ago in a place far away. Help them connect with the story by showing them Jerusalem on a map or pointing out cool details like “Jesus was about the same age as mommy when this happened!”
Don’t skip the hard stuff
By the way, I know the Easter story has some uncomfortable bits. Jesus being betrayed, suffering and dying might be parts you want to skip or skim over, but don’t! Your children should hear the whole Easter story! If Disney doesn’t shy away from tough topics like death or challenging times, we don’t need to either.
If Disney doesn’t shy away from tough topics like death or challenging times, we don’t need to either.
2) Ask questions that lead to discussions
It’s vital for us as parents to have conversations with our children – especially about faith. A great time to do this is after reading the Bible together! Ask questions that help your family connect with the story intellectually and emotionally. Our favourite question is, “How does that make you feel” For example, when you read about the triumphal entry, they might feel excited and proud. When you finish reading about the trial and realize that Jesus did nothing wrong, yet is still going to die, they might feel anger or sadness. You should answer the questions, too, by the way – explore the story together!
Asking questions is great, but it’s not always necessary. Sometimes you just want to read the story together, leading to our third point.
Our favourite question to ask is, “How does that make you feel”
3) Keep it simple
Bible reading doesn’t need to be fancy or complicated. Don’t worry about following a process – just read!
Also, children are concrete thinkers, so don’t focus on teaching them the deeper meanings of every part of the story, like why the veil tore in two. Rather than explaining the symbolism, help them connect with the account.
Bible reading doesn’t need to be fancy or complicated.
4) Mix It Up
Find creative ways for your family to connect with the story. Bring the story to life by crafting the characters with playdough, or draw how you each imagine the story. Act it out together, or find hands-on ways to experience the story – like grabbing a hammer and some nails and nailing them into a piece of wood, then talk about how it might have felt for Jesus to be nailed to the cross. Buy some roses, feel how sharp their thorns are, re-read the passage about Jesus and the crown of thorns, and discuss what happened. There are many ways to help your family creatively engage with the story and bring it to life. If you want to keep it simple, find some pictures or videos of the story on Max7.org.
By the way, this isn’t just for kids! Do these things together as a family because you can learn from this experience just as much as your children!
By the way, this isn’t just for kids! Do these things together as a family because you can learn from this experience just as much as your children!
5) Pray
Invite God to be a part of your time together! You can pray at the start, end, or spontaneously as you read through the story. For example, if you read Jesus’ prayer, you can pause and pray part of that prayer over your children. It’s great to pray Scriptures back to God!
It’s great to pray Scriptures back to God!
So those are our five tips for reading the Easter story with your family. These tips work for other Bible readings too! Read the Bible, ask questions that lead to discussions, keep it simple, mix it up and pray!
We have a video on this at the end of the post.
Family Easter Bible Readings
Here are the Bible passages to read with your family.
Mark 11:1-1 – Jesus sends his disciples to get a donkey
Mark 14:32-42 – Jesus prays before his arrest
Mark 15:43-52 – Jesus is arrested in the garden
Luke 23:1-25 – Jesus is found innocent but still sentenced to death
Mark 15:21-41 – Jesus is crucified and dies
Mark 15:42-47 – Jesus is buried
Mark 16:1-8 – Jesus is alive
Additional Family Bible Easter Resources
Here are some additional resources we suggest:
1) Easter Bible Storybook
2) Colouring Pages – here are two free colouring pages that you can do together!
3) Max7 Videos – great short animated videos that tell the story using the Bible (CEV).
- Jesus’ Life (why people wanted him dead)
- Jesus’ crucifixion
- Jesus’ Death
- Jesus is Alive
4) Easter Family Time – a fun book to help you experience the story together in the days leading up to Easter.
5) Big Bible Challenge – this helps children work through the entire Christmas story, but it also has Bible activities, reflections, and beautiful illustrations that focus on the Easter story.
Have fun with these family Easter Bible readings!
Related Posts: Connecting Children With the Bible, Sharing Jesus With Your Children
