Children learn the original reason for celebrating Easter + educational activities to go with the stories.
FUNdament, Letter Games, Start Games, and Math Games can be found at Davar: Bridging to Literacy.
EASTER/RESURRECTION SERIES
Marleen Schönthaler, M. van Rheenen, Alina Ivan Molla, 2026
1. Jesus cares for his disciples, John 16
2. Jesus prays in the garden, Mark 14:32-65
3. Peter denies knowing Jesus, John 18
4. Jesus dies, Matthew 27:33-53
5. Jesus is alive! Matthew 28:1-10
6. Two go to Emmaus, Luke 24:13-35
Jesus Cares for His Disciples --
John 16
Feelings: Letter Games D3. Word guessing. Use the words happy, scared, worried, angry . . .
Share and Prayer Time: Talk about how Jesus cared for His disciples. Did He know how they would feel
and did He something about that?
Story: So many people crowd around the big table.
It’s Jesus and his friends. They often eat together. Usually everyone is happy.
It’s because of Jesus. He sees each person. And in His eyes each person can see
that He loves them.
But tonight is different. His friends
feel that Jesus loves them. But they also feel that he wants to tell them
something, something serious. No one jokes. Everyone becomes quiet.
“In just a little while you won’t see me
anymore,” Jesus says. “I am going back to my Father. And then after a little
while you will see me again.”
His friends look at each other. They
don’t know what this means. But they know they don’t like it. They nudge each
other and whisper, “Do you know what
he’s talking about?” “How long is ‘a little while’?” “Is Jesus leaving us!?”
“I will not leave you alone,” Jesus
adds. “The Spirit of truth will come to be with you always. The Spirit will
teach you and comfort you.”
This comforts some of them. But this
also troubles some of them. Why will they need to be comforted? Is something
bad going to happen?
Jesus tells them, “You will be sad for a
moment. But then you will be very happy.
And no one can take that joy away from you.”
Jesus has many more things to tell His
friends. Hearing about Jesus leaving and about sadness to come certainly
worries them. But Jesus’ words take away their fear. After all, He has promised
that He will not leave them alone.
Jesus prays in the garden -- Mark 14:32-42
1. Sit/stay Math Game 16: Hide and Subtract. How many stay? How many leave? https://davar-education.eu/add-and-subtract/
2. Abba (Daddy), Father
Group discussion: Names for
family. Talk about what names the children use for their parents (or
grandparents). What is the formal name? What is the name the children actually
use when they talk to this person? If the language used at home is different
than the school language, learn the names in both languages. Write these names
where all the children can see them.
FUNdament B: Recognize Letters. Choose any of these activities (though
B4 might not work well). Use the letters that spell “Daddy” in the children’s
language. https://davar-education.eu/recognize-letters/
3. Sleeping/waking
Group discussion: how do you feel when you're sleepy (rubbing your eyes), how
do you know someone is sleeping (abdominal breathing), how do you know when
someone is waking up (stretching)?
Game: The Sleep Conductor. At the right signal,
everyone will act like they are sleepy, asleep, or waking up. Set a signal for
each one of these: a certain sound? a certain gesture? Wave a baton in a
certain way, like a musical conductor; Then everyone spread out and act like
they are sleepy, sleeping, or waking up, depending on the signal. Take turns
being the “sleep conductor.” The children can sit and pretend they
are sleeping or stand up as the conductor leads.
4. The hour/The time
Game: What time is it, Time-keeper? (What time is it, Mr. Wolf). One child is appointed to be the Timekeeper. They may have different
cards with numbers 1-5 written on them, or 1-12 if the children are older.
The leader shows all this numbers and explains what happened at each
hour:
For example : At 1 everyone
jumps up and down
At 2 everyone claps
At 3 everyone turns
around
At 4 everyone touches
the ground
At 5 everyone has
to run, because the time-keeper (the wolf) is chasing them
The first one caught becomes the Timekeeper and the game continues.
What happens when? Discuss with the group what happens every day.
Discuss what happens at different times of the day. When is the time to wake
up? Eat? Go to sleep? The detail depends on the age of the children. You might
also make a chart with them with drawings by the children, showing what happens
when in the classroom. First we X. Then it is time to Y. Etc.
Telling time. If appropriate, teach the children to read an analog
clock.
Share & Prayer Time
Jesus called God “Abba, Daddy.” Ask what a good daddy does or what a
good daddy is like. How is God like a good daddy? (Not appropriate if many of the
children do not have a father figure in their lives or are survivors of
domestic abuse.)
OR Jesus was sad and afraid, so He prayed. When do you talk to God?
Pray together.
Peter Denies Knowing Jesus – Mark 14:51-72
Follow (the same) FUNdament 10 2.3.4 follow, do the same https://davar-education.eu/parent-child-club-1-13/
Story: Peter thought he was very brave. “Everyone else might leave you,” he
said to Jesus. “But I never will.”
Jesus looks at Peter. He loves Peter. But His eyes are sad. “You will
say you don’t even know me.”
“Never!” Peter said.
“Tonight. Before the rooster crows twice,” Jesus told him. (Roosters
crow when night is over.)
While it is still night,
soldiers come. They take Jesus away. All of His friends run. Even Peter.
But Peter does not stay away. He follows . . . far behind the soldiers.
They bring Jesus to the yard inside a palace. On one end, the leaders ask Jesus
questions. They hope he will say something bad. Jesus doesn’t say anything.
At the other end, workers make a fire. It is dark and cold.
Peter goes to the fire. Peter does not say anything, either. Not even when
people tell the leaders lies about Jesus. Not even when they all say Jesus must
die.
Peter is sad and angry and scared. He does not know what to think.
One of the workers by the fire looks at Peter. She says, “Weren’t you a
follower of that man?”
“No,” Peter says without thinking. He moves away from the fire. “I
don’t even know him.”
This happens two more times.
And two more times Peter says he never even knew Jesus.
Then the rooster crows. And Peter remembers. He remembers what he said
to Jesus. And he remembers what Jesus said about the rooster. Peter bursts into
tears and leaves.
Jesus Dies -- Matthew
27:33-53;
Dark
FUNdament 4.5 (Dark and who is it?) https://davar-education.eu/parent-child-club-1-13/
Earthquake
Start Games B2: Build, then make an earthquake. Will it stay standing? https://davar-education.eu/d-visual-skills/
Geography lesson about what is an earthquake.
Tear/rip
Craft: tear up pieces of paper
and glue them on another background to make a work of art.
Jesus Is Alive! Matthew
28:1-10
Name
M A R I A Letter Games B: Recognize letters; use the letters in Maria’s
name. https://davar-education.eu/recognize-letters/
FUNdament 4.5 or 4.8: Guess the sound. What is that sound and who is
making it (make sure the participants are not visible to those guessing).
Earthquake
Geography lesson: Tell something about earthquakes.
Safety lesson: What to do in an earthquake (practice DROP, COVER, and ROLL; see also Red Cross.)
Search/missing FUNdament 11.7 Who is gone?
Tell
Letter Games F2: Tell what needs to be done; don't write it down.
FUNdament: 2.9 Listen carefully to where you should stand.
Two go to Emmaus -- Luke 24:13-35
Going to (and coming back):
FUNdament 2.2 Several people of different sizes walk back and forth.
Count the number of steps they take.
Start Game G1: The Road Game. Make the road to Emmaus. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRhrF49gc6M
