I have been struggling with how to tell the Easter story without getting too graphic. My preschoolers are still young, I am just not sure how in depth I should get. I bought the resurrection eggs and I am excited about using them, but I am just unsure of how "detailed" I want to get with it when they are that young. Any thoughts?!? Keep in mind, I also take care of other people's children (all 2 1/2-4), not just my own, so I have them to consider as well.
Welcome to my world, lovey. Before the teacher at church laid it on so thick with the whole truth I had been telling Jeannie we celebrate Easter because that's when Jesus went to live in Heaven with God. This year I planned to go a little further into it with the events leading up to it. She asked me just today what makes Friday so 'Good', so I'll be thinking of what to tell her without upsetting her so much. I know the kids need to know this whole truth, but man- is it hard to do when they're small.
Jen, I understand your concern about not wanting the teaching about Easter to be too graphic for young children. I don't think it should be or needs to be. I am linking a site with several resources to use to teach children about Easter. You won't want to use the one that is a flash video but there are several other ones that look good for young children. Be sure to look over them if you plan to use them before letting the children see them to be sure they are not the one on video that is too graphic for very young children. Something to consider is to plan on telling the story just a little each day for several days with brief review. The really little ones will find the whole story to be just too long to listen to all at once. Also, you may not want to read it all to them word by word, but to tell it in your own words and make it shorter for the young ones who will naturally have a short attention span. http://kingskidstuff.home.att.net/easter.htm Blessings, Sherry
I guess I may be confused as to what you are concerned about sharing that is so graphic. Our oldest is 5 and we have always told him that Easter is when Jesus died on the cross, was buried and then came back to life 3 days later. I don't explain what dying on the cross was like, but I don't see the need. I also don't think we should shy away from talking about dying. My DH's dad died when my DH was 16 and his mom remarried right after our son was born. My DH has explained that to our son and told him his one grandpa is in heaven already. I personally don't think death should be considered bad or scary to talk about. The miracle of Easter is that Jesus died for our sins and then rose again, whereas all other religions' leaders are dead.
That's pretty much what I tell my younger ones. They know that Jesus did on the cross for our sins. You can't have the Resurection without the death, but you wouldn't want to share the brutality Jesus endured. I have a book called "The Parable of the Lily" that I read to my young ones every year. There are scripture references throughout the story to tie it to the Easter Story.
This is my point. Kids are curious and ask questions. I run a preschool out of my home with 6 other very curious kiddos. One in particular asks many questions. One asked "what is the cross for?". I don't see the need to explain it futher than dying, I also believe explaining death too and it shouldn't be something to shy away from, but little kids are naturally curious and I don't want the questioning to get out of hand. ESPECIALLY, since these are not just my kids I am dealing with...I have 4 other families to think about.
Jen, do you have to do this when the other kids are there? Do you know the families well enough to know what their thinking would be? The more I read this thread the more I dread dealing with this. Sigh... it's easier to fight off the easter bunny aspect of it!
Oh Becky don't bash the Easter Bunny, we love him/her---- you know there are lots of bunnies un like Santa there is just one. Anyway, Bunnies represent spring. Eggs represent life. When children are young and learnig about fantasy and using imagination why cant you have a big giant bunny bring colred eggs to the kids?
We are a very visual and violent society and unfortunately many children are over exposed to way too much violence and visual images. I think some have become desensitized to the effect of violence on children and tend to overexpose them to too much information and visual images. Some of the visual images and descriptions people use to 'teach' about Easter can be disturbing to young children and I think are developmentally inappropriate. Children who have already heard a lot of details regarding the violence around Christs death may be curious and tend to ask questions that would bring up subjects that are too detailed for very young minds.(?) I am thinking this may be JenPoohs concern. Hopefully, the young children JenPooh is referring to have not seen 'The Passion of the Christ' or other violent images at their young ages.
Sherry, you are right on! I want to teach and talk about the real meaning of Easter with all the kids. When I asked the kids why we celebrate Easter yesturday, not one of them said anything about Jesus. Being a Christian daycare I feel it's my duty to make it a focus, even if it's not talked about at home. However, we are doing many Easter egg activities, bunny and chick stuff, spring time activities, and having an Easter egg hunt next week along with our hunt for the resurrection eggs as well. I'm not leaving any area untouched. Luckily, I do have such wonderful understanding families that I work with. Plus, being a Christian daycare, the parents knew ahead of time that I focus on these stories and meanings in the Bible before they enrolled their children. I am just too afraid of getting too in depth. At 2-4 years old, I think getting too far in depth isn't really appropriate for several reasons. #1, children that age do not understand "how" death occurs. When our fish died a couple weeks ago I told the kids it is now in heaven with God. One little boy (the one that asks many questions) asks "why is God is heaven, did he die?". It was actually rather humerous! Then as they were looking into the fish tank, they were all like "Ms. Jennie he's not in heaven yet, he's right there in the water still". While some kids do "get it", many don't because at that age they can not fully comprehend the whole body and spirit thing. #2, even when we talk about death and how it occurs, children generally misinterpret many things easily. I don't want them to misinterpret things I say and want them to know things to their understanding. I have no doubt in my mind that when my son is 10 that he will be able to get it...it's getting past this age and introducing it to them. I guess what I'd like is to explain the whole "dying for our sins" aspect. I think that is where I struggle. How do you explain why Jesus died for our sins to little ones? I suppose I'll just have to read them the story, explain things how I can, and see what they say. I guess the only thing I can really do is wing it and deal with the punches as they come.:angel:
What's a sin, Miss Jennie? Remember, they are sinning even if they tell their mom and dad 'no' when they are told to do something. That's what Jeanne is coming to understand right now, and how easy it is to break commandments.
LOL. ABall, there are 1000 different Santas! Nope, we don't do the Easter Bunny here. I was surprised to see him go to the church across the street one Easter Sunday after we moved here!
I have told them that sins are things we do that are naughty. How does that sound? Then of course...my one little question asker gets so carried away from it. After I told them all that, he must have said the word sin 100 times that day whenever someone did something even kind of naughty. I don't know how his mom deals with him like that at home. He constantly takes things way too far with every tiny thing.:roll: A church had an Easter bunny there? That's kind of wierd...and questionable if you ask me.
Hi JenPooh- I use those Resurrection eggs, but when my kids were small I didn't use the whole dozen- I only picked out a few that I thought they could deal with, and then each year we have added another one or two. One thing I like to do though is to cut a small picture of each child and put it in their own little egg. When you get to the end of however long your story is, you say you have one more egg, and that this is why Jesus died for our sins- and inside is a picture of them. I think the first year my sons were 4 and 2 and I used the cross, the rock, a flower (for new life), and um, one more- because at the end of the story I had four plus the picture one- oops- can't think of it right now!! Oh yeah, the empty one- because Jesus was no longer there in the tomb. Anyway, that is just my suggestion, momx3
We had to deal with death a few years back when Faythe's 6YO best friend died unexpectedly in a car crash. I held a tearful Faythe, and explained that Danielle was sitting on Jesus' lap, just like she (Faythe) was sitting on mine. Yes, we are all very sad, and so is her family, but she was very happy to be with Jesus now. A few days after the funeral, my youngest said very bluntly that Danielle was dead. Faythe responded with, "NO!!! Her BODY is dead, but her SPIRIT is living with Jesus!!!"
Nevermind.. Resident doofus, posts before she reads... What WILL you do with me?? Plus I found this..... http://doiop.com/eggs
I think that telling the kids that Jesus died on the cross and rose three days later is find. I had to teach preschoolers about Easter a few years back. It wasn't that big of a deal. You dont' have to go into the "violence" associated with it. Focus on the love Jesus has for us. I would downplay anything you find inapproaite or just refoucs questions you cannot answer for that level. Don't say anything that isn't true just to fend off a question (I am sure I didn't have to tell you that.) Look on some preschool websites, they often have good ways of explaining easter. Try the board book on Easter....I forgot the name but you can find it at any bookstore. Then have them color a cross or some simple activity like that. I am not one for the Easter bunny or santa claus. my kids have never believed in any of that. I have no problem with bunnies. However, the rabbit is a fertility god and why it is assoicated Easter is directly related to it being used as a false God. Sure kids dont' know anything about that...but I do...so I can't go along with it. Eggs also go back to pagon worship, at least during the spring time. I have done alot of holiday history, so this is why red flags go up for me. That is the way I am convicted on the subject. My Pastor has his grandkids believing in Santa Claus. In fact, his grandkids can dress up or Halloween but they don't go trick or treating (I think he is reaching and really only wants to see his grandkids dress up.) So, see, I am in the minority on this. But for me I think of the Old Testment when God told the Isrealites not to take on any aspect of the life of the people living in the lands they conquored. That is how I apply that to my life. The world is the one that put bunnies, santa, and halloween out there. I am not willing to participate. Well, even if I were, my dh would never allow it. So, really the decision was already made for me. Luckily, I feel the same way. I can understand how others do not agree. I do not think it means a hooten hollar about thier spirituality.
