How to explain Easter to a child: age appropriate ways

Easter is one of those holidays that can leave kids scratching their heads. On one hand, there’s a fluffy bunny hiding eggs and delivering jelly beans (!). On the other, there’s a deep and meaningful story about God’s love and redemption. So, the question is how to explain Easter to a child in a way that makes sense.

I know it can be a little intimidating. Popular traditions have some dicey beginnings. Even Bible stories have those really grusome parts. How do we explain Easter to children or our grandchildren that focuses on the beauty of the Easter story and the joy of spring?

Don’t worry! Whether you’re looking for some simple wording to share the story of Easter or just need a little refresher on the theology, this guide has clear explanations for every age group. Maybe you need help explaining what eggs and bunnies have to do with anything and you can find those answers here, too.

How to explain Easter eggs to a child.

Plastic eggs at the community egg hunt. Boiled eggs dipped carefully into vinegar and food coloring. Not to mention my personal favorite: Cadbury crème eggs with the sweet “yolk” inside. What do these have to do with Easter?

Focus your explanation on eggs being a symbol of new life. Lots of things start out as eggs – chickens, frogs, turtles, fish. You look at an egg but don’t see the life growing inside until it hatches and then – yay – a baby chick. In addition, spring itself is the season of new life. The sun is warmer, colors seem brighter, pretty flowers grow from the previously dead ground.

The practice of dying eggs is very old. Early Christians dyed eggs red to symbolize the blood of Jesus. There is a story about King Edward 1 having eggs covered in gold leaf to hand out as gifts in 1290.

Here is a great article with lots more details about Easter eggs.

Interestingly, during the Middle Ages, eggs were one of the foods you couldn’t eat during Lent. Having them again on Easter became a treat. While they were waiting, people decorated eggs and gave them as gifts; sometimes they gave them as an offering to their church. (I wonder what the Finance Committee would think about that now?)

The Easter Bunny:

Bunnies do not come from eggs, although they do represent the new birth of spring. There is some debate about whether the ancient (pagan) festival honoring Eostre, was the start of the Easter bunny tradition. Eostre was the goddess of fertility and her symbol was a rabbit. If the kids want to talk about fertility, maybe just distract them with some jelly beans.

I can tell you where the bunny tradition started in America.

Thank you Uncle Otto.

It was the German immigrants coming to America in the 1700’s that brought the tradition of “Osterhase” a hare that laid colorful eggs which she gave to good boys and girls. Children would make nests for the hare to leave her eggs in. These nests evolved into Easter baskets.

Later, in the 1800’s, chocolate makers hit on the idea of selling chocolate eggs, which became extremely popular.  Later the Bunny expanded his offerings into hollow Easter rabbits, marshmallow Peeps and other fun gifts.

Older children (and grandchildren) may find out that eggs and bunnies got their start in Pagen fertility festivals. They’re not wrong. Enterprising evangelists adopted these symbols from spring festivals to help the Easter story seem familiar to those they were trying to reach. Not unlike our church’s Trunk-or-Treat nights on Halloween now. You can decide if you like this, or not.

How to explain Easter to a child: The Bible Version

Christmas and Easter are the two most important celebrations of the Christian faith. Christmas is the surprising birth of Jesus in a manger.  Easter is His very public grand finale.

To me, the important thing to focus on for kids is the fact that God loves us and has made an extreme sacrifice for us to be able to live in His kingdom. I mean, even as an adult, I find the detailed stories of betrayal, whipping, and crucifixion hard to think about. So, when planning how to explain Easter to kids, I’m going to start with general ideas and get into the details that kids can handle as they grow up.

How to explain Easter to a child age 3-5

God made everything including people. God loves people, including you. Sometimes we make bad choices and don’t do the right thing. But God still loves us.

God had a son named Jesus. Jesus likes people too and He is our friend. Jesus did everything God told him to do. Jesus died and was buried in a tomb. On Easter, God made him live again. Now Jesus lives in heaven with God.

We are happy at Easter because Jesus lives in heaven with God.

How to explain Easter to a child age 5-7

God made everything on the Earth and in the sky. It makes God happy when we are thankful. God hears our prayers. God wants us to respect and obey Him. Sometimes we do wrong things or say mean things, but God still loves us.

Jesus was a real person who was born and grew up in a family. Jesus was also God and He understands what it’s like to be a person. Jesus came to show people how to love God and tell us that God loves us. The way God wants us to do things is always right.  

Jesus died on a cross and God raised Him from the dead 3 days later. Now Jesus lives in heaven, but He said He will come back to earth one day.

We celebrate Easter because Jesus is alive. We know our future will be ok because Jesus is our friend and will always be there to help us.

How to explain Easter to a child age 8-11

God knows everything and sees everything. He likes us to pray to Him so He can help us live His way. Jesus and God are the same being. Jesus taught us about loving God, and how to trust Him. Jesus performed miracles using the power of God.

God has a plan for our lives, and He wants us to live His way. When we don’t do this, it causes a separation between us. We call that sin. Jesus paid the penalty for sin by dying on a cross. Now, people who love God can be forgiven. Jesus made a way for us to be ok with God and live in heaven with Him forever.

We celebrate Easter because Jesus is alive. We have victory over sin and death. We can live in heaven with Jesus forever, if we ask Jesus to be part of our life here on Earth.

How to explain Easter to a child in middle school

God is the creator of the Earth and everything in space beyond. He also created each person, and we are made to live in relationship to Him. God is all-knowing, all-powerful and unchanging. Because of who he is, we can depend on God. He hears our prayers and sees what is happening to us at all times. God is holy – completely separate from sin.

From the beginning, God knew that people would need to be saved from their sins. Even when we try our hardest, everyone sins and needs help getting back to God. In the Old Testament, people offered sacrifices of lambs to God so He could forgive their sins.

When Jesus came to earth He lived for the glory of God. He taught people about God and performed miracles to show God’s love and power. He also came to give his life as a complete sacrifice for our sins. No more lamb sacrifices. He did this for us because he loves us. Having Jesus help us is the only way we can be reconciled to God.

Why we celebrate Easter: We celebrate Jesus winning over the darkness of the world, which is what happens when sin takes over. We celebrate God’s miracle of breathing life back into Jesus and raising Him into heaven. We are grateful that Jesus made a way for us to be in good standing with God.

How to explain Easter to a high school student

God is the creator of the universe. Because of that, He deserves our respect and obedience. God is all-knowing, unchanging and eternal. He created people in His image to be in a relationship with Him. In fact, our purpose on earth is to know God and tell others about Him.

God is holy (pure good and pure light).  Nothing sinful can come into God’s Prescence.

From the beginning of time, God knew that Jesus would need to make a permanent way for people to be saved from their sin. In the Old Testament, people killed lambs and sacrificed them to God to pay for their sins. But then Jesus gave up his life as a once and for all payment for everyone’s sins. It is up to each individual to access this payment by telling Jesus they want to follow Him and have Him direct their life.

Jesus had enemies both in the church and outside the church but his biggest enemy was satan. People wanted to make their own rules and be powerful. They didn’t like Jesus’ telling them to be humble and live a life of worship, prayer and service. They killed him by hanging Him on a cross. After he died, he was buried in a tomb. After 3 days God performed a miracle by raising Jesus from the dead. This broke satan’s power over humanity by freeing us from sin and death. Sin can’t keep us bound and death is not the end.

We celebrate Easter because:  Jesus overcame death and sin for our sakes when we choose to believe and live for God. It is honoring to God for us to remember what Jesus did for us. It is a good time to re-commit to reading our Bibles and living the way Jesus teaches us to do.

OK. Hopefully these explanations will help you get started on some thoughtful conversations that help build your children’s faith.

At Easter, we all have to find our balance between the moments of joyful celebration and the deeper themes of renewal, hope, and love. As you guide your children (or grandchildren) through the sugar-filled festivities, you also have the chance to pass along  timeless values and stories that make this season truly meaningful.

Other posts you may enjoy:

Guiding Tiny Souls: Prayers for Toddlers That Make a Difference

Rise and Shine: 5 Morning Prayers for your Grandchildren

What about you? Do you have a good way to explain the different parts of Easter. Please let me know in the comments below.