{Preschool Friendly} Christ Centered Easter Activities

We have always talked with Mr. P about the reason behind our Christian holidays even before we knew he would really understand.  We feel that if he continues to hear it he will continue to grow in his understanding.  While egg hunts and bunnies are fun and candy is yummy, I want the first thing he thinks about when someone mentions Easter is Jesus.  Here are some preschooler friendly ways I did that this year.

 

We started the Lenten Season reading this book:

 

We have read it MANY times, mostly by Mr. P's choice, so I know it is a good book.(Wink, wink)  This year I notice he was able to retell parts of the story and make connections between what we are doing during the Lenten Season and what was in the book.  YEAH!! 

 

RESURRECTION ROLLS:

 

This one I have seen pinned all over and posted about in several blogs.  It's simple, cheap, and quick, but provides for an excellent object lesson on Jesus' Resurrection.  Mr. P even referenced back to the book we have been reading about Easter and was able to answer several of my questions.

 

Want To Make Your Own??

 

SUPPLIES:

Marshmallows

Crescent Rolls

Cinnamon and Sugar Mixture

Melted Butter (about 1/2 a stick)

The marshmallow represents Jesus' body.  Dip the marshmallow in the butter (oils) and talk about how they prepared Jesus' body with oils.

Next dip the marshmallow in the cinnamon and sugar (spices).  Talk about how they covered Jesus' body in spices to prepare it for burial.

Place the marshmallow on the crescent roll and wrap it up.  Talk about how Jesus' body was wrapped in cloth to prepare for burial. Make sure you wrap them up really good with no openings.

 

 

 

Finally, put the rolls in the oven and cook as directed on the

package.  This represents placing Jesus' body in the tomb.  You can talk about how long Jesus' body was in the tomb and who discovered his body was no longer there etc. while they are cooking (takes about 10-12 minutes).

 

When they come out of the oven (tomb), the marshmallow has melted and "Jesus has risen!"  Of course my 3 year old asked me about half way through the cooking time if it was time to eat Jesus yet.  LOL!  However, we have done this activity for 2 years now and I think it started to click with him this year.

 

After we made the Resurrection Rolls we worked together to make this wreath which tells the whole story from Palm Sunday to Pentecost.  I took it as a chance to talk some more about the reason we celebrate Jesus and to share a few brief pieces of scripture with Mr. P.  (Don't you just love the coloring job?  He told me "I only like to scribble mommy!"  HA!  and I could not talk him into using any more colors.) 

I got the templates for this project over at Wee Little Miracles.

 

 

I hope you and your family had a blessed Easter.  I know I am abundantly blessed!!!

 

Mr. P's Easter Bath

I got this idea from over here at Growing a Jeweled Rose.  I will warn you though, this activity was almost a big bust with Mr. P.  He was sooooo excited that I was making him a special bath time activity.  I actually had to lock the bathroom door because he kept opening it and saying "Is my special bath ready yet mommy?"  When I finally let him in he came running and then stopped short. "What is that mommy?"  I explained the different things to him and tried to put him in the tub and he was not having any.  I explained again, and let him touch the grass with his hands and told him he couldn't do the egg hunt if he didn't get in the tub.  He finally got in and in the end he cried when my hubby told him he had to get out. 

 

Want to make your own special Easter Bath??  Here is what you need:

~ Easter Grass - I used 4 bags, I really would use a few more.  It was not quite enough to fill the tub and cover the eggs. 

~ Plastic Easter Eggs - I used mostly the mini ones and they worked well for hiding in the grass.

~ A bucket for collecting the eggs

~ Food coloring

~ 4 containers

~ Shaving cream

~ Foam paint brushes

I filled the bathtub and added blue food coloring to the water. (This did not stain the tub nor Mr. P.)

I threw the grass in and then the eggs.  I tried to get some of the eggs really hidden in the grass. (This is where a few extra bags of grass would have helped.)

To make the bath paint I put shaving cream into four containers and then mixed in some food coloring.  Easy Peasy and Done!!

Checking out the bath.  He was a little unsure of what mommy had done to the tub.

 

 

 

 

Your turn!  What kind of Easter Bath will you create for your Little??

Growing a Jeweled Rose has a TON of awesome bath time ideas.  So many in fact that she has actually started a website dedicated to just bath time fun.  It's called Bath Activities for Kids.  Here is her most recent bath post.

Doesn't it look like a BLAST in the tub!

Quick and Easy Easter Craft

Here is a super easy and fun craft to do with your kids.  I don't know about you, but Mr. P LOVES any activity where he gets to paint on his hands or feet.  So much so that I have to watch him like a hawk when I have paint out for a project (or markers for that matter) because he will inevitably try to paint his feet or hands.  He was super excited when I told him today's activity actually let him paint both his AND his newborn sisters feet!

 

First up, paint your child's foot in a color that is "Easter Bunny friendly." I did pink with my son and purple with my daughter.

Paint the left foot and the right (one at a time) and press the foot onto the paper to look like bunny ears.

Add a bunny head with the same color paint.

After the paint has dried, you can glue on googly eyes and draw on whiskers and a nose.  I finished it off by writing Happy Easter etc.  The original idea I saw wrote "Hoppy Easter" but when I started to write it I thought it looked a little funny so I went with Happy. 

 

We made three.  One for us and one for each set of grandparents.  They came out even cuter than I had imagined and they only took about 20 minutes total (other than a few minutes of drying time).  I love that I was able to capture Miss A's tiny newborn feet too.  :D  BONUS!

Welcome Miss A! A Birth Story

Since one of my purposes with this blog is to record major family events, I figure I better get to gettin' on writing Miss A's Birth Story.

 

 

Hubby had planned a tennis tournament for the two days before my due date.  Everyone joked that she would come during the tournament.  Well....she did not.  Miss A let daddy have his tournament.  :) 

 

  I had planned on working until I went into labor. And ON my due date (March 4th) I showed up at work right on time.  About half way through the day I thought my water might have broken but I was not sure.  Now, if I had been at home, I probably would have taken more time to figure out if it really had or not. 

 

HOWEVER....at work I was soooo nervous, so I called up to the office and told them I needed to leave cause I was not sure if my water had broken or not.  (With Mr. P. my water broke before the contractions started)  Next thing I know, I turn around and my principal and guidance counselor were standing in my classroom wanting to know what was going on.  They would not let me drive my self home.  They were ready to take me to the hospital.  LOL!  I called my husband and turns out he happened to be just a few minutes away, and he had his parents with him. (My in-laws had arrived on Saturday night)  Perfect!  My mother-in-law drove me home and I gave my doctors a quick call when I got home.  They said they were swamped and the doctor wanted me to go over to the hospital to check if my water broke. 

 

Luckily, Mr. P was at preschool so he was taken care of for a while.  We hopped in the car and drove up to the hospital.  Once there, they put us in a room, hooked me up the monitors and ran a test to see if my water had really broken.  The test took about 30 minutes and low and behold.....no broken water, and no regular contractions.  However, they wanted to see baby A's heartbeat rise 15 beats for 15 seconds every so often and she really was not doing it.  SO....they fed me lunch and sure enough, she kicked it right up.  After that, home we went.  It was kind of embarrassing, but I figure better safe than sorry.  I emailed my principal and told her no baby, but that I would not be back until after my leave was over.  I was just too nervous about working now that my due date had passed.  She agreed and my long term sub was called in.

 

Tuesday came and Price and I spent the day together.  We had cookies baked before 10 o'clock in the morning and then we spent some time with Gigi and Papa.  That night we went out for pizza and had a nice family dinner.

 

Wednesday, March 6th (just 2 days after my due date) I woke up at about 4 o'clock in the morning and felt pains in my lower abdomen.  I laid there for a while and realized they were not going away, so I got some water, and went out to the couch to read.  At about 5 o' clock, I realized they were coming more regularly and decided to start timing them. (we never had to time contractions with Mr. P so I was a little nervous about getting to the hospital on time.)  I downloaded an app and started timing.  Sure enough they were getting more intense and more regular.  I woke hubby up at 6 o'clock.  Had to tell him several times that I was in labor before he heard me.  I called my parents because my dad was keeping Mr. P. while we went to the hospital.  My next call was to the hospital and of course they said come on in! 

 

While I was getting ready, Mr. P was watching me very carefully.  I  was trying not to show to much pain or tell him that it hurt because I did not want to scare him.  Things were crazy enough for him as it was.  I Was brushing my teeth and a contraction came on.  I stopped with my tooth brush just hanging from my mouth and stood there waiting for the contraction to pass.  Price says "Mommy, what are you doing with your toothbrush?"  It was so cute. 

 

Off to the hospital we went.  We arrived about 8 o'clock AM and checked in.  This time I KNEW they were not send me home!  LOL!  Plus my water had broken just before we left home and there was no mistaking it this time.  ;)

 

My delivery nurse was a lady whose daughter I had taught in 4th and 5th grade.  I was really happy!  I knew her a  little bit and knew I could trust her to support my decision of a natural, and med. free birth.

 

Just to keep everyone on their toes and awake...I passed out when the nurse was inserting the IV in my hand.  One minute I was with her and the next she was calling my name. I remember dreaming and taking a second to realize where I was.  Apparently, I never even closed my eyes, and the nurse asked if I had a history of seizures which freaked my husband out.  No worries, all was fine, and they didn't even have to use the smelling salts on me.  (Although, they did keep them taped to the monitor beside my bed for the remainder of my delivery.) Now came the waiting, and waiting, and waiting.  Well, it seemed that way at least.  It really wasn't.  Hubby got some rest, and my mom and mother -in-law kept me company too.  My grandmother even stopped by to check in on me.  By about 3:00 pm the contractions were really picking up and I had to focus a lot more to make it through them.  By 5:00pm I knew we were very close to having a baby.  The doctor had been called and I could feel the pressure increasing.  Somewhere in here I completely lost track of time, and just know that the contractions really started coming and I knew we were getting close.  The doctor came in, checked me at 8 cm, and said "Let me know, when you think you are ready to push." In a matter of minutes I was ready.  He was so awesome and calm. 

 

3 pushes later  at 5:40 pm, Miss A. made her appearance.  AJ actually got to cut the umbilical cord this time, and then I got to hold her.  She was so beautiful. Dark hair and dark eyes -wide open.  A beautiful miracle and gift from God!  She weighed in at 6lbs 10.5 oz (3 oz more than her brother) and 20 inches (a half inch shorter than her brother)  Within 15 minutes she was nursing like a champ (and pretty much has not stopped since LOL!)

 

A little later my dad brought Mr. P up to meet his new baby sister.  He had a special shirt that I made him and wore it proudly.  When he walked in the door it made me tear up.  One of those bitter sweet moments of "I just turned his world upside down and he is not the baby anymore." But at the same time "I can't wait to see what an awesome big brother he will be."  I also had been very worried about him and I knew he would be worried about me (he gets very worried when people are "hurt")  It was a relief that I could show him I was ok.  One of the first things he said to me was " Your belly's not big anymore mommy.  Now you can ride bikes with me."  :)  He was a little unsure of the hospital and everything going on. They were still running tests on her and there were alarms going off and things.  He wanted to see her and sit with me but he did not want to touch her.  It was so awesome to hold both my babies!!

 

Mr. P came back to visit the next day and was much more open to everything.  He had gotten some sleep and it was a lot quieter in the room this time.  He proudly wore his big brother shirt again, and I could hear him coming down the hall telling everyone that he was a big brother now.  This time, he held her and gave her a gift he had picked out for her with my mom.  He kissed on her and sang her songs.  It was a beautiful sight to watch. 

 

The hospital only requires you to stay until the baby is 24 hours old.  Thank Goodness!!  We were able to come home that evening and be in our own house, and well...at least AJ got to sleep in his own bed.  LOL!

 

We have been adjusting ever since.  Mr. P still asks to hold her everyday and he gives her kisses all the time.  We have had to talk to him several times about not picking her up because of her head.  Especially after her decided to demonstrate his super hero skills by saying "Watch this mommy!" then flying around the room, reaching into the pack and play bassinet, grabbing her by her PJ's at her hips and hoisting her into the air.  Mommy might have freaked out a bit, and we had a long conversation about NOT picking her up.

 

While sleep may be limited, I will not complain.  Having already watched Mr. P grow so fast and be almost 4, I know this time will be gone in the blink of an eye and before I know it she will be going to Kindergarten.  I will cherish the late night snuggles and the newborn coo's and gurgles.  The crying will pass, the sleepless nights will pass too!  But she will not stay little for long.

 

Thank you so much to my parents and my in-laws for your support during this time.  Thank you to all the people who stopped by, brought gifts, made us dinner or just called or Facebooked to see how we were doing.  We are blessed by wonderful family and friends!!