How to make your own set of Resurrection Eggs

Earlier this week, I finished putting together my own set of "Resurrection Eggs." We'll be doing an egg hunt with our jr. church kids on Sunday. When I taught K5, my co-worker who taught K-4, helped the students make their own set each year. She taught them the Easter story and then they learned how to share it with their family and friends using the eggs.

I found a way to make these from Ellie Kay's book, How to save money every day. There is an entire chapter that focuses on how to make holidays meaningful and inexpensive. I know Easter is just a few days away, but this project is so fast and simple, that you can easily incorporate it into your Sunday celebration.

I will explain how to make your own set so you can share the true meaning of Easter with your children, Sunday School classroom--or even the kids in your neighborhood!

I first found this basket at a thrift store for a dollar. Then, 12 plastic easter eggs were purchased for just a dollar, too. (pretty inexpensive so far, eh?--but you may already have these things.) I numbered each egg with a black permanent marker.  I lined the bottom of the basket with some plastic so that the grass wouldn't fall out. I used dried moss instead of the green Easter grass. You can use whichever you prefer. I just happened to have the moss already on hand.

Then, I gathered these every-day materials to put inside each egg. I've also given the explanations that Ellie Kay shares in her book. 

#1:  Contains a cracker, a remembrance of the Last Supper.

#2:  Holds a dime, representing the silver coins Judas received for betraying Jesus.

#3:  Contains a piece of rope like the soldiers used to bind Jesus' hand when they arrested him.

#4:  This egg is filled with purple cloth, symbolic of royalty and the taunting Jesus faced when He called himself King.

#5:  Carries a thorn for the prickly crown pressed onto Jesus' head. (I cut off a little branch off my rose bush with a few thorns on it.)

#6:  Opens to a cross representing the one Jesus died on so we could be forgiven. (To make it simple, I made a tiny cross from brown felt, then glued a red heart on it.)

#7:  Holds a nail, as Christ was nailed to the cross.

#8:  Has a piece of sponge, reminding us of the vinegar given to Jesus when He asked for water.

#9:  Carries a tooth pick with a foil tip, symbolic of the spear hurled into Jesus' side. (I had to cut down my tooth pick just a bit to make sure it fit inside the egg.)

#10:  Contains a piece of gauze, symbolizing Jesus' burial wrapping.

#11:  Cradles a rock, symbolic of the tombstone rolled away by an angel.

#12:  Is empty!  The tomb was empty because Jesus is no longer dead, but alive!

In her book, Ellie says that she made this set ten years ago, before it was available on the market.  Family Life Today sells these resurrection eggs on their website. The items inside the eggs differ some, but the story is still the same. Jesus died for our sins, rose again, ascended up to Heaven--and invites us to receive Him as our Savior so that we can have eternal life through Him!