3 Surprising Easter Devotions for Families

There are so many surprising things to learn about Jesus! Use these family devotions to help families in your church discover more about Jesus.

These devotions take only a few minutes and can be done any time that’s convenient for families. They’ll spark great discussions, create new memories, and help families celebrate Easter.

Surprising Smiles

Jesus wants us in his family!

Take family photos and talk about God’s family.

You’ll need:

• a smartphone or camera
• a world map

Take a bunch of family photos. Be silly, be serious, and just have super fun! Capture your family doing things they like to do best.

Then gather to look at the pictures together—maybe around a smartphone screen or another easy way for everyone to see the photos.

Talk About It

• If a stranger looked at these pictures, what would that person learn about our family?
• What do you like about being in our family?
• Have a family hug and thank God for each other!

Read aloud Ephesians 1:3-8.

Surprise! When we’re friends with Jesus, we’re part of God’s big family!

• Make a list of other people you know who are part of God’s family.
• People all around the world are part of God’s family! Have each family member choose a specific country and pray for your brothers and sisters in Jesus who live there.

Pray: Thank Jesus for the surprising offer to be a part of God’s family.

Surprising Shadows

Jesus is always with you!

Use flashlights to create family fun!

You’ll need:

• flashlights

Wait until dark, then pull out a few flashlights. Have fun making shadow animals or other creations on the walls. Can you tell family members apart only by their shadows? What does it look like when you spin around and around while making a shadow? Play a game where you try to imitate the shadow of another person in your family.

Talk About It

• Our shadows are always with us—unless it’s completely dark. What other things are always with us?

Read aloud Matthew 28:20.

• What’s surprising to you about Jesus saying this?
• When are you most thankful for Jesus always being with you?

Pray: For the next few days, notice when your shadow appears. Take time to thank Jesus for being with you at that very moment.

Surprising Science

Jesus gives us eternal life!

Make a pendulum and talk about eternal life.

You’ll need:

• a sandwich bag
• coins
• string

Make perpetual-motion pendulums. Tie a sandwich bag with coins in it to the end of a string. One person can hold the end of the string while another person pulls back the bag of coins and lets it go. Don’t push or move the string, and see how long the bag of coins will stay in motion.

Talk About It

Perpetual motion means something starts moving and never stops, even without a battery or electricity. So far, no one has made a perpetual-motion machine that keeps going forever.

• If you could make a machine that would keep going forever, what would you want it to do?
• Can you think of anything that does last forever?

Read aloud John 3:16.

• Eternal life is life that lasts forever. What’s surprising to you about that?

Pray: Talk to Jesus about what eternal life means to you. Thank him for his love for you and for making a way to have eternal life with him in heaven.

Want more sciency fun ideas for children’s ministry? Check out Sciency-Fun WOWS!: 54 Surprising Bible Object Lessons. And there’s a preschool version, too! For more family-friendly devotions, check out Friends With God Devotions for Kids.