Use these 6 Easter Giveaways kids can use to share the gospel and celebrate Jesus’ resurrection. And what better way to celebrate than to share the good news with friends in your community? Use these make-and-take Easter crafts, snacks, and outreach ideas to help the kids in your ministry share the good news about Jesus.

Easter Giveaway #1: Where’s Jesus?

Kids will make Jesus disappear from his tomb-and learn that Jesus’ real disappearance was no illusion.

Best for: Ages 5 to 9

You’ll need:

• Bible
• sheets of paper
• tape
• scissors
• copies of the Jesus cut-out

Have kids follow these instructions:

1. Roll one sheet of paper into a tube. It should resemble a long toilet paper tube. Tape it to hold it in place.
2. Roll a second sheet of paper into a tube. One end should be the same width as the first paper tube opening. The other end should be slightly smaller than the first paper tube opening. Tape it to hold it in place.
3. Put the second tube inside the first tube, and trim both tubes’ edges to be even. From one end, kids should be able to look into the tube and see through to the other side as if it’s a normal tube. From the other end, kids should see a gap between the cone and the tube.
4. Have kids decorate their tubes.

Help kids use the craft to retell how Jesus died on the cross, was placed in a tomb, and rose three days later! Have kids place the cut-out of Jesus in the gap between the cone and the tube, cover both ends of the tube with their hands, and count to three. Then have them look through the other end where both tubes are the same size. It’ll appear as if Jesus has disappeared from the tube. They can shake him out and repeat the illusion with friends and family. (See a video of Where’s Jesus? in action.)

Activity Discussion

Say: Our craft was an illusion. Jesus didn’t really disappear from our tubes. Some people thought that Jesus’ empty tomb was a trick, too. Read Matthew 28:11-15. Some of the people who’d helped kill Jesus wanted people to think it was a trick. But we know it was for real.

Ask:

• What helps you know that Jesus’ empty tomb was for real?
• What helps you know Jesus is still alive today?

Say: When you show this to your friends and family, tell them why you know it’s no trick that Jesus is alive.

Easter Giveaway #2: Sunrise Magnets

Kids will make fun magnets as a reminder that Jesus rose, just as the sun does each day. Then they can share the good news with church visitors.

Best for: Ages 3 to 9

You’ll need:

• Bible
• standard-sized aluminum food can (empty or full)
• yellow craft foam
• 9×1½-inch strips of orange construction paper
• craft sticks
• stick-on magnets
• markers
• glue
• yellow or orange glitter glue
• scissors

Say: When Jesus died on the cross, it grew dark, even though it was the middle of the day.

Read Matthew 27:45. But on the morning Jesus came back to life, the sun was rising. Read Matthew 28:1. Every night the sun disappears, and every morning it rises again and brightens our days.

Ask:

• How does a sunny day make your life better?
• How does Jesus make your life better?

Say: Let’s make Sunrise Magnets to remind us that Jesus came back to life, just as the sun rises each day.

Have kids follow these instructions:

1. Trace circles onto the yellow craft foam using the bottom of a standard aluminum can as a guide.
2. Fold the circles in half and cut along the fold. This will provide the suns for two magnets.
3. Write “Jesus Is Risen!” on each craft stick.
4. Cut two 1-inch pieces of stick-on magnet for each child, and have kids stick them on the back of the half-circles.
5. Make a fold at approximately half-inch from the edge of the orange construction paper strips (the long way). Cut small slits toward the fold to create fringe.
6. Assemble the magnets by gluing the fringe pieces around the rounded edges of the yellow half-circles, cutting the fringe into smaller pieces as needed to help it curve.
7. Glue the suns to the back of the craft sticks. (Tip: Provide Q-Tips or paintbrushes to help younger kids spread glue.) Decorate the suns with glitter glue.

When dry, have your kids hand these out to guests who come to your church on Easter Sunday.

*To do this craft with preschoolers, do the cutting and writing in advance, and let preschoolers tear slits in the fringe and assemble the pieces.

Easter Giveaway #3: Easter Lilies

Kids will cheer up nursing home residents with these beautiful flowers that never wither.

Best for: Ages 7 to 12

You’ll need:

• a screwdriver
• white all-purpose glue
• small paintbrushes
• or each flower:
  • an 8-inch square piece of white tissue paper
  • a small scrap of pastel tissue paper
  • a green pipe cleaner
  • one section of an egg carton (each carton will make 12 flowers)

To prepare in advance, cut each section from an egg carton and remove excess edging for a clean circle on top. Use a small screwdriver or pencil to poke a hole in the center of each carton section. You’ll need one section of egg carton per child.

Say: Lilies are a flower that people often display around Easter because lilies rise up from the earth and turn into beautiful flowers. That reminds us of how Jesus rose up from his grave on Easter.

Ask:

• What other things remind you of Jesus coming back to life on Easter?

Say: Let’s make Easter lilies to help others remember that Jesus is alive.

Have kids follow these instructions:

1. Slide a green pipe cleaner into the hole in an egg carton piece, bending the inside end so that it stays in place.
2. Take the piece of white tissue paper and estimate where the middle is.
3. From the center of each edge, cut in about 3 inches toward the center of the tissue paper.
4. Make flower petals by folding each corner made by the cuts into the middle of that section. The corners will overlap on each petal; kids can use a small dot of glue to hold these corners together.
5. Gently poke the green pipe cleaner through the top center of the white tissue paper and slide the tissue paper up until it reaches the bottom of egg carton.
6. Glue the tissue paper to the outside of the egg carton, and then crease the petals out along the top edge of the egg carton.
7. Brush a little glue into the inside of the egg carton, and crumple the pastel tissue paper inside to make a colored center.

Have kids take the flowers to a nursing or retirement home. Let your kids tell the residents about their lilies and what they represent as they wish them a Happy Easter.

Easter Giveaway #4: Crushed For You

Kids will reflect on Jesus’ sacrifice as they make this snack to share with a friend.

Best for: Ages 9 to 12

You’ll need:

• Bible
• graham crackers
• marshmallow fluff
• chocolate syrup
• whipped cream
• quart-size resealable bags
• spoons
• disposable cups

Read Isaiah 53:5.

Say: Jesus endured a lot so we could be close to God. We’re going to make a snack to give to a friend that’ll help us reflect on this verse.

First, let’s think about how Jesus was crushed for our sins. Hand each child a graham cracker and a resealable bag. Place the graham cracker in your bag, seal it, and crush it. As you do, silently pray about the sins Jesus took on for you. Allow time.

Next, let’s think about how Jesus was beaten so we could be whole. Give each child a spoon, and set out the marshmallow fluff. Use your spoon to beat some fluff with your graham crackers. As you do, silently thank Jesus for suffering so you could be whole. Allow time.

Now let’s think about how Jesus was whipped so we could be healed. Hand out disposable cups, and set out the chocolate syrup and whipped cream. Take a spoonful of whipped cream and a squirt of chocolate syrup, and whip them together. As you do, silently talk to God about ways you need his healing in your life. Allow time.

Then have kids scoop their whipped cream into the bag and seal it.

Activity Discussion

Ask:

• What are some things you talked to God about as you made this snack?
• What do you think about all that Jesus went through for you?

Say: We know Jesus endured a lot for our sake. And after he went through all that, he came back to life and is alive with us today. Take your snack home and keep it in the fridge until you’re ready to give it to a friend. When you do, tell about all that Jesus did for you and how he’s a part of your life today.

Easter Giveaway #5: Rolo-way Reminders

Invite your neighborhood to your Easter service with these fun treats.

Best for: Ages 4 to 12

You’ll need:

• Bible
• Rolo brand chocolates (as many packages as you’d like to distribute)
• ribbon
• unlined index cards
• scissors
• markers
• hole punch
• mailing labels

To prepare in advance, print the following on mailing labels: “The stone has rolled away! Jesus is risen!” On separate mailing labels, print your church’s Easter service times, address, and phone number.

Read Mark 16:3-6.

Say: The stone that rolled away was a heavy boulder, firmly set in place, moved because of a miracle. Jesus is alive!

To assemble the treats, have each child hole punch the corner of an index card. Then have kids each stick the two mailing labels on the cards, one on the front and the other on the back, and use markers to decorate the cards. Next kids can string some ribbon through the hole in the card and tie it around a pack of Rolo chocolates. Help younger children with tying as needed. Make as many treats as time allows. Then go door-to-door around your church neighborhood along with adults and older kids in your children’s ministry. As you hand out the candy, invite people to your church for Easter service.

Easter Giveaway #6: Community Garden

This spring, help kids start an outreach to feed the hungry in your community.

Best for: All Ages

You’ll need:

• a plot of land
• fruit and vegetable seeds
• gardening tools

On Easter, Jesus left his grave. And Easter is also right around the beginning of spring when we can start planting food that’ll rise from the ground.

Plan a service day for your kids and their families to start a community garden on your church property. If you don’t have a place for the garden, see whether a family in your church would be willing to loan a portion of their yard for the cause. Have kids help prepare the ground and plant seeds.

As plants begin to grow, post signs in homeless shelters and soup kitchens inviting less fortunate members of your community to come for fresh produce on a weekly schedule. (If your garden is located on a family’s private property, arrange a time for people to come to your church, and post those times on the sign.) As people come for the food, build relationships and invite them to church.

Looking for even more great ideas for Easter? Check out all our Easter posts.