3 Easy Easter Activities for Your Church Nursery

Here are three simple activities to use in your church nursery to help the littlest members of your congregation play and worship Jesus this Easter!

3 Easy Easter Activities for Your Church Nursery

Palm Sunday Praise

In the Bible (Luke 19:28-40), Jesus borrows a donkey and people praise Jesus. Use this event to teach both sharing and worship.

You’ll need:

• a stuffed animal—preferably a donkey or horse
• several maracas

Place the stuffed animal in your lap, and choose one toddler to come take the toy.

Say: Jesus borrowed a donkey. I’m going to let you borrow my donkey. Hold the donkey up in the air!

Get out the maracas, and say: I have some maracas to share, too. When Jesus rode the donkey he borrowed, people praised him. Let’s shake maracas to praise Jesus.

Share the maracas with the kids. Encourage them to share and take turns so everyone gets to practice sharing and praising. Kids can also clap and cheer for Jesus.

Kristen Kansiewicz
Lynn, Massachusetts

Miracles!

Use this fingerplay with toddlers to help them learn about when Jesus filled his disciples’ fishing nets.

Friends of Jesus cast their net, (fling arms out)

But had not caught one fish yet. (sweep pointer finger back and forth)

They left it out all through the night; (palms together on cheek, “sleeping”)

“Throw your net out on the right!” (cup hands by mouth)

Said a man up on the shore, (point)

“You will haul in many more!” (cup hands by mouth)

The men asked, “Who is near?” (palms up, shrug)

John said, “Jesus! He is here!” (point)

Peter jumped up. “Give me five! (give “air” high-fives)

Jesus died; now he’s alive!” (give “air” high-fives)

One hundred fifty-three fish caught. (hands wide apart, palms inward)

“It’s a miracle!” they thought. (arms up, twist wrists)

On Easter, we all praise and pray (arms up, twist wrists; then palms together, praying)

Because the stone was rolled away. (make fists and roll arms over one another)

Jesus came back to life that day; (raise arms straight up)

“It’s a miracle!” we say! (arms up, twist wrists)

Amy Houts
Maryville, Missouri

Where Is Jesus?

Celebrate Easter by teaching kids this song.

Say: When Mary went to look for Jesus’ body in his tomb, she couldn’t find him. That’s because he was alive! She thought Jesus was missing and wondered where he was.

Have kids copy your motions as you sing this song to the tune of “Are You Sleeping?”

Where is Jesus? Where is Jesus? (cup hands around eyes, searching)
Where’d he go? Where’d he go? (hold hands out, palms up, with puzzled look on face)
Jesus isn’t buried, Jesus isn’t buried. (shake finger “no”)
He’s alive! He’s alive! (raise arms and wave them back and forth)

Barbie Murphy 
Loveland, Colorado