Fun, Easy, and Yummy Easter Crafts for Grandkids

Thank you for sharing...

We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post, which is at no additional cost to you. :)

I got to help at my grandkid's school last week and discovered a couple of fun and easy crafts for kids that are all easy for us seniors as well! Perfect for those of us in the Sandwich Generation, dealing with the multigenerational issues of caring for elderly parents as well as babysitting grandchildren. 

Since we're in the midst of Lent 2011, with Easter right around the corner, I wanted to share the Easter craft for the kids today. They were working on a foamy craft project that was just peel and stick pieces and it was all about the true story of the crucifixion and Easter using foam jelly beans. I asked where they got the kits and they thought it was Oriental Trading Company. I checked there and either the projects were from a past year OR Oriental Trading Company is sold out for this year. So I decided to come up with my own project, using my very favorite of all the Easter stories for children, My Easter Basket by Mary Manz Simon, that I've shared before. It also uses the different colors in the Easter basket to share the gospel with children:

• Green – to remind us of Palm Sunday when Jesus rode into Jerusalem
• Purple – The Last Supper – the bread and the wine (grape juice)
• Red – Jesus showed just how much He loved us by dying and shedding His blood for us
• Brown – The grave where His body was laid
• White – The angel who announced, "He is risen." Or, as my grandkids and I love to shout, "JESUS IS ALIVE!"
• Yellow – Reminds us of the Sun on Easter Sunday and what the SON of God – God Himself, did for us on Easter Day! John 11:25

Those of you who have read some of my posts on the Resurrection Easter Eggs, including the set we made out of their old LEGOs, have probably noticed definite similarities. Me, too! 🙂 I would do each on different occasions, and then remind them about the other project as you do it. That way, they don't get too tired of it. But each project definitely reinforces the other, as well as the vital message of the gospel, in a way kids of all ages can really understand. 

Buy plenty of jellybeans (if you have as many grandkids as me, you might want to put in for a bulk jelly beans order 🙂 ). Put one of each of the colors of jellybeans into plastic Easter Eggs for the grandkids. Sitting at the table, or outside, (because of the stickiness), read the book, while the kids move the correct color of jelly bean from one egg shell to the other. When you have finished the story, they can then enjoy eating the jelly beans.

Add to this by having colored construction paper in these six colors. Help the grandkids to cut out "jelly beans" in the right color and draw a picture to represent the different parts of the Easter story. Then put the paper jelly beans into a big glass jar. You can find mason-style jars at most stores – probably even the Dollar Store. What a pretty Easter decoration that would make for their bedroom, to help them remember the different parts of the Easter story.