Jesus is Alive! The Easter Bible Story for Kids
Everyone loves the Christmas story, when we celebrate the miraculous birth of the Savior. Perhaps more important to our Christian faith, though, is the Easter story. How amazing to know that the Son of God not only gave His life for us but rose from the dead to set us free from our sins. The Easter Bible story for kids is a great way to share the Gospel’s good news with our children!
Our kids are never too young to learn about Jesus. We try to talk about the birth of Jesus in our home often during December. But sometimes we forget to focus on Jesus’ resurrection during the month of Easter.
Talking about the death of Jesus with kids can be overwhelming. After all, how do you explain that evil people killed the Son of God?
Celebrating Easter With Children
I love Easter Sunday! We always buy new clothes in bright, springy colors. I always dream of the perfect family picture with my whole family smiling at the camera simultaneously. So far, that hasn’t happened. But a mama can dream, right?
Of course, we spend the day thanking God that Jesus was raised from the dead. And we should! It’s the most miraculous event that has occurred in human history!
Sometimes we get wrapped up in the Easter bunny and colorful eggs. We skip over the harshness of Jesus’ death on the cross when it comes to our kids. Because it is hard. And it’s ugly. In doing so, we skip the importance of Jesus’ sacrifice for us.
Kids can understand hard things, and there are creative ways to talk about the Easter story with kids of all ages.
In this post, I’ve simplified the Easter story to make it easy for kids to understand. I have kids with an age gap of three years, so I want to have a way to share this story with both of my boys.
You can use this lesson that explains all of Holy Week to kids of all different ages. I’ve also included some discussion questions to help you get your kiddos thinking deeper thoughts!
How to Explain the Easter Story to a Child
As parents, one of our biggest responsibilities is to help our kids develop their own faith in Jesus. One way to do this is by explaining the Easter story to them. Easter is more than bunnies and chocolate eggs; it celebrates God’s love for us.
You can start by telling the story in a way that is easy for your child to understand, using age-appropriate language. You can also use illustrations or videos to help bring the story to life. Emphasize that Easter reminds us that even though we are sinners, God still loves us unconditionally.
Help your child understand that Jesus’s sacrifice on the cross was an act of immense love, and use this as an opportunity to discuss what love means to them. By sharing the Easter story in a relatable and engaging way, you can help your child understand and appreciate the true meaning of this important holiday.
Related: 25+ Christian Easter Activities for Kids and Families
What is Easter About in the Bible for Kids?
Easter is a special time for Christians all over the world, especially for kids. It’s a time to celebrate the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Jesus’ death on the cross was a dark moment for humanity, but it marks the beginning of a new life for us all! Three days after his death, Jesus rose from the dead, signifying triumph over death and sin.
The story of Easter is a story of hope, redemption, and love that we pass down to our children. During Easter, we celebrate this new life by decorating Easter eggs, going on Easter egg hunts, and spending time with family and friends.
It’s the perfect time to teach our kids about faith, love, and gratitude. If your family doesn’t attend church regularly, Easter is a great time to start going!
Tips for Sharing the Story of Easter with Kids
Make the story of Easter a lesson your kids with remember with these simple tips.
Teach from an open Bible.
Even if you are using a printed lesson or visual aids as you teach the Easter story. keep your Bible open in front of you. Let your children or students know that this story comes directly from the Bible.
Make sure kids know it is a true story.
Our kids are never without things to entertain them. Movies, TV shows, and videos are available at their fingertips.
We want to make sure our kids know these are not just stories like those we read in books or see in movies.
This is a true story that happened!
Remind kids we serve the same God.
As kids learn the story of Easter, make a point to tell them that it was the power of God that raised Jesus from the dead. Then, remind them that we serve to the same God and He is at work in their lives every day!
Get creative!
Kids love it when a teacher/parent uses different voices and fun facial expressions while reading. You don’t have to be fancy, but make it fun!
The Easter Bible Story for Kids
While we celebrate Jesus’ resurrection on Easter Sunday morning, the story begins a week earlier with the triumphal entry. The week following is called “holy week,” and it’s full of events for us to remember and honor.
To share the powerful story of Easter with the kids in your life, you can simply read this blog post to them. Or get the printable pack with everything you need to teach this important lesson to the littles in your life.
Different parts of the Easter story can be found in the New Testament books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Each of these writers takes a different look at the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.
You can find the gospel accounts here:
- Matthew 26-28
- Mark 14-16
- Luke 22-24
- John 18-20
Palm Sunday
The Story of Easter begins on a day we call Palm Sunday. On this day, Jesus rode into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey.
Crowds of people met Him along the way, spreading their coats along the road. They waved palm branches as Jesus passed and shouted, “Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.” (Matthew 21:9)
The Passover Celebration
Passover was a special time for the Jewish people. They gathered together to celebrate the time when God rescued their ancestors from slavery in Egypt.
For this special day, Jesus sent two of His disciples to prepare for the feast in the upper room of a house. He met there on Wednesday night with His disciples. Jesus bent down and washed His disciples’ feet.
After their feet were clean, they shared the Passover meal. We call this the story of the Last Supper.
They ate bread as a symbol of His body and drank juice to remind them of His blood. Jesus told them He would be going away, and that one of His friends would betray Him.
Judas Iscariot got up and left the room. He went to visit the religious leaders and the high priest. Judas told them He would lead them to Jesus. The Jewish leaders gave him thirty silver coins to betray Jesus.
The Garden of Gethsemane
After Jesus and His disciples finished their feast, they went out to the Garden of Gethsemane to sleep for the night. Jesus asked Peter, James, and John to go with Him a little ways away from the rest of the disciples.
He left them alone and went to pray to ask God, His Father, to let the cup of death pass away from Him. When Jesus returned, He found that His disciples were asleep. Then, they heard the sound of Roman soldiers. Judas had brought them to the garden to find Jesus.
The Crucifixion of Jesus
They arrested Him and took Him to Herod to question. Herod couldn’t find that Jesus had committed any crimes. Herod sent Jesus to see the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate.
The chief priests and Jewish leaders wanted to crucify Jesus, but Pilate said He couldn’t find that Jesus had done wrong.
However, Pilate washed His hands and allowed them to take Jesus away to die on the cross. They put a crown of thorns on His head and beat Him. The leaders took Him to a place called Golgatha, which means “the place of the skull.”
They hung Jesus on the cross with two thieves crucified on each side of Him. Over His head was a sign that said, “The King of the Jews.”
Jesus hung there on the cross all day until He died in the evening. As He died, He prayed to God, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
One of Jesus’ followers, Joseph of Arimathea, came and removed Jesus’ body from the cross. He placed it in a tomb. They rolled a big stone over the door.
For the next three days, the disciples of Jesus mourned His death. They could not understand why Jesus had died. He had lived a perfect life and had done no wrong.
Easter Sunday
Early Sunday morning, Jesus’ mother, Mary, another woman named Mary Magdalene, and some other women came to bring some spices to put on Jesus’s body. (That was something they did in those days when a person died.)
The women went inside the tomb and found that Jesus was not there. Confused, they turned and went back outside. Two men in shining garments met them outside and said, “Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here. He is risen as He said.”
The women ran back to tell the disciples what they had heard and seen. After that, Jesus appeared to other disciples and many people several times. He had truly risen from the dead.
The True Meaning of Easter for Kids
The most important part of the Easter story is to help young children understand the reason Jess came to earth to live and die. He was a perfect Man–the Son of God and the Son of Man.
Here are a few things to point out to children about the truths of Easter:
- Jesus died on the cross and rose from the grave so that you and I could go to Heaven to live with Jesus. We could never earn salvation on our own, but because of His death and resurrection, we can be saved.
- Jesus promised that He would die and rise from the dead on the third day. He kept this promise, so we can trust Him to keep all of His promises to us.
- The Easter Bible story is filled with God’s love and hope. It reminds us that Jesus paid the ultimate sacrifice for our salvation.
When you present this story to your children or in your kids’ ministry, be prepared for questions. If necessary, refer to the ABCs of Salvation Plan to talk to kids about how to accept Christ as their Savior and have eternal life in Heaven with Him.
What better time to turn to Jesus than on Easter?
Easter Discussion Questions for Kids
After you’ve read this story with your kids, here are a few questions to help them remember the lesson.
- What do you think makes the Easter season special for people all around the world?
- Which event in this story stood out to you the most?
- What traditions do you and your family have at Easter? How do they celebrate God’s love and forgiveness?
- What are some examples of new life that remind you of Easter?
- What does the Easter story give us hope for the future?
Download the Easter Bible Story for Kids
Need to use this Bible lesson in a Sunday school class, in your homeschool or for family Bible time? Download the free pdf lesson and 2 coloring pages.
Or, grab the full printable Easter Story bundle here.
More Free Bible Study Lessons for Kids
Are you a Sunday School teacher, homeschool mama, or children’s ministry worker looking for fun and engaging Bible lessons and activities for your kids?
Make sure you check out these other free Bible lessons!
- The Story of Esther Coloring Pages (free printable)
- Abraham (Almost) Sacrifices Isaac: Kids’ Bible Lesson
- Free Halloween Bible Lessons for Kids of All Ages
