The Stone Was Rolled Away
Group Activities

Sermon Title: "The Stone Was Rolled Away"

Scripture Reading:Mathew 28:1-10

TOMB GAME:

Use the old time concept of a"tent" , made with blankets or sheets over a table to form the"tomb". Children can go in to the"tomb" individually or in small groups. Tell children to go into the tomb and see what they can find but to keep it a secret until everyone has gone in and come back out. Sit in a circle and discuss what was IN THE TOMB! The children should come up with the answer that THE TOMB WAS EMPTY! If time allows, the teacher can take it extra time to act out a skit of today's lesson, as children go into the tomb as Jesus or others in the story.

PAPER PLATE TOMB (Option 1):

Give each child a paper plate and a small Styrofoam cup. Trace a circle near the middle-to-bottom of the paper plate and cut the circle out. Tape it to the edge of the plate to represent the stone that was rolled away from the tomb and stick the closed end of the Styrofoam cup into the hole of the plate to represent the EMPTY TOMB. Color the plate and"hole" to look like a tomb.

(Option 2):

The children will take two paper plates and staple them together with inside of plates facing each other. After cutting an opening in ONE of the plates. The children will draw a picture of Jesus looking out from the opening, or the teacher can give each child a picture of Jesus to glue in the plate opening. Color the plates to look like the tomb that Jesus is rose from!

TOMB PUZZLE:

Give each child a picture of a tomb to cut into several pieces and then pass their tomb puzzle to another child in the class to put the tomb puzzle together. Continue to pass the puzzle for others to put together, as time allows. Each time the puzzle is completed, the child will say, THE TOMB IS EMPTY!

RESURRECTION PAINTING:

Hang a long piece of butcher paper on an empty wall. Let each child choose a color of tempera paint from several different colors which the teacher will provide. The teacher will then tell the children what part of the painting that they are to paint. For example: the children who choose green will paint the grass, the ones who choose yellow will paint the sunshine, the ones who choose black will paint the tomb, the one who choose pink, red, or purple will paint flowers, etc.

CROSS COUNTRY:

Provide the children with supplies to make a CROSS, either with craft sticks, paper cut outs, tissue paper wads glued in the form of a cross, etc. Each cross will be completely different and when completed, they will present their own CROSS to the class and then place their project on a special EASTER TABLE, outside the classroom for others to pass by and be encouraged this EASTER because of the cross of Calvary!

SING A SONG:

Ho-ho-ho-hosanna; He Is Lord

SHARE A SNACK:

Serve the children a roll and have them dig out a piece of the bread inside the roll, to represent the EMPTY TOMB! Children can then fill the empty roll with jam or little pieces of ham.

Song: "Ho-ho-ho-hosanna"

Words and Music (pdf)

MP3 Accompaniment Track

Song: "He Is Lord"

Words and Music (pdf)

MP3 Accompaniment Track