Dear parents,
Greetings in Christ! Next week is Holy Week, one of the most important weeks in the Christian year. It is a week whereby we would normally gather every day to walk with Jesus on his journey. This year will be a very different holy week for all of us. I would like to offer you a Holy Week Scavenger Hunt and Story to do at home with your kids next week.
Here’s the plan:
1) Set up a special spot with your kids that will be used throughout the week to place your holy week objects, tell the story and pray. You will need a candle to light each time you gather there to tell the story. Maybe lay out a cloth or a special tray or something that sets this space a part for the week. Be creative and get the kids involved!
2) Without telling the kids, gather the following items (you can do it – just channel a little of your inner kindergarten teacher!)
- A leaf or something that looks like a palm branch
- Three or four coins
- A cracker or piece of bread
- A piece of twine or leather or rope
- A thorn or something sharp
- Two or three nails and two twigs to form a cross
- A piece of cloth with some spices sprinkled on it (cloves, cinnamon, all spice) and a rock
- empty
3) Begin this activity on Sunday April 5th. You can do this in a variety of ways: if you have some of those plastic Easter eggs – you can put the item for that day in the egg and then have the kids open the egg, look and feel the symbol, and then listen to the story and Bible verse associated with the story. Then put the symbol in your sacred space and say the prayer. OR You can have one special ‘Holy Week Bag’ (should be purple in colour but these are extenuating circumstances!!!) and each day you can put that day’s item in the bag and then hide it somewhere in the house. The kids have to find the Holy Week Bag and then discover the item, feel it, hear the story and place it in the sacred space.
4) If telling the story part is a bit tricky for you … I will have a set of short YouTube videos online which will match the symbol for the day. You can find the item and then show the short video of Rev. Sue explaining the symbol with the kids.
5) The final item is Easter Day and the bag or the egg will be empty because – Christ is Risen and the tomb was empty!!!
I hope this activity is helpful for you as you and your children mark these days.
Yours in hope,
Rev. Sue
You can find the activities here: Holy Week Scavenger Hunt Plan
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