Ideas for teaching children about the last week of Christ’s life

In the LDS Church Bible videos, Jesus Christ is presented to the high priests. (Photo courtesy LDS.org Media Library)

Easter can be a tricky holiday for Latter-day Saints. Traditional celebrations include the Easter Bunny, eggs, candy, Easter egg hunts and new clothes. Religious celebrations have nothing to do with these rituals, but instead focus on Jesus Christ and His atonement.

It’s up to each LDS family to choose how to celebrate Easter. But if you’d like to bring a little more celebration of Christ into your family’s Easter traditions, here’s a timeline of ideas. Teach your children about the last week of the Savior’s life as it corresponds with Easter. Here are songs, activities, scriptures, videos and more to share with your family on each day of the week.

Resources from LDS.org.

General Resources on the Last Week of Jesus Christ’s Earthly Ministry

• “Following the Savior’s Path” (April 2012 Friend)
  Includes an activity to number pictures to show the order of events after Jesus arrived in Jerusalem on Palm Sunday.
• “Easter Week” (April 2011 Liahona and Friend)
  An illustrated description of the week before Christ’s Crucifixion and Resurrection.
• “Jesus Finishes His Mission on Earth” (December 2011 Friend)
  A simplified telling of the last days of the Savior’s mortal life.
• “Seeing the Joy of Easter” (April 2012 Liahona and Friend)
  A story for young children about why Easter is a happy holiday. Includes a map showing Jesus’s activities during the last week of His mortal life.
• Mormon.org Easter Page
• Friend Magazine: Illustrated summary of the last week of Christ’s life.

Sunday

Triumphal entry

• “Palm Sunday” (March 2016 Friend)
  President Dieter F. Uchtdorf teaches about Palm Sunday and how we can walk the path of discipleship. Includes an idea for hanging paper hearts to remember what we love about Jesus.

Monday

Cleansing of the Temple

Video: Jesus Cleanses the Temple

Primary Lesson: Jesus Christ Cleanses the Temple

Tuesday

Teaching in the Temple

Scriptures: Matthew 25:31–46; 26:14–16

You may consider teaching your family about the temple, why we must be clean and worthy to enter, and why Christ chose to teach the people there.

Wednesday

Since nothing specific is known about this day, you may choose to teach about some of Christ’s parables and teachings. Here are some resources on the parable of the ten virgins:

• “Tell Me the Stories of Jesus” (Children’s Songbook, 57).

• Video: Jesus Declares the Parable of the 10 Virgins

• Liahona article: The Parable of the 10 Virgins

• Image: Five of Them Were Wise

• Primary Lesson: Parable of the Ten Virgins

Thursday

Last Supper

• Luke 22:19–20

• You may want to discuss the importance of the sacrament and how we can remember Christ each Sunday.

Garden of Gethsemane

• Video: Bible Videos, “The Savior Suffers in Gethsemane”
• “Jesus Suffers in the Garden of Gethsemane” (March 2003 Liahona and Friend)
  Illustrated retelling of the scripture story.
• “The Garden” (April 2009 Friend)
  A poem about the Savior’s sacrifice.
• Gospel Art Picture: “Jesus Praying in Gethsemane”
• Video: New Testament Stories, “Chapter 51: Jesus Suffers in the Garden of Gethsemane”

Friday

Crucifixion and Burial

• Video: “Special Witness – Elder Holland”
  Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles bears his testimony of the Atonement of the Savior.
• Gospel Art Picture: “The Crucifixion”
• Gospel Art Picture: “Burial of Jesus”
• Video: New Testament Stories, “Chapter 53: Jesus Is Crucified”
• Video: Jesus Is Laid in a Tomb 

Saturday

The Tomb

• The Book of Mormon records the signs of Christ’s death in the Americas. (3 Nephi 8:5-23)

Sunday

The Resurrection