I discovered Holy Week Eggs when the children were little. A brightly colored egg carton held 12 plastic eggs and each egg had something inside. These things were symbols of Easter to help the children remember the last week of Jesus’ life.
Soon, I realized we could make our own eggs at home. We’d just need some plastic eggs, a basket, Bible verses, and our own symbols.
Holy Week starts with Palm Sunday and includes the Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem, Jesus clearing out the temple, the Last Supper, Prayer in the Garden, His arrest & trial, the Crucifixion, His burial, and His Resurrection.
This activity helps children remember all the events of Holy Week from the Jesus’ Triumphal Entry to the Last Supper to the Crucifixion to the Resurrection.
Let’s make Holy Week Eggs!
You will need 12 empty plastic eggs. Inside each egg will go a Bible verse and an object to represent part of the precious Easter story. The eggs can be stored in a strawberry basket with a pipe cleaner handle or any basket you desire.
Materials needed:
- 12 Empty Plastic Eggs
- Permanent Marker (dark color)
- 12 Bible Verses, printed out and cut into strips of paper
- 12 Objects (listed below)
- Small Basket
Directions
- Number each egg 1-12 with your marker.
- Fold strips with Bible verses and add to correct egg.
- Add object to match the egg number and Bible verse.
- Place the eggs in a basket.
Egg 1 Triumphal Entry to Jerusalem (Palm Sunday
Object Inside Egg: Small blade of grass to represent a palm brand leaf
Bible Verse Inside Egg: John 12:12-13, “The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, ‘Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’”
Egg 2 Jesus Clears the Temple
Object Inside Egg: 1 Small Piece of Leather to represent the whip Jesus used to clear the temple
Bible Verse Inside Egg: Luke 19:45-46, “When Jesus entered the temple courts, he began to drive out those who were selling. ‘It is written,’ he said to them, ‘My house will be a house of prayer; but you have made it a den of robbers.’”
Egg 3 Last Supper
Object Inside Egg: Communion Cup
Bible Verse Inside Egg: Matthew 26:27-28, “Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.’”
Egg 4 Judas Betrayal
Object Inside Egg: 3 Dimes
Bible Verse Inside Egg: Matthew 26:14-15, “Then one of the Twelve—the one called Judas Iscariot—went to the chief priests and asked, ‘What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?’ So they counted out for him thirty silver coins.”
Egg 5 Garden of Gethsemane
Object Inside Egg: 1 Small Real or Artificial Flower or Bud
Bible Verse Inside Egg: Matthew 26:39, “Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, ‘My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.’”
Egg 6 Jesus is Arrested & Beaten
Object Inside Egg: Twigs or Grapevine
Bible Verse Inside Egg: Matthew 27:28-30, “They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand and knelt in front of him and mocked him. ‘Hail, king of the Jews!’ they said.”
Egg 7 Jesus is Arrested & Beaten
Object Inside Egg: Nails
Bible Verse Inside Egg: Acts 2:23, “This man was handed over to you by God’s set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men,put him to death by nailing him to the cross.
Egg 8 They Cast Lots for His Clothes
Object Inside Egg: Dice
Bible Verse Inside Egg: Matthew 27:35, “When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots.”
Egg 9 They Cast Lots for His Clothes
Object Inside Egg: Piece of Sponge
Bible Verse Inside Egg: Matthew 27:46-48, “About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, ‘Eloi, Eloi,lama sabachthani?’—which means, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’ When some of those standing there heard this, they said, ‘He’s calling Elijah.’ Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a stick, and offered it to Jesus to drink.”
Egg 10 Jesus is Prepared for Buried
Object Inside Egg: Small Piece of White Material and Clove (to represent spices)
2 Bible Verses Inside Egg: Matthew 27:58-60, “Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body, and Pilate ordered that it be given to him. Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock.”
Egg 11 Jesus is Buried
Object Inside Egg: A Stone
Bible Verse Inside Egg: Matthew 27:65-66, “’Take a guard,” Pilate answered. ‘Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.’ So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard.”
Egg 12 Jesus Rises from the Dead
Object Inside Egg: None—EMPTY!
Bible Verse Inside Egg: Matthew 28:6, “He is not here; He has Risen, just as He said. Come and see the place where He lay.”
Let me know if you try this hands-on fun Easter activity with your own children. Feel free to post pictures.
Until next time, Happy Homeschooling! And Happy Easter!
Meredith Curtis
