Make a garden with grass or chia seed, candles, and a tomb and let your children tend to the garden all Lenten season long, rolling the stone away on Easter morning!
Every year, we make a Resurrection Garden to help us stay focused on the true meaning of Easter and the days leading up to it. If you’ve never heard of a Resurrection Garden, it is truly a simple, but beautiful family friendly activity that can be quickly put together in an afternoon a few weeks before Easter. After you make it, you watch the grass grow and light the candles, and anticipate the day when the stone will be rolled away from the tomb!
We chose a round basket with a bit of a lip (like this one) for our garden this year. I am really pleased with this choice over some of the other things I’ve tried in the past.
I lined it with plastic wrap and then the kids piled potting soil on top of the plastic. A tin can works best for the tomb with a flat rock over the front of it. We used regular soil made into mud to cover the can and then placed river rock over the surface of the can and all around the edges of the basket (to hide the plastic wrap).
We then placed votive candles like these all around the garden (get several of these so you can change them out as needed – you want to be able to enjoy your garden lit up at night!)
Then, the kids added the 3 crosses we lashed together and sprinkled grass seed over the top of the potting soil (you could also use chia seeds!), spraying it down with mist from a water bottle that we will keep handy to be able to mist our garden a couple of times a day over the next few weeks.
On Easter, we will roll the stone away and add some flowers to our garden, which by then, will hopefully be lush with green grass! I will also let the kids cut the grass as needed with scissors. We have to tend our garden, you know!
Definitely try this fun project with your family this year, and keep your eyes on the cross!
Go here for >> FREE Easter Devotionals for Children!
Charlotte Moore says
How neat!!
I can understand how you would want to make new memories in Feb. Can never forget the sad times but nice to have some happy times.
Amy says
Yes, exactly 🙂
Kristy says
LOVE this idea!! Thank you for sharing! We will have to do this.
Amy says
Enjoy! It is so simple!
Beth Ann says
I may see if we could do this this year. I have been wanting a stronger focus on Resurrection themes for this time of year instead of Easter candy. Also, hugs if you want them, however strong and of whatever duration you prefer. Another also, your picture shows that your weight loss journey is really coming along. Congratulations!.
KElly says
Amy. thank you for this…it’s such a beautiful project and one I will begin as a new tradition with my family. I appreciate your strength, thank God for his love – we surely couldn’t get through without HIM.
Andrea says
Love, love, love! How have I not seen this before??? Going to make one with the kiddos!
Amy says
Fantastic! Enjoy!