5 Ways to Lead Kids to Jesus This Easter

Easter is coming. You’re planning the best possible experience and message for your church. But here’s a question you need to ask:

What are you doing to engage the kids?

Are you putting as much intentionality into creating an amazing kids’ experience as you are for the adults? Because here’s the truth: Easter is one of the biggest opportunities of the year to lead kids to Jesus.

When the kids’ experience is fun, engaging, and points to Christ, families come back. When kids have a great time, parents relax. And when parents relax, they’re more open to encountering God themselves.

So how do you create an Easter experience kids will never forget? Here are some practical tips to help you lead the kids at your church to Jesus this Easter.

1. Create Engaging Easter Activities

Kids remember experiences, not just messages. When they get to do something, the story of Jesus comes alive in unforgettable ways.

What You Can Do:

Decorate your kids’ area.
Transform your space into an Easter environment. Use bright colors, Easter-themed decor, and creative touches that make kids excited the moment they walk in.

Play fun games.
Easter-themed games, challenges, and surprises keep kids engaged and create an atmosphere of joy and celebration.

Let them express themselves creatively.
Give kids hands-on activities, such as coloring, crafts, or interactive projects, to help them process the Easter story in their own way.

Resources to Use:

Hop To It: A two-week Easter series full of fun Easter games, challenges, and surprises for kids.

Easter Extravaganza: A two-week series that celebrates Easter with videos, songs, and activities designed to engage young hearts.

Easter Coloring Pages: Help young minds engage with the message of Easter in an interactive, creative way.

Easter Coloring Book: A 22-page coloring book that walks kids through the story of the cross from start to finish.

An engaged kid is a kid who wants to come back. And when kids want to come back, families come back.

2. Teach Intentional Easter Lessons

Easter isn’t just about fun and games—it’s about the gospel. Make sure your lessons clearly teach kids about the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus in a way they can understand.

Use an age-appropriate curriculum that makes the Easter story accessible and engaging for young learners. Help them understand that Jesus died for their sins and rose again so they could have a relationship with God.

Resources to Use:

A Happy Sunday: The Empty Tomb: An Easter lesson designed specifically for ages 2 through pre-K. It teaches the resurrection in a way toddlers and preschoolers can grasp.

Alive Forever – The Easter Story: A fun, engaging music video that depicts the Easter story through song. Kids will sing along and remember the message.

Kids are never too young to hear about Jesus. The seeds you plant this Easter could be the beginning of a lifelong relationship with Christ. 

Your middle school and high school students need an Easter experience that speaks to them, too. They’re asking deeper questions and wrestling with what they believe.

What This Looks Like:

Teach a series that challenges students to know and believe how deeply God loves them. Make it relevant, make it real, and make it clear that the resurrection changes everything.

Resource to Use:

Switch Easter Series: A 2-week Easter message series for 6th-12th graders that helps students understand God’s love and the power of the resurrection.

Teenagers are at a critical stage in their faith development. Easter is an opportunity to anchor them in the truth of the gospel before they head into adulthood. Don’t let them sit through a service that doesn’t engage them—give them content that meets them where they are.

4. Create Fun Family Moments

Easter is a family celebration. Create opportunities for families to connect, laugh, and make memories together at your church.

What This Looks Like:

Family Photo-Op
Create an Easter backdrop or designated area near your kids’ space where families can capture this special moment on camera. A simple setup with Easter decorations, a “He Is Risen” sign, or fun props can become a highlight of their visit.

Lobby Scavenger Hunt
Hide 5-10 Easter-themed items in your lobby (Easter eggs, words like “Hope” or “Risen,” figurines, etc.) and challenge kids to find them all to win a small prize. This keeps kids engaged before and after the service and creates excitement.

New Family Gift Bags
Create a small care package for first-time families with kids. Include a small Easter-themed toy, a coloring sheet, an invitation to return, and information about your kids’ ministry. This simple gesture shows families they’re valued and welcomed.

These moments create connection. They make your church feel warm, welcoming, and fun. And they give families something to talk about on the way home.

When families have a positive experience, they remember it and come back.

5. Equip Your Volunteers

Your volunteers are the heart of your kids’ ministry. They’re the ones who will greet families, lead activities, teach lessons, and make kids feel loved.

What This Looks Like:

Prep your volunteers to go above and beyond.
Train them on the schedule, the activities, and the Easter message. Make sure they know what to expect and how to handle the extra families you’ll have on Easter.

Remind them: kids may not remember what you do, but they will remember how you make them feel.
Volunteers who have a heart to share and celebrate the love of Jesus will create an environment where kids feel safe, seen, and valued.

Equip them with everything they need.
Provide clear instructions, all necessary supplies, and support throughout the service.

Resource to Use:

Check out How to Build a Strong Volunteer Team for tips on recruiting, training, and caring for your kids’ ministry volunteers.

You’re Going to Have an Amazing Easter

The planning you’re doing right now will set the stage for kids—and their families—to encounter Jesus in a powerful way.

Easter is your opportunity to show kids that Jesus is alive, that He loves them, and that He died and rose again for them. That’s the greatest message they’ll ever hear.

So create an experience they’ll never forget. Make it fun. Make it engaging. Make it intentional. And most importantly, make it all about Jesus.

Are you ready to plan your best Easter ever?

Download Easter Made Simple for everything you need to plan and prepare an excellent Easter experience—sermons, worship sets, kids’ curriculum, creative assets, communication strategies, and excellence checklists all in one place.