Learning objective
- To explore the Easter story and make connections to new life.
EYFS outcomes
Development matters
Understanding the world
Children in reception will be learning to:
- Talk about members of their immediate family and community.
- Recognise that people have different beliefs and celebrate special times in different ways.
See Development Matters (non-statutory curriculum guidance) – contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Understanding the world
ELG: Past and present
Children at the expected level of development will:
- Talk about the lives of the people around them and their roles in society.
ELG: People culture and communities
Children at the expected level of development will:
- Know some similarities and differences between different religious and cultural communities in this country, drawing on their experiences and what has been read in class.
See Statutory framework for the early years foundation stage, 2021.
Before the lesson
Have ready
- Presentation: Paint splash.
- Presentation: Easter.
- Link: Out of the ark - Spring chicken on Videolink.*
- Link: Out of the ark - I'm a little chick on Videolink.*
* These are external websites and we do not have control over their content – please check before showing them to the children.
Print in advance
Teacher notes
Subject knowledge
Most people who follow the Christian worldview believe:
- In one God who created the heavens and the Earth.
- Jesus died on the cross on a day called Good Friday and came back to life (resurrection) as part of God’s plan to save humanity from sin on Easter Sunday (salvation). The Easter story is a crucial part of this belief.
- The resurrection of Jesus is remembered at Easter and celebrates victory over sin and death, offering hope of eternal life to believers.
Misconceptions
The children may believe that:
- ‘Easter is about chocolate eggs and bunnies’ – it is important to explain that while Easter is celebrated in different ways across cultures, its religious significance for Christians focuses on the death and resurrection of Jesus. The symbols of eggs and new life are often used to represent the Christian message of hope.
- ‘Easter is only celebrated by Christians’ – it is helpful to explain that while Easter is an important religious festival for Christians, some people with different worldviews also participate in cultural or family traditions during this season, such as egg hunts or spring-themed celebrations.
- ‘Jesus stayed on Earth after coming back to life’ – explain that Christians believe Jesus returned to Heaven to be with God.
- Anyone can come back to life. Explain that Christians believe Jesus is special because he is God’s son.
Cautions
If you know a child has specific issues, consider discussing the lesson with them in advance and adapting it as needed. They might benefit from adult support. If problems emerge during the lesson, consult your Senior Leadership Team. It is the teacher’s responsibility to check all resources and lesson content to ensure they are suitable for their class setting.
Sensitivities
- When teaching the Easter story, present it sensitively and age-appropriately, avoiding graphic details about death and punishment and focusing instead on the broader message of hope and new life.
Activity
Reflection time
Display the Presentation: Paint splash.
Presentation: Paint splash
Ask the children if they can recall any of the ways to respect others, hidden by the paint splashes. Take feedback then click to reveal the answers.
Carpet time
Play the Pupil video: The Easter story.
Pupil video: The Easter story
Ask the children to discuss in pairs:
- What is one thing you remember about the Easter story?
- Why do you think Jesus’ friends felt happy and hopeful at the end of the story?
- What new things happen in spring that remind you of the Easter story?
Display slide 1 of the Presentation: Easter. Click on the character Sam and read aloud how he celebrates Easter.
Presentation: Easter
Ask the children:
- What can you see in the pictures? (The children may suggest: people singing in church; a family having a meal; people painting eggs; an Easter egg hunt; decorating Easter-themed biscuits.)
- Do you or anyone you know do any of these things at Easter?
Display slide 2 and click on one of the five puzzle pieces to reveal another hidden picture. Click to remove one puzzle piece at a time, asking the children to guess what the picture is and how it connects to Easter. Repeat for all five hidden images.
Ask the children:
- Why might this remind you of Easter?
- How does it connect to the story?
Adult-led activity
Pairs game
Set out all of the cards from the Activity: Pairs on the table or the carpet.
To play ‘Pairs’ with the children:
- Ask them to take turns flipping over two cards.
- If they reveal a matching pair (e.g. the chick and hen), they keep the pair and take another turn.
- If the cards do not match, they flip them back over and the next player takes their turn.
- The game continues until all pairs are found.
- Discuss which pictures show signs of new life like when Jesus comes back to life in the Easter story.
When all the matching pairs have been found, look at the pictures and ask the children:
- What might you see in springtime? (Answers include: baby animals being born, eggs hatching, seeds sprouting, leaves and flowers growing.)
- How do these things make the world more special? (The children may suggest: they make you feel happy when you see them.)
- Why is it important to look after baby animals and growing plants? (The children may suggest: because they need us to help them grow.)
Books
- ‘The Easter Story’ by Katherine Sully.
- ‘The Story of Easter’ by Fiona Boon.
- ‘The Easter Story’ by Heather Amery.
- ‘The Promised One: The Wonderful Story of Easter’ by Antonia Woodward.
- ‘Alive Again! The Easter Story’ by Raffaella Ligi Sarah J. Dodd.
Songs
- Link: Out of the ark - Spring chicken on Videolink.*
- Link: Out of the ark - I'm a little chick on Videolink.*
Support and challenge
- Reduce the number of pairs in the game to make it easier to remember the locations and focus on fewer matches at a time.
- Challenge the children to draw pictures of new life to match up with the images from the Activity: Pairs to create their own pairs game.
Key vocabulary
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angel
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cross
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Easter
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tomb
