The Easter Story in Tot-Speak

Jonah loves books.  He is almost two. *Gasp!  Really!?

Reading him a book is one of the few ways you can guarantee he will sit in your lap and be *mostly* still.  I have been trying to tell him the Easter story in little people simplified terms and this is how it goes.  I use this Children's Bible.

We have several different ones, and I actually like the words in the "Jesus Storybook Bible" better, but the illustrations are just excellent in this one, and right now, let's face it, he's in it for the visuals.

This is how I "read" him the story:

Bad men hurt Jesus.  They hit him.

Jesus had to carry the cross.

The city went dark.

Jesus died on the cross for our sins.

They put him in a tomb with a big rock.

But then the rock was moved!

An angel said 'Jesus Is ALIVE!!!!'

Jesus is risen!  Jesus is ALIVE!

They want to see where the nails were.

Many people saw Jesus.

Then Jesus went up to Heaven to wait for us.

I try to really emphasize that Jesus IS ALIVE.
How do you explain this huge concept to your little kids?  Some children's Bibles do not include the cross because of it's graphic violence.  However, I feel that it is something we should try to start explaining as soon as possible.

Thank you Lord for the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ!

 Happy Easter.