Church School Lessons From Home: A Holy Week Scavenger Hunt

Hi Families-

I can't believe it's been a year since the last time we gathered for Palm Sunday. Here's a picture of some of our children last year waiting to process into the church.

Unfortunately we can't be together this year in person, but we can still be together in spirit.

We can all watch Father Keith's Holy Week services and messages on the church website and our church facebook page. There will be services available on Palm Sunday(today), Good Friday and Easter.

Normally in church school we would have created an activity to help us recognize the special days of Holy Week. This year, we can do the activities in our homes and then compile our photos to see how we all created the project a little differently.

The activity is a Holy Week Scavenger Hunt and we will be putting the items together to make a Holy Week Path.

Before beginning your hunt, you can make your path. I used a piece of an amazon box for the base and some paint swatches we had in our craft bin for the spaces. You can make your path as simple as 8 squares drawn on a piece of paper. I tried to coordinate my colors to the mood/symbol of the day, but colors can be optional.

Here are the items you need to find to fill your path. You can find them all at once or day by day as Holy Week progresses. Each item will correspond to a memory verse that you can read after the object is found. Get creative with your items!

Palm Sunday: Palms. We found some leaves in our garden that kind of resemble palms. You can search for your "palms" outside or inside or make them yourself. You could also use a donkey for this space.

Verse: Mark 11:1-11

Memory Verse: "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!"

Monday of Holy Week: Money. We used a real quarter, but there are lots of creative options for this one!

Verse: 11:12-17

Memory Verse: "My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations."

Tuesday of Holy Week: a scroll. We made one by rolling up a small piece of paper. Maybe you have a scroll that belongs to a Lego set or another toy? Use your imagination.

Verse: Luke 19:47-48

Memory Verse: "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path" Psalm119:105

Wednesday of Holy Week: Hands. We found a hand stamper and also drew our own. Get creative to find something that represents hands in your house.

Verse: Mark 11:20-26

Memory Verse: "Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours."

Maundy Thursday: something representing a plate and chalice. I raided the Barbie bin for these, but you could also mold some out of playdoh, or even print out an image on the computer.

Verse: Mark 14:17-26; 32-35; 43-50

Memory Verse: "This is my blood of the covenant which is poured out for many."

Good Friday: A cross. We came up with two different ways to make one with things that we found, but there are plenty more options if you get creative.

Verse: Mark 15:16-39; Luke 23: 26-49

Memory Verse: "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." Luke 23:34

Holy Saturday: a Jesus figure. Here's one where you might have to get really creative. Some options we thought of were to find a small figure to make into Jesus, make a paper figure, or Addie made her own out of pipe cleaners. I know there are some other creative options out there! Whatever you choose you can wrap him in some white fabric or even a paper towel.

Verse: Mark 15:42-47

Memory Verse: " So Joseph bought some linen cloth, took down the body, wrapped it in the linen, and placed it in a tomb cut out of rock."

Easter Sunday: a rock or something that may resemble a hollow tomb.

Addie chose one of her decorative rocks to symbolize the stone that was rolled away to reveal the empty tomb.

Verse: Luke 24:1-12

Memory Verse: "He is not here; He has risen!"

Here is our completed Holy Week Path:

Ways to utilize your path:

-you can place your path on your dining room or kitchen table or somewhere in your home where it will be seen every day.

-you can complete the whole scavenger hunt in one day and place your objects on the path and then read the verses together each day.

-you can hunt for a new object each day and then read the verse as you place it on the path.

However you choose to use your Holy Week Path, I would like to see them and make a photo collage to symbolize all of our Holy Week Journeys combined. Please send me completed photos of your paths if you can!

I am praying that you all have a safe and faith filled Holy Week.

This project was inspired by the following resources:

http://thedomesticnotebook.blogspot.com/2010/03/holy-week-calendar.html

https://howtohomeschoolmychild.com/palm-sunday-activities-for-kids-weekend-links/