Resurrection Rolls

Since Easter is quickly coming up, I decided to do something new with the kids. Noakea was visiting for the afternoon so he got to join in on the fun too! I found a recipe on Pinterest for "Resurrection Rolls." Basically, it's an activity to symbolize Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection. It was really neat, and I really hope I remember to do it next year as well. 

Here are the items you need:

1 can of crescent rolls

8 large marshmallows

Melted Butter

Cinnamon Sugar

Preheat the oven to 350. While the oven is preheating, read John 19. And yes, these three kids sat quietly through all 40+ verses. Cayman, especially, was extremely attentive and curious. These verses explain how Jesus was handed over by Pilate to the angry crowd who beat him and crucified him. They also explain how Jesus' disciples cared for his body following his death and placed him in the empty tomb.

The marshmallow, pure and white, represents Jesus' sinless body.

You roll the marshmallow around in the melted butter. Just like the men covered Jesus' body with aloe (that's what our translation said.) Then you roll the buttered marshmallow around in the cinnamon sugar, which represents the spices placed all over Jesus' body. Finally, you roll the marshmallow up in the crescent roll - symbolizing how they wrapped Jesus' body in burial cloths (make sure the dough is sealed tightly!) Once you've wrapped all 8 marshmallows, place the baking pan in the "tomb" (oven) for 12 minutes. While the rolls are baking, read John 20:1-18, which tells how three days following Jesus' death, his friends found his tomb empty! He had been raised from the dead! 

Ready to go in the oven!

When the rolls bake in the oven, the marshmallows melt away and disappear symbolizing the empty burial cloths inside the tomb. (It also results in this gooey yummy caramel type goodness inside a warm, soft crescent roll. I would so make this again as a dessert. It was delicious!!)

Resurrection Rolls received thumbs up all around!

What a neat way to get young kids to understand the true meaning of Easter! I really think Cayman and Charis will be able to remember each part of the story thanks to this creative visual. (Gotta love Pinterest!!) And, it was also kind of eye opening to see how well my kids listened to the "boring Bible" (unfortunately that's what Cayman called it at first because there are no pictures...) once you explain things in a way they can understand and add a little bit of characterization to the stories. I think I need to give them a bit more credit sometimes!