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Calvary Hill Planting | A Kids’ Lent Project

February 26, 2012 By Laura 29 Comments

020_easter-empty-tomb-calvary-hill-plant-kids-project-150x150

When Lent comes around, it’s difficult enough for us as adult Christians, to decide in which ways we’d like to embrace the 40 days leading to Easter. We are led by 3 things: Sacrifice, Prayer, and Alms-giving.  But as parents, we also want our children to take part in some way, and fully realize the significance of this period of time, too!  Attending Mass (especially through Holy Week), hearing the Scripture relating to Jesus’ death and resurrection, and witnessing (or participating in, depending on the ages of the children) their parent’s participation throughout Lent, certainly helps build their understanding of the importance of this season in our faith. 

However, I was thrilled last year, to come across this great project for the kids, that really invited them to be involved in some significant way even more, throughout the Lenten Season!:


020_easter-empty-tomb-calvary-hill-plant-kids-project
Calvary Hill

As parents instruct the kids how to build this project, and plant and water the grass seeds, they have the opportunity to teach, or further discuss, the reality of the death and resurrection of Jesus, why and how He died, and what that means for all of us!

 This Calvary Hill plant needs to be nurtured and tended to by the kids, throughout Lent. By Easter, it is beautiful plant, symbolic why we celebrate. It makes for a wonderful Easter table centerpiece, and can also be put outdoors to keep for many months!  We put ours out near our gardens, on our potting bench.  It can also simply be placed right into a garden bed, or on a deck. We trimmed the grass down when necessary, and kept it watered, enjoying it for long past Easter.

001_calvary-hill-plant-supplies Pictured here are some of the supplies you will need.

Here is a more complete list: 

  • Organic Seed Starting Mix (we used Jiffy brand)
  • Organic Hard Winter Wheat Berries, OR, Winter Rye (we used Winter Rye),
  • a large (12″) flower pot dish (w/ no drain hole),
  • a small (4″) flower pot and it’s dish,
  • small rocks (for drainage),
  • a pail
  • pail and shovel, with some water, for mixing soil.
  • some straightish-sticks of any kind, for the crucifixes
  • brown twine to tie together crucifixes
  • probably a glue gun

002_easter-kids-lent-project First will be creating Jesus’ tomb: Lie the small pot on it’s side, in the center of the large pot dish, with the opening of the pot a couple of inches or so from the inside edge of the big dish. The small pot is representative of Jesus’ tomb. You just want to be sure you leave room for the dish to that pot, to be in front of the pot opening, and room to roll to the side, which will serve as the stone in front of Jesus’ tomb.
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003_kids-lent-project Fill the whole bottom of the large potting dish with small rocks on the 3 sides of the small pot (Jesus’ tomb), supporting it to keep it from rolling. Smaller rocks than we used are acceptable and may even be more suitable and manageable. We just grabbed some from our driveway! 
–

004_mixing-soil Next, in a pail, add water to some Organic Seed Starter Mix . . . . . .

005_ . . . . . .and mix to make some nice wet dirt!

006_ Time to get dirty!

Scoop handfuls of dirt out of the pail, and place it all around the sides of and behind the tomb, as well as right over the top of it.  Create a nice round hill. 

*Note that in these photos, you see some dirt in front of the lid and somewhat in the way here. We learned that was not a good idea, as dirt was always falling out when we moved the lid. It is best to keep it clear of any soil.

007_soil  Again, keep the dirt away from the front of the tomb, so the ‘stone’ can roll away.  But be sure the tomb is covered in the soil mixture.

009_calvary-hill-seeding Next, is planting the seed. As mentioned earlier, we used Winter Rye, but Organic Hard Winter Wheat Berries can also be used.  Either grow quickly!  Simply cover the soil with the seed, pressing down into it if possible, and perhaps cover it with some more where you can, if there is room.

010_stick-crosses Now 3 crucifixes need to be made.  We wanted to keep it simple and rustic, so we simply found some straight sticks up in our wooded area, and created crossed wrapping the twine in a criss-cross effect around the intersection of the 2 sticks.  We tied off and then cut the twine ends, but then also used a dab of glue with a glue gun to secure it.

011_building-calvary-hill-plant-easter The crucifixes can be placed into the soil of your Calvary Hill now, as we did right away.  But as a tip, they would stay in place better, if you waited a bit for the seed to sprout and begin to grow, so there is a bit of a root system established to support the sticks.


012_kids-calvary-hill-plant-project
Here is what ours looked like, all done and ready to grow!

We brought it indoors, and placed it on a plastic covered table where sunlight would be on it a good part of the day. Throughout the first week or so, the kids need to simply mist spray the soil with water, in a spray bottle, 3 times a day, to keep the soil moist, and encourage the seed to sprout.  Perhaps you can come up with a simple 1 or 2 line poem to say, while they do this, as a form of meditation.
–

013_kids-lent-project
It’s growing!  The kids will be so excited to see this.

As sprouts push upward from beneath, some dirt will tumble down. This is why it is important to really try to keep the soil quite moist, until it is all held in place by the grass that grows. We thought the plastic table covering was wise, because all of the water spraying.
–

014-seeds-sprouting You will also notice some seeds and seed casings being pushed up to the surface. It’s fine.


015_calvary-hill-plant-easter
Before you know it, you’ll have lush green grass, on your Calvary Hill!

More photos of Jesus’ empty tomb….

016_calvary-hill-plant

017_calvary-hill-plant-jesus-tomb

018_rustic-stick-crucifixes I just love this photo.


019_calvary-hill-kids-project
On Good Friday, you can wrap a clothespin with a white piece of cloth or paper towel, or simply cover it.  The clothespin and wrap is representative of Jesus’ body.
  Then roll the stone to close the opening of His tomb.  : (
–

020_easter-empty-tomb-calvary-hill-plant-kids-project
On Easter morning
, JESUS IS RISEN!  When the kids get up in the morning, let them find the stone rolled away from Jesus’ tomb, and his garments folded or rolled neatly inside. 

It is our hope and prayer as adults, that our Lenten Season practices, help draw us closer to Jesus, deepening our relationship with Him.  May your kids not only enjoy this project, but like the seeds in the fertile soil, may it help sprout a faith in their hearts, that is bound to grow within them, and help guide them all throughout their lives.

ALLELUIA!!

(We’re happy to discuss this project, or answer any questions for you, in the comments below.)

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Filed Under: Crafts & Creations, Faith, Homeschooling, Kids Arts and Crafts, Kids Arts and Crafts, The Big Picture, Tutorial Tagged With: calvary-hill-plant, calvary-hill-plant-how-to, calvary-hill-plant-tutorial, Catholic-blogs, Catholic-families, Catholic-kids, christian-kids-project, Easter, easter-kids-projects, Easter-plant, Easter-table-centerpiece, kids-easter-crafts, kids-easter-lent-projects, kids-lent-projects, lenten-arts-and-crafts, lenten-projects, triplets

Stained-Glass (looking) Tissue Paper Easter Cross – Kids Craft

April 7, 2009 By Laura 20 Comments

Today we have an Easter themed craft tutorial for you!  It is beautiful, and so fun to make!  It’s a stained-glass (looking) tissue paper Easter cross, for your home or school windows. Or glass door!

stained-glass-tissue-easter-cross-craft_mini

The kids have been working really hard with their school work, and will actually be done with their formal work in just a couple of weeks.  So in preparing our hearts and minds for this Holy week, we decided to do some more lengthy study of the Stations of the Cross, and then get creative today and make a big Stained Glass (looking) Easter cross decoration for our Easter celebration come this Sunday.  It will be fitting in faith and spring spirit, to leave it up as beautiful cheery decor, for several weeks following Easter.

There were really only 5 things we needed:  a very large sheet of window cling, lots of colored tissue paper, a sponge brush, some Modge Podge and a pair of scissors.

colored-tissue-paper-layers modge-podge-gloss-lustre

I didn’t take photos of this part, but, we first drew out a large cross on the back of the window cling material backing-paper, using a board for the straight edges, and a round container for the rounded decor ends of the cross.  Once that was done, the kids all grabbed sheets of the tissue paper, and starting ripping it into pieces 1-2 inches or so. (Might I add, the colors each of them go for are so predictable.  lol)

stained-glass-tissue-easter-cross-craft_6 stained-glass-tissue-easter-cross-craft_5

Once we had plenty of pieces ready to go, I started spreading some Modge Podge, with a sponge brush,  in small sections (on the front) of the cross at a time, going outside of the lines somewhat on purpose.  Then the kids got to work, putting down pieces, overlapping each other, and rubbing them down.

stained-glass-tissue-easter-cross-craft stained-glass-tissue-easter-cross-craft_3

When the entire cross was almost done being covered with pieces of colored tissue, I started on one end, and went over any uplifted corners, or flappy pieces, of tissue, just Modge-Podging them down good with my sponge brush.  I LOVE Modge Podge-that stuff is great for so many projects!

stained-glass-tissue-easter-cross-craft_2 stained-glass-tissue-easter-cross-craft_4

We made the cross 20″x34″.

Once it was all dry, we cut it out!

cuttingout

It was a perfect fit for our front door, because we planned it that way. : )

stained-glass-tissue-easter-cross-craft_1

With the main events of Holy Week still before us, we anticipate the somber and difficult remembrance of the journey Jesus has yet before Him-and we will follow Him all the way to His last breath.

But the radiating colors of this cross, brought to life by the sunlight, reflect the state of our hearts come Sunday, when we will celebrate our risen Jesus Christ, in all of His dazzling and promising glory.

stained-glass-tissue-easter-cross-craft_1 cumosaic-300x214

We appreciate the 100’s of visits our blog has received in the past couple of days.  As we all take part in this holiest week of the year, and end our personal Lenten journeys, may you feel your hearts full of peace, prayer, and the undeniable presence of the Holy Spirit, and find yourself in a deeper, and more meaningful relationship with Christ.

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Filed Under: Crafts & Creations, Faith, Faith/ Catholic, Holiday Crafts, Kids Arts and Crafts, Kids Arts and Crafts, The Big Picture, Tutorial Tagged With: beautiful-Easter-crafts, Catholic-blogs, Catholic-crafts, Catholic-family-activities, easter-crafts, Easter-home-decor-idea, faux-stained-glass-craft, faux-stained-glass-window-craft, kids-easter-crafts, kids-religious-Easter-crafts, paper, tissue, tissue paper crafts, tissue-paper-craft

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