Tips for helping children to get the most out of Passover Seder:
-Start early! If Seder is the first time children are hearing about Passover, Moses, the Israelites leaving Egypt, the death of the Messiah, etc. it will be a confusing night for them. Parents, start talking to your kids about the Passover story in the weeks before. Read books, watch movies, make crafts, and have discussion about the events in the Bible you expect to be talked about at Seder. Those involved in children's ministries, the same goes for you. Spend time leading up to Passover familiarizing children with these parts of Scripture and what they can expect at Seder. If your congregation is hosting a Seder, see about getting the kids involved for part of the service via acting out a skit or singing a song or two.
-If you are hosting, make it a kid friendly event! Speak with simple words and use analogies that children can relate to. Ask questions to get them involved or let them ask questions to satisfy their curiosity. Use props or toys to tell the Exodus story in an engaging way. Take breaks to give the kids a chance to move around. Keep the evening to a reasonable amount of time; if it's going to be late, have a place for children to take naps. Remember to not get upset when a small voice occasionally interrupts or a baby cries - this is an important time for them to learn!
-Encourage kids to run around and play beforehand. Seder can be a lot of time sitting still, and it's easier to do that if you're not bursting at the seams with bottled up energy. Before Seder, give kids time to play on the swing set or playground. An adult could organize a game like kickball or an obstacle course (how cool would a special 'fleeing Egypt' themed obstacle course be?). Or simply have all the kids run a few laps around the house or building before the meal starts.
-Ask them to participate. Letting kids be a sanctioned part of what's going on can make the evening a lot more meaningful to them. Have each child recite an age appropriate verse or passage of Scripture. Or ask the children to act out part of the Passover story during the meal. If your Seder will go over the plagues against Egypt, get the kids involved with holding up a puppet or prop to represent each plague (or even let them throw them if that works). Ask them to draw a certain picture related to Passover. Give them jobs like passing out parsley or matzah.
-Let them munch on matzah or another snack. It's not very realistic or fair to ask kids to sit at the dinner table looking at food for an hour before letting them eat. (Especially if you have food out on the table for them to look at!) Let parents know that it's okay for kids to snack on unleavened bread or whatever else during the service.
-Have discussion time. Especially if the Seder you attend is of the more formal and lengthy caliber, discussing what's going on throughout the evening whenever you have a chance can help kids to get a firmer grasp on what these things mean. Ask if they have questions. Don't hesitate to break down what's happening into simple terms. Say things like, "This salt water is like all the tears we would cry if Yahusha wasn't in our life," or "The Messiah gave grape juice to his disciples at the last supper, just like we're drinking." If you're leading the Seder, be sure and include simple explanations of what's going on for the kids!
-Have quiet activities for them to do at the table. Give the kids coloring books or activity pages related to the Passover story that they can work on throughout the evening. Playing with a small baby 'Moses' doll and basket or toy lamb could be other options.
-Make the setting fun. Use decorations to captivate younger guests imaginations. Could you make the room or table setting look like ancient Egypt? How about having children help you hang up crepe paper or a red cloth on the door to represent the blood of the lamb? Could you put down a blue blanket or paper to represent the Red Sea and have all the children cross it at that part of the Exodus story? What about making that obstacle course that represents different parts of the Israelites journey to freedom?
-Remind them of their own story. There are so many parallels to our own lives from the story of the Israelites being set free from slavery. Be sure to talk to kids about how that works in their lives! Talk about the impact the Messiah's death has on them. Remind them of personal moments where they saw the faithfulness of YHWH.
-How about a present? Send kids home with a small token to help them remember the evening and all that they learned. The Passover activity books could serve a dual purpose here. More gift ideas here.
More ideas for kids and the Spring feasts:
Kids Crafts for Passover, Unleavened Bread, and First Fruits
12 Ways to Celebrate Unleavened Bread
DIY Matzah Pinata
