By CTA – Christ to All
What You’ll Need
- A pretzel rod and a half for each participant
- Red licorice roping or laces (small strips peeled from larger piece)
- White icing
- Variety of sprinkles
- One paper plate per participant
- Marker(s) on each table to label plates with name of child
- Plastic knife or wooden craft stick for each child
- Small plastic containers for icing (one for every 2–4 children)
- Optional: large plastic zipper-top bags
What You’ll Do
- Have the children position the pretzel rods on their paper plates to form a cross.
- Use the small licorice roping to “tie” the rods together, crisscrossing them around the pretzel pieces to hold the cross together. Parents will need to help younger children with this part of the project. (Note: Have extra pretzels available to replace those that break.)
- The craft leader should explain that the cross was not a beautiful object. Like the pretzel, it was brown and rugged. It was a tree on which people were crucified, killed. While families continue to work, tell the story of how and why Jesus was crucified. Stress the truth that because Jesus earned our salvation by dying on the cross for our sins, we can see the cross as beautiful. Even though Jesus’ suffering and death make us sad, we can be happy that God raised Jesus from the dead on the first Easter. Jesus is alive! It’s time to make the crosses beautiful.
- At this point, transform the ugly pretzel crosses by spreading icing over them and decorating with sprinkles.
- Invite children to eat the snack now or take it home in a plastic bag.
Editor’s note: Today’s craft-snack is included in the FREE, downloadable Family Easter Egg Hunt Guide—A Community Outreach Event. To see CTA’s children’s Easter products, click here.
