This post: Celebrating Easter with Teens: 12 Ways to Make it Meaningful & Fun
Written by: Raising Teens Today Community
It feels like yesterday… my kids would scramble out of bed on Easter morning bursting with excitement in hopes that the Easter bunny came leaving behind a hidden basket filled with everything they love.
Later, after they ate their hallow chocolate bunny and downed more jelly beans than humanly possible, we’d venture off to church in our Sunday best alongside every other parent with little ones who were wired up on a sugar high. Ahhh… those were the days.
Even though things have changed a bit since my kids were young, there’s still beauty in the holiday – just in a different way. Some traditions we’ve carried on, while others have faded away. Still, we always make the day memorable.
If you’re a parent of teens, here are a few ways to make this Easter special. Oh… and don’t let your teen fool you… they still love hallow chocolate bunnies and Easter egg hunts.
Celebrating Easter with Teens: 12 Ways to Make it Meaningful & Fun
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Create a Special Easter Basket for Your Teen
Even though your boy towers over you and your daughter acts too cool for traditions, they STILL love getting an Easter basket! Even a few trinkets tucked in a basket will make them feel loved and make Easter more special. And, the best part is, it doesn’t have to be expensive! Need ideas? Check out these 28 DIY Easter Basket Ideas for Teens and 18 Creative Easter Baskets for Teens!
Photo credit: Passionate Penny Pincher
Attend Easter Sunrise Service
The beauty of having teenagers is that they’re at an age when they can truly appreciate the meaning of religious holidays. Even if your family isn’t especially religious, attending an Easter sunrise service, (or a traditional Easter mass), is a beautiful way to start the day. Many churches host their own sunrise service and some towns organize non-denominational services that are casual (great for teens because they don’t have to dress up) and meaningful.
Go All Out for Breakfast or Brunch
Nothing makes a holiday feel more special than when you pull out all the stops with a fancy meal. Whip a special breakfast or bunch, set the table with your “good china” and splurge on those homemade bakery-style croissants or muffins at the store. Let your teen get in on the cooking and put them in charge of making the pancakes, scrambled eggs, or anything else they feel they can handle. Check out these 75 Easter Brunch Recipes!
Plan a “Teen Style” Easter Egg Hunt
Teenagers might be big on the outside, but they’re still little on the inside. So, go ahead, fill those plastic Easter eggs with candy, money, gift cards, or even lottery tickets, and hide them in the house or around the backyard. (I had one mom tell me that her kids invite their friends over and they have one big Easter egg hunt for all the kids!) Want to really ramp up your Easter egg hunt? Buy these Glow-in-the-Dark Easter Eggs and have your teens hunt for eggs in the dark!
Make a Special Easter Charcuterie Board
So many adorable ideas to choose from! Just give it a search on Google and you’ll find an Easter-inspired charcuterie board that suits your family. From fancy breakfast and vegetable boards to spectacular sweets and desserts boards, charcuterie boards aren’t just about the food and its presentation, they’re about gathering with people we love and care about – that’s what makes them so darn special. Check out these 18 Crazy Cute Charcuterie Boards Your Family’s Gonna Love
Image: Wanderlustboards on Instagram
Let Your Teen Host a “Friend’s Easter Egg Coloring Gathering”
Coloring Easter eggs sure has come a long way since I was a kid. Now they have SO many fun ways to decorate eggs! From marbling and sparkles to the shaving cream method (tons of fun for teens!) and using tissue paper to get an amazing look, if you tap into some of the newer and cooler ways to decorate eggs, there’s no way your teen will be bored! Let your teen invite a few friends over for a friend’s Easter egg coloring gathering. (Be sure to serve a few fun snacks and drinks!) Check out this post: 45 Creative Ways to Make Colorful Easter Eggs.
Plan a Festive Traditional Easter Dinner
Teenagers love traditions – even if they don’t particularly show it. Why not plan a festive traditional Easter dinner complete with a delicious ham, honey-glazed carrots, scalloped potatoes, and hot-out-of-the-oven rolls? Give your teen the chance to test out their culinary skills by giving them a task in the kitchen or put them in charge of the fancy dessert. Check out these Simple and Festive Easter Dinner Ideas!
Bake Easter Cupcakes (or a Cake)
Every Easter, my daughter and I make a big batch of Easter-inspired cupcakes. We plan ahead of time what flavored cupcakes we’re going to make and the decorations we want to use. Then, a day or two before Easter, we deliver them to friends and neighbors. It’s SUCH a fun tradition and our friends absolutely love it! Don’t let these fancy cupcakes intimidate you, they’re really easy to make – even for typical “non-bakers!” Check out (below) some of the supplies we used to make these!
Sign Up for an Easter Fun Run
A lot of towns and cities host an annual Easter Fun Run which can be a lot of fun to bring your family together. Who cares if you walk part of the way or even make it to the finish line at all? It’s more about spending quality time together! Ask your teen if they’d like to sign up… they might just surprise you!
Play an Easter-Inspired Teen-Friendly Game
Our teens definitely aren’t too old to play a few fun games. Plus, games get the whole family together for a ton of fun and laughs!
- Guess the Number of Jelly Beans: Fill a jar with jelly beans and have everyone guess how many are in the jar – the winner wins a gift card or money.
- Peeps Stack Game: All you need for this game is a box of Peeps, a plate, and a timer. Each player has one minute to stack as many peeps as they can using their mouth.
- Egg Toss: Create teams of two and have them stand across from each other and throw an egg back and forth. After every toss, each person takes a step backward. The last team who hasn’t broken or dropped an egg wins!
- Volleyball, Badminton, Croquet, Corn Hole, Ring Toss, or Other Yard Games: Sometimes, the most traditional games are the best!
- Good ‘Ole Fashioned Family Backyard Football Game: Got a family who loves football? Get a game going in the backyard and strike up some fun competition and laughs.
- Need more ideas? Check out these 20 Hilarious Easter Games for Families
Plan a Family & Friends Picnic
Pack the car with a frisbee, fun outdoor games, a portable speaker so you can crank up the music, and plenty of snacks and drinks to munch on and find the best spot in town for a picnic with the family and friends. It’s an inexpensive and fun way to bond with your kids and get away from it all. You might be surprised how much your kids actually enjoy it! Here are a few picnic food ideas to try!
Hunker Down and Watch an Easter Movie
Most teens would be on board chilling out with the family to watch a movie as long as a few movie night snacks are involved. Whether you’re looking for a biblical-themed movie, a lighthearted humorous movie, or something in the middle, there are tons of great Easter movies your teen will enjoy! Check out these 26 Easter Movies the Whole Family Will Enjoy.
OTHER meaningful ways to celebrate Easter with your family:
- Volunteer as a family
- Take an afternoon hike
- Observe Lent as a family
- Do an Easter puzzle
- Put on your Sunday best (or just be casual) and take a family photo
- Do a fun Easter craft
- Huddle around a bonfire and tell inspiring Bible stories