How to Use the Jelly Bean Prayer to Teach Kids About Easter

Easter is coming, and with it, bunnies, baskets, and Easter egg hunts! In the midst of all the fun, the true meaning of Easter can be lost or overlooked. As Christian parents, it’s important to take every opportunity to teach our kids what this sacred day is really all about. One fun way to make the Gospel come alive is to share the Good News of Jesus with The Jelly Bean Prayer.

free easter

bible reading plan

Make Easter a meaningful time of reflection and renewal by walking through Jesus' last week.

Then, grow in faith after Easter as part of our Scripture Sisterhood email community.

The Jelly Bean Prayer is a short, sweet poem that uses jelly bean colors to teach kids about Christ’s sacrifice at the cross. Each color represents part of God’s story of redemption.

Plus, the use of candy to tell the story of Easter is a great way to make this crucial story meaningful and exciting!

PIN IT THIS RESOURCE:

The Jelly Bean Prayer

by: Charlene Dickerson

Red is for the blood He gave
Green is for the grass He made.
Yellow is for the sun so bright.

Orange is for the edge of night.
Black is for the sins we made.

White is for the grace He gave.
Purple is for His hour of sorrow.
Pink is for our new tomorrow.

An egg full of jellybeans
colorful and sweet,
is a prayer, a promise,
a loved one’s treat.

How to Use the Jelly Bean Prayer to Teach Your Kids About Easter

Read it aloud together

To teach The Jelly Bean Prayer to your kids, start by reading it to them. As you read it aloud, give them a jelly bean of each color as you share the symbolism of each one.

Afterwards, have them teach it back to you. For each line they recite, they receive a bean of that color. They’ll know the poem backwards and forwards in no time!

As you teach the poem, be sure to stop and explain what each item means. For example, tell your kids, “Black is for our sin, the wrong things we do, because sin separates us from God. That’s sad isn’t it?”

Make a craft

To take it further, help your kids to make a craft based on The Jelly Bean Prayer. While your options are endless, consider making a sweet treat that doubles as a necklace or bracelet. All you have to do is string the beans on a bit of ribbon, tie it up, and you’re good to go!

As you help your child create their masterpiece, place emphasis on the colors of the prayer and what they symbolize. Encourage your children to discuss the meaning of the colors as they make their craft.

For more Christian Easter activities for families, grab some fabulous ideas, here!

Share it with friends

Another idea is to let kids make jelly bean bags for their friends and family. You can grab the free Jellybean Prayer printable here, and then attach one prayer to each bag. Have them recite the poem each time they give it as a gift and share the meaning with the recipeient. This is also a great way to share the Gospel with friends at school, too!

Read the Easter Scriptures together

Make the meaning of the Jellybean Prayer real and tangible by reading through the Scriptures of the last week of Jesus’ life. Our free Easter Bible Reading Plan is perfect for families to read through and discuss the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus and the way it redeems all our sins.

The celebration of Easter is the most important celebration that Christians should have. Let the Jellybean Prayer help you make it a simple and effective way to turn candy into a conversation about Christ!

Grab your free Jellybean Prayer printable here to use in your own family or church group this Easter season.