Easter Salvation Storyboard Craft

Easter is coming up in just a few weeks so I thought I would post my all time favorite Easter craft.  I first made this about five years ago when I was preparing the Easter lesson for our church's nursery kids (ages 0-5 years old).  I have used it in several other lessons.  You can adjust it to fit the needs and ages of the children you are teaching.

Scripture
Matthew 27:32-28:10--Jesus' death on the cross and resurrection from the tomb.

Lesson Objective
Jesus saves me from my sin
-or-
Jesus is alive!

Memory Verse
"All who believe in Jesus have their sins forgiven through his name." (Acts 10:43, simplified from the NIrV)
-or-
"This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us." (1 John 3:16)
-or-
A different verse of your choosing

Salvation Storyboard Craft
Materials
-Illustrated picture of Jesus (check out a free one here)
-Crayons
-Craft sticks, 3 per craft
-Glue
-Construction paper, blue, green, and brown
-Dark colored felt, cut into circles
-Cotton balls

Directions
Ahead of time
-Cut blue and green construction paper in half lengthwise.  Glue together so that the green is overlapping the blue slightly.  Put glue at the ends, leaving the middle open.
-Cut brown construction paper into a semi-circle.  Glue this in the middle of the green paper and tack it down with a dot of glue at the top of the circle on the blue paper.
-Break one craft stick in half.  You can do this by cutting a notch on each side of the stick - it should break easily.


With Child
1. Have child color picture of Jesus.  Glue to a craft stick.  Set aside.
2. Give child a prepared storyboard, a piece of felt, a few cotton balls, and one full plus one half of a craft stick.  Glue craft sticks together to form a cross.  Glue the cross onto the storyboard.

3. Glue the felt circle onto the storyboard.  This will be the stone in front of the tomb.

4. Glue the cotton balls to the right of the tomb.  These will be clouds.
5. Write the following text across the bottom of the storyboard:
     "Jesus died on the cross for my sins."
     "He was buried in the tomb but He came back to life."
     "Then He went home to heaven.  Jesus is alive!"
6. Use the storyboard to tell the story of Jesus dying on the cross, being buried in the tomb and raised to life, and then ascending to heaven.

What's your favorite Easter craft for toddlers and/or preschoolers?