Easy unleavened bread
You will need: 175g plain flour; 100ml water; 2 tbsp oil; pinch of salt; baking tray; greaseproof paper; clean-up and cover-up equipment
Part of the instruction God gives for the night of Passover is that the bread people eat should be made without yeast. This, of course, adds to the feeling of hurry and flight that the people experience. Here is a quick and easy recipe for unleavened bread that will provide opportunity for discussion around the story.
Pre-heat the oven to 180°C. Mix together the flour, salt, water and oil until a dough is formed. You may need to add a little more flour if the dough is too wet to handle. On a floured surface, take turns kneading the dough over a period of about five minutes and then separate the dough into six pieces. Place the dough on a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper and bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Take the bread out of the oven and leave to cool. Eat with or without butter, but eat in a hurry, fully dressed in coats and ready to go, just as the Israelites would have done. Take the opportunity to talk about what it would feel like to leave your home in a hurry.
Kitchen utensil painting
You will need: paper; paint; easy-to-wash kitchen utensils eg plastic spoons, potato masher, forks
This craft helps children to reflect on the special meal that God instructs the Israelites to make on the night of the Passover. This activity is suitable for a First Steps Together group.
Talk about the special meal that God asks the Israelites to make and then give the children free reign to create a piece of special kitchen artwork. Put dots of paint on the paper and encourage them to use the utensils to paint with. Don’t worry about the mess! Use the painting time as a chance to chat to the children about what a special meal would look like to them. What food do they eat at important times?
Passover protection pictures
You will need: paper; masking tape; felt-tip pens
On the night of Passover, God’s angel literally ‘passes over’ the homes which have been daubed with the blood of a lamb. This craft explores the idea of ‘passing over’ and protection.
Ask children to use the masking tape to create a pattern over their paper. Use felt-tip pens to colour over the top of the whole paper. When the pen has dried, carefully remove the masking tape. You will be left with blank spaces which have been protected by the tape, while the rest of the page will be coloured. Link this to the imagery of the homes being protected while the angel passes over them and take the opportunity to think about situations where the children might look for God’s help and protection.
Promised Land construction
You will need: wooden blocks (Jenga blocks would be suitable); play dough; Lego or other construction blocks
This craft is more of an invitation to play, imagine and build! God was leading the Israelites out of Egypt towards the Promised Land - a place that none of them had ever seen before. Ask the children to imagine what the Promised Land might look like (or what they would like a promised land to look like!) and then get them to use the blocks, Lego and play dough to make a model of it. It would be interesting for children to work in small groups to come up with some ideas. Leave time for the children to share and explain what they have made and be ready to be astounded by their ideas!
