Anticipation Garden

We’ve been talking about Easter and what it’s about. I was telling Jackson that we are anticipating the death and rise of Jesus Christ. He asked me, “What’s anticipation?” I explained to him that it is the feeling of excitement about something that is going to happen.

It could be an expectation or prediction. I told him that there are several places in the Bible from before Jesus was even alive, where we are told about Jesus’ birth and death. Because of what the prophets had seen and told people, believers have anticipated His coming. Because we are Christians and believe that Jesus died for us, we are anticipating his return.

Jackson said, “Well I believe in Jesus, am I anticipating his return too?”

I told him, yes and he told me to wait to start the garden because he wanted to get something. He came right back with a rubber bracelet on to show me. “It says ‘Soldier of God’, Mom, so I think if we’re making something about Jesus, I should wear this so He knows I believe in Him”, Jackson said.

He needed to understand more, so I decided to have them plant an anticipation garden so they could see that when you plant something and water it, you can “anticipate” that it will grow. I thought a good way to show this would be to pour out some grass seed and water it. It’s so cool because they are checking for growth everyday. Hopefully the grass will come in right at Easter!

Materials Needed: (all of these can be bought at the dollar store or found outside)

• Large pot
• Small pot
• Stone to cover entrance to cave
• Soil
• Grass seed
• Small pebbles for the ground in front of the cave
• Shovel
• Watering can
• Sticks for crosses
• Glue

Start by using soil (I used some dirt right from our backyard where we are getting ready to put in a planter) to fill up large pot about ¾ full. Then place the smaller pot on its side and fill around it leaving it open inside. Place the pebbles all over lower section of pot and cover opening of cave with the stone.

Then they poured the grass seed all over the top of the cave and stuck in 3 crosses that they made from glued together sticks. Last step was to water it……and wait.