Celebrating the Spring Equinox with Your Children

For many Pagans the Spring Equinox is a time of renewal and rebirth. The sun moves into the sign of Aries, the first sign of the Zodiac. This Sabbat is a time of joy and fun with friends and family alike. Welcoming in the spring can be a wonderful way for Pagan parents to share their beliefs with their children and create family traditions that everyone can enjoy.

In many traditions this marks the beginning of the new year as well. The Romans began their year on March 15th, in England and Ireland between the 12th century and 1752 March 25th was the first day of the new year, the Persian New Year falls on the spring Equinox, and the Babylonian New Year began with the first New Moon after the Spring Equinox. The newness of the year and the newness of life go hand in hand for many Pagan families.

Many parents take this time to go outside and enjoy the warmer spring weather. Children are often excited to go out after the long winter stuck inside, and are naturally curious about the signs of spring all around them. Showing children the plants and animals that are making their way out to greet the spring is a great way to teach children about the Equinox and what it brings.

While you are outside with your children why not start a garden? Seeds and new plants are perfect examples of the new life that comes with the spring. Spend time with your children getting your hands dirty working in your own garden. Children can easily see the cycle of life, death, and new life by watching the plants grow, be harvested, and grow anew.

Though the tradition has been co-opted by much of Christianity, having an egg hunt is a wonderful tradition that Pagan parents can share with their children. Paint the eggs with symbols such as snakes, spirals, and moons; then hide the eggs outside for your children to hunt. If you have a stead hand some like to poke a small hole in the egg while it is raw, drain the yolks and whites out, and use the hollow shell to hold a wish for the new year. Carefully paint the egg then either hold it and make your wish, or write your wish on a small scrap of paper that you can roll and place inside the egg. This can be a great way to tell your children about the new life eggs symbolize.

While you are enjoying the beauty of spring with your children do not forget to prepare a spring altar. Use light, spring colors such as pale green and sky blue. Let your children decorate the altar with feathers, flowers, seeds, and any other spring time items that they find. If you choose to make wish eggs you can add those to the altar as well. Really let your children be a part of the altar preparation. Some may want to color pictures to add to the altar, some may want to select certain candles. However your children choose to help, allowing them to be involved gets them excited about the Spring Equinox.

Building a tradition that your family can enjoy year after year on the Spring Equinox can be a wonderful way to share your faith with your children and build lasting bonds. Take the time to decorate the altar together, plant some new seeds, and watch the first hints of green come up from the ground. These simple acts will build the foundation of understanding that you can build upon as your children grow.

Recommended books:

The Spring Equinox – Ellen Jackson
Caterpillar Spring, Butterfly Summer – Susan Hood
Our Big Home – Linda Glaser
A Kid’s Spring Ecojournal – Toni Albert
Ostara – Edain McCoy