Here are some ideas that you could do with your children at home, that link the children’s everyday experiences to the Bible. As you play or create, you can talk about what happened on Palm Sunday.
TEACHING POINT
People wanted to praise Jesus the king. Some of the religious leaders didn’t like this.
PROGRAMME
Let’s Pretend: Get your instruments and ribbons out. Have upbeat worship music that you can all dance to.
Book corner: Couple of beanbags in the corner – cosy up and read a story together, maybe you have one about kings/queens/royalty otherwise you could look for a book about friends, celebrations or share a story about Jesus.
Construction: Wooden bricks or another type of construction and play people- children to create their own palaces Den building equipment (blankets/large material/chairs/sticks etc- build your own ‘palace’ large scale
Small world: Do you have a play castle or perhaps you can junk model your own, you could use carboard boxes, toilet rolls etc enjoy raiding the recycling.
Sand/water: Sand – Hide plastic jewels/money/other treasure, children to use sieves and spades to hunt for treasure.
Physical play: Blown up balloons so the children can gently throw and kick to the music.
Games: Palm Leaf Relay. Get into two equal teams and have one half on one side of the room and the other half on the opposite side of the room. Give each team two giant leaves (make beforehand by cutting a leaf shape out of large paper, you will need x4 giant leaves, x2 for each team). Then take it in turns to ‘get across the dusty road’, using the palm leaves. You mustn’t touch the floor until you get to the other side of the room. If you don’t have enough ‘team’, you can complete time trials and see how quick each person can get from one side of the room to the other.
Craft: You could make your own palm branches at home to wave.
STORY TIME
Reception age and younger (Fruitshoots & Acorns at Vineyard Kids)
Find your Bible at home and read the story of Palm Sunday together.
You could read this story from the Beginners Bible page 427-432 (Luke 19, John 12) sharing the book with your child or act it out with the children, one person being Jesus on a donkey, one narrating, don’t forget to cheer 😊
Explain to the children that before Jesus died Palm Sunday happened and churches all over the world remember this day today. So, today we are going to learn that Jesus is a king and then celebrate how he is a king next week on Easter Sunday.
The True King
Jesus and his disciples went to Jerusalem for the Passover Feast. Jesus told two of his disciples to bring him a donkey. He told them where to find it.
Jesus rode the donkey into Jerusalem.
A big crowd welcomed him.
People waved palm branches and put them on the road in front of Jesus. They shouted, “Hosanna! Hosanna! Blessed is the King of Israel!”
The leaders in Jerusalem did not like Jesus. They saw how many people were following him, and they were angry about it. They were jealous. Message Everyone realised that Jesus was the son of God and wanted to show him that they loved him.
School years 1-6 (Hive at Vineyard Kids)
Explain to the children that before Jesus died Palm Sunday happened and churches all over the world remember this day today. So, today we are going to learn that Jesus is a king and then celebrate how he is a king next week on Easter Sunday.
Make way for the King. John 12.
Two of Jesus’ friends went to look for a donkey. Jesus had told them where to find it. It would be tied right by the village gate. It was going to be a special donkey. Jesus was going to ride on it.
When the friends found the donkey, they took it to Jesus. They put their coats on its back, and Jesus got on.
When the people saw Jesus coming, they began to shout with joy. “Hosanna! Hosanna! Blessed is the King who in the name of the Lord!”
Some people cut branches off the palm trees. They laid the branches on the road and they praised God in loud voices for the wonderful things Jesus had done.
Jesus rode to the big city of Jerusalem. The crowds followed him. The leaders of the people were angry. “See how all the people follow Jesus now? They do not follow us anymore. We must get rid of Jesus,” they said.
Sum Up: This story is the start of the Easter story. Jesus came into Jerusalem on a donkey. The crowd was excited to see him and praised him and called him a king. Some of the crowd (Pharisees) were angry that people were calling Jesus a king especially as he was riding a donkey and thought this was disrespectful. Jesus had always gone for a humble option throughout his life. Even though he was the Son of God, and a king, he was born in a stable and rode a donkey. The Pharisees did not like that.
MESSAGE AND PRAYER TIME
Up to 3 years old (Fruitshoots)
What would you like to thank Jesus for today? Thank you that you are our King. Thank you that you think that we are your princesses and princes and you want to give us gifts because you love us so much.
From 3 years to Reception age (Acorns)
Thank you that you are our King. Thank you that you think that we are your princesses and princes. Thank you, Jesus, that you want to give us gifts because you love us so much and because we are you princes and princesses. What would you like to ask Jesus for today? He loves to bless us as a family, so let’s talk to Jesus today if there is something that we want to ask Him.
School years 1-6 (Hive)
A question: Our Jesus was born in a stable with smelly animals and put in a manger where the animals ate, he rode a donkey instead of a horse but He is Gods son, a King… why do you think he did this? Would you if you were Jesus?
Pray together… Thank you that you are our King. Thank you that you think that we are your Royalty, your royal family, your princesses and princes. Thank you, Jesus, that you want to give us gifts because you love us so much and because we are your royalty. What would you like to ask Jesus for today? He wants to bless us as a family, so let’s talk to Jesus today if there is something that we want to ask Him. Thank you that you also want to give gifts to others, is there anyone that you think needs a special gift from Jesus at the moment? Ask Him 😊