Palm Sunday Bible Lesson for Preschool and Big Kids
Teaching kids the Bible story of Palm Sunday is a fantastic way to help them understand the joy and significance of Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem. You can bring this important story to life with engaging lesson plans, hands-on crafts, fun activities, and kid-friendly YouTube videos. Whether you're a Sunday school teacher, homeschool parent, or work in a faith-based school, these ideas will help you share the message of Palm Sunday in a way kids in preschool and beyond will love!
WHAT IS PALM SUNDAY?
Palm Sunday is a day that people celebrate and remember when Jesus entered Jerusalem, and people honored him. They waved palm branches, laid their coats on the road, and shouted, "Hosanna!" which means "Save us!" They welcomed Jesus like a king! How quickly things change because just a few days later, the people would be mocking him and calling for his crucifixion.
Palm Sunday is the start of Holy Week, which leads up to Easter. On this day, we celebrate Jesus’ love and His amazing resurrection!
THE STORY of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem
The Bible story of Jesus’ Triumphal Entry story is in all four gospels (Matthew 21:1-11, Mark 11:1-11, Luke 19:28-44, and John 12:12-19).
Jesus and his disciples were traveling to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. When they were close to the city, Jesus instructed two disciples to go to a nearby village and find a young donkey. Jesus rode the donkey into Jerusalem.
People threw their cloaks on the ground and laid palm branches before Jesus. They cried, “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” (Luke 19:38 NIV)
Palm Sunday Bible Lessons for Kids
Are you looking for a simple way to teach kids about Palm Sunday? Our printable crafts, discussion questions, and scripted lessons are perfect for children aged 3 to 8.
fulfilling a prophecy
The fact that Jesus rode a donkey into Jerusalem is an important detail in the story. Kings rode donkeys, and Jesus is the King of kings. Zechariah also prophesied that the Messiah would come riding a donkey, and Jesus fulfilled this prophecy when he rode into Jerusalem on a donkey.
PALM BRANCHES CRAFT FOR preschool and kindergarten
Preschool and kindergarten-aged children will enjoy a simple craft where they add palm branches to a scene of Jesus riding into Jerusalem. This craft can help them retell the story to their parents or caregivers.
This craft can be done with real foliage available in your local area. Gather some small greenery and glue it to the road under Jesus’ feet.
You can also use the printable palm branches. I suggest cutting out the branches ahead of time (they’re in the Jesus Riding into Jerusalem for Preschoolers Bible lesson). Then, give the kids the coloring page and let them add their own colors. Finally, have them glue the pre-cut palm branches onto the picture.
WAVING IN WORSHIP - Palm Sunday ACTIVITY FOR OLDER KIDS
Explain to kids that the people in this story waved palm branches to celebrate Jesus. As a craft, kids can create a flag to wave to honor Jesus. Brainstorm different worship phrases you could write on your flag. For example, Jesus is King, Hosanna, or Thank you, Jesus. Or use one of the flags with a phrase already included from Jesus Rides into Jerusalem for Older Kids.
Give the kids time to decorate their flags and write their phrases. As they work, try playing worship music. Then, cut out the flag and attach it to something sturdy, such as a chopstick, pencil, or stick.
OTHER PALM SUNDAY ACTIVITIES:
Hand Print Palm Branch: Oak and Oats has an adorable hand print palm branch craft where kids trace their hands on green paper and then glue their traced hands together to form a palm branch.
Act it out: Have kids lay branches, flowers, or leaves down to create a path for Jesus; use whatever you have available. When you’re done, play a worship song and allow students to worship while holding their branches.
Worship Songs: Singing worship songs together is a great way to praise Jesus! Here are some suggestions:
YOUTUBE VIDEOS ABOUT PALM SUNDAY
YouTube videos can help kids learn about Palm Sunday, but preview all videos to ensure they are age-appropriate and match what you are trying to teach. Here are some suggestions:
Palm Sunday - The Triumphal Entry by ShareFaith Kids is a reading of Luke 19 with beautiful illustrations to help kids follow the story.
The Story of Palm Sunday by Minno is a Bible story for Kids. This video reviews Passover and how Jesus and his disciples came to Jerusalem to celebrate it.
LOOKING FOR MORE BIBLE LESSONS ABOUT EASTER?
Continue your learning with more Easter Bible lessons. This lesson is part of a set of four lessons that explore the Easter story in the Bible. The other lessons in the series are The Last Supper, Jesus is Arrested (Good Friday), and Jesus is Risen (Easter Sunday).
Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem (Palm Sunday) is the pinnacle story of Holy Week. Whether you teach at home, in church, or in a faith-based school, there are many creative ideas for helping kids learn the importance of this story: Jesus is King, and Jesus is worthy of praise!