Palm Sunday Preschool Ideas
Palm Sunday, celebrated the Sunday before Easter, commemorates Jesus' triumphant arrival in Jerusalem the week before his imprisonment and crucifixion. In the Bible story, Jesus rode a donkey into town draped with follower's cloaks to make it more comfortable. The people of Jerusalem greeted him by waving palm branches and placing them on the ground in front of him. Help preschool-age children understand this Bible lesson by focusing on crafts, games and activities that re-enact parts of Jesus' procession.
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Palm Leaf Procession
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Let children decorate palm leafs and act out the arrival of Jesus in Jerusalem. Give each child a large green palm leaf cut from construction paper (see Resources for leaf template) and a ½-inch strip of brown construction paper. Offer children scissors to cut "fringe" around their palm leaf to make it look more realistic. Allow them to personalize their leaves using a variety of craft materials, such as glitter, pom poms, stick-on jewels, sequins and foam shapes. After children finish decorating the leaves, add the "branch" to the back of the leaves.
Drape an old hobbyhorse or children's riding-toy with blankets or fabric to turn it into a "donkey." Ask a child to play the role of Jesus and seat her upon the "donkey." Lay palm leaves on the ground for Jesus to ride across. Let children form two lines and wave their palm leaves at Jesus as she rides past. Continue the parade through the halls of the church, waving palm leaves and shouting "Hosanna" (a cry of adoration or praise) to celebrate Jesus' arrival.
Put the Cloak on the Donkey
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Play this variation of the classic game "Pin the Tail on the Donkey" to re-emphasize the role of the donkey in the Biblical story of Jesus' arrival in Jerusalem. Hang up an outline or picture of a donkey on a large bulletin board. Find a small piece of fabric to serve as the "cloak" for the donkey. Blindfold children one at a time, spin them around and let them attempt to put the cloak on the donkey. Stand ready with a thumbtack so you can pin the cloak where the child wants it to go.
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'Imagine Yourself on Palm Sunday' Picture
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Turn a real palm leaf into a long-lasting preschool craft. Cut palm leaves into sections. Give one to each child along with a sheet of white construction paper. Let them draw a picture from the Palm Sunday lesson, such as Jesus riding the donkey or the crowds welcoming Jesus. Ask them to imagine what they would do if present on that day, and add an image of themselves into their picture. Glue the pieces of palm leaf to the top of their pictures. Invite them to show their pictures to other children in the class.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit Palm leaf image by Nikolay Okhitin from Fotolia.com
