Children's drama for Palm Sunday / Holy Week      

(Different denominations approach this day in a variety of ways. As young children often don’t come to Good Friday services I’m trying to highlight the importance of the cross)

 

 

Theme: Journey to the Cross, Holy Week
 

Children's object lesson Props: “Palm” branches, Bread and Wine symbols, towel and basin, Cross
 

Children's sermon idea: Consider each of the above items that signify events during the final week of Jesus physical ministry on earth. Physically walking to each of these helps the children (and adults if they are watching) get a feel for the sequence of these important events.

 

Time: The idea is that this would move quite quickly. It can probably be done in about 6 minutes unless you want to stretch it out to include more teaching.

 

Full Children's sermon: (Set up 4 “stations” across the front of the church with the various symbols.)

 

Good Morning Children! This morning is Palm Sunday. This is the day we remember when Jesus came into Jerusalem riding on a donkey. As he came down the hill into Jerusalem all the people welcomed him by shouting “Hosanna” and waving palm branches in the air. This was the beginning of some very important events in Jesus life. I would like you to join me in quickly walking through some of these events. Perhaps you can think of this as “walking with Jesus” on a very important journey. (1- Palm Branches) Please follow me over here and pick up a “palm branch,” pretending we are celebrating Jesus coming as a wonderful King! As they waved the palm branches they shouted out “Hosanna.” (save we pray) Let’s practice shouting that out. (Keep walking towards the next station). (2- Bread and Wine) A little while later Jesus planned to eat a special meal (the Passover) with his disciples. He met with them in a special upper room where they had some very special bread and wine. (Pick up the bread and wine – or get the children to hold it up) He shared that bread and wine with his disciples and he said that from now on they were to eat this simple meal remembering his body and blood. It was a way of remembering that Jesus loved us so much he was willing to give his life for us. (You could quickly sit down with the children in a circle) This bread and wine might look familiar to you because we still use this bread and wine at our communion service to remember Jesus and what he did for us.

(3 – Towel and Wash Basin) (Pick up the towel and basin) After having this special meal with his disciples Jesus filled a basin with water and washed his disciple’s feet. It was a wonderful example of being a servant. As important as Jesus was he was able to serve others by washing their feet. (You could quickly knell down with the basic and towel as if you were washing one of the children’s feet.) He went on to say that we should show our love to one another by doing the same sort of thing to help others. (4 – The Cross) Let’s keep walking. Later that night Jesus went up on a hill to pray. (Prayer could be a special station) He prayed all through the night and then suddenly some soldiers came and took him away. After an unfair trail he was tortured on a cross where he died for our sins. (Walk the children to the cross) This cross reminds us of Jesus great love. He loved us so much he was willing to suffer and die for us. Let’s all knell down here near the cross. We’ll be very quiet as we think of what happened to Jesus on that Friday 2000 years ago.

PRAY: Dear God. We are remembering some very important things in the life of Jesus this week. Help us to remember when the children and all the people praised Jesus with palm branches and shouts of “Hosanna.” Help us to remember how he asked us to remember him in the Bread and the Wine. Help us to remember how he washed his disciple’s feet as an example to us of being a servant. Help us also to remember how he died for us on the cross – how he gave his live so that we might have life. In Jesus’ name. Amen