Palm Sunday Lesson for Kids (Triumphal Entry)

This free Palm Sunday lesson for kids teaches that Jesus is the King God promised, so we praise Him: Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a colt as Zechariah had written, and the crowds cried, "Hosanna to the Son of David" (Matthew 21:1–16; John 12:12–19). It comes in four age levels, each a separate printable teacher lesson, plus one take-home sheet for families. Pick the one that fits your class. Everything is in the order you teach it.

Choose your age level

• Preschool (ages 3–5), 20–30 minutes, 2 pages: a branch-waving game, a short story with hand motions and repeat-after-me lines, three simple questions, a shortened memory verse ("Hosanna to the Son of David") with a motion, and a branches-on-the-road activity.
• Kindergarten to 2nd grade, 45 minutes, 3 pages: the Who Is This? guessing game, the story in simple words, five recall questions with answers, the Branch Verse game with six green paper strips, and paper Hosanna branches.
• 3rd to 5th grade, 45–60 minutes, 3 pages: kids look up verses in their own Bibles during a fuller story (the two disciples and the colt, Zechariah 9:9, the garments and branches, the stones that would cry out, the children in the temple), five thinking questions and three recall questions, and a Bible look-up race.
• Preteens (ages 11–12), 45–60 minutes, 3 pages: a "Big Entrance" opening, students read Zechariah 9:9, Matthew 21:1–11 and John 12:12–19 out loud themselves, then discuss prophecy, humility, obeying before we understand and praise that bothers people. Six discussion questions, a journal page, and two memory verses (Matthew 21:9 and Zechariah 9:9).

Lesson at a glance

• Bible passage: Matthew 21:1–16 and John 12:12–19
• Main point: Jesus is the King, so we praise Him with our whole heart.
• Memory verse: Matthew 21:9 (KJV), with Zechariah 9:9 added for preteens
• Ages: preschool to preteen, in four versions

Lesson outline (the same in every version)

1. Opening game: a short game about who Jesus is, how a king arrives, or waving branches.
2. Bible story: the two disciples bring the ass and the colt (Matthew 21:1–7), the garments and branches on the road (21:8), the palm branches (John 12:13), "Hosanna to the Son of David" (Matthew 21:9), "Who is this?" (21:10–11) and the children praising in the temple (21:15–16). Every fact has its verse reference so you can check it.
3. Questions to ask: with answers, at the right level for each age.
4. Memory verse: a game or motion to help kids learn Matthew 21:9.
5. What this means for us: praise Jesus the King, the gospel (Acts 2:38), and a challenge for the week.
6. Activity: the Palm Sunday word search, the Palm Sunday crossword, the Palm Sunday maze, the Palm Sunday worksheet, the Palm Sunday craft, paper Hosanna branches, a Bible look-up race or a journal page, depending on the age.
7. Prayer.

Tips for teaching Palm Sunday

• Read Matthew 21:9 straight from your Bible. It is the heart of the story: the crowds praised Jesus as the Son of David, the promised King.
• Use the King James words: the disciples brought "an ass" and "a colt with her" (Matthew 21:2, 7), and Jesus sat on the colt (Mark 11:7). An ass is the animal we call a donkey today.
• Matthew says people cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road (Matthew 21:8); John says they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him (John 12:13).
• Short on time? Do the story, three questions and the memory verse. That is a solid 25-minute lesson.