3PK

March 23-24, 2013

Matthew 21:1-11

Palm Sunday

Jesus announced that he was the rescuer

SCHEDULE for all sites: First 10 minutes of the service hour: Relationship-building time (kids get to know each other and the volunteers) Next 25 minutes: Large group teaching and worship Last 30 minutes: Story review, snack and small groups, activities/crafts If you finish early, have kids engage group games as parents arrive. Check out the end of the activities section to find an idea for this week.

Don’t just supervise; get on the floor and play with the kids. They might want to pretend you’re Batman or a unicorn, but that’s okay. Meet them at their level.

As kids leave, make sure they have their coloring page to help them tell the story at home!

Today is a celebration of Palm Sunday, which is when people recognized Jesus as the Rescuer they had been waiting for. They got really, really excited!

                                                                                                               

1

Goal: to help kids retell the story and set a tone of excitement around the story of Palm Sunday Why? We want kids to share not only the story but also the excitement at home

*Give kids a snack and begin reviewing the story. They should keep their palm branches. REVIEW

1. In today’s story, what animal did Jesus ride on? (donkey) 2. What did the people in Jerusalem do as Jesus rode into town? (they laid down palm

branches and coats) 3. What were people shouting? (“Hosanna” or “Hooray for the Rescuer!”) 4. Why were people shouting and laying down palm branches? (they were so excited

that Jesus—the Rescuer—was here) 5. What would you guys have done if you were there?

ACTIVITY Do one or—if you have time—both activities below, in either order. Make it fun! #1: ACT IT OUT! You have a stuffed donkey in your room. Give each kid a green strip of construction paper. Tell them to pretend this is part of a palm leaf. Have the kids lay down their palm strips as you (or a kid) make the donkey ride over them. Then yell “Hooray! The rescuer is coming!” Let the kids take turns “being” the donkey. #2 PALM-WAVING DANCE PARTY! Palm Sunday is a celebration! Put the Kids’ Club CD in your CD player and guide the kids to wave their palm strip around out of excitement that Jesus—the King and Rescuer—is coming!

2

Tip: Decide ahead of time who will lead the small group activity—or split it up and have one volunteer lead one and another volunteer lead the other.

                                                                                                               

THIS PAGE LEFT BLANK INTENTIONALLY

                                                                                                               

Palm Sunday is a great celebration! Set that tone in the room today.  

A room full of listening and actively engaged kids is a sign of an awesome presenter. Feel like you're losing 'em? Change things up a bit! Spin around, change the volume of your voice, or sit down and start whispering. Change up your tone and posture to keep 'em guessing!  

1

Presenter: Hi Friends! Welcome to Kid’s Club. I'm _______________ and I'm really glad you're here today. Before we get started, I want you to meet my friend, HOPS. She’s going to remind us of the kind of choices we can make today in Kids’ Club. Video: HOPS 3 Put On Your Listening Ears (about 1 minute) REVIEW Presenter: (holding up the Bible for kids to see) This is God’s story. Out of all the stories in the world, this story is the most important. It’s God’s Rescue plan. Remember how God made the whole world and everything was good? But then something bad happened. Adam and Eve disobeyed God, and sadness and death came into the world! Show me your sad face. (Let kids respond.) So God sent his own son, Jesus, to rescue us from all the wrong things in the world! And today we’re talking about a really exciting story. It’s the story of when Jesus announced that HE is the rescuer! INTRO: PALM SUNDAY The Big Rescue was getting closer and closer. And it was time for Jesus to tell everybody that he was not just like any other man—He was the Rescuer! We call the Sunday before Easter Palm Sunday. Can you guys say, “Palm Sunday?” (Let kids say: Palm Sunday.) (Pull out the palm branch.) This is a palm. It’s a branch from a tree. Some people in today’s story had tree branches. We’re going to watch a video of the story. As you watch, see if you can figure out what people did with tree branches. Let’s take a look!

                                                                                                               

2

Video: God’s Story: Palm Sunday JESUS IS THE KING Wave your hand if you figured out what the people did with tree branches. (Let kids respond.) Yes, as Jesus was coming, they laid down their coats and their palm branches (lay down the palm branch). And Jesus rode his donkey right over them! Then they shouted, “Hosanna!” Can you guys say, “Hosanna”? (Let kids say: Hosanna.) They said, “Hosanna to the Son of David” which is like saying “Hooray for the Rescuer!” Let’s say that together: “Hooray for the Rescuer!” Ready? 1-2-3…(Let kids say: “Hooray for the Rescuer!”) Great job! Now let’s say, “Hooray for the Rescuer!” again, but this time, louder! (Let kids say: “Hooray for the Rescuer!”) And one more time, AS LOUD AS YOU CAN! (Let kids say: “Hooray for the rescuer!”) JESUS LOVES IT WHEN WE PRAISE HIM Wow, you guys can really yell! And you know what? Jesus loves it when we tell him how great he is. Palm Sunday was a great day—it was like a parade and a party! And it got a lot of people ready for the great Rescue! Let’s thank God for the Rescuer again, this time by praying to him. (Pray together, breaking it into small, repeatable phrases.) Pray: Hi God! Thanks for sending the Rescuer! Thank you that the people praised Jesus! I praise Jesus too! Aaaaa-MEN. WORSHIP Remember, praising Jesus means telling him how great he is! Let’s praise Jesus with a couple songs. Ready? Stand up! Song: King of the Jungle Song: Great Day Dismiss kids to small groups. (Be creative as you dismiss them. Ask them to come give you a high five first, or maybe tiptoe or hop--like Hops--to their groups.)                

                                                                                                               

3

             THIS PAGE LEFT BLANK INTENTIONALLY                                                                        

                                                                                                               

4

             THIS PAGE LEFT BLANK INTENTIONALLY                                                                            

                                                                                                               

                                                   

1

1. Coloring page: Palm Sunday 2. 1 stuffed or plastic donkey per room

(not per small group; can be re-used at each service)

3. 1 strip of green construction paper per kid

2

4. Make sure a CD is in the room and CD player works (any CD is fine)

5.

1

JSB 1 large palm branch (OT: IN-37/1415)

21

1. Video: HOPS 3 Put On Your Listening Ears

2. Video: God’s Story: Palm Sunday 3. Song: King of the Jungle 4. Song: Great Day

21

None

21

Tell me about your green strip. Why were people excited when Jesus rode into town?

2

Today, we talked about the time Jesus came riding into town on a donkey and people laid palm branches on the ground like a red carpet. They treated him like a king and shouted his praises because they realized he was the rescuer they had been waiting for! Read about it together in Matthew 1:1-11.