Kids' Activities for Luke 19:28-40

When Jesus made his triumphal entry into Jerusalem, he was riding a donkey. Christians can learn lots of important lessons by studying these scriptures. Get your kids excited with activities designed to teach about Luke 19:28 through 40. With hands-on lessons and projects, complete with palm frond waving for added emphasis, little ones can learn readily.

Give your little one the details about Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem before you move into any activities. Read Luke 19: 28 through 40 with your little one. Parallel accounts are also in Matthew 21: 1 through 11 and John 12: 9 through 19. In this short passage, Jesus tells his disciples to get him a donkey that no one has ever ridden before. This is because of a tradition that no one should have used an animal that a king will ride on. Tell your little one, “This tells us that Jesus is claiming His title of king, now. Isn’t that exciting?” Continuing the story, explain that the people watching Jesus ride the donkey into Jerusalem understood that He was a king, so they spread their coats out on the ground for the donkey to walk over. You might say, “This was another way that people showed honor to important people, so the people were honoring Jesus by spreading their coats on the ground.” At the end of the passage, the Pharisees told Jesus that he should tell the people to be quiet. Jesus told the Pharisees that the people had to be able to shout their praises while they waved their palm fronds. Ask your child, “Do you want to learn more about shouting praises to Jesus? I bet you do – that sounds like fun!”

Because the crowds were waving palm fronds as Jesus made his way into Jerusalem, make a palm frond with your little one to let him see what it’s like to wave one. On a sheet of construction paper draw a large leaf shape with a rounded edge and a pointed tip. Cut out the leaf shape and then hand the green leaf and a pair of safety scissors to your little one. Encourage him to make little cuts around the edges of the leaf to create a fringed edge of the frond. This doesn’t have to be perfect – let your youngster get some cutting practice while he creates a realistic looking palm frond.

Talk about how excited the people must have been as they realized that Jesus was finally claiming his title of King and he entered the City of Jerusalem. You might say, “We know that the people were all lining the streets, waiting and watching as Jesus went by on the donkey. It must have been quite an exciting parade. Would you like to have one, too?” Have your little one grab his palm frond and march around the house in a simple little parade.

Praising Jesus is an important activity – and it’s something that even little ones can do effectively. Talk briefly about how people can demonstrate praising Jesus. You might say, “We can praise Jesus in lots of different ways. We can sing, we can shout, we can talk to others about Him and we can pray, too. Would you like to sing a song to praise Jesus today?” Possible songs to sing include, “This Little Light of Mine,” “Glory Be to God” and “All Things Bright and Beautiful.” Even if your little one doesn’t know all the lyrics, he’ll learn quickly just by hearing you sing, and by him trying to sing along.