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Palm Sunday Celebration, Processions, and Pageant Ideas


This thread for posting your ideas and plans for celebrating Palm Sunday with the kids:

  • In a WORSHIP Service
  • AS PART of Sunday School
  • IN LIEU OF doing workshop lessons
  • OR IN LEAGUE WITH your workshops.



Orignally posted by member WAM...

Here's how we prepared our kids to enter the Sanctuary on Palm Sunday

I used this last year for Palm Sunday (about 15 kids in one group; more than that and you'd have to break it up into smaller groups.)

First, we gathered to make palm crosses.

I read the scripture and then showed the kids how to make palm crosses. Google "make cross out of palm" for instructions (or see the instructions in this topic at rotation.org).

The littler ones needed a parent/helper with them to make the palm crosses. They loved doing these.

Tip: Make plenty of extra crosses for the older kids to hand out to the adults in the sanctuary. For many of the adults, seeing the palm cross will spark a fond memory and be a great reminder that goes home.


Next, I lugged out my CD player and copy of Jesus Christ Superstar.

I explained to the kids that when I was young (yuk, yuk) this musical was considered very radical and different and most parents didn't like it AT ALL.They were dying to listen to this "radical" music.

I then played the HOSANNA song scene (Jesus riding in on Palm Sunday) as loud as I could (really earsplitting) for the kids. I had written the lyrics on large posterboard so the second time around they could follow along. They did -- loud, clear and having a great time. We sang it through about 7 times in all. Totally loud, totally fun, totally uninhibited. This was also a good warm up to get them to really shout Hosanna! when they entered the sanctuary.

ALTERNATELY: You could SHOW the DVD scene from the movie and crank up the music. It's very dramatic and inspiring. And the kids could process to gather in front of the screen to join in the 'rabble'. You could have a "priest" dressed in black jump out and mouth Caiaphas' words.

Questions I asked:

"Tell the Rabble to be quiet" Why? What are they/we afraid of?
"The rocks and stones themselves would start to sing!" What is Jesus telling them? us?

Before leaving to go in the service, I gave each a palm leaf frond to take into the church service during the opening "parade" into the sanctuary.

Furthermore, I gave them instructions that each time the children heard the word "Hosanna" during service they were to wave their fronds high, fast and furious. I tipped off the pastor who made sure he said it several times during different parts of the service. 

There were lots of Hosannas during the first hymn and the kids came through, waving away... our pastor even sprinkled quite a few hosanna's into the service before the younger ones left for junior church so they were into it and really got the sense of how spontaneous Jesus' entry into Jerusalem really was.

Next year, I might even have them put their coats in the aisle. ...


A representative of Rotation.org reformatted this post to improve readability.

Last edited by Neil MacQueen
Original Post
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