Lay Your Cloak Before Him Group
Group Activities

Sermon Title: "Lay Your Cloak Before Him"

Scripture Reading:  Matthew 21:1-11

PALM PARADE: Have the children march around a large area with noise blowers, ribbons, palm branches. The excitement will build and then let the children know that they will be doing some excited shouting and waving of palm branches today for our story lesson.

TRIUMPHAL ENTRY RELAY RACE: Divide the children into two teams or more (unless class is very small and then just have children take turns). Place a cape and a palm branch at the other side of the room. Children will run to put on the cape and grab the palm branch and wave it as they come back to give it to the next team player. THAT player will put on the cape and wave the palm branch to the other side of the room. The next player on the team will run down and do the same as the first player did until everyone on the team has taken a turn.

PALM LEAF NAME BRANCHES: Give each child a palm branch to cut out and cut "into" the lines to make it look like a green palm branch. With a marker, have the children write or trace their name in large letters to take home as a reminder of today's lesson.

PAPER BAG DONKEY: Give each child a brown paper lunch bag. The children will create a donkey puppet from their bag. Here is a link to a pattern for this activity. (Click Here) The teacher could have a simplified summary of today's story for the children to glue onto the back of their puppet so they can tell others today's story. As children are leaving, the teacher could put a couple of candy treats in their Donkey bag!

HOSANNA GAME: Divide class into three teams. Each team will be given one of the following recitations: "Hosanna to the Son of David"; "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" or "Hosanna in the highest heaven!" Each team will say their own verse and then the next will say their verse in order. The teacher might choose to allow the children to get louder and louder each time they say their verse. Each team should raise their hands over head when they say THEIR part!

HEARTS or PALM BRANCHES ART: Give each child 3 hearts or three palm branches (teacher's choice) and a large poster to glue these on. Children can then write or glue on typed words to each one of their hearts or palm branches using these three phrases: 1) HOSANNA TO THE SON OF DAVID; 2) BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD; 3) HOSANNA IN THE HIGHEST HEAVEN. Encourage children to take this home to tell someone the story!

PALM BRANCH SKIT: Let the children play act out the story. One child will be the donkey, another one will be Jesus and the rest of the children will be the crowd and spread cloth for capes, palm branches in front of Jesus and the donkey as they walk along. ALL the children can say the three phrases - HOSANNA TO THE SON OF DAVID! BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD! HOSANNA IN THE HIGHEST HEAVEN!!!

HOSANNA PUZZLE: Give each child a palm branch picture with "HOSANNA IN THE HIGHEST or BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD" written on it. Cut the branch into pieces to create a puzzle. Let each child put their puzzle pieces together and when they have completed putting the pieces together they will SHOUT OUT what their puzzle says!

Song:  "Hallelu, Hallelu"

Words and Music (pdf)

MP3 Piano accompaniment Track (right click to save to your computer)

Song:  "Blessed Be the Name of the Lord"

Words and Music (pdf)

MP3 Piano accompaniment Track (right click to save to your computer)