We wanted a fun and engaging Palm Sunday game for kids this year, so this Palm Sunday we are playing Pin Jesus on the Donkey to celebrate Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem and to talk about how Jesus is king.
This is a great Palm Sunday game for kids to spark conversation about Jesus’ kingdom and what people expected when they recognized him as king. (For the older kids, this is also a great opportunity to talk about how Jesus challenges the power structures at the time.)
What does it mean for Jesus to be king?
- Good always wins over evil. (Even if evil seems to win for a time – this is a message that we learn at Easter, too, with Jesus’ death and resurrection.)
Zechariah 9:9 tells us to rejoice at the coming king’s victory:Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion!
Shout, Daughter Jerusalem!
See, your king comes to you,
righteous and victorious,
lowly and riding on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
- Jesus’ kingdom is one of love, healing, welcoming the outcast, and reconciliation. All things find there rightful place in Jesus. And all the broken things are restored. (This is the part of the kingdom that is both already and not-yet. We are already seeing transformation, but we are also promised that all of the broken things will be fixed in the end.)
- Jesus’ kingdom was especially good news for those on the margins of society: the poor, the widows, the outcast (those labelled “unclean”), the orphans…. Jesus’ reign means that all those bad things in our lives don’t get the last word, that suffering isn’t permanent and that a loving God promises that what is broken about any one of us is not the most important part of our identities. We are all beloved children of God, all valued, and all the broken bits will eventually be set right.
For kids pre-K to around grade 2-3, we love the Spark Story Bible for retelling the events of Holy Week and Easter.
How to play Pin Jesus on the Donkey:
- Tape (or sticky tack) the donkey to a wall.
- Cut out as many copies of Jesus as you need. Put tape on them.
- Blindfold each child as s/he tries to stick Jesus onto the donkey.
You can download you own copy of Pin Jesus on the Donkey below. Simply click on the images or on the text. You can use this Palm Sunday activity for Sunday School, at home, or in the classroom. It makes a great game for Holy Week, and a great supplement to a lesson on how Jesus is king (or on how Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem fulfills prophecy – why a donkey, anyway?).
You can also download this Palm Sunday game in PDF form right here.
Want more ideas for Holy Week and Easter? Check out these Christ Centered Easter Traditions to get creative this Easter and try out some new activities, crafts, treats, and traditions.