Preschool: Jesus Is Alive!: Session 1—The Crowd Welcomed Jesus (April 5)

1s & 2s— Play with Transportation Toys

Bible Story: The Crowd Welcomed Jesus Matthew 21:1-11
Life Point: God sent Jesus because He loves us.
Weekly Verse: God loved us and sent His Son. 1 John 4:10

Materials: Teaching Picture 6, toy cars and trucks

• As preschoolers roll the cars and trucks, talk about places they might go in a car, truck, or bus.
• Point to the Teaching Picture. Comment: “Jesus rode into town on a donkey. People laid branches and coats on the ground. They shouted happy words as Jesus rode by.”
• Remind preschoolers that God sent Jesus because He loves us.

3–Pre-K— Play with a Parachute

Bible Story: The Crowd Welcomed Jesus Matthew 21:1-11
Life Point: God sent Jesus because He loves us.
Weekly Verse: God loved us and sent His Son. 1 John 4:10

Materials: Teaching Picture 6, parachute or large sheet, foam balls, music CD

• Lay the parachute or sheet on the floor in a large open area. Display the Teaching Picture nearby.
• Invite a group of kids to play. Guide them to hold up the parachute as one child walks under and everyone says his name. Continue giving several children a turn.
• Play music as preschoolers raise and lower the parachute with the music.
• Point to the Teaching Picture and comment that people shouted happy words to Jesus as He went down the road. Say that God sent Jesus because He loves us.

Kindergarten—Find Letters in Paper

Bible Story: The Crowd Welcomed Jesus Matthew 21:1-11
Life Point: God sent Jesus because He loves us.
Weekly Verse: God loved us and sent His Son. 1 John 4:10

Materials: Teaching Picture 6, box, shredded paper, magnetic letters, magnetic surface, index card, marker

• Print the word HOSANNA onto an index card. Find at least two sets of magnetic letters to spell HOSANNA. Bury the letters in a box of shredded paper. Prop the magnetic surface on the floor with the box in front of it. Tape the card to the surface.
• Invite kindergartners to look in the box and dig for the letters. Point to the card and say the word. Comment that they should spell this word.
• Talk about the Bible story as kids look for letters. Tell them that Hosanna was a word that showed they knew that Jesus was special.
• Show the Teaching Picture as you talk about the story. Say that God sent Jesus because He loves us.