Invite the children to choose a puppet to use to help you to tell the story: Jesus, two disciples, colt, crowd.
Jesus and his disciples came near to the city of Jerusalem.
Jesus sent two of his disciples to collect a colt or young donkey.
When they had got the donkey, Jesus rode on it into the city of Jerusalem.
Large crowds gathered.
They threw their coats on the ground and cut branches from the trees.
As Jesus entered the city, the crowds cheered:
‘Hosanna! Hosanna in the highest heaven!’
Read the story and pause at the 
to share these points with the children (see Stop and share below). Then use the activity to explore the passage together. (10 mins)
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Stop and share
A colt is a young donkey. You would usually expect to see a king on a horse.
A Hebrew word usually used to mean ‘Praise’, but it actually means ‘Save us, please!’
David was the king in the Old Testament and Jesus is from his family.
Palm play W E
You will need: script (see below), cloths, branches – real or made from paper.
- Use the script to act out the story. There are parts for: two disciples, some bystanders and the crowd.
Script
Act out the story with Jesus, two disciples, some bystanders and the crowd.
Narrator/Leader: Jesus and his disciples were approaching Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany, near the Mount of Olives. They were almost near enough to hear the noise of the pilgrim crowds in the city. Jesus sent two of his disciples on ahead, and they went, his surprising words echoing in their minds. He had said:
Jesus: Go into the next village and, as soon as you enter it, you will find tied up a colt that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it to me. If anyone asks you what you are doing, just say, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here immediately.’
Narrator/Leader: So they went off and found a colt in the street, tied up near a door. As they were untying it, some of the bystanders said to them:
Bystanders/crowd: What are you doing, untying the colt?
Disciples: The Lord needs it and will send it back here immediately.
Narrator/Leader: They told them what Jesus had said, and they allowed them to take it. Then the disciples brought the colt to Jesus, threw their cloaks on it and he sat on the animal.
There was a crowd of people and many of them spread their cloaks out on the road in front of Jesus, while others laid down leafy branches that they had cut from the fields. And these pilgrims sang their ancient song: ‘Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the coming kingdom of our ancestor David! Hosanna in the highest heaven!’.
Crowd/bystanders: Hosanna! (throw down cloths and wave branches)
Narrator/Leader: And in these words, they heard the cries of the prophets of old. Then Jesus entered Jerusalem and went into the Temple. He looked around at everything, and as it was late, he went to spend the night at Bethany with his twelve disciples.