Kids' Club Holy Week
Begins March 24, 2024
Easter is about much more than bunnies and baskets filled with eggs and candy. We celebrate Easter because Jesus died for us, conquered death and then came back to life. The Easter story is about celebrating that Jesus rose from the dead, leaving behind an empty tomb. Use these cards with your kids to reflect on Jesus' sacrifice for us and to dig into more of the events surrounding Easter.
Experience Kids' Club at Home by trying some of these ideas:
Plan:
Establish a regular day and time to watch Kids' Club at Home.
Hands On:
Kids will stay engaged longer if they have something to do with their hands while watching. Set out some Play-Doh, paper and markers or some snacks.
Continue learning and processing:
What did you learn about God?
What was the best part of the episode?
What do you want to do or try based on what you heard?
Free Holy Week Pop-Up Tower
This fun, interactive 3D card makes it easy to have conversations about Holy Week with your kids at home. They will be passed out during weekend services in Kids’ Club March 14, 17, 21 & 24.
Day 1: God's Story
Palm Sunday
Jesus was traveling. He sent his disciples to get a donkey. People spread coats and branches on the road. They praised Jesus. Some people didn't recognize that He was the king. That made Jesus sad. He had come to rescue them. A few days later, Jesus would show just how much he loves us.
Watch "God's Story: Palm Sunday" Download the Activity
Day 2: God's Story
One Lost Sheep
Jesus told stories called parables. One parable is about a shepherd and one hundred sheep. One sheep got lost. The shepherd left the ninety-nine. The lost sheep was found! The shepherd threw a party. Because God cares about every single person.
Conversation Starters
- Tell me what you like about the Parable of the Lost Sheep?
- How does it make you feel knowing Jesus loves you this way?
- Have you (or your family) shown or received love to someone in a unique way?
Want to dive deeper?
Watch "God's Story: God's Story"
Day 3: God's Story
Jesus Raised Lazarus from Death
Jesus’ friend Lazarus got sick. Lazarus died. His sisters were really sad. Jesus was sad too. Jesus brought Lazarus back to life. Later, Jesus died. He came back to life too. And he was able to do it all because he’s God’s Son.
Watch "God's Story: Lazarus" Download the ActivityWant to dive deeper?
Watch "God's Story: Prayer"
Day 4: God's Story
Sermon on the Mount
Crowds gathered. Jesus went to a mountain. He talked to the people about God's Kingdom. He told us how to love others. Jesus didn't just talk about love; He showed it. He healed sick people. He cared for people that were hurting. He calmed storms. He showed his love to everyone he met. Our job is to do that too!
Watch "God's Story: Sermon on the Mount"Want to dive deeper?
Watch "God's Story: Jesus Calms the Storm"
Day 5: God's Story
Bible Reading Plan
The Bible is a HUGE book - actually, it's a collection of books, poems, letters, and more! We've picked some of our favorite parts of the Bible as a place for you to start. We hope this reading plan helps you to have a better idea of what's in the Bible AND what God is like!
Download the reading plan
Day 6: God's Story
Kids' Club at Home
Easter is about the most incredible story EVER!!! It's about a man named Jesus who changed the world forever. Watch Kids' Club at Home (there's a new episode every week for younger and older kids) and celebrate Easter with your family!
Conversation Starters
Romans 10:9 says "If you declare with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord', and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." What does this mean to you? How can YOU follow Jesus?
Watch Kids' Club at Home (Younger Kids) Watch Kids' Club at Home (Older Kids)Want to dive deeper?
Watch "God's Story: Jesus"
Day 7: God's Story
Easter (Part 1)
So part of God's story is about Easter, and it begins like this:
Remember how the Jewish nation of Israel, God's special family, were waiting for a king to come rescue them? Well, Jesus was the king and this rescue was the whole reason he came to Earth.
So one night, Jesus told his friends about the rescue. Exciting, right? But talking about this rescue was sad. That's because Jesus was going to rescue the world by dying. Every mean or bad thing we do deserves punishment. By dying, Jesus took our punishment.
Talking about the rescue made Jesus sad. Thankfully, we can talk with God when we're sad, so Jesus took a few friends into a garden to pray.
In the garden, a guy named Judas, who people thought was Jesus' friend, came with some people to help arrest Jesus. Peter, one of Jesus' true friends, was so mad he cut off a servant's ear with his sword. But Jesus didn't want his friends to hurt others. So Jesus healed the ear and let them arrest him.
Then Jesus was taken to trial. One of the most powerful men in the city, Pontius Pilate, wanted to let Jesus go. But many of the people wanted Jesus to die. They didn't believe he was the Son of God-or any kind of king. Even after all the miracles Jesus did, like healing sick people and making blind people see, they didn't believe in him.
The people were so mad, they started yelling, "Kill Him!" So Pontius Pilate let the soldiers take Jesus. The soldiers made fun of the idea that Jesus was a king. They put a crown of thorns on His head and nailed him to a cross. Many people watched. But not all of them wanted Jesus to die. His mother and close friends were there too. Just imagine how they must have felt! (Story continues on next card)
Day 7: God's Story
Easter (Part 2)
Once Jesus was up on the cross, the sun stopped shining for three whole hours, in the middle of the day! But those soldiers kept right on making fun of Him. They said, "If you're really God's Son, why don't you just call on some angels to save you!?" Jesus COULD have called on angels to save him, but he loved us so much that he wanted to rescue us. So instead, He prayed to God, "Father! I place my life into your hands!"
At that moment, Jesus died. And when he died, the soldiers who had just killed him realized he really was the Son of God.
A few hours later, Jesus was put into a tomb and a big rock blocked the entrance. Jesus' friends thought that was the end. But three days later, God sent an angel to roll the stone away. Don't worry though, Jesus could have gotten out on his own.
The angel moved the rock so everybody else could see the tomb was empty. Jesus' friends were the first to stop by the tomb, and the angel got to share the good news with them. The angel said, "He has risen," which is another way of saying, "Jesus is alive!"
Nobody could believe it! Jesus took our punishment and then proved he really IS the Son of God by coming back to life. Now, if we choose to follow Jesus, God forgives us for all the wrong things we do because Jesus already took our punishment.
But that's not all there is ... here's a quick version of what happened AFTER the angel told the good news: Jesus' friends got scared. Jesus appeared to them. They saw His scars. It was really Him! Now they could share the good news too. Jesus appeared to more than 500 people. He went back up to Heaven. And the best part? He promised to come back someday for everybody who follows him!
And all THAT is a part of God's story.
Day 8: God's Story
After The Tomb
Jesus died. He came back to life. He spent time with his friends. He was taken up into Heaven. God sent his Holy Spirit to teach and comfort us. And Jesus will be back again.
Watch "God's Story: After the Tomb" Download the ActivityWant to dive deeper?
Watch "God's Story: The Good News"
So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
- Colossians 2:6-7
Spiritual Starter Kit
If you want to grow in your faith, you need to spend time with God. You get to know Him by spending time with him. Pick ONE idea below to try right away.
Read the Bible
The Bible is God's word, and it's important to konw what God says! Sometimes what we read might be confusing, but we can ask God to help us understand.
Watch "God's Story: The Bible"Journal
By writing (or drawing!) your thoughts and feelings in a journal, you can process what is happening in your life and also explore your creativity with God.
Watch "God's Story: God's Story"Pray
Praying is talking with God. He wants to hear all about you and your life! Praying is listening, too, so you can spend time quietly listening.
Watch "God's Story: Prayer"Serve
God chose to show his love, by sending Jesus to do for us what we couldn't do for ourselves. He also tells us we're supposed to help others. Doing something for another person is a way to obey God and to remember what Jesus did for you.
It's OK if you forget some of these or have to practice a few times before it starts to feel natural.
You also can't do anything to earn God's love -- he loves you already!
Want to know more about following Jesus?
Learn about the Gospel