Welcome guests and your church family with these wild and fun Easter games. They’ll make great companions for your Bible lessons and activities from Palm Sunday through Jesus’ resurrection. With high-energy and low-energy games and yummy Easter-themed snacks, there’s something for everyone!
9 Indoor and Outdoor Easter Games
1. Outdoor Game: Pave the Way
Palm Sunday: Matthew 21:1-11
Use this game to introduce how people prepared the way for Jesus to enter Jerusalem.
You’ll need:
- Bible (try this kid-friendly version!)
- green and gray paper
Say: Palm Sunday got its name from what the people did when Jesus arrived at Jerusalem near the time of his death. The people lined up along the sides of the road.
- Read aloud Matthew 21:8-9.
- Have kids get in teams of three and line up along one end of your parking lot or church lawn.
- Give each team one sheet of green paper and one of gray paper.
Say: Let’s play a game. Two of you (the crowd) will make a path for your other team member (the donkey rider) using the “palm leaves” (green paper) and “coats” (gray paper). The donkey rider can step only on the palm leaves and coats, so the crowd will have to move them to keep the donkey rider moving. Show teams how to move the paper from behind the donkey rider to ahead of him or her to keep the donkey rider moving. Once your donkey rider reaches the finish line, switch roles. Play until everyone’s been a donkey rider.
Establish a start and finish line, and begin the race.
Afterward, ask:
- What are ways you show Jesus that he’s welcome in your everyday life?
2. Indoor Game: Hot Bread
The Last Supper: Matthew 26:17-30
Use this game to help kids know that Jesus forgives us.
You’ll need:
- Bible
- a packaged loaf of bread
- music (check out Group’s catchy tunes!)
Read aloud Matthew 26:17-22.
Say: Let’s play a game to think about that. Use the packaged bread to play Hot Potato. (When the music plays, pass the loaf. When it stops, the one holding it is out.) Play until only one person is left.
Say: No one wanted to get stuck with the bread because that person had to leave the game. In the same way, Jesus’ friends didn’t want to be the one he was talking about—the one to leave Jesus.
Ask:
- Think of when you’ve betrayed Jesus by something you did. Invite kids to share if they want to.
Say: The good news is, when we’re friends with Jesus, we never have to leave him. Jesus gave his body on the cross, and God forgives us when we do something wrong.
Read aloud Matthew 26:26.
Say: We remember that Jesus died for us and accept his forgiveness when we take communion. Invite children to talk to Jesus silently as they eat the bread.
