Children’s Easter Sermon Ideas: 10 Free Outlines

Introduction to Children’s Easter Sermon Ideas

Easter tops the chart in our Christian journey. It’s all about hope, getting a fresh start, and understanding the life-changing love God has for each of us. As Easter rolls around, we have a great chance to chat with the kids about the plan of salvation and the importance of the resurrection – how he beat death and what this means for all of us.

The children’s sermon ideas below are designed to help turn the attention of our children to the primary meaning of Easter and how it applies to their lives.

We’re all about giving kids cool ways to dive deep into Easter. This isn’t just about telling them the story; it’s about helping them see their part in it, encouraging them to be just as hyped to spread the good news as those first eyewitnesses.

And hey, as we walk through the Easter story, we should highlight the hope, love, and new beginnings that come with it. From Jesus coming into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday to those quiet, intense moments in the garden to the amazing moments at the empty tomb, every bit of the story is a chance to talk about the greatness of God and how much He loves us.
Getting ready for Easter means taking a meaningful journey through Holy Week, experiencing both its solemn and joyful moments. However, we need to transform those thoughts into something that speaks to children. It’s a time for us to renew our faith, celebrate the resurrection, and share the glorious story of Easter with the younger generation.

Some of these children’s Easter sermon ideas only vary slightly in the way that you would present the topic. Hopefully, they can be starting points for your children’s Easter sermon ideas.

Children’s Easter Sermon Ideas

1. Palm Sunday: The King Comes Riding

• Scripture: Matthew 21:1-11
• Keywords: Palm Sunday, young children, important people, God’s promises
• Outline:
  1. A King on a Donkey – Introduce Palm Sunday and how Jesus fulfilled God’s promises by entering Jerusalem in a humble way.
  2. Welcoming Jesus – Encourage “young children” to think about how they would welcome Jesus today, emphasizing the role of “important people” in Jesus’ journey.
  3. Branches and Hearts – Discuss the symbolism of palm branches and how we can open our hearts as a welcome to Jesus.

2. Journey Through Holy Week: From Palm to Resurrection

• Scripture: Various passages from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday
• Keywords: Palm Sunday, Holy Week, Good Friday, Easter Sunday, resurrection of Jesus, Jesus’ death
• Children’s Easter Sermon Outline:
  1. The Triumphal Entry – Begin with Palm Sunday, explaining Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem as a fulfillment of prophecy.
  2. The Ultimate Sacrifice – Reflect on the events of Good Friday, focusing on Jesus’ death and its significance.
  3. The Victory of Resurrection – Conclude with the joyous event of Easter Sunday, celebrating the resurrection of Jesus as the cornerstone of the Christian faith.

3. The Power of Prayer: Jesus in the Garden

• Scripture: Luke 22:39-46
• Keywords: Dear God, hard thing, prayer, Holy Spirit
• Children’s Easter Sermon Outline:
  1. A Difficult Night – Jesus faces a “hard thing” in the garden, showing the power of turning to “Dear God” in prayer.
  2. Not Alone – Highlight how the “Holy Spirit” comforts and strengthens us in tough times, just as Jesus was comforted.
  3. Learning to Pray – Teach children how to pray in difficult times, using Jesus’ example in the garden.

4. Good Friday to Easter Sunday: The Story of Salvation

• Scripture: John 19:30 – 20:18
• Keywords: Good Friday, Easter Sunday, Easter story, resurrection of Jesus
• Outline:
  1. The Sacrifice of Jesus – Reflecting on “Jesus’ death” on “Good Friday” and what it meant for humanity.
  2. The Victory of Easter – Celebrating the “resurrection of Jesus” on “Easter Sunday” as the cornerstone of our faith.
  3. Living the Easter Story – Applying the lessons of “Easter story” in our everyday lives.

5. The Mystery of the Empty Tomb

• Scripture: Luke 24:1-12
• Outline:
  1. Discovering the Empty Tomb – How Mary Magdalene and Jesus’ friends found the tomb empty and what it means for us 
  2. The Joyful News – The angels’ message of Jesus’ resurrection as the ultimate good news.
  3. Sharing the Miracle – Encouraging children to share the story of the empty tomb as Mary did, spreading great joy.

You can also just mix and match the points and ideas from any of these children’s Easter sermon ideas to come up with exactly what you need.

6. Jesus’ Friends and Their Easter Discovery

• Scripture: John 20:19-23
• Outline:
  1. A Startling Discovery – How Jesus’ friends encountered the empty tomb and what it meant to them.
  2. Spreading the Good News – The disciples’ role in sharing the good news of Jesus’ resurrection.
  3. Our Part in the Story – How we can continue to share this happy ending with others.

7. The First Easter: A New Beginning

• Scripture: Mark 16:1-8
• Outline:
  1. Dawn of Easter – Explaining the significance of the first day of the week in the Easter story.
  2. Nature’s Testimony – How beautiful flowers and all of creation celebrate Jesus’ resurrection.
  3. Living the Easter Message – Encouraging children to embrace new beginnings through the Easter message.

8. The First Witnesses: Women at the Tomb

• Scripture: Mark 16:1-8
• Outline:
  1. Early Morning Discovery – Discuss the significance of Easter Sunday being the first day of the week and what Mary Magdalene and other women found.
  2. Angel’s Announcement – The angel’s message as good news of wonderful new things”– Jesus has risen.
  3. Telling the World – Encourage children to share good news just like these first witnesses did, spreading joy and hope.

9. The Story of Easter Through Symbols

• Scripture: Various passages
• Outline:
  1. The Cross – Discuss the cross as a symbol of Jesus’ sacrifice and what it means for us.
  2. The Empty Egg – Use an empty egg in an Easter egg hunt to represent the empty tomb and the resurrection of Jesus.
  3. Symbols of New Life – How Easter eggs, beautiful flowers, and butterflies can teach us about new beginnings and eternal life.

10. Easter’s Hope for Everyone: Jesus’ Gift to Us

• Scripture: John 3:16-17
• Outline:
  1. God’s Love Manifested – Discuss how God’s love for us was so great, He gave His only Son for our salvation.
  2. The Promise of Eternal Life – Explain the concept of eternal life through belief in Jesus, linking it to the Easter story.
  3. Sharing the Good News – Encourage children to spread the Easter message of hope and love, reflecting on Jesus’ resurrection as a gift to all humanity.

Extended Conclusion: Embracing the Full Message of Easter

As we prepare our hearts and minds for Easter, let us embrace the full message that these sermon ideas aim to convey. From Palm Sunday to the resurrection of Jesus on Easter Sunday, each moment of Holy Week offers a profound lesson about faith, hope, and love.

Incorporating elements like plastic eggs and sensory bags in our Easter activities can provide fun ways to engage younger children and older kids alike, helping them to grasp the Easter message in a tangible manner.

As we recount the Easter story leading up to Jesus’ triumphant Resurrection Sunday, we’re reminded of the promised Messiah, the fulfilled hope of the resurrection of Jesus, and the promise of eternal life that comes from placing our faith in God’s own son, Jesus Christ.

Let’s use this Easter season as a perfect time to reflect on God’s love and God’s promises to us, sharing with our congregations the good news that through Jesus’ death and resurrection, we are offered the hope that our lives can be filled with great joy and wonderful new things.

There are a range of emotions that go with the Easter story, from the very sad things of Good Friday to the happy ending of Easter Sunday, teaching everyone about the amazing things”\ God has done for us.

Let’s focus on the special day that Easter is, and explore Easter ideas that make the story of Easter come alive. May this Easter be a time of renewal and joy, as we share with each other what in essence, the best sermon topic ever — the living story of Jesus’ victory over death. We hope that these children’s Easter sermon ideas will prompt you to teach during the holy season.

May the Holy Spirit guide us as we teach, celebrate, and rejoice in the resurrection of Jesus, spreading the word of the resurrection to hearts young and old.