Jesus Is Risen: Preschool Sunday School Lesson (Ages 3-5)
Ages 3-5 · 30 minutes · free lesson plan · Luke 24:1-12
A lively, hands-on preschool lesson on Luke 24:1-12. Children act out the women finding the empty tomb, learn that Jesus is risen, make a tomb craft, and practice Luke 24:6.
Memory verse
He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, (Luke 24:6, KJV)
Lesson objectives
- Children will hear that the women found the tomb empty and the angels said Jesus is risen.
- Children will say "He is risen!" and know that Jesus is alive.
- Children will feel glad that Jesus keeps His promises.
The full lesson plan
Early Morning Welcome (3 min)
Sit in a circle. Greet each child by name.
Say: "Today we have a happy story about Jesus!"
Say: "Let's stretch up high like the sun coming up in the morning."
Stretch up slowly. Then clap and sing to a tune you know: "Jesus is alive, Jesus is alive, Alleluia, He is alive!" Sing twice.
Say: "Our story begins very early in the morning. Let's listen to the Bible."
Now let's hear what happened.
The Bible Story: The Empty Tomb (5 min)
Hold up the Bible. Tell the story slowly with actions, in the order of the text.
Say: "Very early on the first day of the week, some women went to the tomb." (Walk fingers.)
Say: "They brought sweet spices. They saw the big stone rolled away!" (Roll hands.)
Say: "They went in. They did not find the body of Jesus." (Shrug, look around.)
Say: "Two men in shining clothes stood by them. The women were afraid and bowed down." (Bow head.)
Say: "The men said, 'He is not here, but is risen!'" (Jump up, arms high.)
Say: "The women remembered what Jesus had said. They ran to tell the others." (Run in place.)
Say: "Peter ran to the tomb too. He looked in and wondered at what had happened."
Now let's play the story!
Why Is the Tomb Empty? (4 min)
Use a short call-and-response. Pause so children can answer.
Say: "Jesus died on the cross. His friends put Him in a tomb."
Say: "But on the first day of the week, the tomb was empty! Jesus was alive!"
Ask: "Was Jesus in the tomb?" (No!)
Ask: "Where is He? He is..." (Risen!)
Say: "The angels reminded the women that Jesus had told them this would happen. Jesus keeps His promises."
Say: "Some people did not believe the women at first. But it was true! Jesus is alive."
Teach the motion: hands low ("not here"), then up high ("risen!"). Repeat three times.
Now let's act out our story.
Game: Roll the Stone Away (4 min)
Setup before class: Place the gray cushion against a wall as the "stone" with a clear carpeted space around it. Keep the area free of hazards.
Steps:
1. Everyone tiptoes together toward the "tomb." No running.
2. Say: "Look, the stone is rolled away!" A helper gently pushes the cushion aside.
3. Children peek in and whisper, "He is not here!"
4. Everyone jumps up and shouts, "He is risen!"
5. Walk back, then repeat with a new helper moving the stone.
Time: 4 minutes. Children may watch instead of walking if they prefer.
Craft: My Empty Tomb (6 min)
Setup before class: Teacher cuts a door shape in each dark paper and cuts gray circles. Use no small parts. Scissors are for the teacher only. Check for glue or paper sensitivities.
Steps:
1. Give each child a dark paper with a door and a gray circle.
2. Help glue a stick of glue along one edge of the circle so it sits beside the door like a stone rolled away.
3. Children color around the tomb with crayons.
4. Inside the door, help write: "He is risen!"
5. Say it together and show a friend.
Time: 6 minutes. Put names on the backs.
Talk Time (3 min)
Ask the questions one at a time. Accept short answers.
1. "Who went to the tomb?" (The women.)
2. "What did they find?" (The stone was rolled away and Jesus was not there.)
3. "What did the angels say?" (He is risen!)
4. "How do we feel that Jesus is alive?" (Happy! Any kind answer is fine.)
Say: "Jesus is alive, and that is good news to share!"
Verse, Prayer and Goodbye (5 min)
Say: "Our Bible verse tells us the news: 'He is not here, but is risen.'"
Teach the first part with motions: hands low for "not here," arms up for "risen." Say it together three times.
Say: "Now let's thank Jesus."
Pray, and have children repeat each line:
"Thank You, Jesus, for being alive."
"Thank You for keeping Your promises."
"Help us tell others that You are risen. Amen."
Sing "Jesus is alive" once more. Hand out crafts and send children home with a big "He is risen!" cheer.
Materials
- Bible (KJV)
- Large gray cushion or pillow (the stone)
- Dark construction paper, one sheet per child, door shape pre-cut
- Gray paper circles, slightly bigger than the door, one per child
- Glue sticks
- Crayons
Teacher notes
- Safety: the craft uses glue sticks and paper only. Check for allergies and sensitivities, keep scissors with the teacher, and give no small parts.
- The full verse is long for this age. Focus on the first words, "He is not here, but is risen," with motions, and say the rest slowly yourself.
- Adaptation: use a picture of an empty tomb for visual learners. Offer a quiet watching role in the game. Pair younger children with a buddy.
- Stick to the text. Do not add details the Bible does not give, such as the number of angels or the women's feelings beyond what is written.
Send it home with parents
Today we heard Luke 24:1-12. The women found the tomb empty, and the angels told them Jesus is risen. Jesus had promised this would happen. Jesus is alive!
- What did the women find at the tomb?
- What did the angels say about Jesus?
Hide a small toy under a cloth. Lift the cloth together and say, "He is not here, but is risen!" Then jump for joy.
Each night, say "Jesus is alive!" together and thank Him for keeping His promises.
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