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Here Comes the King!

We build the Lord’s house, then wave branches as King Jesus rides a little donkey

  • ☀️ Sunbeams
  • Week 50
  • 📅 Sunday, December 13, 2026
🤔 Forehead Guess🏆 Showdown
💡 The big idea

Jesus is our King, and the temple is His holy house.

I can sing and shout for joy because Jesus is my King!

Study it yourself firstRead Haggai 1–2; Zechariah 1–4; 7–14 in Gospel LibraryCome, Follow Me manualOpen this week (Haggai 1–2; Zechariah 1–4; 7–14)
Know the chapters

After years far away in Babylon, God’s people came home to Jerusalem, but the temple was still in ruins, and they got busy with their own houses instead. The prophet Haggai told them to put the Lord first: “Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house” (Haggai 1:8). They listened, and with the help of the prophet Zechariah, they finished the Lord’s house.

Zechariah also looked far ahead and saw a humble King riding on a donkey (Zechariah 9:9). About 500 years later, Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey while crowds spread their clothes and branches on the road and shouted “Hosanna” (Matthew 21:1–9; John 12:13 mentions palm branches). Then Jesus went into the temple (Matthew 21:12).

For three-year-olds, keep it to one happy truth: Jesus is our King, and the temple is His holy house. They build, they clip-clop, they wave branches, and they say “Jesus is my King!” again and again. The words “Holiness to the Lord” are written on every temple today, and in December you can add one more line: our King first came to earth as a tiny baby.

No child plays Jesus. In the story, a soft-toy donkey (or your clip-clopping hands) and the children’s cheering show that Jesus is coming.

Only have 5 minutes?

Grab a pile of blocks or plastic cups (or tap “I brought nothing” and let the children be the blocks). Build a little temple together, sing “I Love to See the Temple,” and let Teach Mode carry the picture story. Teach “Behold, thy King cometh unto thee” with the motions, then march a Hosanna parade around the room with arms waving like branches. End with a quiet testimony that Jesus is our King.

What to bring5 items

Tick what you have. Forgot something? Every step that needs a supply has a no-supplies version in the plan below.

Before class

  1. Put the blocks or cups in a bag or basket so the pile is a surprise.
  2. Cut green paper into long strips or leaf shapes. Snip a few cuts along the edges so they flutter like palm branches.
  3. Pick your soft-toy donkey. Any stuffed animal becomes a donkey when everyone says “hee-haw!”
  4. Have your picture of Jesus ready for the testimony.
  5. Open this lesson in Teach Mode and add your children’s names in the My Class tab.

If your class is wild

  • If the block tower falls, cheer, “Builders don’t give up!” and build again. Haggai’s people had to start over too.
  • Crying at drop-off? Give that child a special job right away: “Can you hold the donkey for me?” Let a parent stay nearby until they settle.
  • Potty breaks: never leave the class alone and never go somewhere alone with one child. Ask a Primary presidency member or the child’s parent to help, following your ward’s plan.
  • Snacks: check allergies with parents and your ward’s snack policy first, and save it for the very end.
  • The parade gets loud. Your signal is “Whoa, donkey!” Everyone freezes and makes a temple roof over their heads.

The 25-minute plan25 min + bonus

Bonus steps are for when you have extra time. Steps that mention Teach Mode, the Sound Board or other class games refer to the Gospel Sparks app; on the web you can play Forehead Guess and Scripture Showdown from this page.

1. Hook

Build the Lord’s House

3 min

Stacking blocks together gets busy hands working right away and introduces the temple.

  1. Dump the blocks in the middle of the floor. Say: “Long ago, a prophet named Haggai told God’s people to build the Lord’s house. The Lord’s house is called the temple.”
  2. Each child adds one block, one at a time. Cheer for every block: “Up, up, up!”
  3. When it’s tall, say: “We built a house for the Lord! The temple is Jesus’s holy house.”
  4. Everyone makes a pointy temple roof over their heads with their arms.
🌪️ If a builder knocks the tower down, smile and say, “Builders don’t give up!” and build again.

Class screen: 🧱 Let’s build the Lord’s house!

No supplies? Do this instead

Instead of: 10 or more blocks, plastic cups or small boxes for building

Living Temple

  1. SAY“Long ago, a prophet named Haggai told God’s people to build the Lord’s house. The Lord’s house is called the temple. Let’s BE the blocks!”
  2. Everyone crouches in a row on the floor like blocks.
  3. Tap each child gently on the head and say, “Up!” They stand one by one until the whole wall is standing.
  4. Everyone puts their hands together over their heads to make a pointy temple roof. Say: “The temple is Jesus’s holy house!”

Class screen: 🧱 We are the blocks! Up, up!

2. Song

Sing: I Love to See the Temple

3 min

A favorite Primary song keeps the temple idea going while everyone sits close.

  1. SAY“The temple is the Lord’s house. Let’s sing about it!”
  2. Sing “I Love to See the Temple” (Children’s Songbook, 95). Keep your temple roof arms up while you sing.
  3. Sing it again and let the children point to each other every time you sing “I.”
  4. Humming and doing the motions counts. They’re learning!

Class screen: 🏛️ I love to see the temple!

3. Story

Picture Story: Here Comes the King!

5 min

Building, clip-clopping and cheering let three-year-olds feel the story in their bodies.

  1. Pick a Haggai, a Zechariah and a Donkey Helper (who holds the soft-toy donkey). Give everyone else a green branch. They are the builders and the happy crowd.
  2. Show each picture on your phone or tablet, read the one or two lines, then do the action together.
  3. At the donkey scene, the Donkey Helper walks the donkey slowly past everyone while they clip-clop on their knees.
  4. At the branch scene, everyone waves their branches and shouts, “Hosanna!”
  5. End with crowns on your heads: “Jesus is my King!”
🌪️ If the cheering gets too big, say, “Whoa, donkey!” Everyone freezes with a temple roof over their heads.

Class screen: 🫏 Story time: Here comes the King!

No supplies? Do this instead

Instead of: A stuffed animal to be the donkey (any soft toy works), Green paper cut into strips or leaf shapes, one “branch” per child

  1. Pick a Haggai, a Zechariah and a Donkey Helper. Everyone else is a builder and the happy crowd.
  2. Show each picture on your phone or tablet, read the one or two lines, then do the action together.
  3. At the donkey scene, the Donkey Helper walks slowly past everyone, clip-clopping their hands on their knees, while everyone else clip-clops too.
  4. At the branch scene, everyone waves their arms high like palm branches and shouts, “Hosanna!”
  5. End with crowns on your heads: “Jesus is my King!”
4. Wiggle break

Clip-Clop Freeze

2 min

Trotting like a little donkey and freezing gets the wiggles out.

  1. Open Freeze Dance. Say: “When the music plays, clip-clop around like a little donkey!”
  2. When the music stops, everyone freezes and makes a temple roof over their heads.
  3. Try slow donkey, fast donkey and sleepy donkey.
  4. Last round: when the music stops, everyone sits down softly and says, “Hee-haw… shhh.”
🧊 Freeze Dance (a class game in the Gospel Sparks app)

Class screen: 🫏 Clip-clop! Freeze!

5. Scripture

Behold, Thy King Cometh

3 min

Six words with motions help them remember that Jesus is the King who came.

  1. SAY“The prophet Zechariah said happy words about Jesus. Let’s say them!”
  2. Teach the motions one piece at a time. Then say it together: “Behold, thy King cometh unto thee.”
  3. Say it in a whisper voice, then a clip-clop voice, then a big cheering voice.
  4. Ask: “Who is the King?” Everyone: “Jesus!”

Class screen: 👑 Behold, thy King cometh! · 👀 Behold · 👑 thy King · 🫏 cometh · 🤗 unto thee

6. Game

Hosanna Parade

3 min

A happy parade lets them move and show joy for Jesus like the crowd did.

  1. Give each child a green branch. Say: “Let’s have a happy parade for King Jesus!”
  2. March slowly around the room together, waving branches high.
  3. Every time you stop and turn around, everyone shouts, “Hosanna!”
  4. At the end, everyone lays their branches on the floor to make a green road, just like the people did.
🌪️ Walking feet only. Runners become slow little donkeys and clip-clop at the back of the line.

Class screen: 🌿 Wave and shout, “Hosanna!”

No supplies? Do this instead

Instead of: Green paper cut into strips or leaf shapes, one “branch” per child

  1. SAY“Let’s have a happy parade for King Jesus! Our arms are the branches.”
  2. March slowly around the room together, arms waving high like palm branches.
  3. Every time you stop and turn around, everyone shouts, “Hosanna!”
  4. At the end, everyone kneels and pretends to lay a branch down on the road.
7. Talk it over

Show Me!

2 min

Answering with their bodies lets pre-readers show what they remember.

  1. Sit together on the floor. Show one question at a time on your phone or tablet.
  2. Everyone answers with their body or one word. Every answer gets a happy “Yes!”
  3. Finish by saying: “Jesus is our King!”
💬 Ask the class
  • Show me how you build the Lord’s house!
  • What animal did Jesus ride?
  • Show me how the happy people waved their branches!
  • Who is our King?

Class screen: 🙋 Show me!

8. Game

What’s Hiding?

2 min

A hidden-picture reveal reviews the story with happy suspense.

  1. Open Mystery Picture. Say: “A picture from our story is hiding. Let’s find it!”
  2. Ask an easy question (“What did Jesus ride? A donkey!”). Each right answer, a child taps away one tile.
  3. When they guess the picture, everyone does its action: hammer for blocks, clip-clop for a donkey, wave for a branch.
🧩 Mystery Picture (a class game in the Gospel Sparks app)

Class screen: 🔍 What’s hiding?

9. Testimony

Jesus Is My King

2 min

A quiet, loving moment helps them feel that Jesus is real and loves them.

  1. Ask for whisper voices. Hold up the picture of Jesus.
  2. SAY“Jesus is our King. He is kind and good. At Christmas we remember that our King came to earth as a tiny baby. I love Him, and I know He loves you.”
  3. Let each child who wants to touch the picture softly and whisper, “Jesus is my King.”
  4. Fold arms and say a short closing prayer, or invite a child to say one with your help.

Class screen: 💛 Jesus is my King.

No supplies? Do this instead

Instead of: A picture of Jesus Christ (from your ward library, a Church magazine or your phone)

  1. Ask for whisper voices. Show the crown on this screen.
  2. SAY“Jesus is our King. He is kind and good. At Christmas we remember that our King came to earth as a tiny baby. I love Him, and I know He loves you.”
  3. Everyone puts a hand on their heart and whispers, “Jesus is my King.”
  4. Fold arms and say a short closing prayer, or invite a child to say one with your help.
10. Game

Picture Quiz

4 minBONUS

Pointing at pictures lets pre-readers review the story and cheer.

  1. Open Scripture Showdown. Read each question aloud and point to each picture.
  2. Children point to or shout the right picture. Everyone cheers every right answer.
  3. Skip the team scores if they cause tears. With Sunbeams, everybody wins.
▶ Play Scripture Showdown on the web

Class screen: 🏆 Picture quiz!

Story drama

Here Comes the King!

Haggai 1:8; Zechariah 9:9; Matthew 21:1–12 ↗

Parts to hand out

  • HaggaiCalls out, “Let’s build the Lord’s house!”
  • ZechariahWhispers the happy secret: “The King is coming!”
  • Donkey HelperWalks the soft-toy donkey slowly along the road. (No one plays Jesus.)
  • BuildersEveryone! Climb, carry wood, and hammer: bang, bang, bang!
  • Happy CrowdEveryone again! Wave branches and shout, “Hosanna!”

Scenes

  1. 🧔 Haggai says: build the Lord’s house!

    Long ago, God’s people needed to build the Lord’s house, the temple. The prophet Haggai told them to build it!

    🎬 Haggai calls, “Let’s build!” Everyone answers, “Okay!” and rolls up their sleeves.

  2. ⛰️ Up the mountain to get wood

    The Lord said, “Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house.” So they did!

    🎬 Climb in place, up, up, up! Then carry heavy pretend wood: “Oof!”

  3. 🔨 Bang, bang! Everybody builds

    Everybody worked together. Bang, bang, bang! Up went the walls.

    🎬 Hammer your fists together: bang, bang, bang!

  4. 🏛️ The temple is finished! Hooray!

    At last, the Lord’s house was finished. Everyone was so happy!

    🎬 Make a pointy temple roof over your head with your arms and cheer, “Hooray!”

  5. 🧓 Zechariah’s happy secret: the King is coming!

    Another prophet, Zechariah, told a happy secret: the King is coming, and He will ride on a little donkey!

    🎬 Zechariah whispers, “The King is coming!” Everyone whispers it back.

  6. 🫏 Jesus rides a little donkey

    Many years later, Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a little donkey, just like Zechariah said. Jesus is the King!

    🎬 The Donkey Helper walks the donkey slowly. Everyone pats their knees: clip-clop, clip-clop.

  7. 🌿 Wave your branches! Shout “Hosanna!”

    The people were so happy! They waved branches and shouted, “Hosanna!” It was a happy way to praise Jesus.

    🎬 Wave your branches high and shout, “Hosanna!”

  8. 👑 Jesus is our King!

    Then Jesus went to the temple, His holy house. Jesus is our King, and He loves you!

    🎬 Make a crown on your head with your hands. Then give yourself a hug and say, “Jesus is my King!”

Key verse

Zechariah 9:9 ↗
“behold, thy King cometh unto thee”
In kid words: Look! Your King is coming to you!
🙌 “behold” = hand over your eyes like you’re looking far away · “thy King” = make a crown on your head with your hands · “cometh” = pat your knees, clip-clop · “unto thee” = point to yourself and smile big

More verses

Haggai 1:8 ↗
“Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house”
In kid words: Let’s build the Lord’s house!
Matthew 21:9 ↗
“Hosanna to the Son of David”
In kid words: Hooray for Jesus!
Zechariah 9:9 ↗
“Rejoice greatly”
In kid words: Be so, so happy!

Forehead Guess words10 words

  • 🏛️ Temple
  • 🫏 Donkey
  • 🌿 Branch
  • 👑 King
  • 🧱 Blocks
  • 🔨 Hammer
  • ⛰️ Mountain
  • 🪵 Wood
  • 🧔 Prophet
  • 🎉 Parade
Clues for each word
  • Temple: The Lord’s holy house
  • Donkey: Jesus rode one. Hee-haw!
  • Branch: The happy people waved these
  • King: Jesus is our King
  • Blocks: We stack them to build
  • Hammer: Bang, bang, bang!
  • Mountain: The builders climbed it to get wood
  • Wood: The builders carried it
  • Prophet: Haggai and Zechariah were prophets
  • Parade: We marched and shouted “Hosanna!”
▶ Play Forehead GuessFull screen, 60-second timer, works on any phone.

Scripture Showdown7 questions

  1. Which one is the Lord’s house?
    • A. 🏛️ The temple
    • B. 🏪 A store
    Show answer

    ✅ A. 🏛️ The temple The temple is the Lord’s holy house.

  2. What did Jesus ride?
    • A. 🚲 A bike
    • B. 🫏 A little donkey
    • C. 🚀 A rocket
    Show answer

    ✅ B. 🫏 A little donkey Clip-clop! Jesus rode a little donkey, just like Zechariah said.

  3. What did the happy people wave?
    • A. 🌿 Branches
    • B. 🍝 Spaghetti
    Show answer

    ✅ A. 🌿 Branches They waved branches to show they loved Jesus.

  4. Who is our King?
    • A. 🐸 A frog
    • B. 👑 Jesus
    Show answer

    ✅ B. 👑 Jesus Jesus is our King, and He loves us!

  5. What did the builders carry down the mountain?
    • A. 🍦 Ice cream
    • B. 🧸 Toys
    • C. 🪵 Wood
    Show answer

    ✅ C. 🪵 Wood They carried wood to build the Lord’s house.

  6. What did the happy people shout?
    • A. 😴 Zzzz
    • B. 🎉 Hosanna!
    Show answer

    ✅ B. 🎉 Hosanna! “Hosanna!” was a happy way to praise Jesus.

  7. What sound do donkey feet make?
    • A. 👣 Clip-clop
    • B. 🦆 Quack
    Show answer

    ✅ A. 👣 Clip-clop Clip-clop, clip-clop, here comes the King!

▶ Play Scripture ShowdownTeams take turns on one screen.

Songs

  • I Love to See the Temple Children’s Songbook, p. 95

    The Sunbeam favorite about the Lord’s house, sung right after building the temple. Find it ↗

  • Joy to the World Hymns, no. 201

    A joyful Christmas hymn about welcoming the Lord as King. Clap along during the parade if there’s time. Find it ↗

  • He Sent His Son Children’s Songbook, p. 34

    A gentle Christmas song for the quiet ending: Heavenly Father sent Jesus to us. Find it ↗

This week’s challenge

King Jesus Crown

Every time you see a temple or a picture of Jesus this week, make a crown on your head with your hands and say, “Jesus is my King!”

Text the parents

Today in Sunbeams we built a little temple, the Lord’s house (Haggai 1:8), and learned that the prophet Zechariah said the King would ride a donkey. Jesus did! We waved branches and shouted “Hosanna!” (Matthew 21:9). Ask your child: “What did Jesus ride?” and “Who is our King?”

📝 After class

What worked? Who needs a check-in this week? Jot it here on a printed copy, or in the app’s private class notes.

Got extra time?

✂️ Paper Crown for the Picture · 4 min

  1. Cut a simple paper crown shape for each child and let them color it.
  2. SAY“This crown reminds us that Jesus is our King.”
  3. Children take the crown home to put by a picture of Jesus or a temple.

👕 Clean Clothes (Zechariah 3) · 3 min

  1. SAY“Zechariah saw a man in dirty clothes. An angel gave him clean clothes!”
  2. Everyone pretends to brush dirt off their arms, then “put on” clean clothes.
  3. SAY“Jesus helps us be clean when we say sorry and try again. When you are eight, you can be baptized in white clothes.”

🏛️ Temple Roof Tag · 3 min

  1. Play gentle walking tag. The teacher is “it.”
  2. Anyone who makes a pointy temple roof over their head is safe.
  3. SAY“The temple is a safe, holy place. It’s the Lord’s house.”

Sources

Scripture quotations are from the King James Version, the Bible used by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Tap or click a reference to open it in Gospel Library. Start with the official Come, Follow Me manual; these ideas are here to help it come alive.

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