Gospel Sparks Get the app

Here Comes the King!

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

  • ☀️ Sunbeam
  • 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. 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.” That’s Haggai 1:8. They listened. With help from the prophet Zechariah, they finished the Lord’s house.

Zechariah also looked far ahead. In Zechariah 9:9, he saw a humble King riding on a donkey. About 500 years later, Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey. Crowds spread their clothes and branches on the road and shouted “Hosanna.” That’s Matthew 21:1–9, and John 12:13 mentions palm branches. Then Jesus went into the temple, in 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. “Holiness to the Lord” is 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. You tell the story with the pictures. The kids’ clip-clopping hands and happy “Hosanna!” show that the King is coming.

Only have 5 minutes?

Grab a pile of blocks or plastic cups. Or tap “I brought nothing” and let the kids be the blocks. Build a little temple together. Tell the picture story while they listen for the word “King.” Teach “behold, thy King cometh unto thee” with motions. Then march a Hosanna parade waving branches. End with a quiet testimony that Jesus is our King.

What to bring3 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. Tear or cut green paper into long strips. Make one “branch” per child.

If your class is wild

  • If the block tower falls, cheer, “Builders don’t give up!” Build again. Haggai’s people had to start over too.
  • Crying at drop-off? Give that child a job right away, like “Can you hold the picture of Jesus for me?” Let a parent stay nearby until they settle.
  • For potty breaks, never leave the class alone, and never go somewhere alone with one child. Ask a Primary presidency member or the parent to help, following your ward’s plan.
  • A soft, slow “clip-clop” is your calm-down tool. Pat it on your knees and wait for everyone to copy.
  • The parade gets loud. Your signal is “Whoa, donkey!” Everyone freezes and makes a temple roof over their heads.

The 25-minute plan22 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

Building a little temple together starts the lesson with busy hands and the prophet Haggai’s words.

  1. SAY“Long ago, a prophet named Haggai told God’s people to build the Lord’s house. The Lord’s house is the temple. Let’s build one!”
  2. Dump the blocks in the middle. Each child adds one block. Cheer every block, “Up, up, up!”
  3. SAY“We built a little temple! The temple is Jesus’s holy house.”
  4. Everyone makes a pointy roof with their arms.
🌪️ One block per child per turn. Anyone who knocks it down on purpose helps build it back.

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

We Are the Blocks

  1. SAY“Long ago, a prophet named Haggai told God’s people to build the Lord’s house. The Lord’s house is the temple. Let’s BE the blocks!”
  2. Everyone crouches low on their spot. Tap each child gently on the head and say, “Up!” They stand one by one.
  3. Everyone makes a pointy temple roof with their arms. Say, “The temple is Jesus’s holy house!”

Class screen: 🏛️ We are the blocks!

2. Story

Picture Story: Here Comes the King!

6 min

Seven picture scenes connect the temple Haggai built with King Jesus riding a little donkey.

  1. SAY“Two prophets had happy news. Build the Lord’s house! And the King is coming! When you hear ‘King,’ make a crown on your head.”
  2. Swipe through the scenes. Read each one, and watch for crowns. Do a motion together when one shows.
  3. After scene 7, ask, “Who is our King?” Everyone answers, “Jesus!”
🌪️ If the hammering gets wild, whisper the next line. Soft voices bring soft hands.

Class screen: 👑 Here comes the King! · 👂 Listen for “King” · 👑 Make a crown!

3. Wiggle break

Clip-Clop Freeze

2 min

A quick donkey wiggle gets the bounce out before the verse.

  1. SAY“Let’s be little donkeys! Clip-clop in your spot when the music plays. Freeze when it stops!”
  2. Open Freeze Dance. Everyone clip-clops in place. When the music stops, freeze like a statue.
  3. For the last round, freeze with a crown on your head. Say, “Jesus is my King!” Then sit down.
🧊 Freeze Dance (a class game in the Gospel Sparks app)

Class screen: 🫏 Clip-clop… freeze!

4. Scripture

Our Little Verse: Zechariah 9:9

3 min

Look-crown-clip-clop motions help Sunbeams remember that Jesus is the King who comes to them.

  1. SAY“The prophet Zechariah wrote happy words about Jesus. Listen!”
  2. Hold up your scriptures. Read slowly, “behold, thy King cometh unto thee.” Then say, “That means look! Your King is coming to you!”
  3. Teach the Key Verse motions one at a time. Say it together three times: a whisper, a regular voice, then a happy voice.
  4. Ask, “Who is the King?” Everyone makes a crown and says, “Jesus!”

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

5. Game

Hosanna Parade

5 min

A happy parade with branches practices the big idea: Jesus is our King, and we can praise Him.

  1. SAY“Let’s have a happy parade for King Jesus, like the people did!”
  2. Give each child a green paper branch. March slowly around the room together, waving branches high. Walking feet, happy faces.
  3. Every time you stop and turn around, everyone waves and shouts, “Hosanna!”
  4. At the end, lay the branches in a green road. Ask, “Who is our King?” Everyone answers, “Jesus!”
🌪️ Walk in a slow line behind you. It’s never a race. “Whoa, donkey!” means freeze.

Class screen: 🌿 Hosanna! Wave your branches!

No supplies? Do this instead

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

Hosanna Arms

  1. SAY“Let’s have a happy parade for King Jesus! Our arms are the branches.”
  2. March slowly around the room together. Wave your arms high like palm branches.
  3. Every time you stop and turn around, everyone shouts, “Hosanna!”
  4. At the end, everyone kneels and lays a pretend branch on the road. Ask, “Who is our King?” Everyone answers, “Jesus!”

Class screen: 🙌 Hosanna! Wave your arms!

6. Testimony

Jesus Is My King

3 min

A quiet ending helps each child feel that Jesus, our King, loves them.

  1. SAY“Let’s make quiet crowns.”
  2. Everyone puts their hands on their head like a crown. Hold up the picture of Jesus.
  3. Share, “Jesus is our King. I love Him. And I love the temple, His holy house. He loves each one of you.”
  4. Say each child’s name softly, like “Jesus loves you, Liam.” That child whispers, “Jesus is my King.”
  5. Invite them to do the King Jesus Crown this week. Fold arms for the closing prayer. Whisper the words for the child who prays.

Class screen: 👑 Jesus is my King! · Make a crown when you see the temple

No supplies? Do this instead

Instead of: A picture of Jesus Christ (from your ward library, a Church magazine or the Gospel Library app)

  1. SAY“Let’s make quiet crowns.”
  2. Everyone puts their hands on their head like a crown. Show the last story picture on your phone or tablet.
  3. Share, “Jesus is our King. I love Him. And I love the temple, His holy house. He loves each one of you.”
  4. Say each child’s name softly, like “Jesus loves you, Liam.” That child whispers, “Jesus is my King.”
  5. Invite them to do the King Jesus Crown this week. Fold arms for the closing prayer. Whisper the words for the child who prays.
7. Game

What’s Hiding? Mystery Picture

3 minBONUS

A picture reveal reviews the story if you have a few extra minutes.

  1. SAY“A picture from our story is hiding! Let’s find out what it is.”
  2. Open Mystery Picture. Call out a “show me,” like “Show me hammer fists!” Tap away a tile after each one.
  3. Let everyone guess. When the picture shows, tell that part of the story together.
🧩 Mystery Picture (a class game in the Gospel Sparks app)

Class screen: 🖼️ What’s hiding?

8. Game

Picture Quiz

4 minBONUS

A gentle picture quiz reviews the story. Everybody wins.

  1. SAY“Picture quiz time! Listen, then point to the right picture.”
  2. Open Scripture Showdown. Read each question and point to each picture. Kids point or call out the answer.
  3. Cheer every right answer. Skip team scores if they cause tears. With Sunbeams, everybody wins.
▶ Play Scripture Showdown on the web

Class screen: 🏆 Picture quiz!

The story

Here Comes the King!

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

Optional helpers

  • Hammer LeaderStarts the “Bang, bang!” from their seat when the people build.
  • Sound HelperTaps each scene’s sound on your phone or tablet with your help.

Scenes

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

    Long ago, the prophet Haggai told God’s people to build the Lord’s house. The Lord’s house is the temple.

    🙌 Hammer your fists on your knees: “Bang, bang!”

  2. ⛰️🪵 Wood from the mountain

    The people went up the mountain and brought down wood to build the Lord’s house.

    🙌

  3. 🏛️🎉 The temple is finished!

    They worked and worked together. At last, the Lord’s house was finished. Everyone was so happy!

    🙌

  4. 🧓🤫 Zechariah’s happy secret

    Another prophet named Zechariah told a happy secret. The King is coming! And He will ride on a little donkey!

    🙌

  5. 🫏👑 Jesus rides a little donkey

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

    🙌 Pat your knees: “Clip-clop, clip-clop!”

  6. 🌿🙌 Wave the branches! Hosanna!

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

    🙌 Arms up and wave: “Hosanna!”

  7. 🏛️👑 Jesus is our King

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

    🙌

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. Sing it after building the temple if there’s time. 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, make a crown on your head with your hands. Say, “Jesus is my King!”

Text the parents

Today in Sunbeams we built a little temple, the Lord’s house, from Haggai 1:8. We learned that the prophet Zechariah said the King would ride a donkey. Jesus did! We waved branches and shouted “Hosanna!” like the crowd in Matthew 21:9. Ask your child, “What did Jesus ride?” Then ask, “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 for each child. Let them color it.
  2. Say, “This crown reminds us that Jesus is our King.”
  3. Kids take the crown home to put by a picture of Jesus or a temple.

👕 Clean Clothes · 3 min

  1. Point to Zechariah 3. Say, “Zechariah saw a man in dirty clothes. An angel gave him clean clothes!”
  2. Everyone brushes pretend dirt off their arms. Then they put on pretend clean clothes.
  3. Say, “Jesus helps us be clean when we say sorry and try again. When you’re 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.

All Sunbeam lessons