This free Sunday School lesson plan for Pentecost is designed for Kindergarten through 6th grade students. It focuses on the Holy Spirit as a gift, emphasizing the importance of Pentecost in the history of the Church.
The lesson plan includes:
- An object lesson using birthday party elements to introduce the concept of Pentecost as the Church’s birthday.
- Bible readings from Acts 2:1-21, Romans 8:26-27, and John 16:13-15, with explanations and discussion questions.
- Suggested games and activities, such as language learning, balloon races, and themed snacks.
- Craft instructions for making a “Dove from Above” and a “Flame of the Spirit.”
- A word search puzzle based on the lesson’s vocabulary.
The lesson aims to teach children about the Holy Spirit, the significance of Pentecost, and the importance of sharing God’s love with others.
Sunday School Lesson on Pentecost and the Holy Spirit
Happy Birthday, Church! Acts 2:1-21
Pentecost is an important and exciting event in the history of the church. Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit, which was fulfilled at Pentecost. We see God’s power evidenced and the gospel of Jesus spread to many. Pentecost is often called the “birthday” of the church, so this lesson uses elements of a birthday party to relate to the special day. Emphasis is heavy on the gift concept, relating to how we receive the Holy Spirit as a gift, not just on Pentecost but always.
Before Jesus’s saving work, our salvation depended on following the law. Christ promised to fulfill that law and send the Holy Spirit to energize the church. The events of Pentecost assure and remind us that Jesus worked for us, spoke truth, and wants us to share His love. He gave us the gift of His spirit to comfort and help us, and to build faith in us and in others. We should be encouraged and energized to share the Gospel and the love of God.
Passage: Acts 2:1-21; Romans 8:26-27; John 16:13-15
Teaching Age Level: Kindergarten-6th grade (children 6-12 years old)
Learning Context: Children’s Church, Sunday School, Kids Ministry
Materials Needed: Candles, balloons, straws, construction paper, decorative materials, streamers, party horns, hair dryer, cups, beads, scissors, pencils, balls, Bible (all optional, depending which activities you choose to use—except for the Bible, you need that for sure).
Video Bible Story: Pentecost for Kids
Lesson Opening: In this story, the Holy Spirit helper came to the disciples, just like Jesus had promised. The events of Pentecost are remarkable: flames on heads, speaking in other languages, enthusiasm and excitement…this could only come from God! Celebrate the story. Sprinkle some of these bonus items in before, during, or after the Scripture exploration.
Here are some potential activities to enjoy…(select the best ones for your audience and age group):
- Try your hand at some language fun! Pick a foreign language, and learn some new words in it. Learn about the culture and people who speak that language, too.
- Have a balloon race: blow up a balloon, let it go, and see where it lands. Continue to do this and race to see who is the first to make it across the room with their balloon.
- “Snacks on Fire”: Enjoy a tasty “flame” themed snack. Examples include flaming hot Cheetos, crackers with orange and yellow cheeses, red and yellow veggies (carrots, peppers, cherry tomatoes), or Dove chocolates (for the Holy Spirit symbol).
- Have a “wind-blown race”: provide each student with a straw and invite them to use the straws to blow a ping-pong ball or pom pom across a table or playing area. This can also turn into a form of “hockey”: have students line up on either side of a table, and try to blow the ball to roll off the other side of the table.
- Happy Birthday, church! As Pentecost is often called the birthday of the early church, celebrate with birthday party games and party favors.
- Light candles (very carefully and with safety supervision) to recount the tongues of flame that came at Pentecost.
Explain that Jesus had promised, before going to Heaven, that He would send the Holy Spirit for the disciples. He kept that promise, and in this lesson we will explore how Pentecost energized people to spread the Gospel good news. This message was not just for the early church, but for us, too, as we shine God’s love to one another.
Bible Lesson: Acts 2:1-21
The passages here refer to the events of Pentecost and descriptions of the Holy Spirit. Have fun adding interactive elements as you see fit. Students can help to tell the story and act it out, if you wish, or listen as you present the Scripture. Older students can help take turns reading.
When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested[a] on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. -Acts 2:1-4
Amazing things were happening here. Tongues of fire and rushing wind? Speaking other languages? Of course, we don’t experience these things on a daily basis. This was a remarkable and special event in the life of the church. We may not see this all the time, but it’s still amazing and exciting to learn about in order to consider how Christ still can and does work through us today.
Optional: use a fan or hair dryer to create a “rushing wind” for students. Light candles to recall the tongues of flame.
Ask: The Holy Spirit entered in this event, just as Jesus had promised to send His presence. How do we know that God is always present? (This could be a tricky question! Consider elements of prayer, knowing all we have comes from Him, and the Bible.)
Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. 6 And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. 7 And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? 9 Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, 11 both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” 12 And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” 13 But others mocking said, “They are filled with new wine.” -Acts 2:4-13
Optional: look at these various places on a map to see how far people came from.
Sometimes people don’t understand what God is doing in our lives. They might criticize or critique what confuses them. The disciples were filled with power to do amazing and remarkable things, like speak in other languages. A lot of people believed the things that they shared, but there are always some who will be skeptical or grumpy. Explain to kids that even in this experience, God gave the disciples wise words to help them explain what was happening.
But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. 15 For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. 16 But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel:
17 “‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares,
that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh,
and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
and your young men shall see visions,
and your old men shall dream dreams;
18 even on my male servants and female servants
in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.
19 And I will show wonders in the heavens above
and signs on the earth below,
blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke;
20 the sun shall be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood,
before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day.
21 And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’ -Acts 2:14-21
Peter uses Scripture prophecies to remind the onlookers that God had promised what was happening would happen. The Holy Spirit enabled it, and that was only the beginning of the growth of the church. Peter and the other followers of Jesus spread out and told many others about who He was and what He had done.
*Ask: The disciples were excited to tell everyone who would listen about Jesus. Who do you tell about Him?
Remind kids that all of us are called to celebrate what God has done. The church is not just one place, but is the way Jesus uses us and our love to continue spreading the joy and love of Christ everywhere. We can tell people about God, and we can also live as His people by demonstrating genuine care for one another. Everyone, everywhere is our mission field!
If you’d like to go into further detail (and have time) about who the Holy Spirit is, consider using the following passages, as well:
Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. –Romans 8:26-27
One important job of the Holy Spirit is being a helper for us. He is always with us, and He can help us when we don’t know how to pray or the words to say.
Ask: Do you ever have a hard time praying? Did you know that you have a helper?
When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. 14 He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. 15 All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you. –John 16:13-15
This passage is a reminder that Jesus promised to send His Spirit, and that He would help people believe and understand.
Note: it’s important to point out that the Holy Spirit wasn’t “born” at Pentecost. He always was, as a person of the Trinity, and has been around from the beginning. But the disciples received Him in a special way at Pentecost.
Close with prayer, thanking God for His Spirit and asking for help to share the Gospel with others.