How to Celebrate Sukkot With Kids: A Jesus-Centered Family Guide
Sukkot is one of my favorite biblical feasts to celebrate with children because it is so hands-on, joyful, and full of opportunities to point our kids to Jesus.
You don’t need a perfect sukkah, an elaborate menu, or a week packed full of activities.
Sukkot gives Christian families a beautiful opportunity to slow down, get outside, remember God’s faithfulness, practice gratitude, and help our children see the bigger story of Scripture.
And the best part?
Kids don’t have to sit still for a Bible lesson to learn.
They can build a fort.
They can sleep outside.
They can gather leaves.
They can eat a meal under the stars.
They can make something with their hands.
They can look up at the night sky while you tell them about the Israelites traveling through the wilderness—and then show them how that story ultimately points us toward Jesus.
Because for our family, Sukkot isn’t about celebrating a tradition disconnected from Jesus.
We celebrate Sukkot because we believe the entire Bible tells one story, and Jesus is at the center of it.
Sukkot gives us a beautiful picture of God dwelling with His people, and that theme takes us from the tabernacle in the wilderness all the way to Jesus:
“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.”— John 1:14
The word translated dwelt there is closely connected to the idea of tabernacling or dwelling among us.
And the story doesn’t end there.
Revelation looks forward to the day when:
“Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man.”— Revelation 21:3
So whether we’re camping, building a sukkah in the backyard, or simply creating little moments of celebration at home, our goal is to use Sukkot to help our children see Jesus throughout the story of Scripture.
Here are some of our favorite ways to celebrate.
What Is Sukkot, The Feast of Tabernacles?
Sukkot, also called the Feast of Tabernacles or Feast of Booths, is one of the appointed feasts God gave Israel in Leviticus 23.
God instructed the Israelites to dwell in temporary shelters for seven days so that future generations would remember how He caused Israel to dwell in temporary shelters when He brought them out of Egypt.
“That your generations may know that I made the people of Israel dwell in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt.”— Leviticus 23:43
And Sukkot is specifically described as a time of joy.
For Christian families, this feast can become a beautiful way to explore a theme that runs throughout the whole Bible:
God desires to dwell with His people.
The tabernacle.
The temple.
Jesus coming in the flesh.
The Spirit dwelling with believers.
And ultimately, the promise of God dwelling with His people forever.
That is the story we want our children to see.
Ways to Celebrate Sukkot With Kids that Point to Jesus
1. Build (or Buy) a Sukkah—or Make a “Sukkah” Fort
This might be the easiest way to make Sukkot immediately exciting for kids.
If you have the space, build a simple sukkah outside using branches, fabric, a canopy, or other materials. Let the kids help decorate it and spend time eating, reading, playing, or resting inside.
Or if you don't want to build one or don't have time, buy a backyard tent! These are two great options - Sukkah Backyard Tent 1 and Sukkah Backyard Tent 2. (#ads)
But if an outdoor sukkah isn’t practical, build one inside!
Give your kids blankets, sheets, pillows, chairs, and string lights and let them create their own little temporary dwelling.
We’ve even made bedroom forts that the kids can sleep underneath for the night.
As you’re building, talk about why Israel lived in temporary shelters.
It was a reminder:
We aren’t meant to put our ultimate security in our temporary circumstances. God is our provider and dwelling place.
And then point them toward Jesus.
Read John 1:14 and talk about how Jesus came to dwell among us.
A blanket fort suddenly becomes more than a blanket fort.
It becomes a tangible reminder of the story.
2. Eat a Meal Outside
You don’t have to camp to make Sukkot feel different from an ordinary week.
Move dinner outside.
Eat on the patio.
Have a picnic in the backyard.
Set up a little table underneath your sukkah.
Or spread a blanket on the grass and eat picnic-style.
Let the kids help decorate the table with leaves, flowers, pinecones, or other things they find outside.
And while you’re eating, talk about what it means to remember God’s provision.
Sukkot is a celebration of God’s faithfulness.
It is a chance to stop and say:
“Look at everything God has provided for us.”
3. Read the Sukkot Story Together
One of the simplest things you can do is simply read Scripture.
Read Leviticus 23:33–43 and talk about why God commanded Israel to celebrate Sukkot.
Then let the kids ask questions.
Why did they live in temporary shelters?
What did God provide for them in the wilderness?
Why did God want future generations to remember?
Why do you think the feast was supposed to be joyful?
Then connect it to Jesus.
Read:
Exodus 25:8 — God dwelling among His people
Leviticus 23:42–43 — remembering the wilderness
John 1:14 — Jesus dwelling among us
Revelation 21:3 — God dwelling with His people forever
This is one of the reasons I love celebrating the biblical feasts with children.
They help us connect Scripture instead of treating the Bible like a collection of unrelated stories.
4. Create a Sukkot Bible Basket
Put together a little basket that only comes out during Sukkot.
You might include:
Children’s Bibles
Sukkot or Feast of Tabernacles books
Bible storybooks
Sabbath books
nature books
journals
colored pencils
crayons
stickers
a small flashlight for nighttime reading
Keep it somewhere accessible and let the kids pull things out throughout the week.
You can also add one or two special books to the collection each year.
Another resource we’ve enjoyed is Bible Pathway Adventures.
When choosing books, we personally love resources that help our children see the biblical story through the lens of Jesus, Scripture, creation, and God’s redemptive plan.
5. Start a Sukkot Nature Journal
Sukkot is a wonderful time to slow down and notice God’s creation.
Give each child a simple notebook and some colored pencils.
Take a walk and have them draw or write about what they see.
They might draw:
🍂 a leaf
🌲 a tree
🐿️ an animal
🌸 a flower
🪨 an interesting rock
🌙 the moon
⭐ the stars
You can give them simple prompts:
Something beautiful I noticed today…
Something God created that surprised me…
Something I’m thankful for…
Something I learned about God today…
This doesn’t have to become another homeschool assignment.
Let it be a place for them to notice, wonder, worship, and create.
These are our favorite nature journals! #ad They are blank and give the kids freedom to imagine and create!
6. Make a Paper Chain of Thanks
Sukkot is a perfect opportunity to practice gratitude.
Cut strips of paper and have each family member write or draw something they’re thankful for.
Link the strips together to create a paper chain.
You can add to it throughout the week and hang it in your sukkah or somewhere in your home.
For younger children who can’t write yet, ask:
“What are you thankful for?”
Then write their answer for them.
As you make the chain, remind your children that gratitude is ultimately about recognizing God as the giver of every good gift.
7. Go Camping
If your family enjoys camping like ours does, Sukkot is a natural opportunity to take the celebration outdoors.
Spend a night—or several nights—camping together.
Eat outside.
Sleep in a tent. (PS this is our tent, it fits our family of 5 with 3 air mattresses perfectly!)
Cook over the fire.
Watch the stars.
Read Scripture by lantern light.
Take a nature walk.
Wake up with the sunrise.
Let your kids experience a tiny taste of what it might feel like to live temporarily somewhere rather than in the comfort of your everyday home.
And as you’re sitting around the fire, talk about the Israelites in the wilderness.
They weren’t wandering alone.
God was with them.
That gives you a beautiful opportunity to remind your children:
God is still with His people.
And Jesus is the ultimate expression of that truth.
You don’t have to go far.
A campground nearby works.
So does your backyard.
And if camping isn’t your thing, don’t feel like you’re missing out—Sukkot can be beautifully celebrated at home.
8. Have a Campfire or Backyard Fire
If you have access to a fire pit, make one evening a special Sukkot fire night.
Tell Bible stories.
Sing worship songs.
Roast marshmallows (the kid without pork gelatin!).
Look at the stars.
Talk about what you’ve learned during the week.
You can even make your own little s’mores bar with different cookies, chocolate, peanut butter, fruit, and other toppings.
For children, the combination of fire + food + stories + darkness + stars creates a memory that often sticks far longer than a formal lesson.
9. Go Stargazing
Turn off the lights.
Grab blankets.
Lie on the ground.
Look up.
Read Genesis 15:5 and talk about God’s promise to Abraham.
Then talk about what it might have been like for the Israelites to look up at the night sky while traveling through the wilderness.
And then point forward.
Read John 1:14:
“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.”
Jesus came to dwell among us.
Then read Revelation 21:3:
“Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man.”
The story that began with God dwelling among His people is ultimately moving toward God dwelling with His people forever.
Ask your kids:
“What do you think it will be like when God dwells with us forever?”
Let them imagine.
10. Make a Sukkah Craft (Edible or Not!)
Kids love building things.
Give them graham crackers, pretzels, frosting, marshmallow fluff, raisins, coconut, herbs, candy, or other edible decorations and let them build their own tiny sukkahs. (Think: like ginerbread house style)
Or make paper sukkahs out of:
construction paper
popsicle sticks
paper bags
cardboard
leaves
twigs
As they build, remind them:
A sukkah is temporary.
It isn’t our permanent home.
And that gives you an opportunity to talk about how Scripture repeatedly reminds us that this life is not our ultimate destination.
We are looking forward to something better.
11. Create Nature Art
Take advantage of the season and let your kids create with things they find outside.
Try:
🍂 Leaf painting
Paint leaves with washable paint or paint pens.
🪨 Rock painting
Paint words like:
JOY
REST
DWELL
TRUST
THANKFUL
🌿 Nature weaving
Tie string between two sticks and weave leaves, grasses, and flowers through it.
🍁 Leaf rubbings
Place paper over leaves and rub crayons over the top.
🌲 Pinecone creations
Turn pinecones into little animals, trees, or decorations.
Then let the kids decorate the sukkah with their creations.
12. Have a Shepherd’s Meal
This can be incredibly simple.
Put pillows or blankets on the floor, or just eat at a table if that's easier for you.
Turn off the lights.
Use lanterns or battery candles.
Serve simple foods such as:
bread
fruit
cheese
nuts
vegetables
honey
olives
meat
Then read Psalm 23.
Talk about shepherds, sheep, God’s provision, and Jesus as the Good Shepherd.
It doesn’t need to be historically perfect.
The goal is simply to create a different environment that helps your children imagine the biblical world—and then connect that world to the Good Shepherd who came for us.
13. Explore the Theme of “God With Us”
This is one of my favorite Sukkot studies to do with children.
Follow this theme through Scripture:
God dwelt with Adam and Eve.
God dwelt among Israel in the tabernacle.
God’s presence was associated with the temple.
Jesus came and dwelt among us.
God gives His Spirit to His people.
And Revelation looks forward to the day when God will dwell with His people forever.
Read:
Exodus 25:8 → Leviticus 23:42–43 → John 1:14 → Revelation 21:3
Then tell your kids:
“Do you see the story?”
God has always wanted to dwell with His people.
Sukkot gives us a beautiful picture of that story.
And Jesus is at the center of it.
14. Celebrate Jesus’ Birth During Sukkot
This is one tradition our family has especially enjoyed.
There are Christians who believe that the biblical clues surrounding Jesus’ birth point toward the time of Sukkot, particularly because of the connection between Sukkot, God’s dwelling, and John 1:14.
The Bible does not explicitly give us Jesus’ birth date, so we can’t say with certainty that Jesus was born during Sukkot.
But if your family believes the evidence points in that direction, Sukkot can be a beautiful time to honor Jesus’ birth and celebrate that He came to dwell among us.
We’ve done simple things like making a star-shaped cake or cupcakes to celebrate Jesus’ birth.
It doesn’t have to become another elaborate holiday.
You could:
⭐ Make a star cake
🧁 Make cupcakes
👑 Make a simple “Happy Birthday, Jesus!” banner
📖 Read the birth accounts in Matthew 1–2 and Luke 1–2
🎶 Sing songs about Jesus’ birth that don’t focus on winter or Christmas traditions
🎁 Talk about the gifts of the wise men
🕯️ Light candles and talk about Jesus as the Light of the World
One year you might make a special cake.
Another year you might just have cupcakes after dinner.
The point is simply to pause and say:
“Jesus came. God came to dwell among us. And we want to celebrate Him.”
If you celebrate Jesus’ birth at Sukkot, you can also use the opportunity to explain to your children that December 25 is a traditional date for celebrating Jesus’ birth, not a date Scripture gives us. Families may come to different conclusions about the timing of His birth, and that’s okay.
For us, exploring the possibility that Jesus was born around Sukkot has made the feast even more meaningful because of the beautiful connection to:
“The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.”
15. Talk About Jesus as King
Sukkot is also a wonderful time to talk about Jesus’ identity and future reign.
Make a little “Names of Jesus” study throughout the week.
Talk about Jesus as:
👑 King
🐑 Good Shepherd
🍞 Bread of Life
💧 Living Water
🌿 Vine
💡 Light
❤️ Savior
Let each child choose their favorite name and draw a picture representing it.
You could even make a little banner to hang in your sukkah.
16. Have a Kingdom Feast
One evening, make dinner feel like a celebration.
Set the table outside.
Use your nicest dishes or fun disposable plates.
Light lanterns.
Play worship music.
Have plenty of fruit, bread, meat, and something special for dessert.
Then talk about the biblical imagery of a future feast and wedding celebration.
Read Revelation 19:6–9.
Ask:
“What do you think God’s Kingdom will be like?”
This gives children another beautiful connection:
Sukkot isn’t only about remembering what God did in the past.
It can also point us toward what God has promised to do in the future.
Jesus is coming again.
God will dwell with His people.
And Scripture gives us a picture of a great celebration.
17. Make “Gifts for the King”
If your family enjoys talking about the wise men during the Christmas season, you can also use Sukkot as an opportunity to talk about Jesus as King.
Read Matthew 2:11 and discuss the gifts brought to Jesus:
Gold.
Frankincense.
Myrrh.
Then ask:
“If you could give Jesus something, what would you give Him?”
Maybe a child says:
my obedience
my worship
my kindness
my time
my heart
my trust
Write their answers down and make them into little cards or decorations.
18. Make Sukkot a Time of Prayer
Sukkot can also be a wonderful time to look back at the past year and look forward to the next one.
Give each family member several small pieces of paper.
Write or draw:
🙏 Something I’m thankful for
🙏 Something I’m asking God for
🙏 Someone I’m praying for
🙏 Something I want God to grow in me
🙏 Something I’m trusting Him with
Keep the papers somewhere special.
Then bring them out again the following Sukkot.
Which prayers were answered?
Which ones are still waiting?
What changed?
What did God teach you?
It’s a simple way to help children begin recognizing God’s faithfulness over time.
19. Shake a Lulav
If your family incorporates the traditional lulav and etrog into your Sukkot celebration, this can be a wonderful hands-on experience for kids.
Let them see, hold, and learn about the different plants involved.
You can also make a child-friendly version using branches or greenery if you don’t have access to a traditional set.
If your family chooses to incorporate this tradition, you can use it as an opportunity to talk about the biblical commands surrounding Sukkot and the way Jewish communities have practiced the feast throughout history.
For our family, however, the purpose isn’t simply to recreate a tradition.
It’s to help our children engage with the biblical feast and the story that ultimately points us to Jesus.
20. Celebrate With Music
Make a Sukkot playlist.
Play worship songs while you’re decorating.
Sing around the fire.
Dance outside.
Have a family worship time in the sukkah.
Choose songs that reinforce the themes you’re teaching:
God is with us.
God provides.
God is faithful.
Jesus is King.
Jesus came to dwell among us.
We have hope.
God is making all things new.
And don’t underestimate how much children remember songs.
Sometimes a song becomes the thing they remember years later.
21. Let Kids Help Plan the Celebration
This might be the most important idea of all.
Don’t make Sukkot something Mom plans for everyone else.
Give your children ownership.
Ask:
“What should we do in our sukkah?”
“What should we decorate with?”
“What should we eat outside?”
“What Bible story should we read?”
“What are you thankful for?”
“What do you want to make?”
Let them choose a song.
Let them decorate.
Let them build.
Let them gather nature.
Let them help prepare the food.
Let them stay up a little later to look at the stars.
When children participate in the celebration, they’re not simply being entertained.
They’re becoming part of your family’s traditions.
You Don’t Have to Do It All
If you’re looking at this list thinking, “That sounds amazing…but also like a LOT,” take a breath.
You don’t need to do all of it. (I don't do it all!)
You don’t need a Pinterest-worthy sukkah.
You don’t need to go camping.
You don’t need a seven-day itinerary.
You don’t need expensive decorations.
You don’t need to recreate ancient Israel.
Choose two or three things that fit your family.
Maybe it’s:
Build a sukkah fort + eat dinner outside + read Scripture.
Or:
Camp for the weekend + stargaze + make s’mores.
Or:
Make a sukkah craft + nature journal + have a family prayer night.
Or:
Make a star-shaped cake + read Luke 2 + sing about Jesus’ birth.
Or simply:
Read Leviticus 23, build a blanket fort, and thank God for His provision.
The goal isn’t to create the “perfect” Sukkot.
The goal is to remember, rejoice, and point our children to Jesus. And always refer back to Scripture, when in doubt.
Because when we celebrate Sukkot as followers of Jesus, we’re not simply looking backward at a wilderness experience.
We’re looking at a thread that runs through the entire story of Scripture:
God dwelling with His people.
From the wilderness…
to the tabernacle…
to Jesus dwelling among us…
to the Spirit dwelling with His people…
to the promise that one day:
“Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man.”— Revelation 21:3
That is the story we want our children to remember.
That is what we want our celebrations to point toward.
Jesus came.
Jesus dwelt among us.
Jesus is King.
And one day, God will dwell with His people forever.
So build the fort.
Gather the leaves.
Eat outside.
Make the cupcakes.
Look at the stars.
Sing the songs.
Read the Scriptures.
Laugh around the fire.
And let your children experience the joy of remembering the God who has always desired to dwell with His people.
📖 Want to Study Sukkot More Deeply?
I’ve created a FREE Feast of Tabernacles / Sukkot Bible Study Guide to help you study the biblical foundation of the day and what it means in light of Jesus.
Don’t just take my word for it. Open your Bible and study it for yourself.
A Few Bible Study Tools I Recommend
You absolutely don’t need to know Hebrew or Greek to begin doing word studies.
One of the easiest tools to use is a Strong’s Concordance, which lets you find the original-language word behind an English translation and trace where that word appears throughout Scripture.
I also recommend comparing several Bible translations rather than relying on only one. These are my two favorites that I use in every study:
You don’t have to own ten Bibles. 😂
Even having two or three translations that approach the text somewhat differently can help you notice things you might otherwise miss. And if you don't have physical books, you can use Blue Letter Bible website/app and other websites for translations.
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