Purim for kids — a 30-minute lesson you can teach this week.
Costumes, noisemakers, triangular cookies, and the story of a brave hidden queen who saved her people. Purim is the most playful day of the Jewish year — and it carries a beautiful, gentle message about courage. Written for the homeschool parent who didn't grow up doing this, with every Hebrew word transliterated and no prior Hebrew needed.
When is Purim?
Purim 5787 begins at sundown on Monday, March 22, 2027, and the main celebration is the next day, Tuesday, March 23, 2027. (In walled cities like Jerusalem, Shushan Purim is celebrated a day later.)
Need exact times or other years? See the 5-year Jewish holiday calendar.
What is Purim, in 30 seconds?
Purim (חַג פּוּרִים) tells the story of Queen Esther. Long ago, in the land of Persia, a Jewish girl named Esther became queen — and quietly kept her Jewish identity hidden. When her people were in danger, Esther found the courage to speak up to the king and save them. The whole story "turned around" from worry to joy, so Purim is a day of pure celebration: we hear the story, dress in costumes, give gifts, and feast.
For a young child, the big idea is simple:
- A brave queen saved her people. Esther was scared, but she was brave anyway — she spoke up to help everyone. Being brave even when it's hard is the heart of Purim.
- Everything turned around to joy. A scary time became a happy one, so we celebrate by dressing up, making noise, and sharing food and gifts.
That's the whole holiday at age 5: a brave queen, and a day that turned to joy. We keep the scary parts of the story gentle and far in the background — Purim is about courage and celebration. Lead with the costumes.
The 30-minute lesson plan
Designed so you can teach it in one sitting. Adjust on the fly — younger kids need more of the hands-on parts, older kids can handle more of the story and the Hebrew.
The big idea (5 min)
Say: "Today we tell the story of a brave queen named Esther, who helped save her people — and then we celebrate with costumes and treats because everything turned out happy."
The story, gently (5 min)
Tell it kindly: Esther became queen and kept it a secret that she was Jewish. When her people needed help, she was brave and asked the king to protect them — and he did. Keep the villain far in the background; the story is about Esther's courage.
The four mitzvot (10 min)
Purim has four special things to do: (1) hear the Megillah — Esther's story read from a scroll; (2) mishloach manot — give little gifts of food to friends; (3) matanot la'evyonim — give tzedakah to people in need; (4) seudat Purim — a happy festive meal.
Costumes & groggers (5 min)
Dress up — anyone you like, because on Purim things are playful and "hidden," just as Esther hid who she was. When you hear the villain's name during the Megillah, spin a grogger (noisemaker) to drown it out.
Make hamantaschen (5 min)
Bake or eat hamantaschen — oznei Haman, "Haman's ears" — triangular cookies filled with jam or chocolate. Folding the three corners is a perfect kid job.
The blessing before the Megillah
Before Esther's scroll (the Megillah) is read — once at night and once in the morning — we say a blessing. Read it in transliteration if you're listening along at home.
Before reading the Megillah — Al Mikra Megillah
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ עַל מִקְרָא מְגִלָּה.
Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha'olam, asher kid'shanu b'mitzvotav v'tzivanu al mikra megillah.
Translation: Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us concerning the reading of the Megillah.
Said before the Megillah, both at night and in the morning.
Hebrew vocabulary for this lesson
Every word your child will hear during a Purim lesson. Don't drill them — just point them out as they come up. After a couple of years your child will recognize them all.
| Hebrew | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| חַג פּוּרִים | Chag Purim | Purim — the holiday of Queen Esther's story |
| מְגִלָּה | Megillah | "Scroll" — Megillat Esther, the scroll we read on Purim |
| אֶסְתֵּר הַמַּלְכָּה | Esther HaMalkah | Queen Esther |
| מָרְדֳּכַי | Mordechai | Esther's cousin and guardian |
| מִשְׁלוֹחַ מָנוֹת | Mishloach Manot | "Sending portions" — gifts of food friends give each other |
| מַתָּנוֹת לָאֶבְיוֹנִים | Matanot La'Evyonim | "Gifts to the poor" — tzedakah given on Purim day |
| סְעוּדַת פּוּרִים | Seudat Purim | The festive Purim meal |
| אָזְנֵי הָמָן | Oznei Haman (Hamantaschen) | "Haman's ears" — triangular filled cookies |
More Purim terms in our full Hebrew glossary →
Common questions parents ask
When is Purim 2027?
Purim 5787 begins at sundown on Monday, March 22, 2027, and is celebrated through the day on Tuesday, March 23, 2027. In walled cities such as Jerusalem, Shushan Purim is observed one day later.
How do I explain Purim to a young child?
One sentence: "A brave queen named Esther helped save her people, and everything turned out happy — so we dress up, make noise, and share treats." That's the whole lesson at age 3; the four mitzvot and the fuller story come at ages 4–5.
What are the four mitzvot of Purim?
Four things we do on Purim day: hear the Megillah (Esther's story) read aloud, give mishloach manot (gifts of food to friends), give matanot la'evyonim (charity to people in need), and enjoy the seudat Purim (a festive meal). Even a 5-year-old can help with all four.
Is the Purim story too scary for little kids?
It doesn't have to be. We keep the villain far in the background and tell it as a story about Esther's courage and a day that turned from worry to joy. The grogger (noisemaker) turns the one tense moment into something playful. Lead with the costumes and the happy ending.
Do I need to know Hebrew to teach this?
No. Every Hebrew word here is transliterated, with the meaning in English. The Megillah blessing is short enough to read off the page if you're listening along at home.
Is there a Purim lesson pack from Hebrew Homeschool Hub?
Yes — it's ready now. The Purim pack tells Queen Esther's story at a K–3 level (no scary scenes), with a dedicated slide for each of the four mitzvot, a "design my costume" worksheet, a vowelized Hebrew deck, and a teacher prep PDF. See what's inside the Purim pack.
More from the Hub for Purim.
- The Purim lesson pack — Queen Esther's story for K–3 (no scary scenes), all four mitzvot, and a design-my-costume worksheet.
- Purim 2027 in the full calendar — exact timing in Adar order.
- Hebrew glossary — Purim terms — megillah, mishloach manot, the four mitzvot, with full nikud.
- More holiday lessons in Notes from the Hub.
The Purim lesson pack is ready.
This free guide gets you through the first lesson. The full Purim pack gives you the whole holiday — an English presentation deck, the same lesson in fully vowelized Hebrew, printable worksheets, a teacher prep PDF, and an 11–12 page parent guide with 1-day and week-long lesson plans. No prior Hebrew required.