Stories of Jesus - Bible Lessons for Kids
Are you looking for creative ways to teach kids about the life and ministry of Jesus? Keep reading to find fun and meaningful Bible lesson ideas for some of the most loved stories in the Gospels, including Jesus Calls His Disciples, Jesus Is Tempted in the Desert, Jesus the Good Shepherd, Zacchaeus, The Transfiguration, Jesus Blesses the Children, Jesus Washes His Disciples’ Feet, and The Great Commission. Whether you are planning Sunday school lessons, homeschool Bible activities, children’s church, or family devotions, these hands-on crafts, games, object lessons, and discussion ideas will help kids learn important truths about following Jesus, serving others, trusting God, and sharing the gospel.
WHO IS JESUS?
Jesus is God’s Son. Jesus loves everyone, and He demonstrated that love by performing miracles, showing kindness, teaching people the importance of loving God and dying on the cross for our sins.
How do you explain Jesus to a child?
Explaining who Jesus is doesn’t have to be complicated. Jesus even says that we should have childlike faith! Kids will understand that Jesus is God’s Son and He loves everyone!
God sent Jesus as a little baby to be born in Bethlehem to Mary, a human mother. God is Jesus’ Father, and Joseph was his earthly father. Jesus was perfect and never sinned. While on earth, Jesus taught people all about God’s love. He did miracles and showed love to those around Him. Then Jesus died on the cross for our sins and rose from the dead! When we ask Jesus to forgive us, He does, and we become part of God’s family.
Where are stories about Jesus found in the bible?
The Bible is made up of the Old Testament and the New Testament. The Old Testament has stories that point to Jesus. The New Testament contains accounts of Jesus’ life and what happened after He rose from the dead. You can find stories of Jesus’ life in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
Jesus Calls His Disciples
In Matthew 4:19, Jesus says, “Come, follow me….and I will send you out to fish for people” (NIV). This phrase is a powerful call! And fishing becomes a great visual to help kids remember this story.
There are many fishing-related activities that connect to the story of Jesus Calls His Disciples. Some ideas include fishing relays where kids use beanbags as fish and collect them in baskets, playing follow-the-leader, or making fish crafts. For more details, including printable fish crafts for preschoolers and older kids, as well as links to YouTube videos, check out Jesus Calls His Disciples Bible Lessons for Kids.
Jesus Tempted in the Desert
Temptation is something we all deal with regularly. And it’s encouraging that Jesus faced temptation and resisted it! The story of Jesus Tempted in the Desert is a powerful reminder that God’s Word (the Bible) helps us fight temptation.
To help kids make present-day connections to this story, use scenario cards that prompt them to discuss good and bad decisions. Then complete a printable shield craft that will remind kids that God’s Word is like a shield that protects our hearts and minds when we face temptation. Younger kids can create a printable desert scene. For links to these printable resources, as well as activity suggestions, check out Jesus Tempted in the Desert Bible Lessons for Kids.
Jesus the Good Shepherd
Jesus is our shepherd, and we are like sheep. We easily go astray and desperately need a shepherd to care for us. We are prone to attacks from the enemy and need Jesus to protect us. We need someone to guide us. For many kids, sheep are not an animal they see every day, but they can still easily understand the concept of a sheep and a shepherd. This story is a great way to help kids understand how deeply we need Jesus in our lives, loving us, caring for us, and protecting us.
In Jesus the Good Shepherd Bible Lessons for Kids, there are many ideas to help kids connect with this story, including a Good Shepherd mobile craft that kids can create to remind them that Jesus is their shepherd. There is also a sheep picture frame where kids will place a picture of themselves on a sheep's face as a reminder that Jesus is their shepherd. Kids will also enjoy a Follow the Shepherd obstacle course.
Zacchaeus
Zacchaeus is a beloved story of children! This story combines several things that kids can relate to personally; not only do they understand the struggle of being small, but many also get a thrill from climbing trees! This story teaches that Jesus can change anyone’s heart, even a greedy person's.
After learning the story, turn a toilet paper tube into a tree trunk and create a tree for Zacchaeus to climb. Or, if you don’t have toilet paper tubes, use printable pieces to recreate the scene where Jesus talks to Zacchaeus under the tree. If you have more time for a craft, create a 3D Sycamore tree using a brown paper lunch bag. As a fun activity for kids who love to run, create a relay race where kids pretend the beanbags are bags of money they have to return to the people, just like Zacchaeus returned money to those he had cheated. For more instructions, links to the printable crafts and YouTube videos, check out Zacchaeus Bible Lessons for Kids.
The Transfiguration
Jesus took Peter, James, and John up a mountain to witness something incredible. They got to see Jesus shine brightly with the glory of God and talk with Elijah and Moses. This story isn’t one often found in children’s Bibles, but it’s beautiful and shows that Jesus is the Son of God and fulfills the laws and prophets.
To help kids engage with this story, create a Climb the Mountain obstacle course so they can pretend they are traveling up the mountain. Do glow stick activities and connect this to the fact that Jesus’ face shone brightly with the glory of God. Create a foldable story of the Transfiguration, or a mountain scene of Jesus, Moses, and Elijah. For more details on these activities and links to the printable crafts, check out The Transfiguration Bible Lessons for Kids.
Jesus and the Children
Let the Little Children Come
Jesus loves children, as shown in the story when He rebukes His disciples for trying to send the children away and, instead, invites them to come to Him. This is a lesson all children need to hear so they learn they are important to Jesus.
In Jesus and the Children Bible Lessons for Kids, there are some great activities to help kids remember this story. Printable crafts include an “All Are Welcome” paper doll chain to remind kids that everyone is welcome to become part of God’s Kingdom, as well as a craft where kids glue a picture of Jesus and a picture of themselves together with a heart, to remind them that Jesus loves them! There are also activity ideas, including a Red Light/Green Light game.
Jesus Washes His Disciples’ Feet
Jesus washed His disciples’ feet to show the importance of serving others. Jesus says that a true leader is one who serves. We live in a world where leaders are often people who want to be served by others, but this story reminds us that true leaders serve rather than expect others to do the hard work for them.
Take time to help kids brainstorm ways they can serve others and record those ideas. Then have kids complete a printable lunchbox craft. A lunch box is typically used to serve lunch, so this will be a reminder to be like Jesus and serve others. The lunchbox will contain ideas for serving others. Younger kids will make a mini poster, complete with their footprints, to remind them to serve others, as Jesus washed His disciples’ feet. If you have space to be outside while teaching this lesson, do a relay race using water and towels where kids have to wring a wet towel into a bucket to fill it. For details on these ideas and more, check out Jesus Washes His Disciples’ Feet Bible Lessons for Kids.
The Great Commission
The Great Commission is a story about Jesus sending out his disciples to tell everyone in the world about Him. And we, as followers of Jesus, are part of the Great Commission as well. Jesus wants us to tell everyone about the Good News!
There are some fabulous activities to help kids remember this story, including a Spread the News relay race where kids race around the room telling their classmates, “Jesus loves you!” Kids will also enjoy an object lesson that uses milk and food coloring to learn about spreading the Good News. For a printable craft, kids will create an Earth with arms and a sign that says, “I can tell everyone about Jesus.” Older kids can paint, and younger kids can color. For a template, further instructions on the activities, and links to YouTube videos, click here!
Looking for More Stories about Jesus
If you’re looking for more stories about the Life of Jesus, check out Stories About Jesus Bible Lessons and Crafts for Kids. Other lessons include Jesus Visits the Temple as a Boy, Jesus is Baptized, The Sermon on the Mount, Jesus Teaches Us to Pray, and The Widow’s Offering.