Teaching the Parable of the Sower to kids is a wonderful way to help them understand the importance of a heart that is receptive to God’s Word. This timeless story, told by Jesus, uses the simple imagery of seeds and soil to illustrate how people respond differently to the Gospel. There are many ways to teach this story, including kid-friendly videos, printable lesson plans, creative crafts, and hands-on activities. Whether you teach at home, in Sunday school, or in a classroom setting, these resources will bring the parable to life and encourage children to grow in their faith!
What is the parable of the sower about?
The Parable of the Sower is found in Matthew 13:1–23, Mark 4:1–20, and Luke 8:4–15. Jesus tells a parable where a farmer scatters seeds on different types of ground. Some fall on a path and are eaten by birds, some on rocky ground and wither without roots, and some among thorns, which choke them. But seeds that fall on good soil grow and produce a great harvest. This illustrates how people receive God’s word differently—only those with open and faithful hearts truly flourish.
Parable of the Sower - Bible Lesson for Kids
Are you looking for a simple way to teach the Parable of the Sower? Our scripted lesson plans, discussion questions, and printable crafts are perfect for children aged 3 to 8.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION ABOUT THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER
A parable is a short story that Jesus used to teach people about God. These stories helped people understand what Jesus was saying because Jesus connected the stories to people’s everyday lives. Parables are also easier to remember than long speeches.
The seeds represent the Word of God, and each soil represents different people who hear the Word of God:
The hard path represents people with hard hearts who refuse to listen to God’s Word.
The rocky soil represents people who initially had joy when they heard God’s Word, but it faded.
The thorny soil represents people who worry about things and are distracted by things around them.
The good soil represents people who hear the Word of God and do what it says.
SOWING THE SEEDS BOOKLET FOR PRESCHOOL
Young kids love to use their senses when learning, so why not bring in some real seeds to interact with? Have kids look at the seeds, feel them, smell them…you could even have them taste them (make sure to get something edible, like sunflower or pumpkin seeds).
Once the children have observed the seeds, have them make a little booklet that retells the parable. Glue the physical seeds into the booklet. Check out The Parable of the Sower and the Seed for Preschool for template pieces.
STORY CIRCLES CRAFT FOR OLDER KIDS
Each type of soil represents a different reaction someone had when they heard the Word of God. Keeping all the representations straight can be tricky, so creating a visual representation of the story is a great way to help kids remember.
Use the template pieces in the printable lesson The Parable of the Sower for Older Kids. Have kids match each image with the corresponding Bible verse. Glue the verse to the back of the image, punch holes in the images, and then attach them with a binder clip. Once the project is complete, kids can use these to retell the story and help them remember which soil type corresponds to each verse.
OTHER ACTIVITIES TO TEACH ABOUT THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER
Plant a Seed: Take time to plant a seed together. This could be done as a whole group, or each kid can plant their own seed. Discuss what plants need to grow and connect it back to what they need to do to grow in their relationship with God.
Soil Sensory Bins: Fill four bins with things that represent the different soil types. Use rocks, stones, twigs/thorns, and planting soil so kids can use their senses to observe the soil types.
Bean Bag Seed Relay Races: Set up a fun relay race where kids have a pile of beanbags at one end and run the beanbags, one at a time, to a basket at the end. The beanbags represent the seeds, and the basket represents the hole in which you plant a seed. Divide kids into teams and race to see which team can ‘plant’ all their seeds first.
Seed Art: Check out this incredible Air Dry Clay Seed Mosaic Craft by Raising Up Wild Things. Use various seeds to create something beautiful to help kids remember the Sower and the Seed parable.
YOUTUBE VIDEOS ABOUT THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER
Watching a YouTube video about this parable might help kids visualize what Jesus is talking about. As always, preview videos before showing them to your kids. Here are a few suggestions:
The Parable of the Farmer and the Seed or Bible Stories for Toddlers by Saddleback Kids
God’s Story: Seeds and a Farmer or Storytellers: Seeds and a Farmer by Crossroad Kids’ Club
WANT TO CONTINUE LEARNING ABOUT THE PARABLES OF JESUS?
This lesson is part of a five-week series on the parables Jesus told. The other stories include The Wise and Foolish Builders, The Lost Sheep, The Lost Coin, and The Prodigal Son.
These lessons about the Parables of Jesus are also included in the 52-week Bible curriculum for little kids in preschool/kindergarten and bigger kids in first, second, and third grades.
Teaching the Parable of the Sower helps kids understand the importance of a receptive heart and growing in their faith. There are many great ways to help make this story memorable to kids.
