February is the perfect time to focus on God’s amazing love, and what better way to do that than by teaching preschoolers the story of Jesus and Zacchaeus? This lesson helps little ones understand that Jesus loves everyone—no matter who they are or what they’ve done.
We’ve created a full lesson demonstration to show you exactly how to teach preschoolers about Jesus’ love through songs, visuals, and interactive storytelling. Watch the demo below and grab your FREE copy of the lesson to use in your home, church, or preschool ministry.
Music is a wonderful way to help preschoolers remember Bible truths, and these songs will bring the story of Zacchaeus and God’s love to life!
Zacchaeus Was a Wee Little Man – This classic children’s song tells the story of Zacchaeus in a fun, sing-along way, helping kids recall the key details of how Jesus showed love to him.
God is Love – A simple and joyful song to remind children that God’s very nature is love and that His love is for everyone.
Love Down in My Heart – This fun song is a great way to teach kids that when we know Jesus, His love fills our hearts and nothing can destroy it.
Teaching preschoolers about Jesus doesn’t have to be complicated—simple lessons, engaging songs, and hands-on activities make learning fun and meaningful!
Which song do your preschoolers love the most? Let us know in the comments!
As parents, we all want our children to grow in wisdom, stature, and favor with God and man, just as Jesus did. Luke 2:52 shows us that Jesus grew in these areas, and it’s a wonderful example for us to model in our children’s lives. But how do we help preschoolers grow spiritually in ways they can understand and engage with?
One simple and effective way is by teaching them the foundational habit of reading the Bible and praying every day. You might recognize this from the song, “Read your Bible, pray every day, and you’ll grow, grow, grow!” This catchy tune is more than just a fun song—it’s a powerful reminder that daily Bible reading and prayer help us grow spiritually, just like Jesus did.
Growth Through Bible Reading
The first part of the song tells us to “read your Bible,” and this is essential for growth. When we read the Bible with our preschoolers, even in small doses, we’re planting seeds of wisdom. At this age, children are soaking up everything, and the Word of God can shape their hearts and minds in the simplest of ways. Whether you’re reading a story from the Bible or a child-friendly devotional, you are helping your little one grow in wisdom just like Jesus did. You can start with simple Bible stories that show how Jesus grew, like His love for others, His kindness, and His wisdom. For preschoolers, stories like Jesus Heals a Blind Man or Jesus Calming the Storm work great, as they are easy to understand and packed with meaningful lessons.
Growth Through Prayer
The second part of the song, “pray every day,” teaches us that prayer is just as vital for spiritual growth as Bible reading. Jesus not only grew in wisdom but also in favor with God through a life of prayer. Preschoolers can begin learning the simple habit of prayer, too! They might not fully understand everything about prayer yet, but they can begin to practice talking to God in their own way. When they pray, encourage them to thank God for their family, their friends, and the blessings they’ve received. You can even pray together as a family before bed or before meals, reinforcing the idea that prayer is a regular and important part of the day.
Growing in Stature
“Stature” in Luke 2:52 refers to the physical growth that we see in our little ones every day. Jesus grew physically, just as your child is growing! It’s amazing to watch how quickly they change—growing taller, stronger, and learning new things every day. As they grow in their height, their muscles, and their skills, they are becoming more and more like the people God created them to be. Measuring their growth is an exciting way to celebrate this physical transformation, whether it’s marking their height on a wall, noticing how their clothes fit, or seeing their increased abilities to run, jump, and play.
Favor with God and Man
Jesus grew in “favor with God and man.” This is where the spiritual growth comes in, and it ties beautifully to the second part of the song. When we teach our preschoolers to read their Bible and pray every day, they are not just learning about God—they are growing in their ability to walk with Him and live according to His ways. They begin to understand how to treat others with kindness, how to show love to their family, and how to grow in favor with both God and people. As they grow spiritually, they also begin to grow emotionally, building relationships with their family, friends, and everyone they meet.
So next time you hear your little one singing “Read your Bible, pray every day, and you’ll grow, grow, grow!” remember that these words are more than just a catchy tune—they are a vital part of teaching your child how to grow spiritually. When you make Bible reading and prayer a part of your daily routine, you are helping your preschooler grow in wisdom, stature, and favor with God, just like Jesus did.
As you help your child grow in these foundational habits, know that you are setting them on a path of spiritual growth that will last a lifetime. Let’s encourage our little ones to keep reading their Bible, praying every day, and watching them grow in every way!
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This month, we’ve been learning about how Jesus grew in wisdom, stature, and favor with God and man (Luke 2:52). It’s such a beautiful reminder that growth isn’t just about getting taller or older; it’s about growing in our love for God, our kindness to others, and our knowledge of His Word.
To help preschoolers understand this, we have 2 fun activities that connect physical and spiritual growth. Which one do you think will resonate with your child most?
Growth Chart Activity
Creating a personalized growth chart is such a simple way to visually track physical growth while celebrating spiritual milestones.
What You’ll Need:
A large roll of paper (butcher or craft paper works best)
Markers or crayons
A ruler
Stickers or small decorations
What to Do:
Cut the paper to fit a wall space in your home.
Use the ruler to mark inches and feet along the side, just like a traditional growth chart.
Let your preschooler help decorate it with stickers or drawings.
Once a month, measure their height and mark it on the chart.
Next to each height mark, write a spiritual goal or milestone. For example, “Learned Luke 2:52” or “Prayed for a friend.”
Handprint Timeline
Another activity you can do is create a handprint timeline to capture both physical and spiritual growth over time.
What You’ll Need:
Construction paper in various colors
Washable paint or markers
A pen or fine-tip marker
What to Do:
Trace your child’s hands and feet on construction paper, or use washable paint to make handprints and footprints.
Write the date on each print and a simple milestone, like “Said their first prayer” or “Helped someone at church.”
Create a folder or scrapbook to store these prints.
Over time, add new prints and milestones to the collection.
Celebrating Growth
While you’re doing these activities, it’s so special to talk to your children about how God helps us grow. Remind your kids that just like their bodies grow with good food and exercise, their hearts grow closer to God when they pray, read the Bible, and show love to others.
Every child grows at their own pace, and that’s part of God’s perfect design. By creating these keepsakes, we not only celebrate their physical growth but also recognize the spiritual seeds God is planting in their hearts.
What creative ways are you helping your children grow in wisdom and faith this season? Let’s share ideas and encourage one another!
Our Heavenly Father understood the importance of family traditions. He established several traditions throughout scripture. These traditions are wonderful teaching moments for our children. They also help bind us together as a family.
One of our Christmas traditions when our boys were young was making sugar cookies together. The boys enjoyed the mess, licking the bowl, flattening the dough, rolling it out, and cutting out the cookies. After the cookies were baked, what fun to frost and decorate them and then EAT them!!!! Plus, we could share them with friends and family. I still have the recipe I found in the Parade Magazine over 40 years ago. BTW: Our sons are in their forties now and still love sugar cookies!
Merry Christmas Cookies
½ cup butter or margarine
1 cup sugar
1 egg
2 ½ cups plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla or lemon extract
1-2 TBSP milk or water
To Make Icing: 1 cup powdered sugar add a few teaspoons of water or milk and blend with a fork until the mixture is spreadable. Add food coloring of your choice.
Combine softened butter or margarine with sugar; beat until fluffy. Beat I egg until creamy. Stir dy ingredients together; beat in. Add vanilla or lemon extract and enough milk or water to make dough pliable. Gather dough into a ball (may be wrapped and refrigerated or frozen to store).
To bake, roll or press out about 1/2” thick. Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters. Bake at 375 ° until firm and golden, about 10-12 minutes. Remove to rack; cool. Frost with icing, add sprinkles as desired.
Be sure you make enough to share with family and friends! My siblings loved them too!
Does your family enjoy looking at all the lights at Christmas? We actually plan to do that as a family this weekend!
This Christmas season, our lesson series has been on the premise that Jesus is the “Light of Life”. That is pretty abstract for little ones and most adults. In the bible, there are two forms of light and darkness: one is the presence or absence of physical light (sun, fire, light bulbs, etc.) and the other is understanding (which comes from the Holy Spirit) versus ignorance (the inability to know God’s truth).
If someone put you in a large pitch-black room full sharp and pointy objects and told you to go to the other side to get out. With no source of light, the going will be near impossible. However, if the lights were turned on, the task will be quicker. The same way with God’s truth. Without the understanding that only comes from the Holy Spirit, receiving eternal life is impossible and guidance for this earthly life is very difficult. So, the goal is to help you to teach your littles the vocabulary and concepts to prepare your children to receive the Holy Spirit as soon as possible when God leads them.
One illustration I like to use is, “When you disobeyed your parents, has anyone ever came up and said, ‘I will take your punishment for you!’? You know what? Jesus did that for you. He took God’s punishment for your sins when He died on the cross. Jesus said, ‘Father, <child’s name> cannot take the punishment for their sin (which is death), so I will take it for them.”
Jesus is the Light of Life because He came to take our punishment so we can be forgiven and receive the Holy Spirit. This gives us the understanding to obtain eternal life as God’s child. This Christmas, let us be filled with gratitude because Jesus became the Light of Life that we may have eternal life with God at the end of our days.
On New Year’s Day, most of the Christmas lights will be put away until next Christmas. We don’t have to put Jesus’ light away; by staying plugged into God’s Holy Spirit through prayer, bible study, Christian fellowship, confession of sins, His light can guide us each day this coming year.
I first taught this lesson in the late 70’s, it’s a favorite lesson of mine with a great message for kids and adults. The late Eleanor Harwood formerly with Child Evangelism Fellowship® of SW AL adapted it for the Good News Club®.
All you need is a pumpkin! Make sure you cut out a SIMPLE happy pumpkin face. Be sure to save the cut-out parts for your lesson. Be extremely careful not to break any of the cut-out parts (eyes, nose, mouth) because you will use them during the lesson.
You can download the complete lesson with visual aids at the bottom of this post.
Review Game Idea: Kids always love “Mystery Phrase.” Use a wipe board and draw blanks for the phrase: “Let Your Light Shine!” Let children take turns guessing letters for the phrase but they MUST answer a review question to guess a letter and guess the mystery phrase. Have a small treat for the winner!
Alternative Learning Activity: To reinforce the challenge to “Shine for Jesus” put on a wipe board, “Be a Light!” Create 10 mystery words of ways children S. The children can take turns calling out letters (you fill in the letters for all the words that the 1 letter applies for) the child who called out the letter can try to guess one of the 10 mystery words. Examples: Be friendly, Be cheerful, Be loving, Be kind, Be forgiving, Be helpful, Be polite, Be respectful, Be obedient, and Be honest.
Fun Ice Breaker Game: Fill a jar with candy corn and let the children guess how many candy corns. The one closest to the correct number without going over wins! Give a small treat and share the candy corn with all the children. (You can now get marshmallow candy corn! A great alternative for the really sweet candy corns.) Alternative: Fill a jar with un-popped popcorn instead and serve popcorn for a treat. Have a popcorn ball for the winner.
Musical Pumpkin: Have a small pumpkin and play the song “This Little Light of Mine” while the children pass the pumpkin from one child to the other. Stop the music randomly and the child holding the pumpkin must choose an activity card from a ball or bag. The child can choose rather he/she wants to do the activity, call on someone else raising their hand to do the activity, or everyone do the activity. (For activity cards, make 12 cards and place on each card a random fun activity depending on your age group. For younger children you may want to write activities such as: clap your hands 10 times, jump up and down 5 times, name your favorite color… For older children make the activities more challenging: do 10 push-ups, do 15 squats, run in place for 30 seconds, give everyone a high-five…. )
Dessert: For a great activity, I let the children create their own pumpkin face on their cookie. I gave them a plain sugar cookie, orange frosting with a plastic knife or Popsicle stick to spread, pretzel sticks, and sprinkles. I told them they could break the pretzels to create their pumpkin face. They really had fun and created some awesome pumpkin faces! I also gave them some candy corn and pumpkin marshmallows (the candy corn marshmallows went over better than the original candy corn! They loved them! )
Word-Up: I had a small plastic pumpkin and had a word-up for the day. Every-time I tossed the pumpkin up in the air, the class chanted “Shine for Jesus!”
Song: YouTube has two great videos of the song, “This Little Light of Mine.” One for younger children and one for older children.
I have an old CD that has This Little Light of Mine with a great rhythm and blue arrangement sung by a child (He sounds like a young Michael Jackson). You can find it used on Amazon: Good News Rhythm and Blues CD
Pumpkin Tips:
Roast the Pumpkin Seeds for a nutritious treat. My medium size pumpkin yielded 1/4 cup of seeds.
Pumpkins keep a long time before carving but once you carve your pumpkin it won’t last long. I put mine in the refrigerator to keep for Thursday to Sunday (I taught the lesson 3x.) To control sweating, I brought it to Sunday School in a cooler bag and didn’t take it out until ready to teach the lesson. I just wiped the sweat off of it and it worked beautifully! The kids LOVED it and all wanted to take the parts on and off.)
The simplest way to puree your pumpkin to make delicious smoothies is to cut into small pieces and microwave until tender, (put in a covered casserole dish with a tablespoon of water). Remove the shell while the pumpkin is still warm and freeze to use in smoothies later.
Instead of using a candle, you can purchase battery operated Tea Candles at a Dollar Store. Buy extra and use them with the children when you sing the song, “This Little Light of Mine.” You can purchase is large quantities from Oriental Trading.
Hand-Out for Kids: Don’t forget the fun Pumpkin tract from LettheLittleChildrenCome.com ; I filled my with marshmallow candy corns!
As promised, here are your lesson and visual aids:
Photo by Allison Shelley/The Verbatim Agency for EDUimages
As Christians, Halloween presents a unique opportunity to focus not on the darkness, but on the Light of the World, Jesus Christ. Instead of emphasizing spooky themes, we can engage our preschoolers in fun, faith-filled activities that reflect God’s love and protection. This October, let’s explore some exciting, non-scary activities that point our little ones to Christ, while helping them experience joy and peace.
Puppet Shows:
One of the best ways to make Bible stories come alive for young children is through puppetry. Puppets capture kids’ attention, making the stories engaging and relatable. We love using our Gospel Fuzzies hand puppet, which has a different color for each color of the Wordless Book.
A lamb puppet is a perfect tool for illustrating Jesus as the Good Shepherd, who lovingly cares for His flock. They may also love cozying up to it for comfort when things get scary this month.
Whether you’re teaching about Jesus’ care or the importance of trusting God, your preschoolers will love interacting with the puppet while learning deep spiritual truths.
Clapping for Rain:
Interactive activities are wonderful for keeping preschoolers engaged while teaching them biblical lessons. It’s the easiest way for us to adapt any story or children’s lesson to preschoolers! It gets them up and moving, plus they can feel like they’re part of the story.
Since it’s October, we want to help them learn not to fear because Jesus is with them. A great story for that is Jesus calms the storm. Try having your kids clap and/or rub their hands together for rain as you tell the story. Let them softly rub their hands together to simulate rain as the storm begins, and as the storm grows louder in the story, have them clap, clapping harder as you go on. When Jesus speaks to calm the storm, they can stop clapping and experience the peace that follows. This hands-on activity helps them connect emotionally and physically with the lesson of trusting Jesus in scary times.
Crafts and coloring sheets are another great way to help preschoolers connect to biblical lessons. One fun and simple craft is making sheep from cotton balls. As you and your child glue together their fluffy sheep, you can talk about Psalm 56:3 and remind them that God, like a shepherd, is always watching over them and protecting them. It’s a great opportunity to reinforce the message of God’s presence during times of fear. Here’s a great FREE Coloring and Tracing Page for Psalm 56:3.
Using the “Shine the Light” Tract:
During our October outreach events, we love using the Shine the Light tract, which shares the Gospel through a fun, interactive pumpkin-carving activity. This colorful tract includes step-by-step instructions on carving a pumpkin while sharing key Bible verses that you can read and discuss with your child. As children light up their pumpkin, it becomes a visual reminder of how God’s light shines through them! This tool is also perfect for trick-or-treaters, providing a meaningful way to share the Gospel during Halloween.
Preschoolers learn through play, and incorporating biblical themes into their activities is one of the best ways to plant seeds of truth in their hearts. Whether you’re using puppets, interactive storytelling, or crafts, these fun activities help build a foundation of trust in God that will stick with them as they grow. When kids are laughing and playing, they’re also absorbing the lessons that Jesus is always with them and they never need to be afraid.
This October, we can shine Christ’s light through playful and meaningful activities with our preschoolers. Let’s take this season as an opportunity to engage them in joyful, faith-filled experiences that reflect God’s love and protection.
Do you have any fun ideas for engaging your little ones with the Gospel this month? We’d love to hear them—share your ideas in the comments below!
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October tends to bring out all the spooky themes, but for our little ones, it can be more than just pretend. It’s real fear. As parents, we know how easily our preschoolers can feel scared—whether it’s the dark, a storm, or just loud noises. But we also have the incredible opportunity to guide them through these fears by teaching them that God is always with them. Here’s how we can help.
Understanding Fear in Preschoolers
Let’s be real—preschoolers can be afraid of everything! The dark, thunderstorms, loud sounds, and even things like going to bed alone. And since they’re so young, they don’t always know how to express those fears clearly. They might act out, get clingy, or have trouble sleeping. But that’s where we, as parents, can step in to help.
It’s important to recognize their fears are real to them, even if they seem small to us. Have you noticed your little one suddenly getting nervous at night or jumping at loud noises? These are the moments when we can gently help them understand that they’re never alone because God is always with them.
Psalm 56:3 – A Verse to Calm Their Hearts
One of my favorite verses to teach during these times is Psalm 56:3, “When I am afraid, I will trust in you.” It’s simple enough for a preschooler to understand, but packed with meaning. Child Evangelism Fellowship even turned it into a song that we added motions to to help you help them remember it. I love repeating this verse with my kids, especially during moments when they feel anxious. It helps them understand that fear is normal, but we can trust God to be with us through it.
You could even make this verse part of your bedtime routine or say/sing it together when they feel scared. The more they hear it, the more they’ll begin to remember it when those feelings of fear creep in.
Practical Tips for Helping Your Preschooler Overcome Fear
Now let’s get into some practical ways you can support your preschooler when they’re feeling afraid.
Modeling Calmness When those thunderstorms roll in or the power goes out, it’s natural for kids to freak out a bit. But our calm response can do wonders for them. They look to us for cues on how to react. When we stay calm, it reassures them that everything is okay, and we can even say something like, “God is with us, and He’s keeping us safe.” It’s a great opportunity to remind them of God’s presence. I love wrapping my children up in cozy blankets and hugging them really tight. We’ve coined it “comfy cozy” time and they love knowing they’re safe in my arms. Use this time to share that God is there keeping them safe too.
Storytelling Another great way to teach your child about God’s protection is through storytelling. One of the many places you can see God’s protection modeled in Scripture is the story of Jesus calming the storm. It’s such a vivid reminder that even in scary situations, Jesus has everything under control. It’s amazing how much this story calms our kids when they feel afraid. CEF Press Little Kids Can Know God Through His Miracles includes this story with great visuals and additional tips. You can also create your own stories where God helps a little child overcome fear. Make it personal and relatable! Kids love hearing their parents make up stories! Enlist Dad on this one — my husband makes up the best stories that our children love and remember!
Creating a Safe Space Bedtime can be a tricky time for preschoolers, especially if they’re afraid of the dark or being alone. Creating a comforting bedtime routine can work wonders for calming their fears. This could include reading a Bible story, saying prayers and singing together, and maybe even using a nightlight that reminds them that God is with them. You can say something like, “Let’s ask God to be with you tonight and help you feel brave,” right before bed. It reassures them and helps make the connection between faith and comfort.We love the song Jesus is Caring For You by Child Evangelism Fellowship. My children also love the calming scents of lavender. We use the Monster Sleep Spray from Jordan Essentials that calms and relaxes them, helping them fall asleep much faster.
Trusting God Together
Helping our preschoolers navigate their fears is an ongoing journey, but reminding them of God’s presence is one of the best gifts we can give. Every time we speak His promises to them, we’re building a foundation of faith that will last a lifetime.
I’d love to hear from you—how do you help your little ones deal with fear? Let’s share ideas and encourage one another as we walk this path of parenting together!
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