Little Kids. Big Truths.

For fun I asked a group of preschoolers if they had any plans for the summer.

Guess what? They did.

*Play with my dog.

*Go to the water park.

*Go to Grandma’s.

*Go to the park and slide on the slide.

*Go to the lake.

Sounds like a plan.

As you enjoy the sunshine, the water and the hike along the lake with your child, what better time than that to talk about God? As you walk by that climbing tree, tell him about Zacchaeus or as you build a Lego tower, tell her about a real tower built thousands of years ago.

Why not prepare for your summer by choosing four or five Bible events that you want to introduce to your child?

As a parent/teacher myself – here are 10 that I’ve found can be understood by even very young children.

1. Adam and Eve (Genesis 1). I’ve known what happened in the Garden of Eden since I was a child – but I remember the day I looked at it from a parent/teacher perspective – Eve’s sin is one that even the youngest child can understand. She was told not to eat something, but the food looked delicious and she ate it anyhow because she wanted it (and because Satan made big promises to her). What child has not been tempted by a cookie? How important it is for kids to understand Adam and Eve’s sin and how easy it is for them to understand it!

2.The Tower of Babel (Genesis 11). People building a tower to the heavens is something preschoolers can understand. Most of them have built towers of blocks so building a tower is something they do well. God’s judgment of causing people to speak in different languages is also easily understood in this day of television or multi-ethnic families, neighborhoods or schools.

3. Manna from heaven (Exodus 16). Here we have complaining people and all kids know about complaining. So God provided for them by raining manna from heaven and providing quail for their nourishment. Again the Israelites complained. (Kids will need some background on the children of Israel.)

4. Samuel anoints David (1 Samuel 16). This can be explained to preschoolers – that seven brothers went before Samuel, but none of them were God’s choice to be the next king. David was a lowly shepherd, the son that Jesse (the dad) didn’t even bother calling … until Samuel asked if there was another brother somewhere. This is also good for elementary school kids – the forgotten child, the one who doesn’t think he’s as good as his brothers or sisters.

5. Zacchaeus (Luke 19) Here was a man too short to see what was happening and so he climbed a tree. (And aren’t more people familiar with this Bible event because of the song rather than the Scripture itself?) Kids understand what it means to be short. And although the concept of tax collector might be over their heads, they know that taking money that doesn’t belong to them is wrong.

6. The Lord Jesus calming the storm (Mark 4:35-41) Again, storms are easy to explain to kids. Most children are afraid of storms so the knowledge that God is stronger than storms is good for them to know. Emphasize that He was showing that He is the Son of God through what He did. “Why are you afraid?” He asked the disciples. “Do you still have no faith?”(Make sure you don’t promise that a storm won’t ever hurt your family, but you can promise that the Lord is always with them – even through the storms. He will help them have courage.)

7. The Good Samaritan (Luke 10) Most kids, even very young kids, have been exposed to meanness. The Good Samaritan makes sense to them … and this is a great story for them to roleplay.

 8. Feeding of the 5,000 (John 6) This event is great for kids. People were hungry. The Lord Jesus provided food for all of them out of a child’s lunch. Explain to the children that the Lord Jesus wanted people to know that He was the Son of God and that is why He performed miracles. (Miracle – something that can only be done through God’s power.)

9. Paul and Silas in prison (Acts 16) This Bible event lends itself to a dramatic telling and has several lessons. The two main ones are: Paul and Silas were in prison for preaching the gospel and not because they had done something wrong. They sang praises to God even through their pain.

10. Christ’s birth (Luke 2, John 19-20) and Christ’s death and resurrection. Kids need to know that God sent His Son to earth, that Jesus died and that He rose again – for our disobedience. Many kids trust Christ at this young age and to do so, they need to know the basis of our salvation.