The Creation Story: Preschool Sunday School Lesson (Ages 3-5)
Ages 3-5 · 30 minutes · free lesson plan · Genesis 1:1-31
A 30-minute interactive preschool lesson on Genesis 1:1-31. Children hear the creation story with actions, learn Genesis 1:1, play an action game, make a creation plate and thank God for what He made.
Memory verse
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. (Genesis 1:1, KJV)
Lesson objectives
- Children will say that God made the world and everything in it.
- Children will name some things God made, such as light, sky, plants, animals and people.
- Children will say thank you to God for what He made.
The full lesson plan
Welcome and Wonder Song (4 min)
Greet each child by name. Sit in a circle.
Say: "Good morning! Today we will hear how everything began."
Say: "Let's turn off the lights and close our eyes. It is dark!" (Dim the lights for a few seconds, then turn them on.)
Say: "Open your eyes. Light! Who gave us light? God did!"
Sing a simple song to a familiar tune, with actions: "God made the world, God made the world, God made the world, and it was good!" Sing it twice, with big arms for "world."
Say: "Now let's listen to the Bible story."
Bible Story: Seven Things God Made (5 min)
Hold up the Bible. Tell the story in order, showing a picture card and doing an action for each part.
Say: "In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth." (Spread arms wide.)
Say: "God said, 'Let there be light,' and there was light!" (Wiggle fingers like sparkles.) God called the light Day and the dark Night.
Say: "God made the sky." (Reach up high.)
Say: "God made dry land, seas, grass and trees." (Sway like trees.)
Say: "God made the sun, moon and stars." (Make a circle with arms.)
Say: "God made fish and birds." (Swim, then flap.)
Say: "God made animals and people!" (Hug yourself.)
After each part say: "And God saw that it was good!" Let the children say it with you. At the end: "God saw everything He made, and it was very good."
God Made It, and It Is Good (4 min)
Say: "Now let's think about what we heard."
Say: "God made everything. Nobody helped Him. He just spoke, and it happened."
Say: "God made you too. The Bible says God made people, and He called everything very good."
Say: "Our memory verse tells us who made the world." Teach Genesis 1:1 one phrase at a time with an action:
"In the beginning" (point behind you)
"God created" (hands up high)
"the heaven" (point up)
"and the earth." (point down)
Repeat three times, getting faster, then slow and quiet.
Say: "Now let's play a game about what God made."
Game: God Made It! Action Time (5 min)
Setup: Clear a safe open space. Have the picture cards ready.
Steps:
1. Have the children stand in their own spots, with arm's length between them.
2. Hold up a card and say what it is, such as "fish."
3. Everyone does the action on the spot (swim, flap, sway, stretch, tiptoe like an animal). No running.
4. After each action, everyone says, "God made it, and it is good!"
5. Play through all the cards twice. Finish with everyone sitting down for "people," and give a hug to yourself.
Time: about 5 minutes.
Say: "Great job! Let's make something to take home."
Craft: My Creation Plate (6 min)
Setup: Put paper shapes in small piles, one set per table. Write "God made it all!" on each plate for younger children.
Safety: Small paper pieces and glue. Not for children under 3. Supervise closely, and watch that nothing goes in mouths.
Steps:
1. Give each child a paper plate and crayons.
2. Let the children color the plate with sky and land.
3. Help each child glue on the shapes (sun, moon, stars, fish, birds, animals, trees).
4. Ask each child, "What did God make?" and let them tell you.
5. Write the child's name on the back.
Time: about 6 minutes.
Say: "God made so many things! Let's talk about them."
Talk Time (3 min)
Sit together with the plates. Ask each question and let several children answer.
1. Who made the world? (God!)
2. What is one thing God made? (Sun, fish, trees, animals, people.)
3. What did God say about everything He made? (It is good! / Very good!)
4. Who else did God make? (Me! You!)
Praise every answer. If a child says something different, gently say, "God made that too!" if it is true.
Say: "Now let's tell God thank you."
Thank You Prayer and Goodbye (3 min)
Say the memory verse together once more with the actions.
Say: "Let's close our eyes and thank God."
Pray one line at a time. The children repeat after you:
"Thank You, God, for light."
"Thank You for trees and animals."
"Thank You for making me."
"Amen."
Say: "Take your plate home and show someone what God made. Goodbye!" Give each child a high five or a wave.
Materials
- Bible
- Paper plates (one per child)
- Crayons
- Child-safe glue sticks
- Pre-cut paper shapes: sun, moon, stars, fish, birds, animals, trees
- Simple picture cards of what God made each day
Teacher notes
- Safety: Craft uses glue and small paper pieces. Not for children under 3. Supervise closely and check for any sensitivities to craft materials.
- Adaptation: Use picture cards and simple actions for children with special needs or mixed ages. Offer a quieter seat or buddy pair for children who prefer less movement.
- Keep to what Genesis 1 says. If children ask how God made things, say, "The Bible says God spoke and it was so."
- Gentle gospel link: Jesus was there too (John 1:3). You may say, "The same Jesus who loves us helped make everything."
Send it home with parents
Today your child heard that God made everything in the world, including people, and called it good. We learned Genesis 1:1 with actions and made a creation plate.
- What did you put on your creation plate?
- What is your favorite thing that God made?
Go outside or look out a window together. Find three things God made. Say each time, "God made it, and it is good!"
Each day, say "Thank You, God, for..." and name one thing God made. Practice Genesis 1:1 with the actions at bedtime.
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