Jesus Is Baptized: Sunday School Lesson for Ages 6-10
Ages 6-10 · 45 minutes · free lesson plan · Matthew 3:13-17
An interactive 45-minute lesson for ages 6-10 on Jesus' baptism in Matthew 3:13-17. Children act out the story, learn Matthew 3:17 in the KJV, and make a dove craft to remember the Father's words about His Son.
Memory verse
And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. (Matthew 3:17, KJV)
Lesson objectives
- Retell in order what happened when Jesus was baptized by John in the Jordan.
- Recognize that the Father spoke, the Son was baptized, and the Spirit came down like a dove.
- Say Matthew 3:17 from memory and explain that God the Father is pleased with His Son Jesus.
The full lesson plan
Welcome: Proud Words (5 min)
Setup: Write the memory verse on the board, covered or turned away.
Say: Good morning! Today we hear about a time when a father said out loud how much he loved his Son.
Say: Raise your hand if someone has ever said, "I'm proud of you." How did that feel? Take two or three answers. (Happy, warm, I wanted to do more good things.)
Say: In our story, the words come from heaven itself. Listen for them.
Quick game, "Water, Dove, Voice": Show three actions. Wiggle fingers down like water, flap hands like a dove, cup a hand at your ear for a voice. Practice them twice. Children will use them in the story.
Say: Now let's hear what happened at the Jordan River.
Hear the Story (7 min)
Read Matthew 3:13-17 aloud from the KJV. Then retell it in order. Children do the actions when they hear water, dove or voice.
Say: Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan River to John, to be baptized by him. (Water)
Say: John tried to stop Him. He said, "I need to be baptized by you, and you come to me?"
Say: Jesus answered, "Let it be so now, for it is right for us to do this." Then John agreed.
Say: When Jesus came up out of the water, heaven was opened. He saw the Spirit of God coming down like a dove and landing on Him. (Dove)
Say: Then a voice from heaven said, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." (Voice)
Background: John baptized people who were turning away from their sins (Matthew 3:6).
Say: Let's learn what this means for us.
Three Who Were There (7 min)
Draw three simple pictures on the board as you teach: water, a dove, and a speech bubble.
1. Jesus the Son. Say: Jesus came humbly to be baptized. John knew Jesus was special and was surprised. Jesus said it was right to do it. Ask: Who was in the water? (Jesus)
2. The Holy Spirit. Say: God's Spirit came down like a dove. The Bible says "like" a dove, so it shows us how gently the Spirit came. Ask: What did the Spirit look like? (A dove)
3. God the Father. Say: God the Father spoke from heaven. He called Jesus His beloved Son and said He was well pleased. Father, Son and Holy Spirit are all there in one story!
Say: Jesus is God's own Son, and the Father loves Him. The Bible later says that everyone who receives Jesus can become a child of God (John 1:12).
Say: Now let's move and learn the verse.
Action Story and Verse Echo (8 min)
Setup: Clear a space so children can stand in a circle with arm's length between them. Keep the verse on the board.
Steps:
1. Teach the verse one phrase at a time. You say a phrase and the children echo it: "And lo a voice from heaven," / "saying, This is my beloved Son," / "in whom I am well pleased." (2 min)
2. Add motions: point up for "from heaven," hand on heart for "beloved," thumbs up for "well pleased."
3. Play "Story Order." Call out events in a mixed-up order, such as "voice speaks," "Jesus comes," "Spirit like a dove." Children walk in place for the first step, and everyone stands tall and says the verse at the end. (3 min)
4. Say the verse together three times, getting softer each time, then loud on the last.
No running. Walking in place only.
Say: Great job! Now let's make something to help us remember.
Dove Verse Craft (8 min)
Safety: Use child-safe scissors with supervision. Pre-cut for younger children and check for any glue or paint sensitivities. No small parts for children under 3 in a mixed-age room.
Setup: Fold a white sheet in half for each child. Draw a simple dove shape for the teacher sample. Pre-cut blue strips for water.
Steps (about 8 min):
1. Each child traces one hand on white paper, with fingers together, and cuts it out. This is a wing. Repeat for a second wing.
2. Cut or tear a dove body from a white scrap (an oval with a head and tail).
3. Glue or tape both wings on the body. Add an eye with a crayon.
4. Glue the dove above a blue strip for the Jordan water.
5. Write on the back or on the strip: "This is my beloved Son. Matthew 3:17." Older children can copy the full verse.
Optional: Hang it with string at home.
Say: Take this dove home and tell someone what the Father said about Jesus.
Say: Now let's talk about the story.
Talk About It (6 min)
Sit in a circle. Ask each question and take one or two answers.
1. Why do you think John was surprised that Jesus wanted to be baptized? (John knew Jesus was greater than he was.)
2. Who was in this story? Name them all. (Jesus, John, the Holy Spirit, God the Father.)
3. What did God the Father say about Jesus? (He is my beloved Son, and I am well pleased.)
4. How do you think Jesus felt hearing His Father say that? (Loved, happy. The Bible does not tell us, so any guess is just a guess.)
5. How can we show we love and follow Jesus this week? (Be kind, obey, pray, tell the truth.)
Say: God shows us who Jesus is. Because of Jesus, we can be part of God's family.
Say: Let's finish by talking to God.
Closing Prayer (4 min)
Say: Let's thank God for what we learned today. Repeat after me.
Prayer points (say a phrase, children echo):
- "Thank You, Father, for sending Jesus."
- "Thank You that Jesus is Your beloved Son."
- "Thank You for the Holy Spirit."
- "Help us to listen to You and follow Jesus. Amen."
Optional: invite one or two children to add a short thank-you.
Say: Don't forget your dove and your verse. Tell someone at home what God said about Jesus.
Dismiss children to their parents, holding their doves carefully.
Materials
- KJV Bible
- Whiteboard or poster paper and marker
- White paper (one sheet per child)
- Blue paper strips (one per child)
- Child-safe scissors
- Crayons or markers
- Glue sticks or tape
- String or yarn
Teacher notes
- Safety: the craft uses scissors and glue. Supervise closely, pre-cut for younger children, and check for glue sensitivities. Keep the action game to walking in place.
- Adaptation: for children with special needs or a mixed-age group, use the board pictures as visual aids, pair younger children with older buddies for cutting, and offer a quieter option such as coloring a pre-cut dove.
- Keep to the text: the Bible does not say how Jesus or John felt, so label guesses as guesses. Do not add details about the dove or the crowd.
- Timing: if the activity runs long, shorten the verse echo and save the last discussion question for the ride home.
Send it home with parents
Today we studied Matthew 3:13-17. Jesus was baptized by John in the Jordan River. The Spirit of God came down like a dove, and the Father said, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." Children learned that Father, Son and Holy Spirit are all present in this story and that Jesus is God's own Son.
- What did you make today, and what does the dove remind you of?
- Who was at the Jordan River in our story, and what did each one do?
- How can we show we love Jesus this week?
Read Matthew 3:13-17 together from the Bible. Each person acts out one part (water, dove, voice). Then say the memory verse together and place the dove craft where the family will see it.
Each day this week, say Matthew 3:17 and thank God for Jesus. Once, tell a friend or family member what the Father said about His Son.
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