Noah and the Ark: Sunday School Lesson for Ages 6-10
Ages 6-10 · 45 minutes · free lesson plan · Genesis 6:9-22
Children hear how Noah walked with God and obeyed Him by building the ark. They play a listening game, make a paper ark and learn Genesis 6:22.
Memory verse
Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he. (Genesis 6:22, KJV)
Lesson objectives
- Retell how God told Noah to build an ark and how Noah responded.
- Explain that Noah obeyed God completely because he walked with God.
- Choose one way to listen to God and obey this week.
The full lesson plan
Welcome: Would You Do It? (5 min)
Say: Good morning! Today we meet a man who did a very big job because God asked him.
Say: Stand up if you have ever been asked to do something you did not understand.
Ask a few children to share. Then say: Would you still do it if your friends laughed? Turn to a partner and say yes, no, or maybe.
Say: Noah faced a job like that. Let's hear what God told him.
Transition: Now let's open our Bibles.
Scripture: God Speaks to Noah (8 min)
Read Genesis 6:9-22 aloud from the KJV, or retell it in order with these actions. Children do each action when they hear the cue.
- "walked with God": walk in place quietly.
- "violence": cross arms and shake your head.
- "make thee an ark": pretend to hammer.
- "two of every sort": hold up two fingers.
- "Thus did Noah": give a big thumbs up.
Say: Noah was a just man who walked with God. He had three sons: Shem, Ham and Japheth.
Say: The earth was full of violence, and God told Noah He would destroy it.
Say: God told Noah to build an ark of gopher wood. It would have rooms, three floors, a window and a door in the side.
Say: God made a promise to Noah and told him to bring his family and two of every kind of animal.
Say: Noah did all that God commanded.
Transition: Now let's think about why Noah's obedience matters.
Teaching: Walking with God, Then Working for God (7 min)
Say: Verse 9 tells us about Noah before it tells us about the ark. He walked with God.
Say: Noah first listened to God. Then he obeyed.
Say: God told Noah exactly how big to make the ark. Noah did not have to guess.
Background: A cubit was about the length from your elbow to your fingertips. The ark was longer than a football field.
Say: A job that big takes a lot of time, and Noah kept going.
Ask: What would make it hard to keep going? (People laughing, getting tired, not understanding why.)
Say: Noah did not have to understand everything. He trusted God.
Say: God also made a way for Noah and his family to be safe. The ark was God's way of rescue.
Say: Later, God sent Jesus as His greatest way of rescue for everyone who trusts Him.
Transition: Now let's play a game about listening and obeying.
Game: Noah Says (7 min)
Setup: Clear a space. Tape a long line on the floor as the "ark." Children stand in a row behind it. No running.
Steps:
1. Say: When I say "God says," do the action. If I leave out "God says," freeze.
2. Give commands: "God says hammer the wood," "God says measure the ark," "God says walk two by two," "God says carry the food."
3. Mix in commands without "God says." Children who move simply smile and keep playing. Nobody is out.
4. Have children take turns as the leader.
5. Finish by asking: Was it easy to listen carefully? Why does listening matter?
Say: Noah listened carefully to every word God said, then he did it.
Time: 7 minutes.
Transition: Now let's make something to help us remember.
Craft: My Ark Memory Box (8 min)
Setup: Pre-fold a sheet of cardstock for each child into a tent-shaped ark. Safety: supervise scissors and glue. Offer pre-cut shapes for younger children.
Steps:
1. Fold the cardstock lengthwise and draw a boat shape on the side.
2. Draw a door in the side and a window near the top, as Genesis 6:16 says.
3. Draw three floors with crayons.
4. Draw a pair of animals on each of three index cards.
5. Write "Genesis 6:22" on the ark and tuck the animal cards inside.
Say: Show someone at home your ark and tell them how Noah obeyed God.
Time: 8 minutes.
Transition: Now let's talk about what we learned.
Talk Time (5 min)
Ask the group these questions:
1. How does Genesis 6:9 describe Noah? (A just man who walked with God.)
2. What did God ask Noah to do? (Build an ark and bring his family and the animals inside.)
3. How did Noah respond? (He did everything God commanded.)
4. What might make obeying God hard for you? (Friends laughing, not understanding, being tired.)
5. How can we listen to God today? (Read the Bible, pray, listen to parents and teachers.)
Repeat the memory verse together twice, using the ark gestures: hammer on "Thus did Noah," thumbs up on "so did he."
Closing and Prayer (5 min)
Say: Noah trusted God, and God took care of him and his family.
Say: God still speaks to us in the Bible, and He wants us to listen and obey.
Say: Let's pray in three parts. I will say a line and you repeat it.
Prayer points:
- "Thank You, God, for making a way to keep us safe."
- "Help me to listen to You like Noah did."
- "Help me obey even when it is hard."
Say: Amen! Take your ark home and show someone.
Materials
- Bible (KJV)
- Cardstock or construction paper
- Crayons or markers
- Child-safe scissors
- Glue sticks
- Index cards (3 per child)
- Masking tape
- Memory verse written on a poster
Teacher notes
- Safety: scissors, glue and crayons are used. Supervise closely and offer pre-cut pieces to younger children. Check for allergies if you add any snack.
- Adaptation: use picture cards for each action in the story and pair children who need help. Offer a quiet seated option for the game.
- Keep the flood description brief and calm. Focus on God's care for Noah and Noah's trust, not on fear.
- The cubit size and football field comparison are background, not from the passage. Keep them short.
Send it home with parents
Today we studied Genesis 6:9-22. Noah walked with God, and God told him to build an ark. Noah did everything God commanded. The ark was God's way of rescue, which points us to Jesus.
- What did Noah do when God told him to build the ark?
- What is one thing God asks us to do that can be hard?
Read Genesis 6:14-16 together. Use a tape measure or string to mark out how big the ark was and talk about how long it took Noah to build it.
Each day, pick one way to listen to God and obey, such as reading a Bible verse or doing a chore right away. Say Genesis 6:22 together at bedtime.
Make this lesson your own: change the age, length or language · Printables to go with this lesson · Printables for this story
More teaching resources
More free lessons
See all free lessons