The Parable of the Talents: Sunday School Lesson for Ages 6-10
Ages 6-10 · 45 minutes · free lesson plan · Matthew 25:14-30
An interactive lesson on Jesus' parable of the talents. Children play a game, make a Talent Bag, and learn that God gives each person gifts to use faithfully, not to hide in fear.
Memory verse
His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. (Matthew 25:21, KJV)
Lesson objectives
- Retell the story of the three servants and what each did with his talents.
- Understand that God gives every person gifts and wants us to use them faithfully.
- Name one way to use a gift to serve God and others this week.
The full lesson plan
Welcome: What Can You Do? (5 min)
Setup: Have the coins and cups ready but out of sight.
Say: Good morning! Let's stand up and show what we are good at.
Have kids act out one thing they enjoy doing, such as drawing, kicking a ball, singing, or helping. Let a few guess what others are doing.
Say: Wow, we are all good at different things!
Say: Where do you think those abilities come from? (God gave them.)
Say: Today's story is about a master who trusted his servants with something very valuable.
Now let's listen to what Jesus said happened.
Bible Story: The Master's Journey (8 min)
Read Matthew 25:14-30 from the KJV, or retell it in order with these actions. Kids hold up fingers for the numbers.
Say: A man was going on a journey. He called his servants and gave them his goods.
Say: To one he gave five talents. To another, two. To another, one. Each got what fit his ability. (Show 5, 2, 1 fingers.)
Say: The man left right away.
Say: The servant with five traded and gained five more. The servant with two gained two more. (Pretend to work.)
Say: But the servant with one dug in the ground and hid his lord's money. (Pretend to dig.)
Say: After a long time the master came back to settle accounts.
Say: To the first two he said, "Well done, good and faithful servant." He gave them more to look after and invited them to enter his joy.
Say: The third said, "I was afraid, and hid your talent." The master called him wicked and slothful. The talent was taken from him and given to the servant with ten.
Now let's find out what this means for us.
What Is a Talent? (7 min)
Say: In Jesus' story, a talent was money. Background: a talent was a very large sum, so the master trusted his servants with a lot.
Say: For us, "talents" can mean the gifts God gives: our abilities, time, and kindness.
Say: Notice three things.
1. The master gave each servant what fit his ability. No one was left out. (Hold up 5, 2, 1 fingers.)
2. The first two servants put their talents to work. The master gave both the very same praise. It was not about who had more. It was about being faithful.
3. The third servant let fear stop him. He hid what he was given, and he did not use it.
Say: God does not ask us to be the best. He asks us to be faithful with what he gave us.
Say: Jesus is the Master who has given us so much, even his own life. We use our gifts because we love him.
Ask: What gift could you use this week instead of hiding it? Let two or three kids answer.
Now let's play a game to practice using our gifts.
Game: Use It or Bury It (8 min)
Setup: Make three groups. Give Group 1 five paper coins in a cup, Group 2 two coins, and Group 3 one coin. Keep extra coins in a pile as "the master's treasury." Mark a walking path. No running.
1. Say: You are the servants. I will read a situation. Decide together: use your gift or bury it.
2. Read a situation: "A new kid sits alone." "A friend can't tie his shoe." "Your family needs help with dishes." "A classmate feels sad."
3. If a group chooses to use their gift, they act out the helpful action. The master adds one coin to their cup.
4. If a child wants to bury, they cover their coin with a hand, then hear the teacher ask, "What could you do instead?" Let them try again and earn a coin.
5. Play 5-6 rounds. Compare cups at the end.
Say: Every group can grow, whether they started with five coins or one!
Say: Using what we have is what makes it grow.
Craft: My Talent Bag (8 min)
Setup: Pre-cut about 5 coins per child. Safety: Check for allergies to glue or markers. Supervise scissors. Coins are small pieces, so this craft is not for children under 3.
1. Give each child a small paper bag. Have them decorate it and write "Use it for God!" on the front.
2. On the back, write Matthew 25:21 or "Well done, good and faithful servant." Younger kids can copy from the board.
3. Have each child write or draw a gift on each coin, such as singing, helping, sharing, encouraging, or praying.
4. Glue or place the coins in the bag. Leave one coin blank for a gift they discover later.
5. Say: Take the bag home. When you use a gift, take out a coin and show someone.
Say: Share one of your coins with a neighbor.
Talk It Over (5 min)
Ask the questions in order. Keep answers short.
1. What did the master give his servants? (Talents, or money, to take care of.)
2. What did the first two servants do with their talents? (They put them to work and gained more.)
3. Why did the third servant hide his talent? (He was afraid.)
4. How did the master feel about the first two servants? (He was pleased and said, "Well done.")
5. What is one gift God gave you that you can use this week? (Answers vary: kindness, singing, helping, drawing.)
Say: When we feel afraid, we can ask God for help and try anyway.
Memory Verse and Prayer (4 min)
Say: Let's say our verse together. Do it in two parts with motions.
Part 1: "His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant:" (thumbs up, then point up)
Part 2: "thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord." (hold up fingers, then open arms)
Repeat twice, then go through it once more by heart.
Say: Let's pray. Repeat each line after me.
"Thank you, God, for the gifts you gave me."
"Help me use them for you and for others."
"Help me not be afraid to try."
"Help me be faithful. In Jesus' name, amen."
Say: Take your Talent Bag home, and use your gifts this week!
Materials
- KJV Bible
- Yellow paper circles (coins), pre-cut, about 15 per group plus extras
- 3 cups or small bags (one per group)
- Small paper bags, one per child
- Markers or crayons
- Glue sticks
- Scissors (teacher use or supervised)
- Index cards for the memory verse
Teacher notes
- Safety: Check for glue or marker allergies and ask parents first. Coins are small pieces, not for children under 3. Supervise scissors.
- Adaptation: Use picture cards for the story and the gifts. Pair children with a buddy. Offer a quieter role in the game, such as master's helper or coin counter.
- Keep the third servant's story about fear, not shame. Reassure kids that God is patient and helps us try.
- For the memory verse, teach it in two parts. Let kids who need more time practice with the index card.
Send it home with parents
Today we studied Jesus' parable of the servants and the talents. A master gave each servant something to look after. Two servants used what they were given and were praised. One servant hid his out of fear. We learned that God gives every person gifts and wants us to use them faithfully, and that he is pleased when we do.
- What is one thing God made you good at?
- Is there something you feel afraid to try? How could you ask God for help?
- How can our family use our gifts to help someone this week?
Have each family member name one gift or ability in someone else. Write each on a paper coin and put them in your child's Talent Bag. Then choose one way to use those gifts together this week.
Use one gift each day to help someone. Take a coin out of the Talent Bag each time and tell your family what you did. Practice Matthew 25:21 at bedtime.
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