This lesson teaches children that God saw Noah trusting Him and kept His promise to save him and his family. It suits children aged about 5 to 11 and takes 20 to 30 minutes to teach, including the activity.
Big Idea
God is good and keeps His promises, and when we trust and obey Him, He takes care of us even when the world around us is hard.
Memory Verse
Genesis 6:22
Thus Noah did. He did all that God commanded him.
(WEB)
Have children stand up tall with arms out like a boat, then say the verse slowly while they move their hands to show Noah building. Sit down on the last word “commanded” to show that Noah finished the job God gave him.
The Story: Genesis 6 for Kids
A long time ago, people began to fill the earth. Many of them did not love God. They did mean and bad things, and the whole world was full of trouble. God looked at the earth and felt very sad about how wrong things had become.
But there was one man named Noah who loved God. Noah walked with God every day and tried to do what was right, even when others did not. God looked at Noah and was pleased with him. Noah had three sons named Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
God spoke to Noah and said, “I am going to send a great flood to cover the earth. But you must build a big ship, called an ark, so that you and your family will be safe.” God told Noah exactly how long, how wide, and how tall to make it. He also told him to make rooms inside and to cover it with pitch so that water could not get in.
God also said that Noah should bring his wife, his sons, and their wives into the ark. God told him to bring two of every kind of animal, a male and a female, so that the animals would stay alive. He told Noah to gather food for everyone to eat.
Noah could have been worried about building a giant boat on dry land. He could have wondered why no rain had fallen yet. But Noah did not argue. He trusted God and listened carefully to every word. Noah did everything God asked him to do.
When Noah finished, he and his family and all the animals went into the ark, and God was faithful to His promise to keep them safe. Noah trusted God, and God took care of Noah.
Read It Together
Genesis 6:9
This is the history of the generations of Noah: Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time. Noah walked with God.
(WEB)
Point out that Noah was righteous and walked with God. Ask children what it might look like to walk with God during an ordinary school day.
Genesis 6:14-15
14 Make a ship of gopher wood. You shall make rooms in the ship, and shall seal it inside and outside with pitch. 15 This is how you shall make it. The length of the ship shall be three hundred cubits, its width fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits.
(WEB)
Show how God gave Noah very specific instructions. Explain that God gives clear directions to people who trust Him, and that following them carefully is part of trusting Him.
Genesis 6:18
But I will establish my covenant with you. You shall come into the ship, you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you.
(WEB)
Point out the word “covenant,” which means a promise. Remind children that God promised to keep Noah and his family safe, and that God always keeps His word.
Talk About It
- What do you think Noah felt when God asked him to build such a big boat?
- How did Noah show that he trusted God even when others laughed or did not believe him?
- Why do you think God wanted Noah to bring two of every animal into the ark?
- What is one promise God has made to you that you can remember when you feel scared?
- When someone asks you to do something hard, how can you show trust the way Noah did?
Activity Ideas
Paper Plate Ark Craft
You will need a paper plate, crayons or markers, scissors, glue, and some paper animal cutouts. Fold the paper plate in half to make a boat shape, then let children color the outside brown or blue. Have them glue the animal pictures onto the inside of the folded plate so the animals are safe inside the ark.
Two by Two Animal Walk
Give each child a card with an animal name, such as “cow,” “frog,” or “bird,” and make sure there are two cards of each animal. Children must find their partner by making the sound or movement of their animal without talking. Once they find their partner, the pair walks together to the “ark” corner of the room.
Take-Home Promise Card
You will need an index card, a pencil, and a small bag or envelope. Ask children to write or draw one way they can trust God this week, such as listening to their parents or doing their best at school. Let them put the card in the envelope and take it home to keep on their nightstand as a reminder.
Teacher Notes
For adults, this passage shows that God is holy and grieved by sin, yet He also shows mercy to those who walk with Him. Noah’s obedience, even when the task seemed strange, points forward to the trust God asks of every believer.
Be careful not to overstate the details of the flood to children or suggest that the story is only about animals or boats. Keep the focus on God’s faithfulness and Noah’s trust, and avoid making the judgment of the world sound like a game.
A Prayer to Close
Dear Lord, thank You for keeping Your promises to us. Help us to listen to You and trust You like Noah did, even when things seem hard or strange. Thank You for always taking care of us and keeping us safe. Amen.
