This lesson teaches children that God is always faithful, so we should remember what He has done and love Him with our whole hearts. It is written for children ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes to teach.
Big Idea
God takes care of His people, so we remember what He has done and we choose to love and obey Him every day.
Memory Verse
Deuteronomy 11:1
Therefore you shall love the LORD your God, and keep his instructions, his statutes, his ordinances, and his commandments, always.
(WEB)
Have children stand with their hands on their hearts while they say the verse together. Then have them point up to the sky and say “always” with a big stretch of their arms.
The Story: Deuteronomy 11 for Kids
Moses was getting ready to say goodbye to the people of Israel. They had walked through the wilderness for a long time, and they were about to go into a new land that God had promised them. Moses wanted them to remember everything God had done for them.
Moses reminded them of the amazing things they had seen with their own eyes. God had shown His power in Egypt against Pharaoh and his army. He had parted the Red Sea so His people could walk across on dry ground. He had taken care of them for many years in the desert, giving them food and water when they needed it.
Moses told the people that the new land was very different from Egypt. In Egypt, people had to water their crops by carrying water to them. But the new land had hills and valleys, and it drank rain from the sky. God Himself was watching over that land every day of the year.
Then Moses gave the people a simple command. “Love the LORD your God with all your heart and all your soul,” he said. “Keep His words in your hearts, and teach them to your children every day.”
Moses also warned them to be careful. If they forgot God and started worshiping other gods, their hearts could be led away from Him. But if they loved God and obeyed Him, He would bless them with rain, good crops, and a long life in the land.
Read It Together
Deuteronomy 11:18-19
18 Therefore you shall lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul. You shall bind them for a sign on your hand, and they shall be for frontlets between your eyes. 19 You shall teach them to your children, talking of them, when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise up.
(WEB)
Point out that God wanted His words to be kept in the heart and talked about everywhere, at home, on the road, at bedtime, and when waking up. Ask children how they could remember God’s words in their daily routine.
Deuteronomy 11:13
It shall happen, if you shall listen diligently to my commandments which I command you today, to love the LORD your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul…
(WEB)
Show children that loving God is connected with listening to Him. Explain that listening carefully means paying attention and wanting to do what God says.
Deuteronomy 11:26-28
26 Behold, I set before you today a blessing and a curse: 27 the blessing, if you listen to the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you today; 28 and the curse, if you do not listen to the commandments of the LORD your God, but turn away out of the way which I command you today, to go after other gods, which you have not known.
(WEB)
Explain that God gave the people a choice between blessing and turning away from Him. Help children see that every day we also choose whether to follow God or to go our own way.
Talk About It
- What is one thing God did for His people that you can remember?
- How can you show God that you love Him at home or at school?
- Why do you think God wanted His people to talk about His words all day long?
- What kinds of things might try to pull our hearts away from God?
- How does remembering God’s help make you feel brave?
Activity Ideas
Remembrance Stones Craft
Give each child a few smooth stones or paper circles, along with markers or paint. Ask them to draw or write one thing God has done for them, such as giving food, friends, or a family. Place the stones in a bowl or on a windowsill at home as a reminder to thank God for His care.
Follow the Leader Obedience Game
Play a simple game where the leader calls out instructions like “hop like a bunny” or “touch your toes.” Children must listen carefully and follow exactly. Afterward, talk about how listening to God’s voice works in the same way, and how we want to listen closely because we love Him.
Words at Home Take-Home Card
Give each child an index card and a pencil. Ask them to write or draw a short reminder such as “Love God with all my heart” and tape it to a doorframe, lunchbox, or bedroom mirror. Encourage the family to read it together each morning before school or work.
Teacher Notes
For adults, this chapter shows that Israel’s faithfulness rested on remembering God’s past works and choosing to love Him fully. Moses urged the people to keep God’s words close to their hearts, to teach them through daily life, and to recognize that God’s care is ongoing. The passage points to the relationship between love and obedience as one whole way of life.
Avoid suggesting to children that God’s blessings in this chapter always mean rain and crops for every person who obeys, or that trouble always means they did something wrong. Keep the focus on God’s faithfulness and His invitation to love Him, rather than on a simple cause and effect that children might misunderstand.
A Prayer to Close
Dear God, thank You for taking care of us every day. Help us remember all the good things You have done, and help us love You with our whole hearts. Teach us to listen to Your words and to keep them close to us. We want to follow You all our days. Amen.
