This lesson teaches children that God gives us good things and that we can thank him by giving back to him and to people who need help. It is designed for children ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes to teach.
Big Idea
God gives us good things, so we thank him and share with others. Remembering what God has done for us helps us love him and take care of people who need help.
Memory Verse
Deuteronomy 26:11
You shall rejoice in all the good which the LORD your God has given to you, and to your house, you, and the Levite, and the foreigner who is among you.
(WEB)
Have the children sit tall, hold both hands open in front of their chests, and then lift them up slowly as they say the words “rejoice” and “good.” Repeat the motion together three times so the children link the words with a joyful lift of the arms.
The Story: Deuteronomy 26 for Kids
God’s people, the Israelites, were getting ready to enter a new land. God had promised them this land long before, and now it was finally theirs. Moses told them that when they planted crops and gathered the first food from the fields, they should take some of it to God as a gift.
The people were to put the first fruit in a basket and walk to the special place where God had chosen to be worshiped. There they would meet the priest. The priest would take the basket and set it down in front of God’s altar. This was a way of saying, “Thank you, God, for everything you have given us.”
Then the person bringing the basket would tell the story of their family. They would remember how their father was once a poor wanderer who went down to Egypt, where his family grew into a great nation. The Egyptians treated them cruelly and made them work very hard. The people cried out to God, and God heard them and saw their pain.
God rescued them with his strong hand and brought them out of Egypt. He led them to this land, a land flowing with milk and honey. The person would say to God, “Now I have brought the first of the fruit that you gave me.” Then they would bow down and worship.
The people were also told to share their good things. Every third year, they were to give a tenth of their crops to the Levites, to foreigners living among them, to children who had no father, and to widows who had no husband. They were to share so that all of these people could eat and be filled.
At the end of the chapter, God reminded his people that they belonged to him. He wanted them to keep his commands with their whole heart and to live as a holy people who belonged to him.
Read It Together
Deuteronomy 26:1-2
1 It shall be, when you have come in to the land which the LORD your God gives you for an inheritance, possess it, and dwell in it, 2 that you shall take some of the first of all the fruit of the ground, which you shall bring in from your land that the LORD your God gives you. You shall put it in a basket, and shall go to the place which the LORD your God shall choose, to cause his name to dwell there.
(WEB)
Point out that God’s people were told to bring the first part of their harvest, not the leftovers. Ask the children why giving God the first and best might be a good way to show thankfulness.
Deuteronomy 26:8-9
8 The LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand, with an outstretched arm, with great terror, with signs, and with wonders; 9 and he has brought us into this place, and has given us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey.
(WEB)
Show the children how the people remembered that God rescued them from Egypt and gave them a land. Explain that remembering what God has done helps us trust him today.
Deuteronomy 26:12
When you have finished tithing all the tithe of your increase in the third year, which is the year of tithing, then you shall give it to the Levite, to the foreigner, to the fatherless, and to the widow, that they may eat within your gates, and be filled.
(WEB)
Point out that God cared for people who could not care for themselves, like widows and children without fathers. Ask the children who in their town might need help and how they could share.
Talk About It
- What good things has God given you that you are thankful for?
- Why do you think God wanted his people to give him the first part of their food?
- How did the people remember what God had done for them?
- Who are some people today who might be like the widows and orphans, and how can we help them?
- What is one way you can show God you love him this week?
Activity Ideas
Thankful Basket Drawing
You will need paper, crayons or markers, and a small basket or paper cup. Have each child draw one good thing God has given them, such as food, family, or a pet. Then have them place their drawing in the basket and say a short thank you to God as they set it down.
Farmer and Harvest Game
Clear a space in the room and let the children pretend to plant seeds by crouching low. When you call out “harvest,” they stand tall and carry an item, such as a soft ball or a toy, to a “temple” spot marked with a chair. Let them walk slowly and say “thank you, God” each time they arrive at the spot.
Take-Home Sharing Jar
Give each child an empty jar or box and some paper labeled with the names of people who need help, such as a neighbor, a widow, or a child without a father. Ask the children to put a small coin or note in the jar each week and then decide together where to give it. Encourage families to pray over the jar at dinner.
Teacher Notes
For adults, this chapter shows that gratitude and generosity go together. Israel was instructed to give God the first and best of their harvest and to remember the rescue from Egypt, which grounded their thankfulness in God’s faithful action. The care for Levites, foreigners, orphans, and widows reveals God’s heart for people who are vulnerable.
With children, avoid overstating the details of the ritual or suggesting that God only accepts gifts that are given at a specific place. Focus on the simple truths that God gives good things, that he cares for people in need, and that we can respond with thankful hearts and generous hands.
A Prayer to Close
Dear God, thank you for all the good things you give us every day. Help us remember what you have done for us and give thanks with our whole hearts. Show us how to share with people who need help, and help us love you by how we live. Amen.
