This lesson teaches children that God makes every season of life, happy or sad, and that he is with us in all of them. It is written for children ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes to teach, including the story, the verses, and the activity.
Big Idea
God has a good time for every part of life, and he is with us in every one of them.
Memory Verse
Ecclesiastes 3:1
For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven…
(WEB)
Have children stand up and sway like tall grass in a breeze while they say the verse. When they say “a time for every purpose,” have them raise both hands high, then bring them down slowly as they say “under heaven.”
The Story: Ecclesiastes 3 for Kids
A wise man named Solomon wanted to explain something important to the people around him. He noticed that life comes in seasons. Sometimes a baby is born, and sometimes a grandparent dies. Some people plant seeds, and later they pull up the weeds. Solomon saw that each season has its own time under heaven.
Solomon also saw that life has many feelings. There is a time to cry when something sad happens, and a time to laugh when something joyful happens. There is a time to mourn and a time to dance. Solomon knew that children and grown-ups both have days that feel heavy and days that feel light.
Solomon thought about the hard jobs people do. He said that people work very hard, and sometimes their work feels like a heavy load. He said, “God has made everything beautiful in its time.” Solomon wanted people to know that God is in charge of every season, even the ones that are difficult to understand.
Solomon then wrote that the best thing people can do is to enjoy the good gifts God gives them. He said that eating, drinking, and finding joy in our work are gifts from God. He reminded everyone that God does things that last forever, and that people should respect and trust him.
Solomon finished by admitting that he did not understand everything about life. He could not explain every mystery. But he was sure that God is faithful, and that we can rest in him no matter what season we are in.
Read It Together
Ecclesiastes 3:4
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance…
(WEB)
Point out that this verse names two very different feelings, weeping and laughing, and says both have a time. Ask children to remember a time they cried and a time they laughed, and tell them God was with them in both.
Ecclesiastes 3:11
He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in their hearts, yet so that man can’t find out the work that God has done from the beginning even to the end.
(WEB)
Show children that God has made everything beautiful in its time. Explain that some things in life are hard to understand, but God sees the whole picture even when we do not.
Ecclesiastes 3:12-13
12 I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice, and to do good as long as they live. 13 Also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy good in all his labor, is the gift of God.
(WEB)
Point out that these verses say doing good and enjoying God’s gifts are wonderful things. Help children name simple gifts they enjoy, such as food, play, and friends, and thank God for them.
Talk About It
- What is one season you have seen, like the seasons of the year, and what did it teach you?
- When have you felt like crying, and who helped you feel better?
- When have you felt like dancing or laughing, and what made that moment special?
- What is something hard that you do not understand yet, and how can you trust God with it?
- What good gift from God do you enjoy most every day?
Activity Ideas
Four Seasons Drawing
You will need paper, crayons or markers, and a pencil. Divide a sheet of paper into four squares and label them spring, summer, fall, and winter. Ask each child to draw something they associate with each season, then talk about how God makes every season good in its own time.
Season Freeze Game
You will need an open space and a timer or a clap signal. Call out a season or feeling, such as “a time to dance” or “a time to rest,” and have children act it out with movement. When you clap, everyone freezes. Between rounds, remind children that God is with us in every season, happy or sad.
Take-Home Gratitude Jar
You will need a clean jar, paper slips, and a pen. Ask each child to write or draw one good gift from God on a slip and place it in the jar. Encourage the family to add a slip each day for a week, then open the jar together and thank God for each gift.
Teacher Notes
For adults, this chapter teaches that life moves through many seasons, some joyful and some painful, and that God is sovereign over all of them. The author admits that not everything can be fully understood, yet he calls his readers to trust God and to enjoy the good gifts of daily life with gratitude.
Avoid overstating to children that God always makes hard seasons feel good right away. Be honest that sad times are real and that God is with us in them. Focus on his faithfulness rather than promising quick answers or guaranteed outcomes.
A Prayer to Close
Dear God, thank you that there is a time for everything in our lives. When we are happy, help us thank you. When we are sad, help us remember that you are with us. Help us trust you in every season, and show us the good gifts you have given us today. Amen.
