This lesson teaches children that God can use a brave, faithful young woman to help His people, even when nobody can see what He is doing. It is written for children ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes, including the story, verses and activity.
Big Idea
God takes care of His people even when we cannot see how. Esther obeyed, trusted and stayed faithful, and God used her in a big way.
Memory Verse
Esther 2:7
He brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle’s daughter; for she had neither father nor mother. The maiden was fair and beautiful; and when her father and mother were dead, Mordecai took her for his own daughter.
(WEB)
Say the words slowly, then make a small heart with your hands on your chest each time you say “Mordecai took her.” Do it again with a bigger, happier motion so children remember that someone loved and cared for Esther.
The Story: Esther 2 for Kids
Once there was a great king named Ahasuerus. He ruled a huge kingdom, and one day he was missing his queen, Vashti, who was no longer with him. His helpers said, “Let’s find beautiful young women from all over the land, and the king can choose a new queen from among them.” So the king’s officers went out and gathered many girls to the palace in the city of Susa.
Among those girls was a young woman named Esther. She had no mother or father, so her cousin Mordecai, a kind man who loved God, had raised her like his own daughter. Mordecai told Esther not to tell anyone that she was a Jew, and Esther listened to him carefully.
Every day Mordecai walked near the palace to see how Esther was doing. The girls spent a whole year getting ready, with special oils and sweet perfumes, before they could go in to see the king. Esther did not ask for anything fancy. She simply listened to the wise helper Hegai, who looked after the young women.
When it was Esther’s turn to see the king, he was pleased with her more than with anyone else. He loved her so much that he placed a royal crown on her head and made her queen. The king then threw a big party for all his helpers, and he gave gifts to people all over the land.
Later, Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate when he heard two of the king’s guards plotting to hurt the king. Mordecai told Queen Esther, and Esther told the king, and she made sure to say that Mordecai was the one who had warned them. The king checked the story, found it was true, and the two guards were punished.
This story shows us that God was working quietly through Esther’s obedience and kindness, even when she was not the one in charge of the kingdom. God was caring for His people in a way they did not yet understand.
Read It Together
Esther 2:9
The maiden pleased him, and she obtained kindness from him. He quickly gave her cosmetics and her portions of food, and the seven choice maidens who were to be given her out of the king’s house. He moved her and her maidens to the best place in the women’s house.
(WEB)
Point out that the king liked Esther because of how she was, and that the people around her noticed her kindness. Ask children what it means to be kind to others when no one is watching them.
Esther 2:15
Now when the turn of Esther, the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her for his daughter, came to go in to the king, she required nothing but what Hegai the king’s eunuch, the keeper of the women, advised. Esther obtained favor in the sight of all those who looked at her.
(WEB)
Show children that Esther did not argue or demand special treatment. She simply followed the wise advice of the helper Hegai. Talk about times when following good advice from parents or teachers is a wise choice.
Esther 2:22
This thing became known to Mordecai, who informed Esther the queen; and Esther informed the king in Mordecai’s name.
(WEB)
Explain that Mordecai told Esther about the danger, and Esther told the king. Point out how the two of them worked together to protect the king. Ask children how people can help each other do what is right.
Talk About It
- What do you think Esther felt when she was taken to the palace far away from home?
- Why do you think Mordecai told Esther not to say she was a Jew?
- How did Esther show that she trusted and listened to the people who helped her?
- What did Mordecai do when he heard about the plot against the king?
- How can we tell that God was taking care of His people even when they could not see Him at work?
Activity Ideas
Paper Crown Craft
You will need construction paper, glue, tape, markers, and some glitter or stickers if you have them. Cut a strip long enough to go around each child’s head, then let them decorate it. Talk about how Esther was given a crown, and remind children that the most important crown is the love of God that never goes away.
Hide and Watch Game
Choose one child to hide a small object, such as a toy car, somewhere in the room while the others close their eyes. Then the rest of the group searches for it. Explain that God was working behind the scenes in Esther’s story, just like the hidden toy, and that sometimes we only see the results later.
Take-Home Kindness Card
Give each child an index card and a pencil. Ask them to write or draw one way they can be kind to someone at home this week, such as helping a sibling or thanking a parent. Encourage them to bring the card back next week and share how it went, reminding them that God notices every act of kindness.
Teacher Notes
For adults, this chapter shows that God can work through ordinary people in ways they may not recognize at the time. Esther’s rise to queen was not the result of her own planning, but she was faithful in small choices, like listening to Hegai and following Mordecai’s guidance. The chapter reminds us that God’s care for His people can be quiet and unseen, yet still powerful.
Avoid telling children that God always makes things turn out well for those who obey, as if faithfulness guarantees a happy ending. Instead, focus on God’s steady presence and care, which we can trust even when we cannot see the whole picture.
A Prayer to Close
Dear God, thank You for taking care of us even when we cannot see what You are doing. Help us to be kind, to listen to good advice, and to trust You every day. Thank You for loving us always. Amen.
