This lesson teaches children that God takes care of His people every day, even in the wilderness, and that we can trust Him to give us what we need. It works well for children ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes.
Big Idea
God takes care of us every single day, so we can trust Him to give us what we need and not worry about tomorrow.
Memory Verse
Exodus 16:12
“I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel. Speak to them, saying, ‘At evening you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread: and you shall know that I am the LORD your God.’”
(WEB)
Have children hold both hands out, palms up, like they are catching something from the sky. Then bring their hands to their hearts while saying the words together. Repeat it three times, letting the motion help them remember that God gives what we need.
The Story: Exodus 16 for Kids
God had rescued the people of Israel from Egypt, and they were now walking through a big, dry wilderness. The food they had brought was running out. Their stomachs were empty, and they were tired and scared. They began to complain to Moses and Aaron, saying they wished they had stayed in Egypt where there was plenty to eat.
God heard their complaints and spoke to Moses. He said that He would send bread from heaven for them. Every morning, the people were to go out and gather enough for that day. Each family got just what they needed, and God gave them two portions on the sixth day so they could rest on the Sabbath.
When the morning dew went away, there was a small, round, flaky thing lying on the ground, white like frost. The people looked at it and asked, “What is it?” Moses told them, “This is the bread the Lord has given you to eat.” They called it manna.
Some people tried to save extra manna until the next day, but it spoiled and had worms in it. God wanted the people to trust Him each day and not hold on to more than they needed. On the seventh day, no manna fell at all, and the people rested just as God had asked. The manna kept coming for forty years until they reached a land where they could live.
Read It Together
Exodus 16:4
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Behold, I will rain bread from the sky for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law, or not.
(WEB)
Point out that God planned to give bread each day. Ask children to notice that the people only had to gather one day’s worth at a time. This shows that God cares for us in small, steady ways.
Exodus 16:18
When they measured it with an omer, he who gathered much had nothing over, and he who gathered little had no lack. They gathered every man according to his eating.
(WEB)
Show children that everyone gathered different amounts, but when they measured, each person had exactly enough. Explain that God makes sure no one goes without, and that sharing and fairness matter to Him.
Exodus 16:29-30
29 Behold, because the LORD has given you the Sabbath, therefore he gives you on the sixth day the bread of two days. Everyone stay in his place. Let no one go out of his place on the seventh day.” 30 So the people rested on the seventh day.
(WEB)
Help children see that God gave the Sabbath as a gift of rest. Point out that the people stopped working and trusted God to provide. This reminds us that rest is part of how God cares for us.
Talk About It
- What did the people in the wilderness need, and how did God answer that need?
- Why do you think God wanted the people to gather only what they needed each day?
- How did the people feel when they were hungry, and what did they say to Moses?
- What would it feel like to trust God for food every morning instead of keeping extra for yourself?
- How can you show that you trust God to take care of you this week?
Activity Ideas
Draw the Morning Manna
Give each child a sheet of paper, crayons or markers, and a small cotton ball or white paper circle. Ask them to draw the wilderness ground and glue on a few white bits to look like manna. Let them add a sun or a cloud. As they draw, talk about how God sent bread from the sky every single morning.
Manna Gathering Game
Scatter small pieces of white paper or dried beans around a room or yard to be the manna. Set a timer for two minutes and let children gather as many as they can. Then ask them to share with one another and see if everyone ends with enough. Explain that God wanted everyone to have what they needed, not more.
Take-Home Bread Reminder
Give each child a small paper bag or a folded paper square. Ask them to write or draw one thing God gives them each day, like food, family, or rest. Have them place the bag somewhere they will see it each morning, such as on the breakfast table or by their bed. Encourage them to talk with a family member about it at breakfast.
Teacher Notes
For adults, this passage shows God as a faithful provider who meets needs day by day rather than all at once. The people’s grumbling reveals how easily we forget His past care when we face present hardship. God’s test in this chapter is about trust, and the daily pattern of manna invites us to depend on Him consistently.
Avoid suggesting to children that trusting God means they will never be hungry or that obeying always brings immediate rewards. The story shows God providing what the people needed in the wilderness, but children should understand that God’s care is about faithfulness, not a guarantee of ease or specific outcomes.
A Prayer to Close
Dear God, thank You for taking care of us every day. Help us trust You for what we need, and help us share with others too. Teach us to rest and to remember that You are always faithful. Amen.
