This lesson teaches children that God made the whole world by speaking, and that everything He made is good. It is written for children about ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes to teach.
Big Idea
God made everything in the world, and He saw that it was very good. He makes things with care and love, and He wants us to look after what He made.
Memory Verse
Genesis 1:31
God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. There was evening and there was morning, a sixth day.
(WEB)
Have the children stand up tall with their arms stretched wide, like a big sky. Then slowly bring their hands together in front of their chest and say “Very good!” together. Repeat it three times, making the motion bigger each time.
The Story: Genesis 1 for Kids
In the very beginning, there was nothing but darkness and water. The earth was empty and had no shape at all. But God was there, and His Spirit was moving over the water like a bird over a lake.
God looked at the darkness and said, “Let there be light!” And light appeared right away. God saw that the light was good, so He separated it from the darkness. He called the light “day” and the dark “night.” That was the first day.
On the second day, God made the sky to sit between the waters above and below. On the third day, He gathered the waters into seas and let dry land appear. Then God made grass, flowers, and trees full of fruit. Each day He looked at His work and saw that it was good.
On the fourth day, God filled the sky with the sun, the moon, and the stars. On the fifth day, He filled the seas with fish and whales, and the sky with birds. Each one could move and grow in its own kind of way.
On the sixth day, God made animals of every kind, from big livestock to tiny creeping bugs. Then God made people, male and female, and He made them in His own image. He told them, “Take care of everything I have made.” God looked at everything He had created, and it was very good. That was the sixth day, and God rested after His good work.
Read It Together
Genesis 1:1
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.
(WEB)
Point out that the very first sentence of the Bible tells us God was the one who made everything. Ask the children to say “God made” with you, and explain that everything they see was first thought of by Him.
Genesis 1:27
God created man in his own image. In God’s image he created him; male and female he created them.
(WEB)
Show the children that God made people in His own image, which means we are special to Him. Help them notice that both boys and girls were made by God, and that everyone has equal worth.
Genesis 1:20-22
20 God said, “Let the waters abound with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth in the open expanse of the sky.” 21 God created the large sea creatures and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarmed, after their kind, and every winged bird after its kind. God saw that it was good. 22 God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.”
(WEB)
Point out how God filled the seas and skies with creatures and then blessed them to grow and fill the earth. Let the children name a fish or a bird they know and talk about how God made it with care.
Talk About It
- What is one thing God made that you think is the most amazing, and why?
- Why do you think God looked at His work and said it was good?
- How did God take care of the world before He made people?
- What does it mean that you were made in God’s image?
- How can you show thankfulness to God for the world He made?
Activity Ideas
Six Day Drawing Strip
Give each child a long strip of paper folded into six boxes, along with crayons or markers. Ask them to draw one thing God made on each day of creation, from light to people. Let them color in the boxes and label each one with the day number, then take the strips home to share with family.
Creation Freeze Game
Play music and have the children move around the room like the things God made, such as swimming fish, flying birds, or growing trees. When the music stops, they freeze and tell you one thing God made that they are acting out. This helps children remember the order and variety of God’s creation in a fun way.
Thankful Nature Walk Card
Give each child a small index card and a pencil, then take them outside or to a window to look for things God made. Each child writes or draws one thing they see, like a leaf or a cloud, on the card. Encourage them to take it home and place it on the dinner table as a reminder to thank God at mealtime.
Teacher Notes
For adults, Genesis 1 presents God as the sovereign Creator who speaks the world into being and declares it good at each stage. The repeated refrain “after their kind” highlights order and purpose in creation, while the making of humanity in God’s image grounds human dignity and our call to care for the earth.
Avoid overstating to children the scientific details of how long each day lasted or how creation unfolded in a literal timeline. Keep the focus on who God is and how much He cares for His world, rather than debating methods of creation.
A Prayer to Close
Dear God, thank You for making the sky, the sea, the trees, and all the animals. Thank You for making us in Your image and for loving everything You made. Help us take good care of the world You gave us. Amen.
