This lesson teaches children that God keeps his promises, even when it is hard to wait. In Genesis 7, Noah and his family trust God and go into the big boat, and God keeps them safe. The lesson suits children aged 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes.
Big Idea
God keeps his promises, and when we obey him, he takes care of us, even in scary times.
Memory Verse
Genesis 7:5
Noah did everything that the LORD commanded him.
(WEB)
Have children stand up and take a big step forward each time they say “Noah did everything.” Then they can stretch their arms wide like the boat and say “God commanded him.” Repeat it three times together.
The Story: Genesis 7 for Kids
God had a special job for Noah. Noah lived a long, long time ago, and the people all around him were doing bad things. God saw that Noah loved him and wanted to do what was right. So God talked to Noah and said, “Come into the big boat with your family.” God also told Noah to bring two of every kind of animal, and seven pairs of the clean ones.
Noah listened to God, and he did everything God asked him to do. Noah was six hundred years old when the rain began. His sons and his wife and his sons’ wives all walked into the boat together. The animals came too, walking two by two, male and female, just as God had said.
Then God shut the door of the boat. Imagine how quiet it must have been inside as the rain started falling. The rain came down for forty days and forty nights. The water rose higher and higher until it covered the tallest mountains. The boat floated safely on top of the water while everything outside died.
God kept Noah and his family safe inside that boat. The water covered the whole earth for many days, and it was a very big flood. But God never forgot Noah. Noah kept trusting God, and God kept his promise to take care of him.
Read It Together
Genesis 7:1
The LORD said to Noah, “Come with all of your household into the ship, for I have seen your righteousness before me in this generation.
(WEB)
Point out that God chose Noah because Noah was righteous, meaning he tried to live the way God wanted. Ask children what it means to live right, and how they can show God they love him at home or school.
Genesis 7:16
Those who went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as God commanded him; then the LORD shut him in.
(WEB)
Show children that God himself closed the door of the boat. Explain that God is the one who keeps us safe, and that Noah could rest because God was in charge of protecting him.
Genesis 7:23
Every living thing was destroyed that was on the surface of the ground, including man, livestock, creeping things, and birds of the sky. They were destroyed from the earth. Only Noah was left, and those who were with him in the ship.
(WEB)
Help children see that Noah and his family were saved from the flood. Talk gently about how sad the flood was, and remind them that God always makes a way for those who trust him.
Talk About It
- What do you think Noah felt when God told him to build a big boat?
- How did Noah show that he trusted God even before the rain started?
- What would it have been like to be inside the boat with all those animals?
- Why do you think God shut the door of the boat himself?
- When is a time you had to wait for something good, and how did you feel?
Activity Ideas
Paper Plate Ark Drawing
You will need paper plates, crayons, markers, and glue sticks. Have each child draw a boat shape on a paper plate and then draw two of their favorite animals inside it. Let them glue on small scraps of paper to show the waves. As they work, ask them to name who was inside the boat with Noah.
Two by Two Animal Walk
You will need a open space, such as a classroom floor or a backyard. Call out animal names, and have children move like those animals, walking in pairs. Stop the game and say, “God said to bring them two by two,” then invite the children to find a partner who is doing the same animal. Finish by reminding them that God is in charge of the whole story.
Ark Promise Card
You will need index cards, a pencil, and a crayon. Help each child write or draw one thing they can trust God to do, such as keeping them safe at night. Let them take the card home and place it somewhere they will see it each morning. Encourage them to read it aloud to a family member before bed.
Teacher Notes
For adults, this chapter shows that God judges sin and also preserves a faithful remnant. Noah’s obedience was not perfect in every detail, yet God honored his trust. The flood points forward to God’s faithfulness across all of history, and to the Lord’s care for his people through judgment.
With children, avoid suggesting that God is cruel or that the flood was a simple punishment for the animals. Keep the focus on Noah’s trust and God’s protection, and let children ask honest questions about the sadness of the story without presenting a neat answer for every one.
A Prayer to Close
Dear God, thank you for keeping your promises to us. Help us to trust you like Noah did, even when we do not understand everything. Please keep us safe and close to you each day. Amen.
