In this lesson, children learn that Ecclesiastes 2 shows Solomon trying to find happiness in things like parties, big buildings, and lots of stuff, and discovering that these things alone cannot fill the heart, while God’s gifts of joy and wisdom come from His hand. This lesson is designed for children ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes to teach.
Big Idea
Things can be fun, but only God can give us a happy heart that lasts. When we enjoy good gifts and thank Him for them, we are living the way He made us to live.
Memory Verse
Ecclesiastes 2:24
There is nothing better for a man than that he should eat and drink, and make his soul enjoy good in his labor. This also I saw, that it is from the hand of God.
(WEB)
Teach children to place both hands on their hearts, then open their palms upward, as if receiving a gift. Say the verse together slowly, lifting the hands on the words “eat and drink” and “good in his labor” so children connect the motion with thankfulness.
The Story: Ecclesiastes 2 for Kids
Once there was a king named Solomon, and he was the richest and wisest king in the whole city of Jerusalem. One day Solomon said to himself, “I will try out having fun and see if that makes me happy.” So he laughed, he ate good food, and he drank wine. He even said to his heart, “Come now, let me test you with joy and see what it is like.”
Solomon did not stop there. He built big houses and planted beautiful gardens full of trees and fruit. He dug pools of water so the trees could drink. He had servants, lots of sheep and cows, and piles of silver and gold. He hired singers and played music on instruments of every kind. He had almost anything his eyes wanted, and he did not turn away from any joy.
After all this, Solomon looked around at everything he had worked so hard to make. He said, “All of this feels like chasing the wind. I cannot hold it in my hands, and it does not make my heart full.” Solomon saw that being wise was better than being foolish, the way light is better than darkness. Even so, he noticed that wise people and foolish people both have to die, and both are soon forgotten.
This made Solomon sad. He even said he hated all the hard work he had done, because he would one day leave it to someone else, and that person might be wise or might be foolish. He began to feel very discouraged about everything he had labored for under the sun.
Then Solomon remembered something important. He saw that a person can find good in their work, and that eating, drinking, and enjoying their labor is a gift that comes from God’s hand. He realized that God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy to the people who please Him.
So the lesson of this story is that our happiness does not come from having the most things. It comes from trusting God and receiving His good gifts with a thankful heart.
Read It Together
Ecclesiastes 2:1-2
1 I said in my heart, “Come now, I will test you with mirth: therefore enjoy pleasure”; and behold, this also was vanity. 2 I said of laughter, “It is foolishness”; and of mirth, “What does it accomplish?”
(WEB)
Point out that Solomon tried laughing and having fun to see if it would fill him up. Ask children to notice how he tested pleasure first before deciding what really matters, and invite them to share what they think of when they hear the word “fun.”
Ecclesiastes 2:10-11
10 Whatever my eyes desired, I didn’t keep from them. I didn’t withhold my heart from any joy, for my heart rejoiced because of all my labor, and this was my portion from all my labor. 11 Then I looked at all the works that my hands had worked, and at the labor that I had labored to do; and behold, all was vanity and a chasing after wind, and there was no profit under the sun.
(WEB)
Show children that Solomon had everything he wanted, yet he still said it felt empty. Explain that things can give us a short moment of happiness, but they cannot keep our hearts full forever the way God can.
Ecclesiastes 2:26
For to the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner he gives travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him who pleases God. This also is vanity and a chasing after wind.
(WEB)
Point out that God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy to those who please Him. Help children see that joy is a gift from God, not something we have to earn by collecting lots of stuff.
Talk About It
- What is one thing you really enjoy doing, and how does it make you feel inside?
- Why do you think Solomon said all his fun and stuff felt like chasing the wind?
- What are some good gifts God has given you that you can thank Him for today?
- How is being wise different from just having lots of things?
- What can you do when you start to feel like your happiness is gone?
Activity Ideas
Gift Heart Drawing
You will need paper, crayons or markers, and a pencil. Ask each child to draw a big heart on the paper and fill it with pictures of good gifts God has given them, such as family, food, pets, sunshine, or friends. Let them share their drawings and say a short thank you to God for each one they name.
Wind Chase Game
You will need a few light items like feathers, tissue paper, or small paper squares, and an open space. Toss the items into the air and let children chase them, laughing as they run. After a few minutes, stop and ask, “Did we catch the wind? Can we hold it in our hands?” Then talk about how Solomon chased things that could not fill his heart.
Family Thankful Jar
You will need a clean jar, paper strips, and a pen. Place the jar and paper strips where everyone can reach them. Each day this week, ask family members to write one good gift from God on a strip and drop it into the jar. At the end of the week, read the notes together and thank God for each one.
Teacher Notes
For adults, Ecclesiastes 2 is an honest look at how empty life can feel when we chase pleasure, success, or possessions as if they were the goal. Solomon, who had everything, admits that none of it satisfies on its own. The chapter closes by pointing us back to God as the giver of every good thing, so enjoyment and work are best received as gifts from His hand.
When teaching children, avoid overstating the idea that fun or nice things are bad. The passage does not say that enjoying life is wrong. Be careful to frame the lesson as God being the source of true joy, rather than teaching children that they should feel guilty for enjoying toys, food, or celebrations.
A Prayer to Close
Dear God, thank You for all the good gifts You give us, like food, family, and friends. Help us remember that true joy comes from You and not just from things. Give us wise and thankful hearts every day. Amen.
