This lesson teaches children that wise choices, especially choices that show love and honesty, bring joy to the people who love us and to God. It is made for children ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes to teach, using a short story, a memory verse, and a simple activity.
Big Idea
Making wise, kind, and honest choices makes God happy and makes the people who love us glad. Foolish choices hurt the people around us, but God helps the people who try to do what is right.
Memory Verse
Proverbs 10:1
The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son makes a glad father; but a foolish son brings grief to his mother.
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Stand up tall and hold both hands over your heart. Then slowly open your arms wide, like a big hug, while you say the verse. Doing the motion each time helps your heart remember that wise choices bring joy.
The Story: Proverbs 10 for Kids
King Solomon was very wise, and God gave him many wise sayings to share with the people. In Proverbs 10, Solomon wrote short sayings that compare wise children with foolish children. He wanted everyone to know which kind of child makes a family happy.
Solomon said a wise son makes his father glad, but a foolish son brings sorrow to his mother. Imagine a boy who helps with the dishes and tells the truth. His parents smile when they see him. Now imagine a boy who lies and does not listen. His mother feels worried and sad. Solomon wanted children to think about how their choices make other people feel.
Solomon also talked about work. He said that a lazy hand leads to being poor, but a hard-working hand brings good things. He compared a child who plants seeds in summer with a child who sleeps all through harvest time. The first child has food when winter comes, and the second child has nothing to show for their time.
Solomon taught that honesty and kindness are like a fountain of life. He said, “The mouth of the righteous is a spring of life.” Think about a cool stream of water on a hot day. Kind and honest words refresh people in the same way. Solomon warned that words meant to hurt others cause trouble, but love helps cover mistakes.
Solomon finished by saying that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. God is the one who makes the wise person’s path safe and strong. The righteous will stand firm, while the wicked will not last. Solomon wanted children to choose God’s way because it leads to real joy.
Read It Together
Proverbs 10:4
He becomes poor who works with a lazy hand, but the hand of the diligent brings wealth.
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Point out how the verse connects hard work with good results. Ask the children what kinds of work they can do at home or school, like tidying a room or helping a classmate. Explain that working hard is one way we show wisdom.
Proverbs 10:12
Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all wrongs.
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Show the children that hatred starts fights, but love helps people forgive and move on. Talk about a time when kindness helped a friend or family member feel better after a disagreement. Help them see that love is a choice they can make every day.
Proverbs 10:19
In the multitude of words there is no lack of disobedience, but he who restrains his lips does wisely.
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Explain that talking too much can lead to mistakes, while saying less can help us avoid trouble. Invite the children to think of a time when they wish they had kept quiet. Encourage them to pause and think before they speak.
Talk About It
- What is one wise choice you made this week that made someone smile?
- How do you think your parents feel when you tell them the truth, even when it is hard?
- What is one job you can do at home that shows you are a hard worker?
- How can kind words help a friend who is feeling sad or upset?
- What can you do when you feel like saying something unkind to someone?
Activity Ideas
Happy Heart Drawing
You will need paper, crayons or markers, and scissors. Have each child trace one hand on the paper and cut it out. On each finger, they draw or write one wise choice they can make, such as sharing, telling the truth, or helping at home. Hang the hands on the wall as a reminder of the choices that make hearts glad.
Fountain of Kindness Game
Gather a bowl of water, a cup, and a few small cards with kind actions written on them. Have the children take turns drawing a card and acting out the kind action while the others guess what it is. After each guess, the child pours a small cup of water into a big bowl to show how kind words and actions refresh others, like a fountain of life.
Wise Choice Jar
You will need a clean jar, paper slips, and a pencil. Ask each family member to write one wise choice they plan to make during the week and place it in the jar. At the end of the week, read the slips together and celebrate how the choices made people glad. This helps children remember that wisdom is practiced every day.
Teacher Notes
For adults, Proverbs 10 presents a contrast between the wise and the foolish, showing that daily choices shape character and relationships. The chapter ties righteousness with honesty, diligence, love, and reverence for God, and it shows that these qualities bring life and stability. It reminds us that wisdom is not only about knowing what is right but also about living it out in ordinary moments at home, work, and in conversation.
When teaching children, avoid promising that doing right will always bring money or an easy life, since the chapter describes general patterns rather than guarantees. Focus instead on the joy, peace, and closeness with God that come from choosing wisely, and be honest that even faithful people face hard days.
A Prayer to Close
Father, thank you for giving us wisdom through your Word. Help us make choices that bring joy to our families and please you. Teach us to work hard, speak kindly, and tell the truth. Be near to us each day, and help us follow you. Amen.
