This Bible lesson for children is based on the story of Moses from Exodus 1:15-2:10 and his mother releasing him to the care of the Pharoah’s daughter. This lesson shows the deep love of a birthmother for her child and the gift of life she gives when she releases her child for adoption. The theme of adoption is a powerful link to the Gospel story. Use this lesson to remind children of the seeking love that God has for us through Jesus. This kids Bible lesson could be used as a children’s church or expanded for a Sunday school lesson. Please leave any suggestions at the bottom of this page.
Curriculum Text: Exodus 1:15-2:10; Ephesians 1:5
Time: 20 Minutes
Learning Objectives: After this lesson….
- Children express their knowledge of the key people and events in this passage by retelling the story to each other.
- Children express what they understand about Moses’ mother’s decision to allow Pharoah’s daughter to raise her son.
- Children express what they understand about the adoption of Moses by Pharoah’s daughter.
Curriculum Target Age: Kindergarten-5th;
Material Needed:
- [print_link] this lesson plan
- Bible: Exodus 1:15-2:10; Ephesians 1:5. Prepare beforehand a copy with the important points highlighted to ensure specific explanations on them.
- Visual Aids: Pictures of baby Moses and Pharoah’s daughter; if available pictures of Moses’ mother and sister, Miriam; pictures showing different families (example: parents of mixed races, parents with children of mixture of ethnicities).
Children’s Church Teaching Plan
Establish the lesson by briefly explaining who the key people to the story are by showing the pictures of Moses and talk about Pharoah’s daughter pulling him from the Nile River. If available, show pictures of Moses’ mother and sister, Miriam. Make sure the children repeat the names.
Prior to reading the story talk to the children about adoption. Ask the children to raise their hands if they have been adopted into their family. Briefly talk about the love of a birthmother to choose life for her child and her desire for the best for that child. Explain to the children that whether they were born into a family or adopted, their parents are their “real” parents. Ask the children to look for the reason why Moses’ mother allowed him to be raised by Pharoah’s daughter.
Read (and Recap) Exodus 1:15-2:10. Read with different voices and stop to involve the children into the story. Reinforce the lesson by asking questions. What did Moses’ mother think about her son? She thought he was beautiful. Why did she try to hide him for three months? Pharoah was killing sons born to Israelite women and she wanted to keep him safe. Who found Moses in the basket? Pharoah’s daughter found him. Did she know he was not an Egyptian child? Yes. What did Pharoah’s daughter do with Moses? She had him nursed and raised him as her son.
When you’re finished reading the story, use the pictures to review the important people and events in the story.
Ask for a response for the children about their listening assignment. What did they learn about the reason Moses’ mother allowed Pharoah’s daughter to raise her son? What did they learn about Moses’ mother’s love for him?
Read Ephesians 1:5 to the children and begin to talk to the children about the truth that everyone who places their trust in Jesus Christ as Savior is adopted into God’s family.
Select a volunteer to demonstrate the lesson learned about what makes a family a “real” family. Show the pictures of different family dynamics and talk about how parents love their adopted children the same as their birth children. Reiterate the fact that when someone accepts Jesus Christ as their Savior, he receives adoption into God’s family.
Lesson Evaluation:
Ask three volunteers to retell the story to the class with role-play. Assign the children the role of Moses’ mother, sister, and the Pharoah’s daughter. Ask the rest of the children to take turns telling a portion of the story as the three children act it out. Remember to prompt the children, by asking, “What happened next.”
Have someone read the verse in Ephesians to the class again and talk about being adopted into God’s family.
Give a list of possible lessons and ask the children to say “Amen” if it was from the story.
- The Lord teaches that adoption is a good thing? Yes.
- Jesus healed someone born blind. True, but not part of the story.
- God saved Daniel from being eaten by the lions. True, but not part of the story.
- Moses’ mother loved him. Yes
- Moses’ mother released Moses to Pharoah’s daughter to protect his life. Yes.
- The Lord protected Moses’ life. Yes.
- The Lord created the heavens and the earth. True, but not part of the story.
Need More Help? Find a Bible coloring page for this story or compare it to related Sunday School lessons.