"David Is Kind to Mephibosheth" Preschool Bible Lesson

Lesson Title:  David Is Kind to Mephibosheth
Bible Reference: 2 Samuel 9
Target Age Group: Preschool
Learning Context: Children’s Church
Target Time Frame: 1 ½ hour
Gospel Connection: Once David finally became King he did something unprecedented. He reached out to Saul’s family, even though Saul had tried to have him killed. Mephibosheth was the son of Jonathan, who was David’s best friend and David had made a promise to Jonathan to always care for his family. By law, David owed Saul’s family nothing, but David knew that God wanted him to show kindness to everyone, even if it seemed like they didn’t deserve his kindness. Today preschoolers will learn that God wants them to be kind to everyone and will help them whenever it is hard.
Learning Aim:  God Helps Us Be Kind
Materials Needed:

1. Large Piece of Paper
2. Post It Notes
3. Marker
4. Silverware
5. Ping Pong Ball
6. Kitchen toys

Praise and Worship
Happy All The Time Volume 2 #7
If Your Happy Volume 2 #27
Down In My Heart Volume 2 #31
You say the Italicized words.  Non-italicized words are directions.
Bible Story
Open your Bible to 2 Samuel 9.
Say, Once David became King he decided that He wanted to be kind to anyone who was related to Saul. He asked his servants if there was anyone from Saul’s family that he could be kind to. His servant told him about a man named Mephibosheth who was Jonathan’s son. Jonathan was Saul’s son and he had been David’s best friend. Even though Saul wasn’t always nice to David, David knew that he should be kind to, Mephibosheth.
Mephibosheth was lame, which means he couldn’t walk and he had lost all of his land. He was very afraid whenever he heard that King David wanted to talk to him!
But David knew that God wanted him to be kind. So whenever David met Mephibosheth he gave him all of his land back and invited him and his whole family to eat dinner with David every day. David was king so he didn’t have to do these nice things for Mephibosheth but he did them because he knew that God wants us to be kind to everyone.
Act Like Mephibosheth
Mephibosheth was lame so the class will be asked to complete simple tasks around the classroom without using their legs. Pick one child at a time to try to complete each task. Ask the class to: close the door, put away their chair, put away their papers, etc.
Discuss how life must have been difficult for Mephibosheth. Ask them to share how they think David’s kindness changed his life.
Spell Mephibosheth
Write Mephibosheth on a large piece of paper with a little space between each letter. Then write each letter of his name on a post it note. Work together to match up each letter so that it spells Mephibosheth.
Say, Mephibosheth is a very unusual name but you were able to spell it by matching up the letters! In order to spell Mephibosheth’s name you had to work together. God wants us to be kind to everyone and always work together.
Silverware Ball
Give every child a spoon and fork. Sit in a circle on the floor. Roll a small ball (ping pong size) across the circle. The object of the game is to use the silverware to hit the ball back and forth without letting it out of the circle.
Say, David was kind to Mephibosheth by letting him have dinner with his family every day. What can you do to be kind to others?   
Dinner Play
Let the kids play with a kitchen set. Encourage them to set up a table and be kind by sharing the toys and making food for each other to pretend to eat.
Say, David was kind to Mephibosheth by allowing him and his family to eat at his table. How can you be kind to your classmates while pretending to cook food and set the table.
Closing the Lesson
Say, This week I want you to find ways to be kind to everyone around you. God wants us to be kind and will help us be kind to our friends. Who can you be kind to this week?
Let the kids share their answers and then close in prayer, asking God to help them.