This printable lesson plan is designed to teach preschool aged children about the story of Gideon and how God used him to save his people. It could be used in any setting with children age 2-5 at church, including a preschool Sunday School class or a preschool children’s church class. As always, consider your own ministry context and modify it as needed.
For older children, we recommend the Elementary version of this Gideon Lesson.
Bible Story: The Story of Gideon
Scripture: Judges 6:2-3, 12, 14, 16, 34-35 & 7:2, 7, 20-21
Target Age Group: 2 year olds – 5 year olds
Learning Context: Children’s Church
Target Time Frame: 40 minutes
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Items Needed:
- Bible, Judges 6:2-3, 12, 14, 16, 34-35 & 7:2, 7, 20-21 or any children’s Story Bible that includes Gideon
- “Gideon” Story Booklet (included in this print file folder)
- Pictures of items that Gideon could have hid behind – a tree, rock, house, animals; crayons. If needed, you can search Google Images for these pictures and print them off.
- Flashlight
Teaching Plan: Gideon
Welcome Activity: Welcome activities are things to have out for the children to do as they are arriving for class. These activities will get them engaged as soon as they arrive and will help the transition from their parents.
Have pictures available of items the Gideon could have hid behind – a tree, a rock, a house, animals, etc. Let the children color these pictures so that they can be used later in the lesson.
Bible Lesson Introduction
Have the children cover their eyes while you hide the pictures from the Welcome Activity. Then have the children find all of the pictures.
Bible Lesson
Read Judges 6:2-3, 12, 14, 16, 34-35 & 7:2, 7, 20-21 (NIRV) aloud to the children. There is also a book that you can print out that has the story along with simple pictures to help the children understand what is being read.
Read the verses (story) to the children. If you are using the print out story, point to the pictures as you read the story so that the children can better understand what you are saying.
2 The Midianites treated the people of Israel very badly. That’s why they made hiding places for themselves. They hid in holes in the mountains. They also hid in caves and in other safe places.
3 Each year the people planted their crops. When they did, the Midianites came into the country and attacked it. So did the Amalekites and other tribes from the east.
12 The angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon. He said, “Mighty warrior, the Lord is with you.”
14 The Lord turned to Gideon. He said to him, “You are strong. Go and save Israel from the power of Midian. I am sending you.”
16 The Lord answered, “I will be with you. So you will strike down the men of Midian all at one time.”
34 Then the Spirit of the Lord came on Gideon. So Gideon blew the trumpet to send for the men of Abiezer. He told them to follow him. 35 He sent messengers all through Manasseh. He called for the men of Manasseh to fight. He also sent messengers to the men of Asher, Zebulun and Naphtali. So all of those men went up to join the others.
2 The Lord spoke to Gideon. He said, “I want to hand Midian over to you. But you have too many men for me to do that. I do not want Israel to brag that their own strength has saved them.
7 The Lord spoke to Gideon. He said, “With the help of the 300 men who lapped up the water I will save you. I will hand the Midianites over to you. Let all of the other men go home.”
20 The three companies blew their trumpets. They smashed their jars. They held their torches in their left hands. They held in their right hands the trumpets they were going to blow. Then they shouted the battle cry, “A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!”
21 Each man stayed in his position around the camp. But all of the Midianites ran away in fear. They were crying out as they ran.
Read the story again, but this time do the following motions while reading:
torches/light – turn on the flashlight
Midianites – growl
Gideon – cheer
men – salute like a soldier
jars – make a crashing sound
Discuss the Bible Reading
When you are finished reading the story the second time, ask the children the following questions so that you can know they understood it.
“Who was in the story?” Gideon, God, the Midianites
“What were the Midianites like?” They were mean
“How many people did Gideon take with him to fight the Midianites off?” 300
“What did they do to win the fight?” They broke jars and lit torches
Bible Lesson Craft / Activity
Activity: Gideon’s Torch
Before class – cut the construction paper into strips that look like fire flames.
“What happened in our Bible story today? (allow for responses) Gideon and his small army beat the Midianites’ large army. They only used torches and jars instead of swords. Let’s make our own torches to help us remember that God will always be with us if we follow Him and do what He wants us to do.”
Give each child a lunch bag and some flames.
Let the children glue the flames to the inside of their bag – make sure that the flames are sticking out of the bag.
Let the children color their lunch bag.
• As the children are coloring their bag, walk around and write each child’s name on their bag – you might want to write it really big on the bottom of their bag in order to be able to see it later
Help the children twist their lunch bag so that it looks like a torch.
Activity: Bible Verse Memorization
“The Midianites treated the people of Israel very badly. That’s why they made hiding places for themselves.” Judges 6:2 (NIRV)
Have the children do the following hand motions along with repeating the words after you, to help them learn the Bible Verse:
The Midianites: make a mean face
Treated the people of Israel: smile
Very badly: shake your finger as though someone was in trouble
That’s why they made hiding places: cover face with hands
For themselves: point to self
Judges 6: hold up 6 fingers
2: hold up 2 fingers
Do this a few times with the children. Make it fun for them to do the motions and say the words. Involving them in active learning is essential for memorization at this age.
Bible Verse Activity: Find Gideon
“In our Bible Verse today, Gideon and his people were afraid of the Midianites. They were mean people and so Gideon and his friends would hide from them. We are going to try to find Gideon in our game today.”
Lay all of the pictures face down from the Welcome Activity as well as the picture of Gideon. Have the children take turns trying to find Gideon out of all of the pictures. Play multiple times as time permits.
Evaluation:
Read the story again and have the children reenact it using their torches that they made.