Category: Old Testament Bible stories

Daniel in the Lions’ Den

Daniel in the lions’ den bible story for young children. You can read the story in Daniel 6.

Daniel in the Lions’ Den story idea

Daniel lived a long, long time ago. He loved God and often talked to God, we call that praying. He prayed to God three times every day. What do you think he said? The Bible tells us that he thanked God. He lived a long way from his home in a foreign country but he worked hard and he was always doing his best.

He worked for the King. (Say hello to king Darius). Now king Darius had lots of people who worked for him. But he knew that Daniel was the most hardworking and trustworthy person so he made Daniel the boss over all the other servants.

Well they weren’t happy about that at all! They were grumpy. They were jealous. ‘Why is Daniel the kings favourite and not us?’ they said.

Then they thought. ‘Let’s get daniel into trouble.’ But that was going to be difficult because Daniel worked hard and always did his best.

But these other servants were full of jealously and determination. ‘Let’s trick the king into making a law about praying to God. Then we will see what happens to Daniel!’

They went to the king and said, ‘ Oh most wonderful King make a new rule that everyone must only pray to you for a whole month or be thrown into the den with the lions’.

Well the king liked the sound of that. It made him feel important. So he made the new rule; and it couldn’t be changed.

So what was Daniel going to do? When Daniel heard about the new rule he didn’t start praying to King Darius. Oh no – why do that? He went home and he did what he had always done – he knelt down by his window and he prayed to God.

The jealous servants were so happy! We’ve got him ! Off they went to see the King. They told him all about Daniel breaking the new rule.

King Darius was sad. He spent all day trying to find a way to save Daniel from being thrown to the hungry lions. But he couldn’t think of anything. He couldn’t save Daniel.

When evening came Daniel was taken to the lions den. ‘I hope you God can save you,’ King Darius said.

King Darius went to his beautiful palace. But he didn’t eat. He didn’t listen to music. He couldn’t sleep.

As soon as morning came he hurried to the lions’ den. He called out , ‘Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God saved you?’ He waited. He listened. He heard something! It wasn’t the roar of a lion it was a voice..

‘Yes, he has saved me’, Daniel called back!

King Darius was a very powerful king but only The living God could save Daniel. The living God still saves people today!

Daniel in the Lions’ Den storytelling prop ideas

Choose some props to take out of the story bag as you tell the story. It’s great to have everyone say hello to the different characters as they come out of the bag. I had three props; Daniel, King Darius (made from a Cardboard tube – instructions here) and a lion (which is also a craft idea)

Storytelling props for Daniel in the Lions' Den

Daniel in the Lions’ Den craft idea

Lion paper plate craft for Daniel in the Lions' Den

If you don’t have any paper plates there is another idea here (with a printable lion) that uses paper curls for the mane.

NOTE – my example has stick on eyes. Be careful with these. You can use stickers for eyes instead.

God’s promise to Abraham

God's promise to Abraham picture with lots of stars on a dark background

God’s promise to Abraham is the final story in the series What’s in God’s big book? We began by making a Big Book and then each week we take out a page for our story. So far we have done God made everything , First sad day, Noah built the Ark , The big tower to Heaven  and Abram leaves home ( I tell the story first and we finish by taking the page out of the book and reading the words)

This final story in the six week series is from Genesis 15:1-6

God’s promise to Abraham story idea

To tell the story use the same dolls/puppets for Abraham and Sarah as last time. (Although you might want to just focus on Abraham). You can use a picture of stars or just ask everyone to make star actions when you get to that point in the story.

Abraham (Abram) had left his home to go to a new land that God was going to give to him.

God had promised that Abraham would have a new place to live and have a family. But Abraham was old and his wife, Sarah was old and they had no children. Had God forgotten his promise? No! God never forgets anything.

But Abraham was worried. He talked to God,’ I don’t have a family of my own,’ he said to God.

Now it was night time. It was really dark outside the tent. ‘Abraham go outside and look up at the sky,’ God said.

So Abraham went outside into the night. He looked up at all the bright shining stars. ‘ Can you count them all? God said. There were just too many to count! ‘That is how large your family will be,’ God said.

Abraham believed God. He knew that God is so powerful and so good that he always keeps his promises.

Genesis 15 craft idea

Abraham outside his tent looking at the stars
Abraham inside his tent
Abraham outside his tent looking at the stars

We’ve made similar crafts before – take a look here where there is a download for the picture of Abraham

To create the night sky just use black or dark blue paper and add stars.

There is a flap inside the tent that Abraham can slot into and also the green strip is only glued at the sides and bottom so Abraham can stand outside. This allows the children to re tell the story. But if it’s too fiddly just glue Abraham outside his tent.

Abram leaves home

Abram leaves home big visual aid for telling Bible Story

Abram leaves home is part of our Story Series ‘What’s in God’s Big Book?’ We started by making a Big Book and then each week we take out a page for our story. So far we have done God made everything , First sad day, Noah built the Ark and The big tower to Heaven ( I tell the story first and we finish by taking the page out of the book and reading the words)

The story is from Genesis 12

In the story bag have Abram and Sarah.

Knitted dolls to use to tell the Bible story about Abram and Sarai leaving home.

You can add actions to the story and ask the group to repeat phrases (I’ve written these in Bold).

Abram leaves home story idea

Say hello to Abram! Hello Abram. Abram lived a long, long time ago with his wife Sarai.

One day God spoke to Abram and said to him, ‘Leave where you live and go to a new place that I will show to you. I will bless you and make your family a great nation and bless all the world through you.’

Wow! That was a big promise.

Abram listened to God. Abram got ready to do what God had said.

He packed up his bags. He said goodbye to his neighbours and friends and off he went! Can you wave and say goodbye. He didn’t travel in a car or aeroplane. He didn’t even use a boat. But he probably had a donkey or camel to ride on and sometimes he would have walked.

Abram trusted God and was sure that God would be with him and keep his promise.

Every day he and Sarai travelled and every night they put up their tent and went fast asleep.

Today God speaks to you and me in The Bible and we should do what he says. We can trust God to keep his promises just like Abram.

Abram in his tent craft idea

Abram in his tent craft made with sugar paper.
Abraham-1Download

I have added a download for you to print and use for Abraham standing in his tent. For full craft instructions see this post. This is one of my favourite crafts – the children really love the lift the flap element!

Josiah reads God’s Book

Josiah reads God’s book bible story. Josiah was King in Judah at a very difficult time. The temple was in need of repair and God’s people were not following God’s law. This Bible Story tells of how God’s Book was found and how Josiah read God’s Book to the people. It’s taken from 2 Kings 22:1 – 23:2. As this story is intended for toddlers a lot of detail has been left out. There are some fun actions to do during the story so that everyone can join in.

Josiah reads God’s Book – story idea

Bible Truth for Toddlers – God’s Book is for Everyone
  • In the Story Bag – King Josiah puppet/doll, a toy hammer, a brush, a Bible (Take these from the story bag as you need them)
  • Before you begin – explain to everyone that there are some things to join in with during the story; some sweeping, hammering and saying ‘no’.

‘Let’s say hello to King Josiah! Josiah was King a long time ago. He was very upset that the Temple, where people went to worship God, was really messy and untidy. Parts of it needed cleaning. Parts of it needed mending. Josiah said, ‘Let’s fix and tidy the Temple,’ and so work began.

There was sweeping!

There was hammering!

Everyone was busy!

But then they stopped…… Everything went quiet…..They had found something.

What could it be?

Was it silver? NO!

Was it Gold? NO!

Was it lots of money? NO!

It was even better than those things.

They had found God’s Book. (It didn’t look exactly like this Bible but the words inside are the same)

Josiah read God’s Book. ‘This is so important that everyone should hear it’, he said

All the people came to the Temple – the important people, the ordinary everyday people, the old people, the young people. People just like you. People just like me. And King Josiah read God’s Book to everyone.

God’s Book is for everyone!

Story bag props for Josiah Reads God's Book

Here’s a blog post all about making Pringle people. Josiah is made from a Pringle tube – you could use a bread stick tube too. The advantage of using a pringle tube is that it is fairly solid so a pringle person will stand up easily leaving your hands free for storytelling actions.

X is for Xerxes

X is for Xerxes is part of our Bible Alphabet. The following is a much shortened telling of the story of Esther, King Xerxes and Haman. When you are telling a story in a toddler group you have to shorten the narrative and find a way to tell the story simply. To read the full story see Esther

X is for Xerxes story idea

Our story happened a long time again in a country called Persia. There was a powerful king called King Xerxes. He was in charge of a huge kingdom and in his kingdom lots of God’s people lived. They were a long way from home.

Now one of God’s people had married the King (he didn’t know that she was one of God’s people – he had married her because she was very beautiful) Her name was Esther.

And there was another man whose name was Haman. The king liked him very much but he was a very bad and horrible man.

Haman didn’t like God’s people at all. He wanted to get rid of all of them. And so he asked the king, ‘Can we get rid of all these people?’ And the King said, ….. ‘yes!’

Now Esther was very sad and worried. She had to find a way to keep God’s people safe. She knew that she needed help. But who could help her? She sent a message to her family – Pray to God. Ask him to help me. And I will pray too.

Esther asked God to help her. She went to see King Xerxes. She told him what was going to happen to God’s people and how she was one of them. The King was horrified. He was angry with Haman and he protected God’s people. They were kept safe.

King Xerxes was very powerful – but not as powerful as God who is able to keep his people safe and hears them when they ask for his help.

X is for Xerxes props for story telling

People characters made from cardboard tubes

King Xerxes and Queen Esther are made from Pringle Containers. Xerxes is a regular Pringle container and Esther is a whole wheat Pringle tube which is slightly smaller (perfect for making storytelling people of different heights!)

To make you just cover the tube in coloured paper (I used a glue gun to stick this) and then add a face , hair and some clothes. Pipe cleaners are very useful for holding everything together. As they are royalty I added crowns but often it’s just a piece of material held in place with a pipe cleaner as in the case of Haman. There are instructions here

People characters made from cardboard tubes

Noah and two of every animal – A Bible Number Story

Noah and two of every animal is our second bible number story. Last week we thought about the Number One and Jonah and the One Big Fish. This story is all about counting to two! The Bible Truth for toddlers is, ‘Those who trust in God are rescued’. You can read the story from Genesis here.

To tell the story you can use – an ark, animals in pairs, Mr and Mrs Noah, a toy saw and hammer.

Storytelling props for Noah

Noah and two of every animal story idea

Say hello to Noah! God told Noah to start building. He needed to cut lots of wood and use a hammer and a saw. But what was he making? It wasn’t a house. It wasn’t a new bed. It wasn’t a table. It wasn’t even really a boat! It was an ark. It was like a big, big box that would float. God had told Noah to build an ark, he told him exactly how big it should be and what sort of wood to use.

Noah worked hard. He trusted God and he did what God said. Everyday he sawed and hammered. Every night he went fast asleep. Then he woke up and sawed and hammered until one day the Ark was finished. It was huge!

It was too big for just Noah and his family. Who else was it for?

God sent animals to go inside the ark. Two of every kind. Let’s count them! (show animals in pairs and count – 1,2). They went into the big ark that Noah had built. Noah collected all the food that they would need and put in safely in the ark and then Noah and his family went inside too. And then God shut the door.

Everyone inside the Ark waited. They waited. And they waited.

And then it began. It rained and it poured. It rained for such a long time. But Noah and his family and the animals were safe in the ark. God took care of them and rescued them from the big flood.

And when the flood had gone they were able to come out of the big ark that Noah had built. God had rescued them from the big flood.

Noah and two of every animal craft idea

Noah craft Idea
number-2-animalsDownload

We added tissue paper in different shades of blue for the water and used animal stickers. I liked that they were photos of animals. Lots of opportunity for naming animals while making the craft.

Song Idea

Instead of ‘Old MacDonald had a farm’, we sang ‘Mr Noah had an ark’ and added the animals that we had used in the story with any sounds that they make.

Noah's ark shape sorter to tell Noah and two of every animal bible story
Noah’s Ark shape sorter that we used as a storytelling prop.

Answers in Genesis have lots of information about Noah’s ark if you’d like to read more.

Free Email Updates
Get the latest content first.
We respect your privacy.
We use cookies to personalise content and ads, to provide social media features and to analyse our traffic. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners. View more
Cookies settings
Accept
Decline
Privacy & Cookie policy
Privacy & Cookies policy
Cookies list
Cookie name Active
Save settings
Cookies settings