Introduction
In this week’s lesson, we learn about Hannah and Samuel.
We will cover Samuel’s birth and his life as a boy in the temple. Their story is found in the book of 1 Samuel 1-3.
Some of the key points we will examine are:
- God hears our prayers.
- God speaks to us.
- We must keep our promises to God.
- God helps us to grow.
- Everything we have belongs to God.
Lesson walkthrough and overview
Bible Lesson
In this week’s lesson, we are going to focus on our relationship with God through prayer. Talk to your child about how amazing it is that we can have a conversation with God. We can talk to God (use Hannah as an example) and God talks to us (use Samuel as an example).
Use some Styrofoam cups and a length of string to make a ‘telephone’. Play with your child sending back and forth messages. Help your child to understand that prayer is not like a microphone, where we only speak to God, but like a telephone, where we speak and listen.
Ask your child about something they really, really wanted. It could be a toy or a birthday and Christmas gift. Explain how Hannah wanted a child for a long time and that people used to tease her. She kept trusting God and prayed to Him.
Explain how Hannah made a promise to God. She told Him that if God gave her a child, she would give the child back to God. Give examples of how we sometimes say something similar. For example, “If you let me go out to play, I’ll tidy my toys when I come back in.” But then we forget, or don’t want to keep our promise. Hannah kept her promise to God. Talk about how we should not say things that we will not do.
Hannah looked after Samuel until he was old enough to take to the temple. Explain how God gives us things to look after for Him, but how everything really is His.
Talk about how Samuel grew (1 Samuel 2:26). Speak about how God doesn’t only want us to grow physically but also spiritually.
Read how God called Samuel from 1 Samuel 3:1-21. Talk about how Samuel didn’t expect God to speak to Him and thought it was Eli. Explain to your child that they are very important to God and that God wants to talk to them. Explain that God doesn’t only speak to adults. Remind your child that the Bible is God’s Word and that He always speaks to us when we read it.
Have your child repeat ‘Here I am Lord.’ Speak about how we must be careful to listen to God speaking to us and how we should respond to Him.
Pray with your child. Thank God that you can talk to Him. Ask Him to help you listen to Him.
Bible Story
Games and Activites
Included in this week’s downloadable lesson is a selection of games and activities that can be used to reinforce this week lesson.
- I am growing. – Help your child to understand how they are growing.
- Telephone call – Help your child learn how to use a telephone. Remind them how they can talk to God through prayer.
- Prayer Journal – Decorate a notepad and record your family prayers.
- For more ideas on helping your child pray.
Worksheets
The goal of the worksheets is to teach the lesson of the lessons of Hannah and Samuel, while supporting educational development and teaching. This weeks lesson includes:
I have included a sound effect video to use with the listening worksheet. The idea is to listen to the sound and circle. After you can watch the video for answers.
Arts and Crafts
In this weeks lesson you will find:
Prayer Telephones Bible craft
Samuel Bed Bible craft
Lesson includes a free template and instructions.
I really love the idea of telephone activity… I thank God I found this site.
All the materials are really helpful. It also encourage me to do more in my sunday school activities..
Thanks a lot!!
Thanks for the comment. We had great fun with the telephone craft also. I was amazed by how well is worked and was great to see the expression on my son’s face when he heard my voice through the cup the first time. Hope you have fun with it.
Thanks for such a thorough and well explained resource! Going to have fun this Sunday with our preschoolers at Church. This is top quality! Much appreciated:)
Thank you so much for your encouragement. Praying that you will have a great time with your preschoolers on Sunday. It’s such a blessing to know that the lessons are being used.