In this lesson, we will explore the account of Jesus calming the storm. Our passage is Mark 4:35-41. These verses give us great assurance that God is in control over all things. Some of the point we will consider are:

• Storms are a part of life
• Jesus has authority over all things
• We can take our worries to Jesus
• Jesus cares deeply for us.

Lesson Guide

Fear and worry are very much a part of life. At the time of writing this lesson, much of the world is in lockdown due to the Coronavirus. While pre-schoolers may not fully understand the situation, they will be experiencing fear and worry. We must help them to know they can speak to God about those things and that He remains in control.

Begin this week’s lesson by reading Mark 4:35-41 from your children’s Bible. Find some items around your house or church to make a boat to sit in during the reading. As you read the passage, try to act out each verse. 1)climbing into the boat, 2) Rocking around in the storm 3) Waking up Jesus, and so on. Be creative and allow the children to lead. If you have some fans, turn them on for the wind. Use a water spray bottle. Hit pots for thunder.

Speak about why the disciples were in the boat. Jesus told them to cross the sea. Explain to your child that sometimes we get into difficult situations because we disobey, but in this passage, the disciples were in the stormy sea because they obey Jesus. Remind your children that following Jesus will not always be easy, but He will always be with them.

To illustrate, play a game of follow the leader. You should be the leader. Make it difficult for your child to copy. Any time they struggle, stop, and help them. For example, making a giant step or climbing over something. Remind them that God is there with them in their struggles.

Share how the disciples panicked in the storm while Jesus was asleep. Finally, they turned to Jesus and said, ‘Don’t you care.’ Ask your child if you think there is anything in their life the Jesus doesn’t care about? Read 1 Peter 5:7 together. “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” 

Ask your child what they do when they have a simple problem. For example, they can’t reach something, or they are hungry. Explain that just as they ask you or another person for help because they know you care and can help with somethings, they can ask God to help with anything. Talk about things that make you afraid and how you ask God to help.

Share how Jesus told the waves and storm to be still, and it instantly obeyed Him. Think about how sometimes you wish you could change the weather, for example when it’s too wet to play outside. Share how people don’t have power over the weather, but God has power over all things. Remind your child that ‘nothing is impossible for God!’ Explain that everything is under His control and must always obey Him. Storms, viruses, people, nothing is more powerful than God.

Explain how the disciples how disciples knew that only God could control to weather, so they bowed down and worship Jesus. Talk about how we need to worship God.

Free Printable Bible Story

Games and Activities

Weather game – Be Still

In this game, children must act out different types of weather as you shout them out. However, when you shout be still the children must freeze. Some ideas, if you shout windy, they must blow around in the wind; for thunder, they could clap their hands and stomp their feet. For snow, they could shiver and pretend to be cold and so on.

Empty the boat

Make a circle in the middle of the room as the boat. Scrunch up old pieces of paper into balls. One or more children must go into the boat, while the other players tried to throw the pieces of paper into the boat area. It is the goal of the people in the boat to get the paper out as much as possible. Reflect on how the disciples would have tried to scoop the water out of the boat to stop it from sinking.

Make Waves – STEM project

Fill a container of water. Try to find different objects which will create wind to blow over the water. For example, you could use a straw, a piece of cardboard to flap near to the water, or a fan. You could shake the container and drop things in it. Measure which things cause the biggest waves. Talk about how strong you blow affects how big the wave becomes.

Worksheets

Free Bible Coloring Pages – Jesus calms the storm

Jesus Calms the Storm – Bible Craft

What you need:

• Template pages
• 1 Blue paper – (or color a blank paper blue)
• Coloring pencils
• Scissor
• Glue
• Lollipop stick (or a strip of cardboard).

What to do:

1. Colour the picture of the boat. Cut out around the boat.
2. Rip the blue paper in 3 lengthways to create waves. Glue sides only on white paper. Overlapping to make waves.
3. Glue a lollipop stick to the back of the boat. Insert behind waves. Use the stick to move the boat up and down.
4. If you have more time, you could decorate the sky on the background.

Download the lesson for FREE

Translations