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This week we are continuing to explore the ministry of Elisha and the floating ax head. The story is found in 2 Kings 6:1-7. The main points we will focus on are:
- God cares about every part of our lives.
- We should take care of things we borrow.
- It is good to be humble and to help others when they ask.
- God gives us people to help us learn.
Download the free lessons
The Floating Axe Head Lesson Guide
Remind the child that Elisha is a prophet who carries God’s message to His people. Reflect on what we’ve learned about Elisha in the past lessons. Share how other people noticed that Elisha had a special relationship with God and went to learn from him.
Think about the people God gives us to learn more about Him. Parents, Grandparents, Pastors, Sunday School teachers and so on. Speak about how it’s important for us to learn from others. Explain how people used to call Jesus’ “Rabbi’ which means teacher. Remind your child that Jesus is the best teacher of all.
Share how more and more people came to learn from Elisha. Point out that this could have made Elisha proud. Talk about how pride is to think we are more important than we are. How sometimes we can think we are too important for some jobs. Discuss how Elisha might have made an excuse to not help the man who lost the ax head, but he didn’t.
Think about a time when you or your child failed to help someone and a time when you helped someone. Discuss ways that you can help people. Think about some jobs that might not be fun or pleasant (taking out the trash, cleaning the dishes, etc.). Share how Jesus is the perfect example of caring for others. Explain that even though He is God, He came to earth as man to help us.
Explain that borrowing is to use someone else’s belongings with their permission. Talk about how we need to be careful with other people’s things. Discuss items we should care for. You may talk about more tangible items such as toys or tools, but also discuss God’s message and point out that we need to care for God’s truth.
Take your child to the church library or public library and pick out a book. Remind the child to care for the book since it is only borrowed.
Point out that when the axe fell into the water, the man asked for help. Remind the child that it is always okay to ask for help from God and trustworthy people. Talk about how heavy an axe head would be. Fill a bowl with water. Use a stone or other heavy object to represent the axe head. Give the child a stick and tell them to throw it in the water. Ask them if they think it will make the stone float. Marvel at God’s miracle in making the axe head float for Elisha.
Point out that a lost axe head might seem like a small thing, but that God cared enough to perform a miracle to return it to the man. We often talk to how children about how nothing is too big for God, but we must also remember that nothing is too small for Him either. Think about times when you might ask God for help. Discuss with the child if there is ever anything too unimportant to talk to God.
Read Psalm 55:22 together. Pray together and thank God for His care and ask Him to help you always be ready to help others.
Bible story for kids
Games and Activities
Visit a local Library
Libraries are an amazing blessing and something we should use often. Reading is proven to help your child’s development. Libraries allow us to encourage our children to read without breaking our budget.
Most libraries have child membership. Let your child look after the card and remind them of the importance of looking after the book. Remind them that it’s important to look after the things we borrow. Reflect on 2 Kings 6.
Sink and Float
We couldn’t do the lesson on the Floating Axe Head without a sink or Float activity. No matter how many times we do it, our son loves it.
Find some everyday objects. Fill a bowl or bath with water. Allow your child to feel the object in their hand and then guess if it will sink or float in the water.
Make sure you have some metal objects. Iron would be great (but be careful not to damage the bath.) Speak about how impossible it was for the Axe head to float to the top of the river. Remind your child that God does the impossible.
Explore outside for little things
Take a walk outside (ideal with a magnifying glass) and look for little things. You could take an object with you for example, find things small than a penny or a building block.
Speak about how we often miss the small things if we don’t pay close attention. Speak about how God cares about every detail of our lives and there is nothing too small for him.
Bible Worksheets
Bible Coloring Pages
Floating Axe Head Bible Craft
Floating Axe Head Bible Craft
Help children remember that God cares for them. Great Bible Craft for Elisha and the Floating Axe Head from 2 Kings 6
Materials
- The template
- Card or cardboard (e.g. a cereal box)
- Aluminum foil
- String or wool
Tools
- Colored pencils or crayons
- Scissors
- Glue
Instructions
- Print template and collect supplies.
- Colour the axe template.
- If not printed onto thick card, glue onto cardboard.
- Cut out the axe shape.
- Wrap Aluminium foil around axe head.
- Tie wool around axe head and stick.
Download the free lessons
I just discovered your site while looking for an activity for my church kindergartners for this week’s lesson on Elisha at the school of the prophets. The thought, creativity, spiritual focus and quality of your program is inspiring. Thank you so much for providing this service on the internet. Since our church has not been physically available to us during COVID, we are connecting with our children through weekly mailers, then meet on ZOOM to study our Bible lessons and sing songs. In the mailing, I include a simple activity they can have ready for a more interactive ZOOM time. I have copied and mailed the axehead craft for the children. Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU! I know God will bless you in your ministry.