I've been doing Sunday school for six years. Six years of Sunday mornings, goldfish crackers, and trying to explain Bible stories to kids who think anything before YouTube is prehistoric.
When I started, I did what everyone does. Read from the Bible. Show a picture. Ask if anyone had questions. Nobody ever did. They just sat there. I knew I was losing them but didn't know what else to do.
So I started experimenting.
1. Acting It Out
This was my first breakthrough. We were doing the Good Samaritan and I just grabbed some stuff from the supply closet. Sheets. Boxes. Whatever. Made a road right there in the classroom.
The kids went crazy for it. Everyone wanted a part. Even the shy ones. We must have acted out that story four times that morning because they kept wanting to switch roles.
What surprised me was how they remembered it. Weeks later, parents would tell me their kid was still talking about it. One mom said her son helped a kid who fell at recess and told the teacher he was "being the Good Samaritan." I mean, come on. That's exactly what we're trying to do here.
2. Legos Work. They Just Do.
I'll be honest - I brought Legos because I ran out of prep time one week. My own kids had left them in the car and I thought, why not?
Best mistake ever. We built the parable of the workers in the vineyard. Kids made little Lego people, built walls, made grape vines out of purple blocks. While they built, they talked. Asked questions. "Why did the last workers get paid the same?" "That's not fair!"
Exactly. That's the whole point. They got there on their own because they were building it.
Now I keep three bins of Legos in my classroom. Some weeks we use them, some we don't. But they're always there.
3. Puppets (Keep It Simple)
Sock puppets. That's it. Socks and googly eyes from the dollar store. Maybe some yarn for hair if you're feeling ambitious.
Kids make their own puppets for whatever parable we're doing. Then they perform for each other. It's messy. Puppets fall apart. Kids laugh when they're supposed to be serious. Whatever. They're learning.
The prodigal son works great for this. They love making the pigs. No idea why, but the pigs are always the favorite part.
4. Mystery Boxes Get Them Every Time
Cardboard box. Question marks drawn on with marker. Put something inside related to the parable. Let kids feel it and guess.
I've used seeds (mustard seed), coins (lost coin), cotton balls (sheep), bread (yeast parables). One time I forgot to prep and just put my car keys in there. Made up something about the keys to the kingdom. Worked fine.
They love the guessing. Even when they know what story is coming, they still get excited about the box.
5. Yeah, I Use Screens Now
I fought this for two years. Felt like cheating. But these kids are growing up with tablets and phones. It's how they learn everything else.
So now we watch short videos sometimes. Bible app animations. YouTube clips. I pause constantly though. "What's happening?" "Why did he do that?" "What would you do?"
It's not the whole lesson. Just part of it. Another tool in the toolbox.
6. Cooking and Planting
Messy but worth it. We've made bread (yeast parables), planted seeds (sower), made trail mix (gathering good and bad fish).
The bread one is my favorite. While it rises, we talk about how God's kingdom grows. Kids get it because they can see it happening. Plus they get to eat it after. Food always helps with kids. Always.
Fair warning: recruit help for these. And bring extra paper towels.
7. Making Stories Modern
This one's tricky. Some parents love it, some hate it. I tell the parables in settings kids understand. The lost sheep becomes a lost dog. The Good Samaritan happens after school.
I'm not changing the message. Just the setting. Kids need to see themselves in these stories. When they can picture it happening in their world, it clicks.
But read your room. Some churches aren't ready for this.
8. Let Them Draw
I used to think kids drawing during lessons meant they weren't listening. Wrong. Some kids need to move their hands to focus their minds.
Now I put paper and crayons on every table. Draw what you hear. Draw how it makes you feel. Whatever. Their pictures tell me more about what they understood than any worksheet ever could.
One girl drew the lost coin as her mom's wedding ring. She got it. The value. The panic of losing something precious. The joy of finding it. All there in her drawing.
9. Scavenger Hunts
Hide stuff around the church. Give clues related to parables. Let them search.
We did one where each stop had part of the lost sheep story. By the time they found all the clues, they'd basically taught themselves the parable. They were tired but they knew that story cold.
Works best with smaller groups. More than 15 kids and it gets wild.
10. Games
Everything can be a game if you try hard enough. Lost sheep tag. Vineyard worker relay races. Prodigal son obstacle course (they have to get dirty then clean then celebrate).
Competition helps some kids focus. Just make sure everyone gets something at the end. Nobody needs tears on Sunday morning.
The Truth About All This
Here's what nobody tells you: most of the time, you're winging it. You plan something great and five kids show up instead of fifteen. Or twenty show up when you planned for five. The craft fails. The video won't load. A kid throws up during puppet time.
You adjust. You always adjust.
The point isn't perfection. It's connection. These stories matter. They've lasted 2000 years for a reason. Our job is to help kids see why.
After the Activity
This is where the real work happens. After all the fun stuff, we talk. Really talk.
"What was weird about that story?" "When have you felt like that character?" "What do you think Jesus wanted people to know?"
Sometimes they say profound things. Sometimes they ask if Jesus had pets. Both are fine. They're thinking about it. That's what matters.
Resources That Help
- Kids Sunday School Place: Basic but solid. Easy to adapt.
- Grow Curriculum: More modern feel. Great graphics. My favorite kids ministry curriculum.
- Group's DIG IN: Works whether you have 3 kids or 30.
But honestly? You can do this with a Bible and some creativity. The expensive curriculum is nice but not necessary. What I love about curriculum though is all of the hard work, brainstorming engaging ideas, and research is done for you - now all you have to do is teach the kids.
Starting Out
Pick one thing from this list. Try it this Sunday. See what happens.
It might work great. It might bomb. That's okay. Try something else next week.
Every context is different - what works for my kids might not work for you. But that's normal. Keep trying stuff until you find what clicks with your group.
Why This Matters
I do this because these stories change lives. I've seen it. Kids who learn about the Good Samaritan become more helpful. Kids who understand the lost sheep know they matter to God. Kids who get the prodigal son learn about forgiveness.
It's not immediate. Sometimes you won't see results for years. But you're planting seeds. (See what I did there?)
Keep going. Try new things. Make mistakes. Clean up messes. Tell these stories in ways kids understand.
That's the whole job. And honestly? It's a pretty good one.
