As children grow it is our goal that they would grow in Christ and learn what it means to be a Christian. This lesson encourages children to be aware of their surroundings so that they can surround themselves with ‘good soil.’ Today they will learn that when a tree is planted in good soil it produces good fruit. Likewise, when a child surrounds themselves with church and the Bible they will learn to produce good fruit for God.
Lesson Title: Good and Bad Fruit
Bible Reference: Luke 6:43-45
Target Age Group: Preschool
Learning Context: Children’s Church
Target Time Frame: 1 ½ hour
Gospel Connection:
Learning Aim: God helps us Grow.
Materials Needed:
- A cup of good soil
- A cup or poor soil or rocks
- Picture of Tree (On paper or dry erase board)
- Tape
- Apples or Red Paper Wads
- Glue
- Green Tissue Paper
- Pompoms
- Pipe Cleaners
- Fruit Loops
- Crayons
Lesson Opener: Good Soil vs. Bad Soil
Provide two samples of soil for the kids to look at. One sample should be rich potting soil and the other should be rocks and dirt or just rocks. Let the class observe the two samples and talk about the differences and similarities. Ask them which one would be better for growing trees. (If you can’t get dirt just talk about the differences.)
Say, If we were going to plant a tree we would want to use this good soil. It is rich and full of nutrients which would help the tree grow. We would also want to water it and make sure it gets plenty of sunlight. Today, we are going to talk about growing fruit. Good fruit needs a good place to grow and you also need a good place to grow.
Bible Story: Love Your Enemies
You say the Italicized words. Non-italicized words are directions.
Say, Let’s read our story from Luke 6:43-45and then we will talk about what it means.
“No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.” –Luke 6:43-45
Draw a tree on a large piece of paper or the dry erase board. First you will talk about what it takes to grow a good tree and then you will talk about what it takes to grow a child of God.
Say, Look at this tree. It is big and strong. Where do you think it is growing? Let the kids answer and talk about how it is growing. It is growing in good dirt so that it can give good fruit. It isn’t growing among thorns or rocks.
Say, What is making the tree grow big and strong? Let the kids answer. Sunshine and water.
Say, Will this tree be able to give us good fruit or bad fruit? Let the kids answer. The tree will provide good fruit because it has grown in a good place and it has everything it needs to grow big and strong.
Now say, In our Bible lesson today Jesus taught us that we are like trees. We need to plant ourselves in a good place so that we can be like this good tree.
If you want to grow up to be like Jesus then where do you need to be? Let the kids answer. We should be in church to learn about Jesus and pray, read our Bible and make good choices while we are at home.
Say, If you want to be like Jesus what do we need to grow? Let the kids answer. We should fill our lives up with good influences like Bible stories and songs. We should pray and remember what we learn at church.
Say, If you plant yourself in a good place and you are like Jesus, what will you be able to do? Let the kids answer. You will be able to treat others with kindness and love. This is what we call good fruit: Being able to teach other’s about Jesus.
Say, Jesus wants to help you grow so that you will give good fruit just like a tree that is growing in good dirt
Game: Apple Roll
Use tape to draw a circle on the floor of the classroom. The circle will be church and the apples will be the kids. You can use real apples or red paper wads. Stand on one side of the room and try to roll the apple into the circle. Take turns so take each child gets a chance to try it then mix it up and let them try working together or rolling the apple to each other.
Say: Jesus wants to help you grow and one way of doing that is by putting you in the right spot, church! Let’s see if we can roll our apples to church.
Craft: Fruit Trees
Give each child a piece of paper and help them draw a tree trunk on it. Color the trunk brown. Cut up pieces of green tissue paper and glue it to the branches as leaves. Then glue colorful pompoms to the tree to make fruit. While you work talk about how the tree is producing good fruit and God wants to help the class produce good fruit as well
Activity: Fruit Loop Necklace
Twist two pipe cleaners together to make a necklace. Let the kids string fruit loops onto their necklace and then take it home.
Say, Fruit, or in this case fruit loops, taste really good and can help up grow strong. Let’s do our best to produce good fruit in our lives. When we are kind and loving towards other people we are producing good fruit.
Close the Lesson
Ask, What can you do this week to be like Jesus? Let each child have a chance to answer the question. Close in prayer, asking God to help each child grow up to be like Jesus.