LESSON THEME: Thanks Jesus!
Luke 17:11-19 recounts the story of Jesus healing ten lepers, but only one—a Samaritan—returns to thank him. This passage highlights themes of gratitude, faith, and how Jesus’ mercy extends to all people regardless of their social status (as Samaritans were considered outsiders by Jews). Through this encounter, Jesus emphasizes that true healing involves not just physical restoration but spiritual wholeness that comes from recognizing and responding to God’s grace with thanksgiving.
WELCOME MUSIC: PLAYLIST (WEE SING KIDS)
This music should be playing in the background while the kids come in for the first 15 minutes. A craft or station will be setup to keep their attention and get them focused upon coming into the classroom.
WELCOME STATION CRAFT: Thank You Tambourines 6:00-6:15 p.m.
ITEMS NEEDED
2 Paper plates (per child)
Colored crepe paper streamers or ribbon
Plastic beads
Crayons
Stickers
Tape
Glue
Stapler
As children arrive they are given 2 plates to decorate. Ask the children to turn both plates upside down and color the bottom sides however they like. Encourage them to add stickers to make their plates colorful and special. When they’ve finished decorating, help them turn one of the plates right-side up. Assist them in taping colorful ribbon or paper strips around the inside rim of this plate. Next, help each child place a small handful of beads in the center of the upright plate. Finally, help the children place their second decorated plate on top (decorated side facing out) and secure the edges together with scissors. Once everyone has completed their shaker, explain that music is a wonderful way to express thanks, and invite the children to shake their instruments together to make joyful sounds.
Note: We will use the Thank You Jesus Tambourines in Music Time. All kids need to complete this craft before going to music time. We will have a few pre-made without decorations for kids who arrive late. They can decorate their crafts during snack.
WELCOME STATION GAME: Musical Instruments 6:00-6:15 p.m.
ITEMS NEEDED
Keyboard
Drum Pad
Xylophone
Tambourine
Jingle Bell Stick (Make)
Egg Shakers (Made from Easter Eggs)
If children finish making their chain craft early, they can play at the musical instrument station until the other children arrive. Allow them to explore pushing keys on the keyboard, playing on the drum pad, shaking the egg shakers
WORSHIP JESUS THRU MUSIC: 6:15-6:30 p.m.
Move kids by the TV into the “Worship” Area near the TV. Let kids know we are going worship Jesus through song.
- God is For Me (3:11)
- Brave (3:31)
- Believe It (3:00)
- Thy Word (3:14)
- Joy, Joy, Joy (2:02)
- Jesus is My Best Friend (1:28)
WORSHIP JESUS THRU PRAYER: 6:30-6:40 p.m.
Transition kids to the table for prayer time.
Ask each kid to share one person they can pray for. Have them pray for that person.
Pick one kid to bless the snack we are about to eat.
SNACK TIME: 6:40-6:50 p.m.
Pass out snacks and allow kids time to eat snacks. Have paper or color activity on the table for kids to draw on while they eat their snack, or while they are waiting for others to finish. If there are any kids who didn’t complete the paper chains prior to 6:15, now is the time to give them a paper chain craft to make (or to make one for them).
Bible Story: “The Thankful Heart” – Luke 17:11-19
ITEMS NEEDED
- Bible
- 10 paper cutouts of people (one with a heart drawn on it)
- 10 adhesive bandages
- Cleaning wipes
- Bubble solution and wand
- Small soft ball
- Colorful paper hearts (one for each child)
- Thank You Song (tune of “If You’re Happy and You Know It”)
- Masking tape for floor markings
- Hand sanitizer (for teacher use)
WELCOME (5 minutes)
Opening Activity: “Ten and One Game”
- Say: “I’ve hidden ten paper people around our room. Let’s all search for them!”
- Hide the 10 paper cutouts (one with a heart) around the room before class
- Help children find all ten paper people
- Once all are found, say: “Great job finding all ten people! Look at this one special person with a heart. In our story today, Jesus helped ten people, but only one remembered to say ‘thank you.’ Let’s learn more about what happened.”
TRANSITION TO LESSON (3 minutes)
“Hello Friends!” Movement Game
- Gather children in a circle
- Say: “Now that we found all our hidden friends, let’s get ready for our Bible story!”
- Have children walk around in a circle while you sing: “Hello friends, hello friends, Hello friends, it’s time to say hello! Wave your hands and stomp your feet, Turn around and take a seat, Hello friends, it’s time to say hello!”
- On “take a seat,” children sit down quickly
INTRODUCTION
“Ten Fingers Game”
- Say: “Today we’re going to learn about ten men who were very sick and how Jesus made them all better! Let’s count to ten together using our fingers!”
- Have children hold up both hands
- Count fingers together from 1-10
- Say: “Great counting! In our story today, Jesus helped TEN people, but only ONE remembered to say ‘thank you.’ Let’s use our counting fingers again. Hold up TEN fingers. Now, keep only ONE finger up! That ONE finger reminds us of the ONE person who said ‘thank you’ to Jesus.”
BIBLE STORY
Use simple actions and motions throughout the storytelling:
- Beginning of story:
- Say: “Jesus was walking to a village when He saw ten men who were very sick with sore skin.”
- Action: Have children stand and take 5 steps in place
- Men call out to Jesus:
- Say: “These men stood far away and called to Jesus, ‘Jesus! Please help us!'”
- Action: Have children cup hands around mouth and call out “Jesus! Please help us!”
- Jesus heals the men:
- Say: “Jesus told them to go show themselves to the special leaders called priests. As they walked, their skin became all better!”
- Action: Have children look at their arms and smile with excitement
- Only one returns:
- Say: “One man came back to Jesus. He was so happy to be better!”
- Action: Have children jump up and down saying “Thank you! Thank you!”
- Jesus responds:
- Say: “Jesus asked, ‘Weren’t there ten men who were healed? Where are the other nine? Only this one foreigner came back to thank God.'”
- Action: Have children put hands on hips and look around saying, “Where are the other nine?”
- Jesus blesses the thankful man:
- Say: “Jesus told the thankful man to go on his way because his faith had made him well.”
- Action: Have children wave goodbye
ACTIVITY 1: “Bubble Prayers”
- Have children sit in a circle
- Say: “We’re going to say thank you prayers to God with bubbles!”
- Blow bubbles while saying: “Thank you God for our friends!”
- Let each child take turns saying something they’re thankful for while you blow bubbles
- Children can pop the bubbles while shouting “Thank you God!”
ACTIVITY 2: “The Healing Walk”
- Create a simple path on the floor using masking tape
- Place a bandage on each child’s hand
- Say: “Let’s pretend we’re the sick men walking to see the priests like Jesus told them to!”
- Have children walk the path one by one
- At the end of the path, help each child remove their bandage and clean their hand with a wipe
- Divide into two groups:
- Group 1 (9 children): Keep walking away
- Group 2 (1 child): Return to the starting point saying “Thank you Jesus!”
- Switch roles and repeat
ACTIVITY 5: “The Thank You March”
Add verses with other things to be thankful for (family, friends, food, etc.)s you give us. Help us to remember to say “thank you” just like the one man in our story. We love you, God. Amen.
Teach children this simple song to the tune of “If You’re Happy and You Know It”:
“I am thankful for God’s love, yes I am! (march in place)
I am thankful for God’s love, yes I am! (march in place)
I am thankful, oh so thankful,
I am thankful for God’s love, yes I am!” (march and clap)
March around the room singing together
BIBLE CRAFT OR ACTIVITY: Thankful Heart Pocket 7:00-7:10 p.m.
ITEMS NEEDED
Thankful Heart Pocket Template
Crayons
Have each child color their heart. Staple it together. Then have them draw pictures of what they are thankful for. Place those things inside of the heart.
CLOSING GAME: Thankful in Challenging Times 7:10-7:25 p.m.
Tell the children you’ll ask them to try some challenging or tricky movements. Remind them it’s okay if they’re hard!
Call out these simple challenges one at a time:
- Sing “Jesus Loves Me” holding your nose.
- Stand on one foot and count to five.
- Crawl like a bear across the room and back.
- Jump up and down 10 times.
- Stretch your arms out wide like an airplane for 45 seconds.
Say: Wow! You all tried so hard! Some of those movements were tricky, weren’t they? The people in our story had something very hard every day – they were sick all the time and couldn’t get better by themselves. That’s why they were so happy when they got all better! They were so thankful for the help, but only one thanked Jesus. We should ALWAYS thank Jesus.
DISMISSAL 7:25-7:30 p.m.
Prepare for dismissal.
