LESSON OVERVIEW FOR ADULTS
In 1 Kings 3:3-28, Solomon has just become king of Israel after his father David’s death. He loves the Lord and goes to Gibeon to worship. That night God appears to him in a dream and invites him to ask for anything at all. Solomon admits that he feels like a little child with a very big job, and he asks for an understanding heart so he can tell right from wrong and lead God’s people well. He does not ask for riches, a long life, or victory over enemies. God is pleased and gives him more wisdom than any king before or after him. God also adds riches and honor, and promises a long life if Solomon keeps walking in God’s ways.
The second half of the passage shows that wisdom in action. Two women come to Solomon, both claiming the same living baby. Solomon calls for a sword and says the child should be divided, knowing that a true mother’s love would respond with sacrifice, not selfishness. One woman begs him to give the baby to the other, and the other agrees to the division. Solomon knows who the real mother is, and all Israel stands in awe, seeing that God’s wisdom is in him. Preschoolers should learn God is wise and true, and when we need help, we can ask Him.
OPENING ACTIVITY 6:00-6:15 | My Big Present Wish
Items Needed
- Plain white gift bags
- Manilla Paper
- Crayons or markers
- Stickers (optional)
Have a gift bag and a sheet of manilla paper on the table for each kid. On the sheet of paper, invite them to draw a present they would ask for if someone told them they could have anything. Leaders walk around and ask each child, “What would you ask for?” and “Why would you like that?” Write the child’s answer at the top of the paper.
Then have kids use markers and stickers to decorate their drawing.
While they work, leaders can say, “Today we will meet a king who got to ask God for anything. We will find out what he asked for!” This sets up the Bible story, where Solomon asks for a wise heart.
BIBLE STORY 6:15-6:25
Question 1: Where is this found in the Bible? (1 Kings)
Question 2: Is this in the Old Testament or New Testament? (Old Testament)
Friends, I have a big question! If God said you could ask for ANYTHING, what would you ask for? [Let kids respond. Toys? Candy? Puppy?] Those are great ideas! Today we will meet a king who got to ask God for anything. Let’s find out what he asked for!
[Whisper.] A long, long time ago, there was a king named David. He loved God very much. Can you say David? [Wait for response.] David had a son named Solomon. Can you say Solomon? [Wait for response.]
When David died, Solomon became the new king! Solomon felt VERY small. He had a really big job taking care of a whole country. So Solomon went to church to worship God. That night, Solomon fell asleep. Can you snore like Solomon? [Let kids make snoring sounds.] Zzzzz! And guess who spoke to Solomon in a dream? It was God! [Use a big, deep voice.] God said, Solomon, ask for anything you want, and I will give it to you!
What do you think Solomon asked for? Gold? A big castle? A million toys? [Let kids guess.] No! Solomon said, God, I am like a little child. Please give me a wise heart so I can tell what is right and what is wrong, and take care of Your people.
Can you say wise heart? [Wait for response.] God smiled! [Have kids make big smiles.] He was happy that Solomon asked for wisdom! God said, I will give you a wise heart, and I will give you riches and honor too!
Soon, people everywhere heard that Solomon was wise. They came to ask for help with their problems.
One day, two mommies came to the king. [Hold up two fingers.] They both said, This baby is MINE! This baby is MINE! Can you say, Mine, mine, mine? [Let kids say it, pretending to pull a baby back and forth.]
Oh no! Who was the real mommy? Everyone was worried! Hmm, what should the king do? [Let kids respond.]
Solomon had a wise idea! He said, Let the baby be divided in two so each mommy gets a piece. [Have kids gasp loudly.] Gasp! Can you gasp?
One mommy said, No, no, no! Please do not hurt the baby!
King Solomon said, “Give the baby to her!”
Solomon knew right away who the real mommy was! The mommy who loved the baby the most. [
Everyone said, Wow! God has made Solomon so wise! That is one way we know that God if we ever need help knowing what to do, we can ask God for wisdom, just like Solomon did!
Theological Questions:
- What did Solomon ask God to give him? (Wisdom)
- Who gives us wisdom? (God)
Life Application Questions:
- When do you need help knowing what to do?
- Who can you ask for wisdom when you are not sure what to do? (God, mom, dad, teacher)
Prayer (teaching how to pray Scripture, based on James 1:5):
Dear God, Your Word says that if we need wisdom, we can ask You, so please help us to be wise like Solomon. Thank You for giving us wisdom when we ask. In Jesus’ name, Amen!
WORSHIP IN SONG 6:25-6:35
PRAYER 6:35-6:45 p.m.
Transition the kids to the floor for prayer time. Pray for God to give wisdom to each child, their families, and their teachers, so they can make good choices and know right from wrong. Encourage kids to repeat short phrases after you, such as, God, please give me wisdom as they take turns praying around the room.
BIBLE VERSE GAME 6:45-6:55
1. Game Name: Royal Court Pretend (from the PDF, reworked)
Setup: Set up a throne chair, a crown, and a baby doll.
How to Play: One leader is King Solomon and wears the crown. Two children each take a turn holding the doll and saying, Mine! The king asks, “Who loves this baby most?” and the child who gently says, “Please keep the baby safe,” is chosen. Rotate children through the roles of king and mommies so everyone gets a turn, and keep it light and silly.
2. Game Name: Wise Choice Hop
Setup: Make two large paper footprints, a green one for Wise and a red one for Not Wise. Place them on the floor a few feet apart.
How to Play: A leader reads a simple situation, such as sharing a toy or running in the hallway. Kids hop to the green or red print. Talk about why each choice was wise or not.
3. Game Name: Crown Hunt
Setup: Hide paper crowns around the room.
How to Play: Kids find a crown and bring it to the king. Each crown has a simple wisdom word on it (share, listen, kind, pray, ask). The leader reads each word, and the group does a matching action.
4. Game Name: Wisdom Treasure Toss
Setup: Put two buckets in front of the kids, one labeled Gold and one labeled Wisdom.
How to Play: Kids toss beanbags into either bucket, then the leader asks, “Which did Solomon ask God for?” and everyone shouts, “Wisdom!” Move the buckets back after each round.
BIBLE CRAFT 6:55-7:10 | Wise Owl Craft
Items Needed
- Owl Craft Template (precut)
- Manila Paper
- Glue Stickers
- Googly Eyes
Give children a piece of manila paper and then a glue stick. Take turns handing them pieces of the owl and showing them how to assemble it. Remind them that God gave Solomon wisdom and let them know the verse on the owl craft is their new memory verse. Remind them that we get Wisdom when we learn God’s word and pray to God just like Solomon prayed and asked God for wisdom.
SNACK TIME & BIBLE STORY VIDEO 7:10-7:25
Pass out snacks and allow kids time to eat snacks while they watch the Bible video. Play it twice if kids aren’t finished eating.
BONUS ACTIVITY
1. Flashlight Tag in the Dark
Items Needed: Flashlights, a dim room, small toy treasures
Description: Dim the lights. Leaders and kids use flashlights to find hidden toys. Talk about how a flashlight helps us see, and how wisdom helps us make good choices.
2. Sink or Float: Treasure or Wisdom
Items Needed: Large clear tub of water, items like a coin, a toy crown, a foam heart, a small plastic toy, a plastic cup
Description: Kids and leaders guess whether each item will sink or float, then test it. Say that treasures can sink, but God’s wisdom will always help us.
3. Wise King Says
Items Needed: None
Description: A leader is the king. Play like Simon Says, using phrases such as, The wise king says clap, or The wise king says hop. Kids and leaders play together, and anyone who moves without the phrase simply laughs and tries again.
4. Pass the Crown
Items Needed: A crown, music
Description: Kids and leaders sit in a circle and pass the crown while music plays. When the music stops, the one holding the crown says, “God is wise!” Then the group says it together.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCE | 1 Kings 3:3-28 (ESV)
3 Solomon loved the LORD, walking in the statutes of David his father, only he sacrificed and made offerings at the high places. 4 And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the great high place. Solomon used to offer a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. 5 At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night, and God said, “Ask what I shall give you.” 6 And Solomon said, “You have shown great and steadfast love to your servant David my father, because he walked before you in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart toward you. And you have kept for him this great and steadfast love and have given him a son to sit on his throne this day. 7 And now, O LORD my God, you have made your servant king in place of David my father, although I am but a little child. I do not know how to go out or come in. 8 And your servant is in the midst of your people whom you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to be numbered or counted for multitude. 9 Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people?”
10 It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. 11 And God said to him, “Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches or the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, 12 behold, I now do according to your word. Behold, I give you a wise and discerning mind, so that none like you has been before you and none like you shall arise after you. 13 I give you also what you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that no other king shall compare with you all your days. 14 And if you will walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days.” 15 And Solomon awoke, and behold, it was a dream. Then he came to Jerusalem and stood before the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and offered up burnt offerings and peace offerings, and made a feast for all his servants.
16 Then two prostitutes came to the king and stood before him. 17 The one woman said, “Please, my lord, I and this woman live in the same house, and I gave birth to a child while she was in the house. 18 Then on the third day after I gave birth, this woman also gave birth. And we were alone. There was no one else with us in the house, only we two were in the house. 19 And this woman’s son died in the night, because she lay on him. 20 And she arose at midnight and took my son from beside me, while your servant slept, and laid him at her breast, and laid her dead son at my breast. 21 When I rose in the morning to nurse my child, behold, he was dead. But when I looked at him closely in the morning, behold, he was not the child that I had borne.” 22 But the other woman said, “No, the living child is mine, and the dead child is yours.” The first said, “No, the dead child is yours, and the living child is mine.” Thus they spoke before the king.
23 Then the king said, “The one says, ‘This is my son that is alive, and your son is dead’; and the other says, ‘No; but your son is dead, and my son is the living one.'” 24 And the king said, “Bring me a sword.” So a sword was brought before the king. 25 And the king said, “Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one and half to the other.” 26 Then the woman whose son was alive said to the king, because her heart yearned for her son, “Please, my lord, give her the living child, and by no means put him to death.” But the other said, “He shall be neither mine nor yours; divide him.” 27 Then the king answered and said, “Give the living child to the first woman, and by no means put him to death; she is his mother.” 28 And all Israel heard of the judgment that the king had given, and they stood in awe of the king, because they perceived that the wisdom of God was in him, to do justice.
PARENT TAKE HOME SHEET
Today’s Key Takeaway: God Is Wise
What I learned today: Today we learned about King Solomon, who asked God for wisdom instead of toys, treasure, or power. God was happy with Solomon’s request and gave him a wise heart, and everyone saw that God is wise. We can ask God for wisdom when we do not know what to do.
Questions to ask me:
Theological Questions
- What did Solomon ask God for? (Wisdom, a wise heart)
- Who gave Solomon wisdom? (God)
- Was God happy with what Solomon asked for? (Yes, God was pleased)
- Is God wise? (Yes, God is wise and true)
- What can we do when we need wisdom? (Ask God in prayer)
Life Application Questions
- When do you need help knowing what to do? (Answers will vary, such as sharing, playing, or making choices)
- Who can you ask for help when you are not sure what to do? (God, mom, dad, teacher)
- What is a wise choice you can make this week? (Answers will vary, such as being kind, sharing, or listening)
- How can we pray for wisdom today? (Dear God, please help me to be wise)
- How does it feel when you make a wise choice? (Answers will vary, such as happy, proud, or safe)
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