LESSON OVERVIEW FOR ADULTS
Genesis 7:11 tells us that the floodgates of heaven opened and the waters covered the entire earth. God had seen the wickedness of humanity, and Noah was the one man who walked faithfully with Him. God preserved Noah, his family, and the animals He brought to the ark. This is a story about God’s holiness, His judgment of sin, and His extraordinary mercy toward those who trust Him.
After the waters receded and Noah’s family stepped onto dry ground, God made a covenant with Noah and with all living creatures. He placed a rainbow in the sky as the sign of that covenant, promising never again to destroy the earth by flood. For preschool children, the heart of this lesson is God always keeps His promises. He is faithful, He is powerful, and He cares for the people He loves. The rainbow is a reminder of who God is.
PLAY ROOM 10:15–10:30
Children will be dropped off in the playroom between 10:15–10:30 a.m. Allow them to play freely as they arrive. Transition them to the classroom at 10:30 a.m.
OPENING ACTIVITY 10:30–10:45 | Fruit Loop Rainbow
Items Needed
- Rainbow Template
- Fruit Loops
- Cottonballs
- Glue
Have kids glue fruit loops onto their rainbow printout to make a rainbow. Have them add cottonballs to make clouds.
WORSHIP IN SONG 10:45–10:55
PRAYER 10:55–11:05
“Dear God, thank You for keeping Your promises. Thank You for taking care of Noah and his family. Help us to trust You just like Noah did. We love You, God. Amen.”
Let kids go around the room and pray as they feel led.
BIBLE STORY 11:05–11:15
Old Testament / Genesis
God looked at the world He made, and it made Him sad. The people were doing bad things, but there was one man who loved God. His name was Noah. [Let children say: NOAH!]
God spoke to Noah. He said, “Noah, I am going to send a great flood of water, but I will keep you safe. Build a big ark.” An ark is a big, big boat! Noah obeyed God! He built the ark just like God said. [Pretend to hammer.]
God brought two of every kind of animal to Noah. Two elephants, two giraffes, two lions! [Let children name some animals.] Noah, his family, and all the animals went inside the ark. Then God shut the door. [Clap hands together like a door closing.]
Then the rain came. [Wiggle fingers downward like rain.] It rained and rained and rained. For forty days and forty nights, the rain fell. Water covered everything, even the mountains! Noah and his family were safe inside the ark. God was taking care of them.
Then the rain stopped. Slowly, slowly, the water went down. Noah sent out a dove, and the dove came back with an olive leaf which meant dry land was coming.
Finally, God told Noah, “Come out of the ark!” Noah, his family, and all the animals walked out onto dry ground. [Have children stand up and march in place.] The first thing Noah did was worship God. He was so thankful!
Then God did something beautiful. He put a rainbow in the sky. [Draw a big arc in the air with your arm.] God made a promise. He said, “I will never again flood the whole earth. When you see the rainbow, remember I keep My promises.”
[Ask the children:] When you see a rainbow in the sky, what does it remind you of? [Let them respond.] God keeps His promises!
[Say together:] GOD KEEPS HIS PROMISES!
THEOLOGICAL QUESTIONS
- Why did God send the flood? (Because people were doing wrong things and the world was full of sin.)
- How did God show that He is merciful? (He saved Noah and his family because Noah loved and obeyed Him.)
LIFE APPLICATION QUESTIONS
- What is something God has promised us? (That He loves us, that He will never leave us, that He keeps His Word.)
- How can we be like Noah and trust God even when things seem scary? (By obeying God, praying, and remembering His promises.)
BIBLE CRAFT 11:15–11:30 | Noah’s Ark Cut and Carry
Items Needed
- Noahs Ark Cut & Carry Template
- Brown Craoys
- Glue
- Scissors
Give each child a precut Noah’s Ark Carry Template that’s been pre-glued. Let them color it brown. Then give them scissors and the animal sheet and let them cut their own animals to put inside the ark. Younger kids may need assistance with cutting.
SNACK TIME & BIBLE STORY VIDEO 11:30–11:40
Distribute snacks and allow children to eat while watching the Bible Story video.
BIBLE STORY GAME 11:40–11:55 | Two by Two Relay Race
Items Needed
- Yarn
Divide children into two teams. Tie two kids legs together on each team and let them try to WALK quickly to the other side of the room.
Reinforce the lesson by reminding kids that the animals went into the ark two-by-two.
BONUS ACTIVITY | Rainbow Watercolor Painting
Items Needed
- Watercolor paints
- White paper
- Paintbrushes
- Cups of water
If time remains, invite children to paint their own rainbow using watercolors. While they paint, talk about the colors of the rainbow and repeat the message from today: “God put a rainbow in the sky to remind us that He always keeps His promises.”
SCRIPTURE REFERENCE | Genesis 9:11–17 (ESV)
“I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.” And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: I have set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh. And the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.” God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant that I have established between me and all flesh that is on the earth.”
PARENT TAKE HOME SHEET
Today’s Lesson: God Keeps His Promises
Scripture: Genesis 7:11–9:17
What We Learned: God sent a great flood because the world was full of sin, but He saved Noah and his family because Noah loved and obeyed Him. After the flood, God put a rainbow in the sky as a sign of His promise to never flood the whole earth again. We can trust God because He always keeps His promises!
THEOLOGICAL QUESTIONS
- Why did God send the flood? (Because people were doing many wrong things, and the world was full of sin.)
- Who did God save from the flood, and why? (Noah and his family, because Noah loved God and obeyed Him.)
- What is a covenant? (A very special, serious promise that God always keeps.)
- What did God put in the sky as a sign of His promise? (A rainbow.)
- Will God ever break His promises? (No! God always keeps every promise He makes.)
LIFE APPLICATION QUESTIONS
- When you see a rainbow, what can you remember? (That God keeps His promises and that He loves us.)
- How did Noah show that he trusted God? (He obeyed God and built the ark, even before the rain came.)
- Can you think of a promise God has made to us? (That He loves us, that Jesus came to save us, that He will never leave us.)
- How can we obey God like Noah did? (By listening to His Word, praying, and doing what is right.)
- Who in your family can you tell about God’s rainbow promise this week? (Let the child answer — encourage them to share with a parent, grandparent, or sibling.)