Introduction: Making Moses Relatable to Young Children
We often teach young children about Baby Moses in our Bible lessons, but prior to doing so, do we take time to help young children see that Baby Moses was just like them? This lesson is an introduction into Moses’ life. It helps the young child see that Moses was like them. He was once a baby and he had a family.
Laying this foundation, will help the young child see Moses as a real person and not as a mythical character. Try to apply this teaching principle when you introduce new people from the Bible. The Bible becomes a living, breathing book to the young learner when we make it real to them.
The Lesson
Scripture Text: Exodus 2: 1-2; Exodus 6:20; Numbers 26:58-59
Objectives: 1. The learner will identify who is the baby in our lesson. 2. The learner will match Moses’ family members with their picture.
- Introduce the lesson by showing a picture of the teacher as a baby. Talk about that once you were born and were a little baby. You were welcomed into the family by parents and any siblings you had. If you have a picture of this, show this.
b. Make a connection to the children by sharing that they were once babies and their parents welcomed them into the family. If able, you might bring a directory that shows a picture of them as a baby and their parents. Explain that God made us a family. It is nice to live together in one place and love one another.
2. Baby in a Basket Hide and Seek
First read the scripture texts: Show basket box. Explain that inside this box is something we will talk about for many weeks. It is someone from the Bible. Can anyone guess? Show a quick peek. Let the class see it is a baby. (baby doll covered with felt square) Give the baby a name. Explain his name is Moses. Say that we will learn about Moses as a baby and as an old Man. Today, we are talking about Moses as a baby.
3. Moses Family. When you were born, do you think Mom and Dad were happy? I bet they were. You were just a little baby that they could rock and love. (Show a family picture of Moses’ family you found online or in a coloring book. I found one in an old curriculum book.) This is Moses. He was a baby. He had parents, too. He had a daddy named Amram and a mommy named Jochebed. (Or you can show their picture on a big picture poster you have made of Moses’ family tree or use clip art stick puppets.) His Dad and Mom could rock and love on him. Can you rock Baby Moses? (Pass out Kewpie babies or small baby dolls if you are able to find. You could ask for baby dolls to be donated to class of those who have outgrown their dolls.) Let children rock them while song is sung.
Sing: We’re rocking Baby Moses written by Marzee Woodward
Tune: Farmer in the Dell
We’re rocking Baby Moses.
We’re rocking Baby Moses.
We’re rocking back and forth.
We’re rocking Baby Moses.
Ask each child: “Who is the baby we are rocking?” Baby Moses
4. Moses was born and he had a Mom and a Dad. He also got to meet his sister, Miriam and his brother, Aaron. (Show pictures from clipart or Free Bible Images of Miriam and Aaron.) Miriam was 12 when Moses was born. (Show that amount with your fingers.) And Aaron was 3 years old. (Show his picture and the amount of years that means with your fingers.) Moses was now part of a family.
Sing: Moses Had a Family written by Marzee Woodward
Tune: “London Bridge”
Moses had a family
Family, Family.
Moses had a family.
Just like you and me.
5. a. Give each child a stick puppet of Amram that you found online or in Microsoft Word. Say: “This is Amram. He is Moses’ Dad.” Ask the children to show you Amram.
b. Give them Jochebed. Follow same pattern as above.
c. Miriam
d. Aaron
e. Moses.
Sing “Moses Had a Family” song again.
6. Give each child a Moses Family board. Ask the children to place their family member stick puppet on the picture that it matches. You will need to demonstrate.
Sing: Family Members Song written by Marzee Woodward
Tune: “One Little, Two Little, Three Little Indians”
Amram, Jochebed, Miriam, Aaron
Amram, Jochebed, Miriam, Aaron
Amram, Jochebed, Miriam, Aaron
Moses family
Take up stick puppets and family charts. Wipe off.
7. Memory Words.
Every quarter we have special memory words that come from God’s word the Bible. This quarter our special memory words come from the book of Exodus. Exodus talks a lot about Moses. In the 3rd chapter of Exodus in verse 12, we read “I will be with you.” God says this to Moses when he is very afraid.
When we are afraid will God be with us? When we happy will God be with us?
What about when we are sad? Or angry? Yes, God is always with us.
Let’s stand up.
Stomp your feet if God is with you.
Clap your hands if God is with you.
Turn around if God is with you.
Jump up and down if God is with you.
Flap your arms if God is with you.
Make a silly sound if God is with you.
Sit quietly down if God is with you.
Sing: “I will be with you.”
Tune: “Mary Had a Little Lamb”
I will be with you.
With you, with you.
I will be with you.
That is what God said.
Say: Exodus 3 verse 12
8. Review Lesson with Finger play
Moses’ Family Finger play by Marzee Woodward
Moses had a family that’s right.
Dad and Mom and siblings make five. (Show 5 fingers)
Dad was strong Amram (Show muscles) and Mom was loving Jochebed. (Touch heart)
Big sister was Miriam who was watchful as ever. (Hands over eyes)
Big brother was Aaron who helped Moses whenever. (Use Help sign)
Little Baby Moses was the youngest of the fray. (Pretend to rock a baby.)
A leader he became that’s what Bible words say. (Wag finger at class.)
9. Craft: Children can use a cut out construction paper frame and stickers with a picture of their family to make a special portrait of their own family. Or the teacher can print Moses’ family pictures and use the same construction paper frame and stickers to make a Hall of Fame Photo Gallery for Moses and hang in the classroom as a reminder that we all have families.