Preschool: People Can Love God: Session 4—Esther Helped Her People (February 22)

1s & 2s—Make a Felt Collage

Bible Story: Esther Helped Her People Esther 2:2-18; 3:8-13; 4:1-17; 5; 7–8
Life Point: People show love for God by choosing to do what is right.
Weekly Verse: Love God with all your heart. Deuteronomy 6:5

Materials: Bible, felt cut into clothing shapes, clear contact plastic, tape, basket

• Tape a long piece of clear contact plastic onto the wall at children’s eye level. Put the felt shapes in a basket and place it under the plastic. 
• Invite 1s and 2s to arrange the felt shapes on the contact plastic. Talk about the Bible story as children work. 
• Tell preschoolers they can take the shapes off to rearrange them. Comment that showed love to God by choosing to what is right. Open the Bible and point to Esther’s name.

3s–Pre-K—Set the Table

Bible Story: Esther Helped Her People Esther 2:2-18; 3:8-13; 4:1-17; 5; 7–8
Life Point: People show love for God by choosing to do what is right.
Weekly Verse: Love God with all your heart. Deuteronomy 6:5

Materials: Bible, toy dishes, placemats, napkins

• Invite the boys and girls to set the table for dinner. 
• Talk about the Bible story as children set the table. Comment that Esther invited the king to a special dinner so she could help her people. Say that Esther showed love for God by choosing to do what is right.
• Open the Bible to Deuteronomy 6:5 and say the Weekly Verse. 

Kindergarten—Make Books

Bible Story: Esther Helped Her People Esther 2:2-18; 3:8-13; 4:1-17; 5; 7–8
Life Point: People show love for God by choosing to do what is right.
Weekly Verse: Love God with all your heart. Deuteronomy 6:5

Materials: white construction paper, markers, gel pens, colored pencils, scissors

• Print the Weekly Verse on a paper for kids to copy. Cut a 4-by-12-inch strip of paper for each child. Show kids how to fold the paper in half (short ends together), then fold each end back to the middle. This will make an accordion-style book.
• Comment that people should love God and can show love for God by doing what is right. Encourage them to write the verse on the front of their books and draw pictures of things they that are right. (Give examples of right things kids could do.) 
• Talk about Esther as kids work. Mention that Esther saved her people, even though she could have been in trouble; she choose to do a right thing.