Younger Primary Lesson Plan: Genesis 37–41

Happy Opening (2 minutes): “Coat Color Pop!” (Object Lesson + Movement)
Hold up a colorful scarf/shirt (or paper “coat” with colored squares). Let each child touch a color and do a matching action: “Red—jump!” “Blue—wiggle!”
Say: “Today we’ll learn about Joseph and his family. Some people were not kind to Joseph—but God still helped Joseph.”
Repeat together (kids echo): “God can help me when bad things happen.”

---

Simple Scripture Story (5 minutes): “Joseph’s Hard Days… and God Stayed Close” (Interactive Story + Actions)
Tell the story simply while kids act it out with motions:

1. Joseph’s brothers weren’t kind.
   Explain: “Joseph’s brothers had ‘hard feelings’ in their family.” (From the bundle’s Teaching Children idea about Genesis 37.)
   Ask: “What can we do to be kind in our family?”

2. Joseph had hard things happen.
   Help children name a few hard things Joseph faced using the bundle list: “Hard things happened to Joseph (see Genesis 37:23–28; 39:20).”
   After each one, everyone says: “The Lord was with Joseph.” (Genesis 39:2)

3. God stayed with Joseph.
   Read this full verse (short and powerful):
   “And the Lord was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.” (Genesis 39:2)
   Ask: “When Joseph was having a hard day, who was with him?”

Connect back to opening: “Even when things feel sad or unfair, God can help us.”

---

Big Idea (Say it often!)
God is with me when hard things happen.
(Practice as a class, whisper it, then say it strong.)

---

Wiggle and Learn Activities (12–15 minutes total, 3–4 short activities)

1) “Hard Thing / Helped Thing” Toss (Game)
Materials: Soft ball/beanbag.
How to do it:

1. Sit in a circle. Toss the beanbag to a child.
2. You say one “hard thing” from the bundle list (Genesis 37:23–28; 39:20).
3. Child answers: “The Lord was with Joseph!” and tosses to someone else.
   What to say: “Even when bad things happen, God can be with us.”
   Connection: “Now let’s look for the exact words in the scripture!”

2) “Find the Phrase!” (Interactive Discussion + Scripture Search)
Materials: Printed big-font strip that says: “The Lord was with Joseph” (or open scriptures).
How to do it:

1. Point to the words as you read: “The Lord was with Joseph.”
2. Let children take turns pointing to one word (Lord / was / with / Joseph).
3. Everyone says it together.
   What to say: “God stayed close to Joseph. God stays close to you.”
   Connection: “Now let’s act out how we can run toward Jesus and away from wrong choices.”

3) “Magnet Move!” (Object Lesson)
Materials: Two magnets (label one “Jesus Christ,” one “Satan”), a paper clip (us).
How to do it (from the bundle’s object lesson idea):

1. Show the paper clip moving toward whichever magnet it’s closer to.
2. Move the paper clip close to “Jesus Christ” magnet—watch it pull.
3. Move it closer to the other magnet—watch it pull.
   What to say: “We can choose to move closer to Jesus.” (Bundle: “What can we do to move away from sin and closer to Jesus?” connected to Genesis 39:7–12.)
   Connection: “Joseph chose to flee—let’s practice ‘flee feet’!”

4) “Flee Feet Freeze!” (Physical Activity + Role-Play)
Materials: None.
How to do it:

1. Kids march in place.
2. Teacher calls: “Temptation!” Kids take 3 quick steps away to a ‘safe spot’ and freeze.
3. Teacher calls: “Closer to Jesus!” Kids take 3 steps back and put hands on heart.
   What to say: “With the Lord’s help, I can flee temptation.” (Bundle heading tied to Genesis 39:7–12.)
   Connection: “Now we’ll look at a picture of Joseph and remember our big idea.”

---

Picture Time (3 minutes): Gospel Art Book Picture
Use: “Joseph of Egypt in Prison” (listed in the bundle: Joseph of Egypt in Prison, by Jeff Ward (detail)).
Ask:

1. “Where is Joseph?”
2. “Do you think Joseph might feel sad or alone?”
3. “What do we say when hard things happen?” (Kids: “God is with me!” / “The Lord was with Joseph.”)

---

Song and Actions (3 minutes): “I Feel My Savior’s Love” (Children’s Songbook)
Actions (simple):

• “I feel…” hands on heart
• “Savior’s love…” hug self
• “in all the world around me…” big circle arms
• “His Spirit warms me…” rub arms like warm
  Tie-in line: “When life feels hard, Heavenly Father can help me feel love and peace.”

---

Jesus Loves Me Moment (2 minutes)
Quiet voices. Say: “Joseph had hard days. But the scripture says, ‘The Lord was with Joseph.’ (Genesis 39:2) God can be with you too.”
Invite children to finish one sentence (help them with prompts):

• “I know God loves me when ______.”
• “I can be kind in my family by ______.” (Bundle: “I can be kind to my family.”)

---

Take-Home Hug (10 seconds)
“Today, give someone in your family a hug and ‘speak peaceably’ at home—use kind words.”

---

Teacher Survival Tips (quick helps)

1. Keep activities tiny: switch every 2–4 minutes; if attention drops, jump straight to the song.
2. Use a repeated phrase as a reset: “The Lord was with Joseph” (Genesis 39:2) = hands on heart, quiet bodies.
3. If kids get wiggly during story, let them act it (sad face / walking feet / hands on heart) instead of asking for stillness.