Before You Teach
A prep snapshot before the full lesson flow.
This week teaches that God can do miracles and help His children. Elisha was a prophet, and the Lord worked through him to heal, help, and protect people. Little children can learn that Jesus helps us and we are not alone.
Elisha helps many people. He helps Naaman, who is sick, by telling him to wash in the Jordan River. At first Naaman does not want to obey, but when he humbly obeys, he is healed. Elisha also tells his scared servant not to fear, because the Lord’s heavenly help is near, even when we cannot see it at first.
Young children need one simple feeling: Heavenly Father and Jesus help me. Keep the lesson focused on obeying, trusting, and feeling safe with the Lord, using movement, pictures, and very short activities.
Full Lesson Flow
Use the sections below as a menu. Swap cards and activities to keep the class interactive.
Hold up a small toy doctor kit or a bandage and ask, “Who helps us when we hurt?” Let children answer. Then say, “Jesus can help us too. Sometimes He helps through prophets.”
Sing one verse of “If You’re Happy” with a simple change: “If you know God loves you, clap your hands.” Let them clap, smile, and wiggle.
Say the big idea right away: “Jesus can help me when I obey.” Have children repeat it with motions:
Tell the story of Naaman from 2 Kings 5:1–15 with very simple actions.
“Naaman was very sick. A little girl said, ‘The prophet can help him.’ Naaman went to Elisha. Elisha sent a message: wash in the river Jordan seven times. Naaman felt upset. He wanted something big and fancy. But his servants said to obey. So Naaman went into the water.”
Count with the children and pretend to dip down seven times. On the seventh time, have them pop up and smile.
Read the key line:
“Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean” (2 Kings 5:14).
Then briefly connect the second story from 2 Kings 6:16–17: “Later, Elisha’s servant felt scared because an army was around them. Elisha said not to fear. The Lord was helping them.”
Read:
“Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them” (2 Kings 6:16).
Ask:
Jesus can help me when I obey.
Repeat it all lesson long. Connect both stories:
Activity options
What to do:
Materials: Blue scarf/blanket/paper
What to say: “Naaman obeyed, and Jesus helped him. Jesus can help me when I obey.”
Connection: This lets them act out the story they just heard.
What to do:
Materials: Blue scarf/blanket/paper
What to say: “Naaman obeyed, and Jesus helped him. Jesus can help me when I obey.”
Connection: This lets them act out the story they just heard.
What to do:
Materials: Two paper hearts, tape
What to say: “Jesus helps us be clean inside when we listen and obey.”
Connection: After pretending to wash in the river, children see that Jesus gives clean hearts too.
What to do:
Materials: None
What to say: “The Lord was with Elisha. I am not alone.”
Connection: Now they move from Naaman’s healing to Elisha’s protection.
What to do:
Materials: Paper, crayons
What to say: “God speaks through prophets. I can obey, and Jesus helps me.”
Connection: After hearing about Elisha, children make a simple reminder to take home.
Show the picture “Naaman and Elisha” or “Elisha and the Lord’s Army” from this week’s Come, Follow Me materials/Gospel Library.
Ask:
Remind them: “Jesus can help me when I obey.”
Sing “Dearest Children, God Is Near You” (Hymns, no. 96) or a familiar simple song about God’s love if needed for younger attention spans.
Simple actions:
Say, “This song helps us remember that we are not alone.”
Gather children close. Speak softly: “Naaman obeyed and Jesus helped him. Elisha was scared for his servant, and the Lord helped them too. Jesus helps us when we obey, and we are not alone.”
Invite each child to finish one sentence:
Invite them to do one tiny thing this week: obey quickly when a parent asks for help and then give a big hug.
