Three Activities For Preschool Families: Jesus Feeds 5000

Three Activities For Preschool Families: Jesus Feeds 5000 Hero Image

Several years ago, our senior pastor asked a provocative question about this story, “When Jesus fed the 5000, where did the miracle occur?” Think about that for a minute. Did the bread multiply when it got to the people? Or when the disciples were carrying it around? The answer is that the miracle occurred where Jesus was. Do you need a miracle in your life? (Remember a miracle is something wonderful only God can do.) Spend some time with Jesus this week. That is where miracles happen.

HIGHLIGHTS from the Weekend…

This week your child learned that Jesus has the power to give us what we need because He is God. Jesus went away in a boat with His disciples to a solitary place for rest. The crowds saw this and followed. Jesus had compassion on them and began teaching them many things. At the end of the day, the disciples asked Jesus to send the crowds away to get food. Jesus told the disciples to feed them. All they found was a boy with five barley loaves and two fish. The disciples brought the boy to Jesus, and he was willing to give Jesus all he had. Jesus blessed the food and broke it. He instructed the people to sit in smaller groups. The disciples passed out the food until everyone ate and was satisfied, around 5,000 people! There were even 12 baskets of bread leftover. (Matthew 14:13-21, Mark 6:30-44, Luke 9:10-17 and John 6:1-15)

Teaching Truth:

  1. Jesus has the power to give us what we need because He is God
  2. A miracle is something wonderful only God can do

Memory Verse:

"I praise you Lord for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well." Psalm 139:14

3 Activities that Help Us Learn This Week's Teaching Truth:

1. Miracle at Snack Time

At snack time, grab a large unbroken graham cracker, a couple of handfuls of Goldfish and some icing. Give your child the unbroken graham cracker. Talk with him about how Jesus took a few things and performed a miracle to make them it into many. Have your child take the cracker and break it into sections. Using a spoon or a butter knife, let your child spread the icing on the crackers. Now give your child the Goldfish to place on top of the crackers. While your child eats his snack, ask him these questions.

  1. What is a miracle? (something wonderful only God can do)
  2. How could Jesus feed 5,000 people with only 2 fish and 5 loaves of bread?
  3. How do you think the little boy felt when he saw that Jesus used his small gift to bless so many people?
  4. Who has the power to give us what we need to help others?

2. Donations

While at the grocery store, let your child buy a few non-perishable food items suitable for donation to a food pantry. Grab your community group or a group of friends and have each of their kids do the same. Come together and travel to a local food bank to donate the food just as the little boy gave his food to help others.

3. Fish Mobile

Use an old wire hanger to make a mobile to remind your child about the story of Jesus feeding the 5000. Draw two simple fish and let your child decorate the fish. He could use bits of aluminum foil to create the scales or just color the fish. Cut out five ovals from brown construction paper to be the loaves. Punch holes in the tops of the fives loaves and two fish and tie them to the hanger using yarn. From the fives loaves and two fish, Jesus performed a miracle by multiplying this food into enough to feed 5000 people. So, draw several more simple fish and ovals, cut them out and attach them to the fish and loaves already on the hanger using the hole punch and yarn. Continue hanging more loaves and fish until the mobile is full.

Pray

Pray a short, simple prayer thanking God for having the power to give us what we need.