Jesus at the Temple - Luke 2:41-52

Idea 1

Let someone go missing and see if the kids can figure out where they went.

  • At the beginning of the lesson plan with one of the leaders to pretend to be Jesus and go missing (have the hide in the church).

  • Then start a big game of soccer with the kids. There should be enough action in the room that “Jesus” can sneak away and hide in the church without really being noticed.

  • In the middle of the game, start looking for the missing leader and ask the kids if they have seen them.

  • Let the kids start looking for the missing leader.

  • In the midst of the searching, let the leader come back and the kids ask them where they went.

  • Let the leader explain that they were in the church - in their father’s house.

Idea 2

Create your own puzzle.

  • Have some older kids in your group listen to the story and then draw a picture on some blank puzzle pieces to show what happened.

  • Once the puzzles are finished, ask the kids to take the puzzles apart, and to keep one of the pieces to their puzzle in their pocket.

  • Then they can give their puzzle to one of the younger kids in the group to put together.

  • When the younger kids figure out that there is a missing piece, you can talk about searching for missing pieces just like Mary and Joseph searched for Jesus.

Idea 3

Have you ever been lost?

  • Ask the kids if they have ever been lost? What did it feel like? Where they scared?

  • Tell them a story of when you got lost?

  • Tell them that in todays story it might seem like Jesus was lost but He really knew where He was all along. He wasn’t the one that was scared, but his parents were.

Idea 4

Go through a maze.

  • Before the lesson begins tape a large maze on the floor. Wide enough that kids will be able to walk through it.

  • Through out the maze, put different things along the way, like a sign that says “time to pray” or “listen to a bible story” or “talk with others about Jesus” or a bible.

  • As they go through the maze, if they find a bible they need to read it, or if they find a sign they need to do what it says.

  • Once the kids are through the maze, have a discussion with them. Let them know that through life we sometimes loose Jesus along the way. Like Jesus went one way to do this amazing thing and we went the other way. The way we find Jesus again is by praying, or reading the bible and talking with others about Jesus.

  • Try to think of other ways of finding Jesus with the kids.

Idea 4

Make a banner that says “Welcome to God’s House”

  • Get some banner paper and write in bubble letters “Welcome to God’s House”

  • Let the kids colour in the letters and then draw things on the banner that will help them stay close to Jesus.

  • Hang the banner up.

Idea 5

Read Luke 2:41-52 with the kids and ask them questions.

  • What did you find interesting?

  • How long did it take Mary and Joseph to figure out Jesus was missing?

  • Why do you think Jesus stayed at the temple?

  • What would you ask Jesus if you were Mary or Joseph?

Idea 6

Play a version of pictionary with the kids.  

  • Fold up various pieces of paper that each explain a scene of the story.

  • Ask the kids one at a time to pick a piece of paper and draw what was written on the paper. They can’t act it out or talk they can only draw.

  • The other kids can guess the scene as they are drawing.

  • Once all the scenes are drawn ask the kids to put the scenes into story order.

 Here are some formal lesson plans

Kindergarten and grade 1

Grades 2,3

Grades 4,5