Joseph - Genesis 37-46

Teaching Videos

Teaching Ideas

Idea 1

Play a game of catch with the kids.

  • Use a large ball and throw it towards a group of kids saying the first one to catch it will get a letter.

  • Explain that you are spelling the word forgiveness and each time they catch the ball they get another letter towards the word. The first person to spell the whole word wins.

  • Once you have finished the game. Ask them if they have ever been forgiven? Have they ever forgiven someone else? What did it feel like?

Idea 2

Read “The Forgiving Prince” on page 76 of the Jesus Storybook Bible.

Questions:

  1. Why did Joseph’s brothers sell him, and how did Joseph end up in Egypt?

  2. How did God help Joseph while he was in Egypt, even when things seemed bad?

  3. What did Joseph do when his brothers came to Egypt many years later?

  4. How does this story show us that God can use difficult situations for good? 

Idea 3

Play a game of forgiveness tag.

  • Choose someone to be “it” and all of the other kids can run around trying not to get tagged.

  • Once a kid have been tagged, they need to go over and pick up a heavy book and carry it around as they keep playing the game.

  • Each time a kid is tagged they need to pick up another book. (by the end of the game, there should be some kids running around while carrying with 3 or 4 books)

  • End the game when there are no books left.

  • Have a talk with the kids about forgiveness. Ask them questions like…

  • How did it feel to run around while carrying so many books? Was it easy or hard?

  • What do you feel when you are mad at someone and you think about how mad you are all the time? Do you feel light and free, like at the beginning of the tag game? or do you feel heavy and things are just a bit harder, like when you were carrying around a few books and playing tag?

  • How do we feel when we forgive someone? Do we instantly feel better? Does it take some time to feel better?

Idea 4

Give the kids a page to colour about the story.

  • After reading or telling the story to the kids, give them time to process what they have heard by colouring in a picture.

  • As they are colouring, take the time to go around and ask questions to each kid.

  • Point to one of the pictures and ask the kid what is going on in that scene? How do they think Joseph might have felt? How would they have felt if they were Joseph?

Idea 5

Play pictionary with the kids.

  • One at a time give the kids different scenes from the story to draw, and ask the others to guess the scene.

  • Once all the scenes are drawn ask the kids to put the pictures in sequence order and talk about the story.

Idea 6

Read "Sold as a Slave," "From Prison to Palace," "Joseph Saves His Brothers" on pages 60-69 in The Action Bible by Sergio Cariello

Questions:

  1. Why did Joseph’s brothers sell him, and how did God take care of Joseph in Egypt?

  2. How did Joseph become a trusted leader in Egypt, even after being in prison?

  3. What did Joseph’s dreams mean, and how did he use them to help Egypt?

  4. How did Joseph show mercy and forgiveness to his brothers when they needed help?

Idea 7

Talk about forgiveness.

  • Think about a time when you forgave someone and share that story with the kids. How did it feel before you forgave them, and what changed inside of you after you forgave them.

  • Ask the kids if they have any stories to share.

Idea 8

Talk about forgiveness with the kids by reading the book Otter B Forgiving by Pamela Kennedy and Anne Kennedy Brady.

Questions:

  1. Why was Otter upset with his friend, and how did that affect their friendship?

  2. What advice did Otter get about how to handle the situation with his friend?

  3. How did Otter feel after choosing to forgive his friend, and what happened next in their friendship?

  4. What does this story teach us about why it’s important to forgive others when they make mistakes?

Idea 9

Read this story with the kids.

  • While they are colouring it, go through and ask them questions about the story.

  • Who is Joseph?

  • How did Joseph get out of jail?

  • What did Joseph’s brothers do to him?

  • What did Joseph do when he saw his brothers?

Idea 10

Make flags that have the word forgiveness on them.

  • Get white sheets and cut them to make a large flag for each kid. Let them write the word forgiveness on them and then they can colour the rest of the flag however they like.

  • Once the kids are finished creating their flags, hot glue them to sticks and let them wave their flags around.

  • Tell them that these flags stand for freedom. When we are forgiven and when we forgive, then we are free.