Elijah was a faithful believer in God. He was one of two men that God carried to heaven before he died. Teach your preschoolers about Elijah with these lesson ideas.

The ideas below may help you when teaching your preschoolers a lesson about David & Goliath. Feel free to use these ideas to supplement your current curriculum or to make your own lesson.

Story Suggestion

1 Kings 17-19:1-18

2 Kings 2:1-12

Game Ideas

The Life of a Raven

Directions: Let the children take turns imaging they are the Raven that went to feed Elijah every day and night. Have them describe their typical day starting from the time they wake up in the morning to when they go to bed at night. Ask questions to help them think. Questions might include:

• Where do you get the food to feed Elijah?
• How far can you fly before taking a rest?
• What do you eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner?

Have as many children take a turn as time permits.

R-A-V-E-N BINGO

Directions: Make a BINGO card for each child in your class using R-A-V-E-N at the top. You will be able to pick your own pictures to place into the spaces. Choose a raven, a Bible times man, a cave, a king, a chariot. It is okay to use the pictures more than once since it will be easier for young children to play BINGO. Supply either M&Ms or some other small candy as the markers. Decide on a small prize to give each winner who calls out, RAVEN.

Snacks

A good snack for this lesson would be:

Raven Banana Bread

Alert: Recipe may contain nuts

Ingredients:

• 1 stick butter or margarine
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 3 ripe bananas
• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon soda
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Cream butter and sugar.
3. Add eggs and beat thoroughly.
4. Add well-mashed soft bananas.
5. Mix flour and soda in a separate bowl, and then add nuts, if desired.
6. Add the banana mixture to the flour mixture. Mix well.
7. Pour into a greased loaf pan with wax paper on the bottom.
8. Bake for 45 minutes.

Another good snack idea for this lesson would be:

Chocolate Drops

Ingredients:

• 1 package Devil's food cake mix
• 2-1/4 cup frozen whipped topping, thawed
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup confectioner's sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Combine cake mix, whipped topping, and egg. Mix well. Mixture should become sticky.
3. Drop 1-inch sized balls of dough into confectioner's sugar.
4. Place on a lightly greased baking sheet 2 inches apart.
5. Bake for 10 minutes.

Learn a Song

Teach children to sing "Three Black Ravens," by Nancy Foss. Sing to the tune of "Three Blind Mice." The lyrics are:

Three black ravens

Three black ravens

See how they fly

See how they fly

Elijah prays for food today

The ravens bring without delay

Three black ravens

Three black ravens

Art Center Idea

Easy Bird Feeder

Materials:

• Peanut butter
• Pine cones
• Bird seed
• String
• Plastic knives
• Paper plates
• Quart size zip-lock bags

Directions:

1. Have children spread peanut butter on to the pine cones.
2. Roll the pine cones into bird seed.
3. Affix a string to the pine cone.
4. Place the finished bird feeder into a baggie for the children to take home and hang on a tree.

Suggested Prayer (or use your own)

Dear Lord, the ravens took care of Elijah just like you take care of me. Help me now to be a light for all the world to see, how great Your love is at all times. Please, Lord, let my life shine. ~ Amen

See the full list of Sunday School lesson ideas on both the Old Testament and the New Testament!