RUTH AND BOAZ ACTIVITIES AND GAMES - Ruth and Naomi Are Good Friends!

Free Daniel and the Lions Crafts for Children

Free Preschool / Toddler Sunday School Lesson - God Kept Daniel Safe From the Lions!

Free Daniel and the Lions Activities for Children

Prep: Make extra copies of the crafts and story pages that you want to use for coloring pages or the childrens' crafts. You will need tape to do this lesson. Print and make up 3 - Scary Lion craft, and Lion's Den craft, 4a and 4b or Color Lion's Den, 4a color, to use with the lesson. (Craft directions below). Also print the other story pages 1, 2. Have a Bible marked with today's Bible verses Daniel 6:23 and the memory verse: Psalm 28:7 (or part of it). The numbers in parentheses tell you what craft sample or picture to use for that part of the story. Only read words in bold. The words in parentheses tell you what actions you do.

Have your Bible or a children's Bible marked with the memory verse to read during the lesson: Daniel 6:23. Memory Verse: Psalm 28:7 (or part of it). Scriptures used as reference for the lesson: Daniel 6:1 - 6:28

(1) This is Daniel. (Point to Daniel). And, this is King Darius. (Point to Darius). Daniel's job was to help King Darius. Daniel did his work better than all of his other helpers, so King Darius decided to make Daniel the boss. Well, the other helpers were jealous of Daniel so they tried to get Daniel in trouble. That is very bad, isn't it? But, they couldn't find anything that Daniel was doing wrong. Daniel did what was right and obeyed God, because he loved God with all his heart. (2) Daniel set aside special times each day to go and pray. Three times a day, Daniel would go to his window, get down on his knees, and pray to God.

One day, the bad men saw Daniel through the window. They saw Daniel praying to God. Then they had an idea. If we can't get him into trouble for doing something wrong, then let's get him in trouble for doing something good. So, they tricked King Darius. They told King Darius to make a rule that no one could pray to anybody except the king. Well, the king did not know it was a trick to get Daniel in trouble. So, he made that the new rule. Now if anybody prayed to God, they would be thrown into a den full of lions! (Gasp and put your hand over your mouth.) That's sounds scary, doesn't it? (3 craft sample, open) Lions are dangerous! They have sharp teeth and claws! Can you all show me what a lion sounds like. (Roar like a lion and curl your fingers like claws). Ooh-oo-oh! You all make such scary lions! O.k. Now let's listen to the rest of the story and see what happens to Daniel.

Well, Daniel knew about this new rule, but he was not afraid. (Shake head no). Nobody was going to stop Daniel from praying to God! Daniel loved God! (2 again) So, just like before, three times a day, Daniel would go to his window, get down on his knees, and pray to God. So, the bad men went to Daniel's house to see if they could catch Daniel praying. Sure enough, they saw Daniel in front of the window, down on his knees, praying to God. So they went and told King Darius that they saw Daniel praying to God. Oh, no! (Cover mouth with hand). That meant that Daniel would have to be thrown into the lion's den! This made King Darius very sad. He liked Daniel a lot. King Darius tried to figure out a way to save Daniel from the lions, but he could not think of any way to stop the new rule. In those days, once a king made a rule, he could not change it. Before Daniel was taken away, the king told Daniel, "I hope that your God can save you from the lions!" But, King Darius went away very sad. Can you all show me a sad face? (Make a sad face). He was so upset that he could not eat or sleep all night.

So the bad men went and got Daniel, and threw him into the lion's den! (Gasp). But...wait...listen close...(cup your ear with your hand). Its quiet. I don't hear any lions roaring. I don't hear anything at all! Why aren't the lions making noise? Let's peek inside the den and see. (4 - Lion's den craft sample) (Open door to den). Look! There's an angel standing by Daniel! God sent an angel to shut the mouths of the lions! So, we're going to put a piece of tape on the lion's mouth. (3 again - Close lion's mouth and tape shut). They can't harm Daniel now. They can't even growl with their mouths shut! And, that is how God kept Daniel safe all night long. (4 again) Early the next morning King Darius ran down to the lion's den to see how Daniel was doing. We can make the sound of his feet. (Pat your lap real fast and have the children join you). King Darius called out, "Daniel, has your God been able to save you from the lions?" Daniel called back, "God knows that I didn't do anything wrong. He sent an angel to shut the mouths of the lions. They did not hurt me!" Our Bibles tell us what happens next: (Read Daniel 6:23). It was a miracle! (1 again) There was not even one little scratch on Daniel (Point to Daniel), because he had trusted in God! So, then King Darius had the bad men thrown into the lions' den instead! And, King Darius passed a new rule: Everybody will worship Daniel's God now. He is the God who lives! He will always rule, and he does miracles! He saves people, and he saved Daniel from the lions! Now King Darius believed in God too! And, Daniel kept going to his window (2 again), getting down on his knees and praying to God. Daniel did well in everything because God was with Daniel! The End.

CIRCLE TIME: (What does this mean for me?)

Did you like that story? I sure did. This story teaches us how important it is to pray. We all need God's help, don't we? Daniel knew how important it was to pray. He set aside three special times each day to pray to God. God loves for his little children to make time to come and talk to him. Maybe you have a special place at your house or in your room where you go to pray. We can find a quiet place to be by ourselves. Somewhere that it will just be you and God. You don't have to pray in any certain way. In class we close our eyes so we won't be distracted by other things. And, we fold our hands to help us keep them still. But you can pray in any way that you want to, at any time of day or night. And, you can pray anywhere that you want to. God is with you wherever you go. In our story, we learned that God protects those who trust in Him. Daniel was thrown in the lions' den! But, God saved Daniel from the lions. Does anybody remember how he did that? (Give children a chance to answer). Yes. Very good. And God will protect you when you trust in him, too. Its a promise from God. Listen to this verse. This is a good verse to remember: (Read Psalm 28:7). I think right now is a good time to pray. What do you think?

PRAYER: Dear God,

helping me.

Thank you for

© copyright Virginia Sigle / Bible Kids Fun Zone

Free Daniel and the Lions Activities for Children

Prep: You may already have a king's crown from Week 35 Crafts. If not, make one. Make a halo by "wiring" some aluminum foil in a circle shape, then connecting it with more aluminum foil to a plastic hair band. Set Up: Ask the class who wants to be Daniel, and who wants to be King Darius. Have an adult or two who are strong enough to pick up "Daniel" play the part of the bad men. The rest of the class are lions. Designate a specific area of the classroom to be the lions' den, and set up some pillows there (optional). Activity: Retell the story in a simplified way, starting when the bad men throw Daniel into your den of "roaring lions". After the angel comes, they cannot make any more noise. The lions can lift their paws, but they cannot touch Daniel. King Darius is crying in another area of the room. Re-emphasize that God kept Daniel safe from the lions all night long. Daniel can sit down and fall asleep on the pillows. Tell the class it is now morning, and King Darius runs over to see how Daniel is doing. Retell the rest of the story in your own words. Clap for your actors at the end.

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