Elisha Makes the Water Sweet Preschool Lesson
Preschool lesson (ages 3–6, 20 minutes)
1. Welcome (3 min)
Sit in a circle, greet every child by name and show one thing from the story to touch.
2. The little story (5 min)
Teach the refrain first: “The LORD was with Elisha.”
Elisha was the helper of Elijah, God’s prophet. Elijah asked him a question. “Ask what I shall do for you, before I am taken from you.” Elisha said, “Please let a double portion of your spirit be on me.” Double means two times as much. He wanted to be filled with God’s Spirit, like Elijah.
As they walked and talked, something amazing happened. A chariot of fire and horses of fire came between them. And Elijah went up into heaven in a whirlwind. A whirlwind is a wind that spins round and round. Elisha saw it all. “My father, my father!” he cried. Then Elijah was gone.
Now Elisha was God’s prophet. Elisha picked up Elijah’s coat. It had fallen from Elijah. Elisha went back to the Jordan River and stood on the bank. The LORD was with Elisha.
Elisha hit the water with Elijah’s coat. “Where is the LORD, the God of Elijah?” he said. And the water parted! Elisha walked across on dry ground. Swish! Can you part the water with your hands?
Some young prophets were watching from Jericho. They said, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.” They came to meet him, and they bowed down low.
“There are fifty strong men here,” they said. “Please let them go and seek your master.” They thought God might have set him down on a mountain. “Don’t send them,” said Elisha.
But they asked and asked. So at last Elisha said, “Send them.” The fifty men looked for three whole days. Let’s count the days: one, two, three! But they did not find Elijah. God had taken him to heaven.
The men came back to Elisha in Jericho. “Didn’t I tell you, ‘Don’t go’?” said Elisha.
Then the men of the city came to him. “This city is a pleasant place,” they said. “But the water is bad, and the land is barren.” Pleasant means nice to live in.
Barren means nothing could grow there. The water was bad to drink. The plants could not grow. Yuck! Can you make a face like you tasted bad water?
Elisha said, “Bring me a new jar, and put salt in it.” So the men brought him a new jar with salt in it. The LORD was with Elisha.
Elisha went out to the spring. A spring is where water comes up out of the ground. He threw the salt into the water. Sprinkle, sprinkle! Can you sprinkle pretend salt with your fingers?
Then Elisha said, “The LORD says: I have healed these waters.” Healed means made well and good again. The LORD was with Elisha.
And it was so! The water was good again. People could drink it, big and small. Mmm, fresh, cool water! Plants could grow in the land again. The waters stayed good for many, many years.
It was not the salt that made the water good. It was the LORD who healed it. The LORD makes things good again, even bad water. The LORD was with Elisha.
3. Talk together (3 min)
- What do you think the people said when they first tasted the good water?
- What things do you need water for every day?
4. Move (3 min)
Refrain Freeze: move around the room; when you say the refrain, everyone freezes and says it together.
5. Make (4 min)
Draw a line to who said it.
6. Verse and prayer (2 min)
“I have healed these waters.” — 2 Kings 2:21 (I have healed → hands on your heart; these waters → wiggle your fingers down like flowing water)
Dear God, thank you for fresh water to drink. Thank you that you make things good again. Amen.
Lesson for older kids (ages 6–10)
Big idea: God can heal what is broken
Memory verse: “The LORD says, "I have healed these waters."” — 2 Kings 2:21 · WEB
The Bible story
The town of Jericho had water that was making people and land sick. When they cried for help, Elisha showed them God's gentle, healing power.
Talk about it
- What was the name of the town in this story? — Jericho
- Who was the kind man of God who helped the people? — Elisha
- What was wrong with the town's water? — It was bad
- Why were the people worried about the bad water? — The crops could not grow
- Who came to Elisha about the bad water? — The men of Jericho
- What did Elisha ask the people to bring him? — A new bowl with salt
Where is Jesus in this story?
Elisha healed one spring in Jericho, and its water stayed good for many years (2 Kings 2:22). Jesus offers something even greater. He said, “Whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst” (John 4:14). Elisha's bowl of salt fixed the water for one town, but Jesus gives living water that makes hearts new and lasts forever.
What God wants to tell us
When something in our life feels bitter or spoiled, we do not have to fix it all by ourselves. Just like the people of Jericho, we can bring our worries to God and trust Him. God loves to make things clean and new again, and He cares about the little everyday things, like the water we drink and the gardens we grow. Nothing is too broken for God's gentle, healing hands.
Prayer
Dear Lord, thank You that You care about the little things and the big things too. When something feels broken or bitter, help me to bring it to You and trust You to make it better. Thank You for Your healing love. Amen.
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