The Fruit of the Spirit 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: “God’s Spirit makes good fruit grow.”
Paul wrote a letter to the friends of Jesus in a land called Galatia. There were several churches there. All the friends who were with Paul sent the letter with him. Paul wanted to help the churches live God’s way.
Paul wrote, “Through love be servants to one another.” A servant is a helper. So Paul meant: love each other, and help each other.
Paul also wrote down God’s old command: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Your neighbor is anyone near you.
Paul also gave them a warning. He told them not to “bite and devour one another.” Devour means to gobble up. Paul did not mean real biting. He meant hurting each other with mean words and fights.
Paul named some bad things that grow when we go our own way. Hatred and fights. Jealousy and angry outbursts. Those hurt people, like thorns that scratch.
Then Paul told them about God’s Holy Spirit. When we live by the Spirit, something good grows in us. It grows like fruit on a tree! God’s Spirit makes good fruit grow.
How does fruit grow on a tree? The tree does not push and squeeze. The fruit grows slowly, day by day, because the tree is alive. That is how God’s Spirit works in us.
Paul wrote, “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness. Goodness, faith, gentleness, and self-control.”
Let’s count them on our fingers! Love, one. Joy, two. Peace, three. Patience, four. Kindness, five. Goodness, six. Faith, seven. Gentleness, eight. Self-control, nine! Nine good fruits from one Spirit. God’s Spirit makes good fruit grow.
Love comes first on the list. Joy is a glad heart. Peace is being calm inside. Patience means you can wait. Kindness and goodness mean being good to others.
Faith means trusting God. Gentleness means being soft and careful, like when you hold a tiny bird. Self-control means you can stop yourself, even when you want to grab or shout.
Paul wrote, “Against such things there is no law.” That means no rule ever says no to love or kindness!
Paul wrote, “If we live by the Spirit, let’s also walk by the Spirit.” That means: let God’s Spirit lead us, step by step. Can you walk in place? Step, step, step! God’s Spirit makes good fruit grow.
Paul also wrote, “Let’s not become conceited, provoking one another.” Conceited means thinking you are better than everyone else. Provoking means teasing someone until they get angry.
Near the close of his letter, Paul wrote this. “Let’s not be weary in doing good. For we will reap in due season if we don’t give up.” Weary means very tired. To reap means to pick the fruit when it is ready. Can you reach up high and pick a fruit from a tree?
Paul wrote that we should do good to all people, whenever we can.
God gives his Spirit, and slowly, day by day, the good fruit grows. God’s Spirit makes good fruit grow.
3. Talk together (3 min)
- Which of the nine fruits would you like to see more of at home?
- When did someone show you kindness or patience this week?
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)
Color the 9 fruits on the tree: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, self-control.
6. Verse and prayer (2 min)
“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace” — Galatians 5:22 (the fruit → cup your hands like holding an apple; love → hands on your heart; joy → big smile and jazz hands; peace → hands slowly down)
Dear God, thank you for your Holy Spirit. Please let love, joy, and peace grow in me like good fruit. Amen.
Lesson for older kids (ages 6–10)
Big idea: God grows good things in us
Memory verse: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, and self-control.” — Galatians 5:22–23 · WEB
The Bible story
When Paul writes a loving letter to his friends, he shares a wonderful secret: God's Spirit grows nine beautiful fruits right inside our hearts.
Talk about it
- What did Paul love to write to his friends? — Letters
- What did Paul call the good things the Spirit grows in us? — The fruit of the Spirit
- Who does God send to live inside people who love Him? — The Holy Spirit
- Which of these is a fruit of the Spirit? — Gentleness
- Which fruit comes last in Paul's list? — Self-control
- Which three fruits did Paul name first? — Love, joy and peace
Where is Jesus in this story?
Jesus said, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit” (John 15:5). A branch doesn't grow grapes by trying hard. It grows them by staying joined to the vine. In the same way, the fruit of the Spirit grows in you as you stay close to Jesus.
What God wants to tell us
We do not have to squeeze and strain to become loving, joyful and peaceful people. When we stay close to God, His Spirit gently grows these good fruits inside us, just like sunshine and rain grow apples on a tree. All we have to do is ask God to help and keep walking with Him each day. Bit by bit, His love fills our hearts and shines out to everyone around us.
Prayer
Father God, thank You for sending Your Holy Spirit to live in me. Please grow love, joy, peace and kindness in my heart, and help me share them with everyone I meet today. I want to be more like Jesus. Amen.
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