Jonah and the Great Fish 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 gives second chances.”
The LORD spoke to Jonah. “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach against it.” The people there did very bad things. But Jonah did not want to go.
So Jonah ran the other way. He went down to the sea. He paid for a ship going far, far away. He wanted to get away from the LORD.
But the LORD sent a great wind. Whoosh! A mighty storm came. The waves crashed. The ship rocked. Can you rock from side to side like the ship? The sailors were very afraid. They threw the heavy things from the ship into the sea. But Jonah was down inside the ship, fast asleep.
The captain woke him up. “Arise, call on your God!” Then the sailors found out the storm was because of Jonah. Jonah said, “I fear the LORD, who has made the sea and the dry land.” Jonah knew the storm came because he ran away.
“Throw me into the sea,” he said. “Then the sea will be calm.” But the sailors did not want to. They rowed and rowed, as hard as they could. Row, row, row! But the sea grew wilder and wilder.
So the sailors prayed to the LORD. Then they threw Jonah into the sea. Splash! And the sea became calm. The sailors worshiped the LORD.
The LORD prepared a huge fish to swallow up Jonah. Gulp! Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. Let’s count the days! One, two, three!
Inside the fish, Jonah prayed. “I called because of my affliction to the LORD. He answered me. Salvation belongs to the LORD.” Affliction means big trouble. Only God can save!
Then the LORD spoke to the fish. And the fish spat Jonah out onto the dry land! God gives second chances.
The LORD said again, “Arise, go to Nineveh.” This time Jonah went. Nineveh was so big, it took three days to walk across it! Jonah cried out, “In forty days, Nineveh will be overthrown!” Overthrown means knocked down.
The people believed God. From the biggest to the smallest, they were sorry. Even the king took off his royal robe. He sat down in the ashes. They turned away from their bad ways.
God saw that they turned from their evil way. And God did not destroy the city. God gives second chances.
But Jonah was angry. He prayed. “I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger.” Gracious means kind. Merciful means God likes to forgive. Jonah sat outside the city to watch.
God made a vine grow up over Jonah. A vine is a climbing plant. It gave him shade from the hot sun. Jonah was very glad. But the next morning God sent a little worm. Munch, munch! The worm chewed the vine, and the vine dried up.
God said to Jonah, “You have been concerned for the vine. Shouldn’t I be concerned for Nineveh, that great city?” Concerned means to care. There were so many people in Nineveh, and many animals too. God gives second chances.
God cares about all people, near and far. God gives second chances.
3. Talk together (3 min)
- What do you think it was like inside the big fish?
- Why do you think Jonah did not want to go to Nineveh?
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 3 suns and 3 moons for the 3 days and 3 nights Jonah was inside the fish.
6. Verse and prayer (2 min)
“Salvation belongs to the LORD” — Jonah 2:9 (Salvation → open your arms wide; belongs to the LORD → point up high)
Dear God, thank you that you hear us, even from far away. Thank you that you care about all people. Amen.
Lesson for older kids (ages 6–10)
Big idea: God Gives Second Chances
Memory verse: “I called because of my affliction to the LORD. He answered me.” — Jonah 2:2 · WEB
The Bible story
God asks Jonah to go and help the people of Nineveh, but Jonah runs the other way — until a wild storm and a great big fish teach him that God's love never lets go!
Talk about it
- Where did God ask Jonah to go? — Nineveh
- What did Jonah do instead of obeying God? — He sailed away the other way
- What did God send onto the sea? — A wild storm
- What was Jonah doing when the storm began? — Sleeping below the deck
- What did Jonah tell the sailors to do so the sea would calm? — Throw him into the sea
- What happened to the sea after Jonah went into the water? — It became calm and still
Where is Jesus in this story?
Jonah spent three days and three nights inside the great fish before coming out safe again. Long after, Jesus said this pointed to Him: He would spend three days in the grave and then rise to life on Easter morning. Just as God rescued Jonah from the deep, Jesus came to rescue everyone who calls to Him — showing that God's saving love reaches every person in the whole world.
What God wants to tell us
Even when Jonah ran the wrong way, God never gave up on him. God kept loving Jonah and gave him another chance to do the right thing. God is just like that with us too. When we make mistakes or feel afraid, we can always turn back to God, say sorry, and start again. His love is bigger than any wave, and it follows us wherever we go.
Prayer
Dear Lord, thank you that I can never run too far from your love. When I make mistakes, help me to turn back to you, say sorry, and try again. Thank you for keeping me safe, just as you kept Jonah. I love you. Amen.
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