Crossing the Jordan — Twelve Stones 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 people walked on dry ground.”
Joshua was the new leader of God’s people. They came to the Jordan River. On the other side was the land God had promised them. But it was harvest time, and the river was very full. The water flowed over its banks! How could they get across?
They camped by the river for three days. Then the leaders went through the camp. “When you see the ark, follow it,” they said. “You have not passed this way before.”
The ark of the covenant was a special golden box. It showed that God was with his people. The people had to stay back, a long way behind the ark. Then everyone could see it and follow it.
Joshua told the people, “Tomorrow the LORD will do wonders among you.” Wonders are amazing things only God can do.
And God spoke to Joshua. “As I was with Moses, so I will be with you.” God’s people walked on dry ground. Long ago, at the Red Sea, God had made a dry path for them. Would God do it again?
Joshua said, “Come here, and hear the words of the LORD your God. By this you shall know that the living God is among you.”
The priests carried the ark down to the river. All the people followed. Step, step, step. Can you march like God’s people? The priests’ feet touched the edge of the water. Splash!
And the water stopped! Far, far up the river, the water stood up in a heap. It stood by a town called Adam – the same name as the first man! The river bed was dry.
The priests stood still in the middle of the river. They waited and waited. And all the people hurried across, from one side to the other. The whole nation – moms and dads, boys and girls – walked across. God’s people walked on dry ground.
The LORD told Joshua to choose twelve men. Each one was to take a stone from the middle of the river. So each man picked up a big stone and put it on his shoulder. Can you carry a heavy stone on your shoulder? Let’s count the stones! One, two, three, four, five, six. Seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve!
Then everyone was across. Joshua said to the priests, “Come up out of the Jordan!” The priests came up with the ark. Whoosh! The water came back. It filled the river again, all the way up to its banks.
That night they camped at a place called Gilgal. Joshua set up the twelve stones there. He said, “When your children ask, ‘What do these stones mean?’ Then you shall let your children know: Israel came over this Jordan on dry land.” God’s people walked on dry ground.
The stones helped them remember. “The LORD’s hand is mighty,” Joshua said. Mighty means very, very strong.
The LORD dried up the river, just as he dried up the Red Sea. God’s people walked on dry ground.
3. Talk together (3 min)
- How do you think the priests felt when they put their feet in the full river?
- If you saw the twelve stones, what question would you ask?
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 12 stones from the middle of the Jordan River.
6. Verse and prayer (2 min)
“As I was with Moses, so I will be with you” — Joshua 3:7 (as I was with Moses → point back behind you; so I will be with you → point to a friend, then hug yourself)
Dear God, thank you that you were with Moses and Joshua. Thank you that you are with me too. Amen.
Lesson for older kids (ages 6–10)
Big idea: God makes a way
Memory verse: “As I was with Moses, so I will be with you.” — Joshua 3:7 · WEB
The Bible story
God's people reach a deep, rushing river with no bridge in sight, but wait until you see what God does when the brave priests step into the water!
Talk about it
- Where did God's people stand at the start of the story? — Beside the Jordan River
- Why was crossing the river so hard? — It was flooded and very deep
- Who said, "Tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you"? — Joshua
- What holy box did the priests carry? — The Ark
- What did the priests have to do first? — Step into the river
- What happened when their feet touched the water? — The river stopped flowing
Where is Jesus in this story?
Joshua led God's people across the Jordan into the Promised Land, but the Bible says that land was not the final rest God had in mind. If Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about “another day” of rest (Hebrews 4:8–9). Jesus gives that deeper rest when He says, “Come to me... and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).
What God wants to tell us
When God's people faced a river they could never cross on their own, God opened a dry path just for them. God still makes a way when things feel too big or too scary. He keeps every single promise, and He is always with us, holding our hand each step of the way. We can trust Him, even when the water looks deep.
Prayer
Father God, thank You for keeping every promise You make. When things feel too big for me, help me to trust that You will make a way. Thank You for always being with me, wherever I go. Amen.
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