Lois and Eunice — A Faith Passed Down 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: “First Grandma Lois, then Mom Eunice, then Timothy!”
Paul was in prison, far away. He thought about his young friend Timothy. He wanted very much to see him. So he wrote Timothy a letter. “To Timothy, my beloved child,” he wrote. Beloved means very, very loved.
Years before, Paul had met Timothy in a town called Lystra. Timothy’s mother was Jewish, and she believed in Jesus. His father was Greek. Everyone in Lystra and in the next town said good things about Timothy. So Timothy went with Paul to help him.
Paul began by thanking God. He wrote that he prayed for Timothy night and day. He remembered Timothy’s tears. He longed to see him again. Seeing Timothy would fill Paul with joy.
Paul also thought about Timothy’s family. Timothy’s grandmother was named Lois. His mother was named Eunice. They both had a true faith in God. Their faith was real, deep down in their hearts.
Paul wrote that this faith lived first in Grandma Lois. Then it lived in Mom Eunice. And now Paul was sure it lived in Timothy too! First Grandma Lois, then Mom Eunice, then Timothy!
Let’s count them on our fingers: Lois, Eunice, Timothy. One, two, three! Three people who trusted God. A grandma, a mom, and a boy.
How did the faith go from one to the next? Paul tells us in his letter. Even when Timothy was a tiny baby, he heard God’s words. From infancy he knew the holy Scriptures. Infancy means being a baby. The Scriptures are God’s words, written down.
Paul reminded Timothy that he knew who had taught him. Many Bible teachers think it was Grandma Lois and Mom Eunice. Maybe they read God’s words to him every day. The Bible does not tell us how. First Grandma Lois, then Mom Eunice, then Timothy!
Paul wrote that the Scriptures make us wise. They show us how to be saved, through faith in Jesus.
Paul wrote about a gift God had given Timothy. Paul had put his hands on Timothy and prayed for him. Now Paul wrote, “stir up the gift of God which is in you.” That is like blowing on a little fire, so that it glows bright again. Can you blow very gently, like on a little fire? Whoo!
Then Paul wrote, “God didn’t give us a spirit of fear. But of power, love, and self-control.” Can you show strong arms for power? Give yourself a hug for love. Now fold your hands and stay very still. That is self-control!
Paul told Timothy not to be ashamed to tell about Jesus. God would give him strength, even when things were hard. First Grandma Lois, then Mom Eunice, then Timothy!
Grandma Lois loved God. Mom Eunice loved God. And little Timothy grew up loving God too. Now Timothy could tell others about Jesus.
God’s love was passed on, from heart to heart. It was like a little light, passed from hand to hand. First Grandma Lois, then Mom Eunice, then Timothy!
3. Talk together (3 min)
- Who in your family tells you about God?
- What do you think Lois and Eunice told little Timothy?
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 people who had faith in God: Grandma Lois, Mom Eunice, and Timothy.
6. Verse and prayer (2 min)
“Which lived first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice” — 2 Timothy 1:5 (lived first → hand on your heart; your grandmother Lois → hold up one finger; your mother Eunice → hold up two fingers)
Dear God, thank you for the people who tell me about you. Thank you for my family. Amen.
Lesson for older kids (ages 6–10)
Big idea: Faith Is a Gift We Share
Memory verse: “The sincere faith that is in you, which lived first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, in you also.” — 2 Timothy 1:5 · WEB
The Bible story
Meet Timothy, whose grandmother Lois and mother Eunice passed their love for God down through the years, a gentle faith glowing bright as a candle.
Talk about it
- What was the name of the boy in the story? — Timothy
- What was the name of Timothy's grandmother? — Lois
- What was the name of Timothy's mother? — Eunice
- In whom did this faith live first? — Grandmother Lois
- What did Timothy know from when he was a little child? — The holy Scriptures
- What kind of faith did Paul see in Timothy? — A real, true faith
Where is Jesus in this story?
Paul reminded Timothy that from the time he was a little child he had known the Holy Scriptures, which “are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:15). Lois and Eunice taught him God's Word, and that Word led him to Jesus. The Bible stories you learn now can lead you to Him too.
What God wants to tell us
God loves to see faith passed from one caring heart to another. Lois shared her trust in God with Eunice, and together they shared it with little Timothy. You can share God's love too, with a kind word, a helping hand, or a story about Him. Every time you do, you help God's light shine a little brighter in the world.
Prayer
Thank You, God, for the people who teach me about You, like grandmas, moms, dads and friends. Help me to trust You with all my heart, and to share Your love with others so Your light keeps shining. Amen.
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