The Shunammite Woman’s Son 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 gives life.”
In a town called Shunem lived a kind woman and her husband. Elisha, God’s prophet, often walked by their house. Every time, the woman gave him a meal.
One day she talked with her husband. “See now, I perceive that this is a holy man of God. Let’s make a little room on the roof.” Perceive means to see and know. So they did. They put in a bed, a table, a chair, and a lamp. Let’s count them on our fingers: bed, table, chair, lamp!
Elisha came and rested in the little room. He was thankful. He wanted to do something kind for her. “What is to be done for you?” he asked. “I dwell among my own people,” she said. She meant: I have all I need here.
But the woman had no son, and her husband was old. So Elisha called her. “At this season next year, you will embrace a son,” he said. Embrace means to hug. Can you give yourself a big hug? The LORD gives life.
The woman said, “No, my lord, you man of God, do not lie to your servant.” It seemed too good to be true!
But it happened, just as Elisha said. A year later she had a baby boy! The LORD gives life.
The boy grew. One day he went out to the fields to his father. The workers were bringing in the grain. Suddenly the boy said, “My head! My head!” A servant carried him home to his mother. He sat on her lap until noon. And then he died.
His mother laid him on Elisha’s bed. She shut the door. Then she asked her husband for a donkey and a servant. “It’s all right,” she said.
She rode her donkey as fast as she could. “Drive, and go forward! Don’t slow down for me,” she told the servant. Clip-clop, clip-clop! She went all the way to Mount Carmel to find Elisha.
Elisha saw her coming from far away. She came and held on to Elisha’s feet. Elisha saw that her soul was troubled. Troubled means very sad and upset.
The mother said, “As the LORD lives, I will not leave you.” So Elisha got up and went with her.
Elisha came to her house. He went into the little room and shut the door. He prayed to the LORD. He lay down over the boy. And the boy’s body grew warm.
Then Elisha walked back and forth in the house. He stretched himself over the boy again. Then the boy sneezed seven times! Ah-choo! Let’s count the sneezes: one, two, three, four, five, six, seven! And the boy opened his eyes. The LORD gives life.
Elisha called the mother. “Take up your son,” he said. She bowed down low to the ground. Then she picked up her son and held him.
God had given her a son. And God had given him back to her. God is good, and he cares for every family. The LORD gives life.
3. Talk together (3 min)
- How do you think the mother felt when she saw her boy open his eyes?
- What would you put in a little room for a guest?
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)
The boy sneezed 7 times and opened his eyes! Color the 7 sneezes.
6. Verse and prayer (2 min)
“Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good” — Psalm 107:1 (Give thanks → hands together; to the LORD → point up; for he is good → thumbs up and a big smile)
Dear God, thank you for my life and for my family. You are good. Amen.
Lesson for older kids (ages 6–10)
Big idea: God sees our kindness
Memory verse: “Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his loving kindness endures forever.” — Psalm 107:1 · WEB
The Bible story
A kind woman builds a little room for God's helper, receives a wonderful surprise baby, and then sees God do something no one thought possible.
Talk about it
- In which town did the kind woman live? — Shunem
- Who was the prophet the woman invited for meals? — Elisha
- What special thing did the woman and her husband build? — A little rooftop room
- What did they put in the little room? — A bed, table, chair, and lamp
- What wonderful gift did Elisha say God would give her? — A baby son
- Where was the boy when his head began to hurt? — Out in the fields
Where is Jesus in this story?
Elisha prayed and stretched himself over the boy twice before he came back to life (2 Kings 4:33–35). Not far from Shunem, in the town of Nain, Jesus met a widow whose only son had died. Jesus simply said, “Young man, I say to you, get up!” and he sat up (Luke 7:14–15). Jesus has power over death itself.
What God wants to tell us
The Shunammite woman was kind for no reason except love, and God saw every gentle thing she did. When her heart was breaking, she still trusted God and did not give up hope. This story shows us that God cares about our families, notices our kindness, and is powerful enough to help even when things seem impossible. We can always bring our worries to God, just like she did.
Prayer
Dear God, thank You for loving families and for seeing every kind thing we do. Help me to be gentle and welcoming like the woman of Shunem. When I feel sad or scared, help me to trust You and never give up hope. Thank You that You are strong and full of love. Amen.
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