The Ten Bridesmaids 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: “Keep watch! The bridegroom is coming!”
Jesus told a story about a wedding. Long ago, a wedding often began at night. The bridegroom came to get his bride. The bridegroom is the man who is getting married. Then everyone walked with him to the wedding feast. Their lights shone in the dark.
Ten young women went out to meet the bridegroom. Each one had her lamp. Ten lamps – ten little lights in the night! A lamp is a little light that burns oil. You pour in the oil, and a little flame burns on top.
Five of them were wise. Five of them were foolish. Wise means they thought ahead. Foolish means they did not. Can you count to ten on your fingers? Five on this hand, five on that hand!
The wise ones took extra oil with them, in little jars. The foolish ones took no oil with them. Keep watch! The bridegroom is coming!
But the bridegroom did not come for a long time. They waited and waited. They all got sleepy. Can you yawn a big, sleepy yawn? Then they all fell asleep. Shhh.
At midnight – in the middle of the night – there was a cry: “Behold! The bridegroom is coming! Come out to meet him!” Behold means: Look! Keep watch! The bridegroom is coming!
All ten woke up. They got their lamps ready. They trimmed their lamps. That means they got them ready, so the flames would burn bright. Can you wiggle your finger like a little flame?
But the lamps of the foolish ones were going out. The foolish ones said, “Give us some of your oil. Our lamps are going out.”
The wise ones said, “What if there isn’t enough for us and you? Go to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.” Maybe there was not enough oil for all ten lamps. So the foolish ones hurried away to buy oil. It was the middle of the night! Keep watch! The bridegroom is coming!
While they were away, the bridegroom came! The five who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast. Inside there was light, and good food, and joy. And the door was shut.
Later, the other five came back. They called, “Lord, Lord, open to us.” But the door stayed shut. They had come too late.
Jesus said, “Watch therefore. You don’t know the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.” The Son of Man is Jesus. Watch means: be ready!
Jesus went back to heaven. But he promised to come again one day. Will it be in the morning? Will it be at night? Nobody knows the day. Nobody knows the hour. But he will come.
Jesus will come again one day. It will be a happy day, like a big wedding feast. Keep watch! The bridegroom is coming!
3. Talk together (3 min)
- How do you think the young women felt when they heard the cry at midnight?
- What would you bring with you if you had to wait a long time in the dark?
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 10 lamps: 5 bright lamps for the wise ones and 5 dark lamps for the foolish ones.
6. Verse and prayer (2 min)
“Watch therefore, for you don’t know the day nor the hour” — Matthew 25:13 (Watch → put your hand over your eyes and look around; you don’t know → shrug your shoulders; the day nor the hour → tap your wrist like a watch)
Dear Jesus, thank you that you will come again one day. I am glad you are coming. Amen.
Lesson for older kids (ages 6–10)
Big idea: Be Ready and Keep Shining
Memory verse: “Watch therefore, for you don't know the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.” — Matthew 25:13 · WEB
The Bible story
Ten bridesmaids wait in the dark for a wedding, but only some keep their lamps ready — will they all be shining bright when the bridegroom finally comes?
Talk about it
- What were the ten bridesmaids waiting for? — A wedding feast
- What did each bridesmaid take with her? — A lamp
- How many bridesmaids were wise, and how many were foolish? — Five and five
- What did the wise bridesmaids bring extra of? — Extra oil
- Why did all the bridesmaids fall asleep? — The bridegroom was late
- What woke the bridesmaids at midnight? — A shout in the night
Where is Jesus in this story?
In this story, the bridegroom is a beautiful picture of Jesus. He has promised to come back one day for everyone who loves Him, just as the bridegroom came for his wedding party. Jesus doesn't want us to be caught by surprise or feel left out. He loves us so much that He tells us ahead of time to keep our lamps burning, so that when He comes we can run to meet Him and celebrate together forever.
What God wants to tell us
Jesus tells us to always be ready for Him, like the bridesmaids who kept their lamps full and bright. Being ready doesn't mean being perfect — it means loving God every day, talking to Him in prayer, and letting our kindness shine so others can see His light. When we keep our hearts full of God's love, we never have to worry, because we are ready to welcome Him with joy whenever He comes.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank You for loving me and for promising to come back one day. Please help me keep my heart ready and shining bright, full of Your love. Help me to pray, to be kind, and to wait for You with a happy heart. I want to be ready to welcome You. Amen.
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