Jesus Walks on Water 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: “Jesus came, walking on the water.”
It had been a long, busy day. Jesus had fed a huge crowd of people. He used just five loaves and two fish! Now it was time to say good-bye.
Jesus told his friends to get into the boat. He told them to go ahead of him to the other side of the sea. Then Jesus sent the big crowd home.
Jesus went up on the mountain by himself to pray. Evening came. Jesus was there alone, talking with God, his Father. Up on the quiet mountain, Jesus prayed.
Out on the water, the boat was far from land. It was in the middle of the sea. The wind blew against the boat. Whoosh! The waves pushed and rocked it, up and down, up and down. Can you rock like a boat?
Night came, and it grew dark. Hour after hour, the wind kept blowing against them. Hour after hour, the waves kept rocking the boat. Maybe the friends were very tired.
Very early in the morning, it was still dark. It was the last part of the night. The sun was not up yet. Then Jesus came to them. He was walking on the sea! Jesus came, walking on the water.
His friends saw someone walking on the water. They were afraid. “It’s a ghost!” they said. And they cried out, because they were so scared.
But right away Jesus spoke to them. “Cheer up! It is I! Don’t be afraid.” Jesus came, walking on the water.
Peter said, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you.” Command means to tell someone what to do. What do you think Jesus said?
Jesus said, “Come!” So Peter stepped down out of the boat. His feet were on the water! He walked on the water toward Jesus. Step, step, step. Peter was walking on the water, just like Jesus! Can you walk with tiny steps, like Peter?
But then Peter looked at the wind. He saw how strong the wind was. He was afraid. He began to sink. Down, down, down! “Lord, save me!” he cried.
Right away Jesus stretched out his hand. He took hold of Peter. Can you reach out your hand, like Jesus?
Jesus said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” Doubt means not being sure. Faith means trusting Jesus.
Then Jesus and Peter got up into the boat together. And the wind stopped. No more whoosh. No more big waves. All was still. Jesus came, walking on the water.
The friends in the boat came to Jesus. They bowed down and worshiped him. To worship means to show God how great and good he is. “You are truly the Son of God!” they said. The wind was gone, and Jesus was with them in the boat. Everyone in the boat was safe.
Jesus is Lord over the wind and the waves. Even in the dark of night, he is near, ready to reach out his hand. Jesus came, walking on the water.
3. Talk together (3 min)
- How do you think Peter felt when he stepped out onto the water?
- What do you think the friends said to each other when the wind stopped?
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)
Draw a line to who said it.
6. Verse and prayer (2 min)
“Cheer up! It is I! Don’t be afraid.” — Matthew 14:27 (Cheer up → big smile and thumbs up; It is I → point to yourself; Don’t be afraid → hand on your heart)
Dear Jesus, thank you that you took Peter’s hand when he was afraid. Thank you that you are with me too. Amen.
Lesson for older kids (ages 6–10)
Big idea: Jesus is with us in every storm
Memory verse: “Cheer up! It is I! Don't be afraid.” — Matthew 14:27 · WEB
The Bible story
When a scary storm rocks the disciples' little boat at night, Jesus does something no one expected. He walks right across the water to help His frightened friends!
Talk about it
- Where did Jesus go while His friends sailed across the lake? — Up a mountainside to pray
- What made the trip across the lake so hard? — Strong wind and big waves
- When did Jesus come to them on the water? — Very early, before sunrise
- What did the friends see coming toward them on the water? — Someone walking on the water
- What did the frightened disciples first think they saw? — A ghost
- What kind words did Jesus call across the waves? — "Take courage! It is I."
Where is Jesus in this story?
When Jesus walked across the stormy water and calmed the wind, His friends saw that He was no ordinary man. Only God can rule the wind and the waves! This story shows us that Jesus is the Son of God, full of power and full of love. Just as He reached out to save Peter from sinking, Jesus reaches out to rescue us too. He is our helper who is always near, ready to catch us and carry us safely home.
What God wants to tell us
Sometimes our lives feel like that stormy lake, with scary winds and big worries pushing us about. But this story shows us that Jesus is never far away. He comes to us right in the middle of hard times, saying, "Don't be afraid." When Peter began to sink, Jesus caught him straight away with His strong hand. God does the same for us. When we feel frightened or unsure, we can call out to Him, keep our eyes on Him, and trust that He is holding us safe and close.
Prayer
Loving God, thank You for being with me even when things feel scary and stormy. When I am frightened or worried, help me to remember that You are always close. Please hold my hand like You held Peter's, and help me to keep my eyes on You. Thank You for loving me and keeping me safe. Amen.
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