The Weeds Among the Wheat 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 farmer waited for the harvest.”
Jesus sat by the big lake. Many, many people came to hear him. So Jesus got into a boat and sat down. All the people stood on the beach. Jesus told them stories. In those days, many people were farmers. They knew all about seeds and fields. Here is one of Jesus’ stories.
A man sowed good seed in his field. It was wheat seed. Wheat is a plant that gives grain for bread. Can you scatter seeds with your hand? Sprinkle, sprinkle!
But while people slept, his enemy came. He sowed darnel weeds among the wheat. Then he went away. Shhh! Nobody saw him.
Darnel is a weed that looks a lot like wheat when it is small. You can hardly tell them apart!
The plants grew up tall. The wheat made its grain. And then the weeds could be seen too. They were right in the middle of the wheat!
The servants came to the man. “Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field?” they asked. “Where did these darnel weeds come from?” The man said, “An enemy has done this.”
“Do you want us to go and gather them up?” the servants asked. What do you think the man said?
The man said no. If they pulled up the weeds, they might pull up the wheat too. The roots were all mixed together. The man said, “Let both grow together until the harvest.” The farmer waited for the harvest.
So the wheat and the weeds grew on, side by side, until harvest time.
The harvest is when the grain is ready. Then the workers cut it and bring it in. The man said what would happen at harvest time. The weeds would be tied in bundles to burn. “But gather the wheat into my barn,” he said. The farmer waited for the harvest.
Later, Jesus sent the crowds away and went into a house. His friends came to him. They said, “Explain to us the parable.” A parable is a story Jesus told.
Jesus said, “He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man.” The Son of Man is a name Jesus used for himself. So Jesus is the one who plants the good seed!
Jesus said, “The field is the world.” He said the good seeds are the children of God’s Kingdom. He said the harvest is the end of this time. And the workers who bring in the harvest are angels. The farmer waited for the harvest.
Jesus also said this. “Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the Kingdom of their Father.” Can you shine your biggest smile, like the sun?
Jesus said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” Can you touch your ears? That means: listen well!
God is patient like the farmer. And he will gather his people in, like wheat into his barn. The farmer waited for the harvest.
3. Talk together (3 min)
- How do you think the servants felt when they saw the weeds?
- Why do you think the farmer wanted to wait?
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)
“Let both grow together until the harvest” — Matthew 13:30 (Let both grow → crouch down, then slowly grow up tall; together → hold hands with someone; until the harvest → pretend to cut wheat)
Dear God, thank you that you know your people. Thank you that one day you will gather them in, like wheat into your barn. Amen.
Lesson for older kids (ages 6–10)
Big idea: God is patient and wise
Memory verse: “Let both grow together until the harvest.” — Matthew 13:30 · WEB
The Bible story
A farmer plants good seed, but a sneaky enemy sows weeds in the dark. Should the workers pull them up now? Jesus shares a gentle, hopeful surprise.
Talk about it
- Who sows the good seed, Jesus explained? — Jesus Himself
- What kind of seed did the farmer plant? — Good seed
- Who told the owner about the weeds? — His servants
- Who came while everyone was asleep? — A sneaky enemy
- What did the enemy scatter in the field? — Weed seeds
- What grew up beside the good wheat? — Prickly weeds
Where is Jesus in this story?
When the disciples asked about this story, Jesus explained that the farmer who plants the good seed is the Son of Man, which was his name for himself (Matthew 13:37). The good seed are people who belong to God's kingdom. Jesus promised that at the harvest God's people will “shine like the sun” in their Father's kingdom (Matthew 13:43). That includes everyone who trusts him.
What God wants to tell us
Sometimes the world has good things and bad things all mixed up together, and it can feel confusing. But this story reminds us that God sees everything clearly, even when we cannot. He is patient and never rushes. He is wise and gentle, and He promises that one day He will sort everything out and make it all right. We can trust Him and keep growing strong and good, like the golden wheat.
Prayer
Dear God, thank You that You are patient and wise. When the world feels mixed up, help me to trust that You see everything and will make it right. Help me to grow strong and good like the golden wheat, and to be kind while I wait for You. Amen.
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