The Wise Men Follow the Star 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: “They came to worship the King.”
Baby Jesus was born in a little town called Bethlehem. Far away in the east lived some wise men. Wise men are people who know and study many things.
One day the wise men saw a new star in the sky. They knew it was the star of a new King! Can you make your fingers twinkle like a star? Twinkle, twinkle!
So the wise men set out on a long, long trip. They went on and on, day after day. They came to worship the King. To worship means to bow down and honor him.
First they came to the big city of Jerusalem. They asked, “Where is he who is born King of the Jews? For we saw his star in the east, and have come to worship him.” They came to worship the King.
King Herod heard it. Herod was the king in Jerusalem. He was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. Troubled means upset and worried.
Herod called the chief priests and the teachers of God’s law. He asked them where the Christ would be born. The Christ is the King God had promised to send.
They said, “In Bethlehem of Judea.” A prophet had written it down long before. A prophet is someone who tells God’s words. “Out of you shall come a governor who shall shepherd my people, Israel.”
A governor is a leader. A shepherd takes good care of his sheep. He feeds them and keeps them safe. This King would take care of God’s people like that.
Then Herod called the wise men in secret. He asked them when the star first came in the sky. “Go and search for the young child,” he said. “When you have found him, bring me word, so that I also may come and worship him.” But Herod was not telling the truth.
The wise men went on their way to Bethlehem. And look! The star they had seen in the east went ahead of them. On and on it went. Can you guess where the star stopped?
It stopped right over the place where the child was! The wise men were filled with great, great joy! They came to worship the King.
They went into the house. There was the young child with Mary, his mother. The wise men bowed down low. Can you bow down low like the wise men? They came to worship the King.
Then they opened their treasures. They gave Jesus gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Gold is shiny and very precious. Frankincense and myrrh are sweet-smelling treasures. Let’s count the gifts: one, two, three!
Then the wise men had a dream. In the dream they were warned: don’t go back to Herod.
So they did not go back to Herod. They did not tell him where the child was. They went home to their own country another way.
The wise men had found the King. They had seen him with their own eyes. God had led them all the way to Jesus. They came to worship the King.
3. Talk together (3 min)
- What do you think the wise men talked about on their long trip?
- How do you think the wise men felt when the star stopped over the house?
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 gifts and the 1 bright star.
6. Verse and prayer (2 min)
“For we saw his star in the east” — Matthew 2:2 (we saw → hand over your eyes; his star → twinkle your fingers up high; in the east → point far away)
Dear God, thank you for sending Jesus, the King. Thank you for leading the wise men to him. Amen.
Lesson for older kids (ages 6–10)
Big idea: God Leads Us to Jesus
Memory verse: “Where is he who is born King of the Jews? For we saw his star in the east, and have come to worship him.” — Matthew 2:2 · WEB
The Bible story
Follow the wise men on their long journey from the East as a bright new star shows the way to the young child Jesus, and see the precious gifts they bring to worship the King.
Talk about it
- Where did the wise men come from? — Far away in the East
- What did the wise men see shining in the night sky? — A brand-new star
- Where did the wise men find the child Jesus? — In a house
- Which busy city did the wise men come to first? — Jerusalem
- How did King Herod feel about a new king? — Troubled and jealous
- Where did the teachers say the baby king would be born? — Bethlehem
Where is Jesus in this story?
The wise men traveled from far away in the east to worship a Jewish baby King. Jesus later said, “Many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham” (Matthew 8:11). The wise men were among the first of that great crowd. Jesus came for every nation, so whoever and wherever you are, you are welcome too.
What God wants to tell us
God placed a special star in the sky to lead the wise men all the way to Jesus. When we look for God with our whole heart, He gently helps us find our way too. God is delighted when we bring Him our very best, just as the wise men offered their finest gifts. No matter how far away we feel, God is always guiding us with love toward His Son.
Prayer
Dear Lord, thank You for the bright star that led the wise men to Jesus. Please guide me to You every day and help me bring You my very best. Thank You for loving me and always showing me the way. Amen.
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