How to Explain the Parable of the Sower to Children
Jesus spent much of His ministry teaching people through stories. The Bible contains many of His stories, called parables, which explain heavenly principles using earthly objects. The Parable of the Sower tells the story of a farmer scattering seeds onto different types of soil. Children can easily understand that the soils representative of the condition of people's hearts, when the teacher uses words they are familiar with.
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Things You'll Need
- Bible
- Clear plastic cups
- Potting soil
- Hard-packed dirt
- Rocky dirt
- Segment of a thorny bush or rose stem
- Picture story Bible (optional)
Instructions
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Pre-read the Parable of the Sower, found in Matthew 13:1-23 in the Bible. Be very familiar with the story so you will be prepared for any questions a child may ask.
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Prepare soil samples so children can visually appreciate the types of soil Jesus was describing. The KIDSunday School Place website suggests placing potting soil into one plastic cup, hard-packed dirt into a second, rocky soil into a third and a piece of a thorny bush or rose stem into the fourth cup.
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Read the parable aloud from the Bible or a picture story Bible to the children. As you read the story, show the children each type of soil. Pass around the cup and allow the children to feel each soil.
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Explain to the children that the soil represents the condition of our hearts. The hard-packed dirt is like a person who does not understand God's Word. The rocky soil represents individuals who accept Biblical truth initially, but quickly fall back into their old lifestyles. The thorns are like the worries and anxieties in life that choke the faith of a new believer. The potting soil represents a healthy heart that is ready to accept and be nourished by the Word of God.
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Tips & Warnings
If time permits, allow children to plant seeds into each plastic cup. In the following weeks, the children can monitor the seeds, discerning which type of soil is more beneficial for seedlings.
Very young children may have trouble understanding the Parable of the Sower.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit tilled field image by Niki from Fotolia.com
