Teaching Obedience to Preschoolers

Definition: Doing what you are told, right away, and with a happy heart without being reminded.
Opposite: Defiant, rebelling

Bible Stories and Books on Obedience:

Bible Story: Shadrach, Meshach, & Abednego
Objective: Obedience to God no matter what
Scripture: Daniel 3
The Beginner's Bible: pg 247
My Story Bible: pg 54-55
Through the Bible in Felt: pg 139-140

Bible Story: Jonah
Scripture: Jonah 1:1-3:10
The New Bible in Pictures for Little Eyes: pg 224-229
The Beginner's Bible: pg 257-264
My Story Bible: pg 52-53
Through the Bible in Felt: pg 176-177

Mrs. Rosey Posey and the Fine China Plate - Part of the "I Can Read with Help" series, learn how parents set rules to help you stay away from sin.

God I Need to Talk to You About Laziness God, I Need to Talk to You About Laziness

Big Thoughts for Little People: Letter M

Bible Verse on Obedience:

James 1:22 (NLT) - But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says.

Tune: London Bridges
Don't just listen to God's Word. (shake head, point to ear, make book with hands)
To God's Word, to God's Word.
You must do-- what it says. (point, shout "What is says")
James one twenty-two. (make book with hands, one finger, two fingers)

Bible Songs on Obedience:

- Trust and Obey (Traditional)
Trust and obey (march in place and then salute)
For there's no other way (cross arms in front of body)
To be happy in Jesus (move fingers to make happy smile at mouth)
But to trust and obey (march in place and then salute)

- When God Says Obey
Tune of "If You're Happy and Your Know It"
When God says obey, say "Yes, Sir!" (Yes, Sir)
When God says obey, say "Yes, Sir!" (Yes, Sir)
When God says obey just do it right away
When God says obey, say "Yes, Sir!" (Yes, Sir)

- Patch the Pirate “ Kidnapped on I-Land ” CD - The story is about a boy names Silas who wants what he wants! Being selfish, Silas takes a trip to I-Land where he learns firsthand about Jesus' unselfish love. This CD is for elementary-age children.

Obedience Activities:

- I will Obey! Craft Paint "fire" on a piece of paper using red, orange, and yellow paint. Add the title "I Will Obey." (image by jamie)

- Fire Crayons Make Fiery Crayons (Unknown Source)
Gather old red, yellow, and orange crayons. Remove the paper and break the crayons into small pieces. Fill muffin tin cups halfway full with a mixture of the broken crayons. Place the crayons in a 250 degree oven and wait. Because various brands of crayons are made of different ingredients, melting times will vary. Once the crayons are totally melted, remove the tin from the oven. Use a toothpick to swirl the colors together and then allow the crayons to cool. The crayon material contracts as it gets cold making the new crayons easy to pop out of the muffin tin. Read more ...

- Print the black and white " I Will Obey " poster. Use as a coloring sheet and glue on "O's" - fruit loops or Cheerios.

- Play "Simon Says" to coincide with the obedience theme.

- Glue two circles onto a craft stick - one with a happy face and one with a sad face. Give various scenarios and have the child decide whether the situation demonstrates a good choices or a bad choice. Show the happy face for "good choices" and the sad face for "bad choices." Explain that Jesus is happy when we obey. It makes Jesus sad when we choose to not obey. Allow the child to create his own scenarios.

- Red Light, Yellow Light, Green Light ( Source unknown )
Use the following signs for each word:
Stop - hold arm straight out in front with palm lifted
Wait - wiggle all fingers out in front
Go - move one arm across the front of the body

Create a scenario and ask the child to choose whether it is best to stop, wait, or go. Have the child "tell" you with hand motions rather than her voice. Focus on activities that involve obedience and respect.
- Walking to a curb on a busy street (stop)
- Needing a drink at the water fountain but others are already in line (wait)
- You mom tells you to come and help set the table (go)

Beautiful Feet Craft Activity Paint the bottom of the child's feet. On a large piece of paper have the child create foot prints. Add the title, "Beautiful Feet." Discuss how our feet are beautiful when they are obeying.

- Play "Mother May I?" to practice obedience. Choose one player to be the "mother/father." Line the rest of the players arm-length apart on the opposite side of the room. The children will take turns asking "Mother/Father, may I ____?". For example, "Mother/Father, may I take five steps forward?" The mother/father either replies "Yes, you may" or "No, you may not do that, but you may _____ instead" and inserts his/her own suggestion. The players usually move closer to the mother/father but are sometimes led further away. Even if the mother/father makes an unfavorable suggestion, the child must still perform it. The first player to reach the location of the mother/father wins the game. Following the game, discuss how it is hard to do something we don't want to do. But by obeying and doing it right away we show our parents and God that we love them.