King Josiah Pre-K-2 Lesson

Kids' Corner Pre-K - 2 Children's Church / Sunday School Lesson

Title: King Josiah: A Young Leader Who Followed God

Verse: 2 Kings 22:1-2, “Josiah was eight years old when he became king… He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and followed completely the ways of his father David, not turning aside to the right or to the left.”

Objective: Kids will discover the story of young King Josiah. They will understand how Josiah loved God, showed his love through his actions, and led others to do the same. Kids will learn that no matter how young they are, they can love and follow God, too!

Spark

Follow the Leader

Directions: Have the kids line up behind you. Play a short game where they must mimic your actions (e.g., hopping on one foot, clapping hands, marching). Focus heavily on following the directions and actions of the leader. If time permits, let one or two of the kids take turns being the leader.

Transition: Great job following the leader, everyone! You know, following a leader is really important. Did you know the Bible tells us about a real king who was a great follower? His name was King Josiah! The Bible says there was never another king like him before or after. He loved God so much that he followed Him with all his heart, all his soul, and all his strength! (Touch your chest, raise your hands, and flex your muscles!)

Scripture

Read: Open your Bible to 2 Kings 22:1-2 and read the verse aloud to the children.

Explain:

This great king's name was Josiah, which means whom Jehovah heals. He was the King of all Judah, a land with hundreds of thousands of people (~380,000)! (Hold up your map here so they can see the land).
It's easy to think a king just wears a shiny crown and sits on a fancy chair.
- Ask: "What do you think kings do?" (Allow for answers — explain that a king is a leader, a protector, and a rule-maker for a whole country.)
- "How old do you think Josiah was when he became King?" (Let the kids guess– He was only 8 years old! How many of you are close to 8…)
God chose Josiah to be king at 8 years old, and guess what? God chooses you too! The Bible says you are chosen and royal (1 Peter 2:9). King Josiah showed he loved God by his actions: he read the Bible to the people, got rid of things God didn't like, and cleaned up God's temple. Even though you are young, you can be leaders today by choosing to do what is right and following God!

Ask:

What are ways we can show that we love God? (Examples: listening to parents, sharing toys, being kind, etc.).
How can we lead others to follow God? (By doing those things! Our actions show God's love to our friends and family, just like Josiah showed his love by cleaning the temple. He didn’t only say words with his mouth – his actions matched.).

Give the kids time to share one thing they will do this week to show love to God at home.

Activity

Craft: "Faithful to God" Banner

To see an example of this craft go to Kids’ Corner Pinterest

Live

Say: “God is calling me to follow Him with all my heart and lead others to do the same.”

Prayer Focus: Thank the Lord that He is the King of Kings – thank Him that He chose us to love and follow Him. Tell Him that you will show your love for Him.

Materials / Supplies Needed: