3 Last-Minute Children's Ministry Lesson Plans
There are plenty of reasons why having a few last-minute children's ministry lesson plans on hand is beneficial. You may still need to order the next curriculum, or perhaps the volunteer who planned to lead got sick, and their plans for teaching are MIA.
Whatever the reasons that come up from time to time, having some extra lessons on hand can prove to be very useful. You can write a few lesson plans, download some free ones here, or use some Bible lesson ideas!
Table of Contents
3 Last-Minute Children's Ministry Lesson Plans
Lesson Idea: God Wears Many Hats!
Main Point & Summary
God is the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Sometimes we get caught up in looking at God in just one way. Maybe you see God as powerful and holy, someone you respect but feel distant from. Maybe you see God as loving and forgiving, someone you can call a friend. Perhaps you see God as always with you, who gives you wisdom and shows you where to go. He is 3 in one and can wear all the hats that we need Him to!
Memory Verse
"But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you."
Wearing Different Hats Object Lesson
Bring in a variety of hats. The expression "wearing different hats" means different responsibilities that you have. Talk about the different types of hats people wear: Chefs, baseball players, presidents, and even people who don't wear a "hat."
Tell the kids how God wears many hats. He is our Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit all in one. He is perfect and holy, yet forgiving and patient. He is strong and mighty, yet is the Prince of Peace.
Hat Hot Potato Game
Hats (1 per child)
Object
Music & music player
Play a game with the hats. Give each person a hat to hold, and have the kids sit in a circle. Then, ask them to put the hat in front of them, facing upside-down.
After this, pass a small object around the room and have the kids pass it from hat to hat, using the hat to drop the object into the next person's hat. Be sure to turn on some music and continue this like the game of hot potato. Whoever has the object when the music is turned off is out. Ask them to move out of the circle each time a kid gets out.
Continue and have kids move closer and closer until there is just one winner with the object in their hat.
Children's Ministry Lesson
Ask a volunteer to come up and see how many hats they can stack on their head before they all fall. Talk about how, as humans, we have difficulty wearing too many hats, but God does not have a hard time with this. For example, someone could be a mom, a wife, and a teacher, but if they add too many other responsibilities to this, they will end up crashing!
God is the Father who created us, the Son who forgives us for our sins, and the Spirit who gives us wisdom and helps us daily. A mistake we often make is thinking that God wears just one or two hats. We might think God is holy and perfect, and because of that, he does not want to be near us, the sinners. God is perfect and can't be with sin, but that doesn't stop Him from wearing another hat. He sent His Son, Jesus, to come down and defeat sin so that we no longer need to be separated from Him.
So, although God IS PERFECT and was separated from us because of our sins, He is also LOVING and FORGIVING and made a way for us to have a relationship with Him again.
Lastly, read John 14:26. God works together with Jesus and the Holy Spirit so that we can be united with Him!
Paper Hat Craft
Construction paper
Scissors
Stapler
Glue
Stickers, pompoms, confetti, sequins, etc.
- Instruct kids to make a hat out of construction paper. Have them turn their paper horizontally and draw a line across the center from left to right.
- Then, ask them to cut strips from the top of their page until they get to the line and stop. They can do straight cuts, zig-zags, wavy cuts, thin cuts, thick cuts, and all sorts of cuts.
- Finally, put the hat around their head to size it, remove it from their head, and staple it for them.
- Allow them to add decorations to their hat, such as stickers, pompoms, and sequins.
Suggested Resources
Lesson Idea: Designed & Created
Main Point & Summary
In the beginning, God created the universe, and He created us.
We were designed and created. It takes a creator to make everything connected and well-designed! The animals, the plants, and each atom and cell are all made with a purpose. Everything is connected with a designed purpose, and nothing would exist without a creator like God.
Memory Verse
"You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being."
House Plant Object Lesson
Using a house plant, explain how God created everything with a purpose. The plant needs the sun and the rain to grow. God created the sun and the clouds to rain. Humans need the air to breathe. Plants make oxygen for us to breathe. Everything God created is part of his perfect design.
Marco Polo Game
Blindfold
Play a large game of Marco Polo. Have a few be blindfolded and call out "Marco," while the other kids must answer "Polo" even if they are nearby. Once the kids have tagged someone, they get to take off their blindfold, and the person tagged is now it. Ask the kids at the end of the game how it felt to be in the dark. One remarkable thing is that God created light!
Children's Ministry Lesson
Hold up your hand with nothing in it and show it to the kids. Then, ask them what's in your hand, and tell them that God was able to create everything from nothing. We can create things, but we need a foundation to build on. We need clay to make a pot. We need crayons to draw a picture. God created the universe!
Some people try to say that the Earth and everything in it were just an accident. Just a big bang that happened, and it all appeared. But this can't be true because everything is designed to work so well. People's hearts pump blood into their veins, their brains help them walk and talk, and their lungs help them breathe. Without just one of these things, a person could not live.
Lastly, read Revelation 4:11. In the beginning, God created the universe and the world, and He created us!
Clay Craft
Air-dry clay
Tell the kids, "Once God created the world, there was dust and dirt. God took the dust and created man out of it." Ask the kids to use clay to create something. Some examples could be a pot, an animal, or a person.
Suggested Resources
Lesson Idea: Replace Fear with Prayer!
Main Point & Summary
When you're afraid, pray!
We don't have to be anxious whenever we feel afraid. God promises to give us peace if we go to Him with our fears.
Memory Verse
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
Light Switch Object Lesson
Using the light switch, turn off the light. Ask the kids if anyone is afraid of the dark. Ask the kids what they do when they are scared. Tell them how worrying accomplishes nothing. Tell them that there is one thing that works - praying!
Hide & Seek Game
Play a game of hide and seek with several seekers. When they find someone, they have to come out and stand in the middle of the room. Once everyone is found, play another round with other seekers.
Ask the kids, "When you are alone, does that make you afraid?" Remind kids that God is always with them and they can talk to God when they feel afraid by praying to Him.
Children's Ministry Lesson
Give an example of something that makes you feel afraid. Talk about how God loves us, and He never leaves us. We can pray anytime, and He is listening.
God doesn't tell us, "Just stop worrying." Instead, He gives us something to do instead of worrying. He tells us to pray to Him, and He will provide us with peace!
Lastly, read Philippians 4:6-7.
The closer our relationship is with God, the more we will have peace because we will learn to trust Him! Talk to God; that is how you will get to know Him!
Prayer Box Craft
Small cardboard boxes (1 for each kid)
Index cards or paper squares
Markers, crayons, stickers, etc. to decorate
Decorate small boxes or index cards where kids can write their fears and prayers, tying into Philippians 4:6–7.
Suggested Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I explain God’s creation to children in a simple way?
Find an object lesson to help: Use everyday objects like a houseplant to illustrate how everything was created with a purpose (e.g., plants need sunlight, people need oxygen).
Relate to their senses and experiences: Ask questions like “Who made the sun?” or “Why do we need trees?” to prompt wonder and discussion.
Emphasize the intentionality of design by explaining how our bodies, nature, and animals all work together as part of God's thoughtful plan (Revelation 4:11 is a helpful verse).
How can I adapt last-minute lessons for different age groups (e.g., preschool vs. preteen)?
Preschoolers: Focus on simple truths and repetition; use songs, motions, and visuals to reinforce a single concept (e.g., “God made me”).
Elementary kids: Engage through object lessons, crafts, and games that allow participation and ask basic comprehension questions.
Preteens: Invite discussion and more profound reflection; let them lead parts of the activity, explore why behind the Bible truths, and connect application to real-life scenarios.
How do I make sure substitute teachers or volunteers understand the lesson quickly?
Provide a one-page summary with the main point, verse, activity outline, and time estimates—they don’t need the full curriculum in a pinch. Include a visual or prop prompt (e.g., the hat for Trinity or a plant for creation) so they can immediately anchor their storytelling.
Leave a simple instruction checklist for transitions (e.g., “Start with game → read verse → discuss → do craft”) so pacing and flow stay manageable.
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