Free Gospel-Centered Sunday School Curriculum
for Elementary Kids

Download biblically sound, Christ-centered lesson plans built for immediate use.

God Gives the Ten Commandments to Moses
(Exodus 20:1-17)

After God led the Israelites out of Egypt and through the Red Sea, He brought them to the base of a Great Mountain called Mount Sinai. The mountain was covered in thick clouds, smoke, and even fire because the glory of God had come down to talk to His people. While the people stayed below, God called Moses to the top. There, God spoke clear words so everyone could hear how they should live as His special family. He gave them God's laws to protect them and show them how to love Him and love others.

God shared ten very important instructions. First, He told them to have no other gods before Him. Second, they were not to make or worship any idols or statues. Third, they must always use God's name with great respect and love. Fourth, they were to keep the Sabbath day holy as a special day of rest. These first four rules show us how to love God with all our hearts.

The next rules show us how to love our neighbors. The fifth is to honor your father and mother. The sixth is do not murder or hurt others. The seventh is to keep your promises in marriage. The eighth is do not steal. The ninth is do not tell lies about others. Finally, the tenth is do not be jealous of what other people have. These Ten Commandments were not just rules to be mean, they were a beautiful gift to show the world what God is like. Just as a compass helps a traveler find their way, these laws were meant to guide the Israelites in God's plan for a holy life.

A Curious Question

If God already loved the Israelites enough to rescue them from Egypt, why did He think they needed a list of ten big rules to follow now?

Jesus Connection

While the Ten Commandments show us how to live, the Bible tells us that no human except one has ever kept them perfectly. Jesus Christ lived a perfect life and followed every single law without ever sinning. Because we fail to keep the rules, we need the salvation that only Jesus provides. He didn't come to get rid of the law, but to fulfill it and then give us His Spirit so we can truly love God and our neighbors from our hearts.

Discussion Questions

  • Which of the commandments is about how we talk to or about God?
  • How do the rules about not stealing or lying help make a neighborhood a happier place to live?
  • Is it possible for us to follow all these rules perfectly every day? Why or why not?

“So What” What Can I do?

  • Which commandment do you find the hardest to follow when you are playing with your friends?
  • This week, how can you "honor your father and mother" in a way they wouldn't expect?
  • When you realize you've broken one of God's rules, what should you do right away?

Memorize God's Word

"And he said to him, 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment.'" - Matthew 22:37-38

Hand Motions:

  • Love: Cross arms over chest
  • The Lord your God: Point up
  • All your heart: Hands over heart
  • All your soul: Hands over stomach or center
  • All your mind: Point to head
  • First commandment: Hold up one finger

Praying with Kids

Dear Father, thank You for giving us Your laws to show us the right way to live. We thank You most of all for Jesus, who kept the law perfectly for us. Please help us to love You with our whole hearts this week and to treat the people around us with kindness and honesty. Amen.

Craft: Stone Tablet Reminders

Materials Checklist

Instructions

  1. Cut two large arch shapes out of the grey construction paper to look like stone tablets.
  2. On the first tablet, write the numbers 1 through 4. On the second tablet, write the numbers 5 through 10.
  3. Next to each number, help the children write a short version of the commandment (e.g., 1. God First, 8. Don't Steal).
  4. Decorate the edges of the tablets with silver glitter glue to represent the "glory" of God on the mountain.
  5. Glue the two tablets slightly overlapping onto a larger piece of blue or black paper.

Effective Teaching Techniques

  • Visual Aid: Use a compass or a GPS app on your phone to explain that rules aren't just for "stopping" us, but for "guiding" us so we don't get lost or hurt.
  • Simplify: For younger elementary kids, focus on the two "Greatest Commandments" (Love God and Love People) as the summary of the ten.
  • Roleplay: For the "So What" section, have kids act out a scene where they have a choice to lie or tell the truth, then discuss how the commandment helps them choose.