Mother’s Day Children’s Message: Miriam Protects Moses

In this Mother’s Day children’s message, kids explore how God takes care of us through others as they carefully pass a large sheet of tissue paper.

Scripture: Exodus 2:1-10

Supplies:

• Bible
• large sheet of tissue paper (1 for every 10-12 kids)

Mother’s Day Children’s Message

Open your Bible to Exodus 2, and show kids the words.

Say: Let’s explore a story in the Bible that shows how God takes care of us through others. We’ll find out how God worked through special women in Moses’ life to keep him safe during a scary time.

Here’s a little background: God’s people, the Israelites, lived in Egypt. But the Pharaoh in charge of Egypt was a really mean guy. He enslaved the Israelites which means he didn’t let them live their lives freely—that’s really bad.

And he tried to kill all the baby boys—harming the Israelites in terrible ways. That’s really bad, too.

But God took care of his people. And one way he did that was through other people.

Let’s see what happened when a baby boy named Moses was born.

Read Exodus 2:2-3.

Say: Remember, baby boys were in danger! But Moses’ mom tried her best to take care of him, and that meant hiding him in a basket in the Nile River. Let’s be the Nile River. We’ll all sit in a curvy line like a river. (If you have a lot of kids, form multiple lines of 10-12 people each.)

Say: There are a lot of dangerous things in the river. The basket could spring a leak, and the baby could drown. There are hungry crocodiles that might be looking for a snack and scary water snakes that could strike. And there are also hippos that might charge and attack!

Pass Tissue Paper

Say: But we want to take care of the baby. Hold up a large sheet of tissue paper.

We’ll pretend this tissue paper is the basket that holds baby Moses. Pass it verrrry carefully so it doesn’t tear or wrinkle. Allow time for kids to pass the tissue paper back and forth down the river.

After a few times back and forth, let kids continue passing the paper as you say: While Moses’ basket floated in the river, Moses’ sister, Miriam, watched to make sure he stayed safe. God takes care of us through others.

It wasn’t long before something happened. Something that could be just as dangerous as a crocodile or a water snake.

Read Exodus 2:5-6.

Carefully take the tissue paper back. Say: You cared for this paper so far. But oh no! Moses was found by Pharaoh’s daughter! Pharaoh was the one trying to kill all the baby boys!

But God takes care of us through others. Miriam saw this happen and had an idea.

Read Exodus 2:7-9.

Say: Let’s sit in a circle and take turns rocking the tissue paper as if it’s a baby. Allow time for kids to rock the tissue paper.

As they do, say: God takes care of us through others. God took care of Moses through Miriam and her quick thinking. Moses was able to stay with his mother, with the permission of Pharaoh’s daughter! Moses’ mom even got paid to take care of him! And when Moses got older, the princess adopted him and raised him in the palace as her own son.

Discuss

Say: God took care of Moses when Moses was a helpless baby. And one way God did that was by sending Miriam to look after him. God also gave the princess compassion to save Moses.

Ask:

• Tell about your mom, your grandma, or another special woman in your life who takes good care of you.
• How does God care for you through that person?

Say: God takes care of us through others—including our moms, grandmas, aunts, and other special women in our lives. These amazing women are people God put in your life to show you his love and care.

This children’s message was adapted from DIG IN Sunday School. To learn more about DIG IN Sunday School and DIG IN Children’s Church, click here. Looking for even more Mother’s Day ideas? Check out these posts!