The Fruit of the Spirit is a familiar concept to Christians and, as Christ-followers, these are qualities we should be shining into the world. It can sometimes feel daunting when it comes to teaching our children Biblical truths, but it doesn’t have to be. So here are some fun ideas and crafts for teaching children all about the Fruit of the Spirit.
What is the Fruit of the Spirit?
To start, the Fruit of the Spirit is not a checklist of things that we should be. The Fruit of the Spirit are qualities that God grows in our hearts as we deepen our relationship with Him. Choosing to stay close to God can help us to show the Fruit. Just like a friendship takes time to strengthen and deepen, we need to put the time in to strengthen and deepen our relationship with God. This can be done when we sing worship songs, pray, read the Bible, and attend church.
Galatians 5:22-23 says, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (NIV). I learned the word “patience” instead of “forbearance”, and depending on which translation of the Bible you use, it will say “patience”.
Everything You Need to Teach the Fruit of the Spirit
Are you ready to teach the Fruit of the Spirit? Grab 9 scripted lesson plans and engaging printable crafts with this set of lessons perfect for preschool to third grades. (See the 1st-3rd grade version here.)
How do you explain Fruit of the Spirit to kids?
The Holy Spirit transforms us to be more like Jesus. The Fruit of the Spirit are things that Jesus exhibited while here on Earth.
In our Fruit of the Spirit 9-lesson set, we use seeds and dirt as an object lesson to teach this concept. (A full script and materials list is available in the complete lesson plans).
As a group, plant some seeds in little pots of dirt. Remind students that plants need sun, water, soil, and air to grow. It takes time, and plants don’t magically appear moments after planting a seed. Similarly, the Fruit of the Spirit requires time to grow. When we spend time with God, the Fruit of the Spirit grows in us.
kid-friendly fruit of the spirit definitions
The 'Fruit of the Spirit' teaching posters break down the definitions of each characteristic into kid-friendly terms. They're included in BOTH the preschool/kindergarten and 1st-3rd grade lesson sets.
Many of the Fruit of the Spirit are concepts kids will understand because they are words they have heard and used. Some words will require some extra explanation. For example, what is the difference between kindness and goodness? What is the difference between gentleness and self-control?
Love: Caring about someone, helping them, and keeping them safe.
Joy: Gladness knowing that God is in control of all the details. He is always with us!
Peace: Living together with other people in harmony.
Patience: Waiting calmly and keeping going when things are hard.
Kindness: Being thoughtful and putting the needs of others first, even when they are not being kind to you.
Goodness: Showing others kindness, generosity, and love for the right reason.
Faithfulness: Being trustworthy and standing up for what is right, even when it is hard.
Gentleness: Being calm and tender in what you say and do. It is making sure that what you say and do does not hurt others or yourself.
Self-Control: Listening and doing what God wants you to do, rather than doing what you want to do.
They’re also available in the 1st-3rd grade version.
videos about the fruit of the spirit
These age-appropriate YouTube videos are a great way to supplement your lessons on the Fruit of the Spirit. As always, I suggest watching them in their entirety before playing them for your class. Keep an eye out for tricky YouTube ads.
Uncle Charlie Ministries - Fruit of the Spirit Song - A fun, fast-paced song to teach students the Fruit of the Spirit
Crossroad Kids’ Club God’s Story: Fruit of the Spirit - This short video gives a good overview of the Fruit of the Spirit and explains the importance of thinking, talking, and acting like Jesus.
Crossroad Kids’ Club also has videos for each Fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
Douglas Talks are fabulous videos that define and give examples of each Fruit of the Spirit. Check them out: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
Nine weeks of hands-on fruit of the spirit lessons and crafts
Incorporating stories, visuals, crafts, and activities is a great way to engage students while they learn about the Fruit of the Spirit. This is true for both preschoolers and bigger kids.
Crafts from the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade version.
Our complete Fruit of the Spirit units include Bible stories, printable crafts, coloring pages, and a take-home page so parents and caregivers can be welcomed into the teaching. This Fruit of the Spirit unit for Bigger Kids includes the same features but also includes the crafts and activities that are appropriate for older children, and journal writing pages.
fruit of the spirit Crafts and Activities
There are a myriad of crafts and activities that can go along with teaching the Fruit of the Spirit. Here are just a few examples:
Find specific Bible stories to pair with each of the Fruit. For example, pair the story of the Good Samaritan with love. Pair the story of Paul and Silas in jail (Acts 16:16-36) with joy. From there, choose activities and crafts that match the specific Bible story.
This Simple Home has some fabulous Fruit of the Spirit object lesson ideas. One of the ideas is to make a real fruit salad, but have vegetables ready to dump in. Kids will be dismayed that vegetables might go in the fruit salad. Explain that these represent things that do not come from God - things like anger, gluttons, and greed.
The Sunday School Network has a cute idea for creating a fruit loop bracelet to help students learn the Fruit of the Spirit.
Draw or Paint a Fruit of the Spirit tree. Have kids create a tree using crayons, pencils, or paints. Then draw various fruits and label them with the Fruit of the Spirit.
Children’s Ministry Deals has created a list of hands-on games for each Fruit of the Spirit. For instance, they suggest playing a game of Apple Tower when learning about self-control. This is a game where players stack apples on top of each other to see who gets the tallest tower. Apple Tower takes control, just like it takes self-control to do the right thing. Be sure to check out their other ideas!
Galatians 6:9-10 says, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers” (NIV). So let’s teach our children how to shine Jesus to others through the Fruit of the Spirit.