The Parable of the Wise and Foolish Builders, Bible Craft and Lesson
Look no further for creative ways to teach the Parable of the Wise and Foolish Builders! This powerful Bible story about two builders teaches kids the importance of building their lives on a strong foundation—God’s Word. There are many great ways to teach this parable, including engaging crafts, hands-on activities, and fun YouTube videos that bring the lesson to life. Plus, you’ll find printable lesson plans to make your teaching even easier. Whether you're a Sunday school teacher, homeschooling parent, or work in a faith-based school, these ideas will help kids understand and remember this important parable.
THE parable of the two builders
The Parable of the Wise and Foolish Builders is found in Matthew 7:24-27 and Luke 6:46-49. Jesus tells the story of two men who each build a house. One man builds on rock, and when a storm comes, the house stands firm. The other man builds on sand, and when a storm comes, the house collapses.
The Parable of the Two Builders Bible Lessons for Kids
Are you looking for a simple way to teach the Parable of the Wise and Foolish Builders? Our scripted lesson plans, discussion questions, and printable crafts are perfect for children aged 3 to 8.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION ABOUT THE WISE AND FOOLISH builders
A parable is a short story that Jesus used to teach people about God. These stories helped people understand what Jesus was saying because Jesus connected the stories to people’s everyday lives. Parables are also easier to remember than long speeches.
This parable isn’t really about building a strong home. It’s about building a strong relationship with Jesus and listening to his teachings. While it’s great to go to church, sing worship songs, pray, and read the Bible, we must also follow what Jesus instructs us to do - love God and love others. Our actions need to match what Jesus instructs.
BUILDING CHALLENGES FOR KIDS
This building challenge worksheet will help bigger kids to plan their toothpick and marshmallow structures.
Kids of all ages love a good building challenge. In this Parable of the Two Builders challenge, you’ll ask the younger kids in your class to build a small house that stands on its own. Keep the challenge open-ended and allow them to build with whatever materials you might have on hand. These could be materials like paper, tape, pipe cleaners, cardboard, popsicle sticks, etc. You could keep it even simpler and have them build something using blocks or magnetic tiles.
Make the challenge a little trickier for older kids in first, second, or third grades. These tiny builders can use toothpicks and marshmallows to create a sturdy structure! Have kids use the planning sheet in The Wise and Foolish Builders for Older Kids to get their ideas on paper. Then, they can revisit the planning sheet as they create.
PRINTABLE CRAFTS FOR KIDS
A printable craft to accompany the Parable of the Wise and Foolish Builders
Printable crafts are great because kids can bring them home to help them retell the story to their families and caregivers. They are also an excellent way for students to visualize the story.
Preschoolers will love gluing a printable house onto solid ground (Find the template pieces in The Wise and Foolish Builder for Preschool).
This simple craft reminds young kids that their home needs to be built on solid ground. Encourage young learners to understand that their faith should be placed in Jesus, the true and lasting Rock, who provides strength, security, and guidance in every season of life!
Older kids will appreciate a slightly more complex lift-the-flap booklet from The Wise and Foolish Builder for Older Kids. Kids will cut and fold the template pieces on the appropriate lines to construct their booklets. Once completed, the front of the craft shows the house built by the foolish man, and kids lift the flaps to see the one built by the wise man. This interactive craft helps reinforce the lesson by providing a hands-on way to visualize the parable’s key message: Listening to God’s Word is wise!
OTHER ACTIVITIES TO TEACH THE PARABLE OF THE WISE AND FOOLISH BUILDER
Building Relays: Kids love a good relay race, so why not combine relay races with building challenges? Have kids run blocks to the end of the relay course, then stack the blocks into a house formation. The fastest team wins, but they must be careful not to knock the tower down. You could also use plastic cups or Legos for this relay.
Jenga is a classic game that many families love. Have kids play several rounds of this game and discuss the story as they do. This will reinforce the point that we need a firm foundation in Jesus.
Sensory Bins of Sand and Rock: Fill bins with rocks and sand. Add small figurines, shovels, buckets, etc. Then, let the kids play with the materials in the bins.
House Building Snack: Looking for a building challenge that will satisfy your sweet tooth? Have kids construct houses using graham crackers and icing. Then eat the houses!
‘The Wise Man Built His House Upon the Rock’ Song: Do you remember singing a simple song that retells this parable as a kid? Here’s a version by Faith Baptist Church Lapaz and another by Cedarmont Kids.
YOUTUBE VIDEOS ABOUT THE PARABLE OF THE WISE AND FOOLISH BUILDER
Watching YouTube videos is a great way to have kids visualize the story. Visual learners will especially love seeing the story on screen. As always, preview the videos to ensure they fit your teaching context. Here are some suggestions:
God’s Story: Parable of the Two Builders by Crossroad Kids’ Club
The Wise and Foolish Builders by LifeKids - This creative video tells the story in the form of a news report of two people preparing their houses for a storm!
WANT TO CONTINUE LEARNING ABOUT THE PARABLES OF JESUS?
This lesson is part of a five-week series on the parables Jesus told. The other stories include The Lost Sheep, The Lost Coin, The Parable of the Sower, and The Prodigal Son.
These lessons about the Parables of Jesus are also included in the 52-week Bible curriculum for little kids in preschool/kindergarten and bigger kids in first, second, and third grades.
The Wise and Foolish Builder teaches kids the importance of building their lives on a strong foundation. Through engaging activities, kids can learn to make wise choices. By reinforcing these lessons with creativity and consistency, we can help kids develop faith that stands firm through life’s storms.
