Beatitudes Sunday School Lesson for Kids

This free Beatitudes Sunday school lesson teaches kids who Jesus called blessed. When Jesus saw the multitudes, He went up into a mountain, and when He was set, His disciples came to Him and He taught them (Matthew 5:1–2). Every blessing is read word for word from the King James Bible and explained in plain words: the poor in spirit, the meek, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers and more. It comes in four age levels, each a separate printable teacher lesson, plus one take-home sheet for families. Pick the one that fits your class. Everything is in the order you teach it.

Choose your age level

• Preschool (ages 3–5), 20–30 minutes, 3 pages: a climb-the-mountain game, a short story with hand motions and repeat-after-me lines, four picture cards, three simple questions, a shortened memory verse ("Blessed are the peacemakers") with motions, and a peacemaker drawing.
• Kindergarten to 2nd grade, 45 minutes, 4 pages: the Climb and Sit game, all nine blessings in simple words with a picture card for each, five recall questions with answers, the Peace Line memory game, and a Blessing Hunt.
• 3rd to 5th grade, 45–60 minutes, 4 pages: a "the world says, Jesus says" opening game, kids look up every blessing in their own Bibles, then Matthew 7:28–29, five thinking questions and three recall questions, and a Bible look-up race.
• Preteens (ages 11–12), 45–60 minutes, 3 pages: students read Matthew 4:23–5:12 and 7:28–29 out loud themselves with every old word explained, look at how the blessings are built, and discuss being poor in spirit, meek and a peacemaker. Six discussion questions, a journal page, and two memory verses (Matthew 5:9 and 5:3).

Lesson at a glance

• Bible passage: Matthew 5:1–12
• Main point: Jesus taught who is truly blessed in God's kingdom: people who know they need God, who are gentle and kind, and who make peace.
• Memory verse: Matthew 5:9 (KJV), with Matthew 5:3 added for preteens
• Ages: preschool to preteen, in four versions

Lesson outline (the same in every version)

1. Opening game: a climb-and-sit game, or a game that compares the world's idea of a winner with Jesus' words.
2. Bible story: Jesus sees the multitudes, goes up into a mountain, sits down, and teaches His disciples who is blessed: the poor in spirit, they that mourn, the meek, they which hunger and thirst after righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, and they which are persecuted for righteousness sake, then "Blessed are ye" (Matthew 5:11–12). Every fact has its verse reference so you can check it.
3. Questions to ask: with answers, at the right level for each age.
4. Memory verse: a game or motions to help kids learn Matthew 5:9.
5. What this means for us: knowing we need God, the gospel (Acts 2:38) and how we enter the kingdom of God (John 3:5), and a peacemaker challenge for the week.
6. Activity: the Beatitudes word search, crossword, maze, worksheet, the Beatitudes craft, a blessing hunt, a Bible look-up race or a journal page, depending on the age.
7. Prayer.

Tips for teaching the Beatitudes

• Read Matthew 5:1 straight from your Bible: "when he was set, his disciples came unto him." Jesus sat down to teach.
• Every blessing is quoted from the King James Bible and explained in plain words. "Righteousness sake" in Matthew 5:10 is printed exactly as the KJV text has it.
• The Bible gives nine "Blessed" sayings (Matthew 5:3–11). The lessons teach all nine and don't add any. The picture cards are only memory helps; the Bible doesn't give them.
• The persecution blessings (5:10–12) are told gently, and preschoolers leave them out.
• Short on time? Do the story, three questions and the memory verse. That is a solid 25-minute lesson.