David and Goliath Sunday School Lesson for Kids
A free David and Goliath Sunday school lesson (1 Samuel 17) in four age levels, preschool to preteen: a game, Bible story, questions, verse and take-home.
Preschool–Grade 6
Download
- ⬇ Teacher lesson, kindergarten to 2nd grade (PDF) · 3 pages
- ⬇ Take-home sheet (PDF) · 1 page
- ⬇ Teacher lesson, preschool ages 3–5 (PDF) · 2 pages
- ⬇ Teacher lesson, 3rd to 5th grade (PDF) · 4 pages
- ⬇ Teacher lesson, preteens ages 11–12 (PDF) · 4 pages
Free to print and copy for your church, classroom, VBS and home. Please don't resell or re-post our files; link to the page instead.
- Ages
- Preschool (3–5), Early Elementary (K–2), Upper Elementary (3–5), Preteen (5–6)
- Time
- 20–60 minutes (depends on the age level)
- Scripture
- 1 Samuel 17
- Bible story
- David and Goliath
What you need
- A Bible (mark 1 Samuel 17:45 and 1 Samuel 17:47)
- Bibles for the kids to look up verses (3rd grade and up)
- A ball of string or yarn cut to 9 feet 9 inches, and masking tape (opening game, K–2)
- String, masking tape and a yardstick or tape measure (opening game, 3rd–5th grade)
- 5 sheets of gray paper crumpled into "stones" and a bucket or basket (memory verse game)
- Cotton balls or paper sheep and a box (preschool opening game)
- A paper lunch bag and 5 paper "stones" per child (preschool activity)
- Sticky notes, paper or a notebook and pens (preteens)
- Printed take-home sheets, one per child
- Printed David and Goliath word search and crayons for early finishers
This free David and Goliath Sunday school lesson teaches kids that the battle is the LORD's, so we can trust God with big problems. 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, 2 pages: a short story with hand motions and repeat-after-me lines, a sheep hunt, three simple questions, a shortened memory verse ("the battle is the LORD’S") with a motion, and five paper stones to count into a shepherd's bag.
- Kindergarten to 2nd grade, 45 minutes, 3 pages: the story in simple words, five recall questions with answers, the "How Big Was Goliath?" string game and the Stone Toss memory verse game.
- 3rd to 5th grade, 45–60 minutes, 4 pages: kids measure Goliath in cubits, look up verses in their own Bibles during a fuller story (Goliath's armor, Eliab's anger, Saul's doubts), answer five thinking questions and three recall questions, and race to look up answers.
- Preteens (ages 11–12), 45–60 minutes, 4 pages: students read 1 Samuel 17 out loud themselves, then discuss fear, being doubted, remembering God's faithfulness and giving God the glory. Six discussion questions, a journal page, and two memory verses (1 Samuel 17:47 and 17:45).
Lesson at a glance
- Bible passage: 1 Samuel 17:1–52
- Main point: The battle is the LORD's, so we can trust God with big problems.
- Memory verse: 1 Samuel 17:47 (KJV), with 1 Samuel 17:45 added for preteens
- Ages: preschool to preteen, in four versions
Lesson outline (the same in every version)
- Opening game: a short game about how big Goliath was or the "giants" we face.
- Bible story: Goliath's challenge, David brings food to his brothers, the lion and the bear, Saul's armor, five smooth stones, and the giant falls. Every fact has its verse reference so you can check it.
- Questions to ask: with answers, at the right level for each age.
- Memory verse: a game or motion to help kids learn 1 Samuel 17:47.
- What this means for us: trusting God instead of our own strength, the gospel (Acts 2:38), and a challenge for the week.
- Activity: the David and Goliath word search, the David and Goliath worksheet, a shepherd's bag, a Bible look-up race or a journal page, depending on the age.
- Prayer.
Tips for teaching David and Goliath
- Read 1 Samuel 17:45 straight from your Bible. It is the heart of the story: David came in the name of the LORD.
- Keep the battle G-rated. The giant falls. The younger lessons stop there, and the preteen lesson tells you how to handle verse 51 briefly and honestly.
- Kids love the string. Leave it taped up so they can see Goliath's height all morning.
- Short on time? Do the story, three questions and the memory verse. That is a solid 25-minute lesson.
Frequently asked questions
How long does this David and Goliath lesson take?
It depends on the age level. The preschool lesson takes 20 to 30 minutes, the kindergarten to 2nd grade lesson about 45 minutes, and the 3rd to 5th grade and preteen lessons 45 to 60 minutes. For a short class, do the story, three questions and the memory verse.
What age is this lesson for?
All ages from preschool to preteen. The lesson comes in four separate teacher PDFs: preschool (ages 3 to 5), kindergarten to 2nd grade, 3rd to 5th grade, and preteens (ages 11 to 12). Each one tells the same Bible story at the right length and reading level, with its own questions and activity.
What is the main point of David and Goliath for kids?
The battle belongs to the LORD. David didn't trust his size or Saul's armor; he came "in the name of the LORD of hosts" (1 Samuel 17:45), knowing "the battle is the LORD’S" (1 Samuel 17:47). We can trust God with our big problems too.
How tall was Goliath?
The Bible says "six cubits and a span" (1 Samuel 17:4). A cubit is about 18 inches and a span about 9, so that is roughly 9 feet 9 inches tall. His coat of mail weighed five thousand shekels of brass, about 125 pounds (1 Samuel 17:5).
How many stones did David pick up?
Five smooth stones from the brook, which he put in his shepherd's bag (1 Samuel 17:40). He used just one: it hit Goliath in the forehead and the giant fell on his face (1 Samuel 17:49).
