Lesson

Valley of Dry Bones Sunday School Lesson for Kids

A free valley of dry bones Sunday school lesson (Ezekiel 37:1–14) in four age levels, preschool to preteen, with a game, Bible story, questions and take-home.

Preschool–Grade 6

Valley of Dry Bones Sunday School Lesson for Kids

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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: Ezekiel 37:1–14
Bible story: The Valley of Dry Bones

What you need

A Bible (mark Ezekiel 37:1 and Ezekiel 37:10)
Bibles for the kids to look up verses (3rd grade and up)
Cotton balls, one per child (preschool opening game)
6 paper "bones" (paper strips with rounded ends), a marker and tape (memory verse game, kindergarten to 2nd grade)
A dry leaf, a dry bean or seed, a small stone and a dry stick (3rd to 5th grade)
A whiteboard or large paper and a marker (3rd grade and up)
Paper and pencils (3rd grade and up)
Printed take-home sheets, one per child
Printed valley of dry bones word search and crayons for early finishers

This free valley of dry bones Sunday school lesson teaches kids that God can make dry things live. The hand of the LORD set Ezekiel down in a valley full of bones, "and, lo, they were very dry" (Ezekiel 37:2). God asked, "can these bones live?" (37:3). Ezekiel spoke God's word, the bones came together, and when the breath came into them, "they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army" (37:10). It comes in four age levels, each a separate printable teacher lesson, plus one take-home sheet for families.

Choose your age level

Preschool (ages 3–5), 20–30 minutes, 2 pages: a Little Wind cotton-ball game, a short story with hand motions and repeat-after-me lines, three simple questions, a shortened memory verse ("O ye dry bones, hear the word of the LORD") with a motion, and a valley to draw.
Kindergarten to 2nd grade, 45 minutes, 4 pages: a Hear the Word game, the story in simple words, five recall questions with answers, the Bone to His Bone memory verse game, and a Draw the Valley activity.
3rd to 5th grade, 45–60 minutes, 4 pages: a Can It Live? opening, then kids look up verses in their own Bibles during a fuller story (God's question, the word spoken, bone to his bone, the breath from the four winds, and what God said it meant), five thinking questions and three recall questions, and a Bible look-up race.
Preteens (ages 11–12), 45–60 minutes, 3 pages: students read Ezekiel 37:1–14 out loud themselves, then discuss "thou knowest," obeying when it seems pointless, life on the inside, hope when "our hope is lost," and Ephesians 2:1. Six discussion questions, a journal page, and two memory verses (Ezekiel 37:4 and 37:14).

Lesson at a glance

Bible passage: Ezekiel 37:1–14
Main point: God can make dry things live, and we listen to the word of the LORD.
Memory verse: Ezekiel 37:4 (KJV), with Ezekiel 37:14 added for preteens
Ages: preschool to preteen, in four versions

Lesson outline (the same in every version)

Opening game: a listening game, a cotton-ball breath game, a "can it live?" vote, or "hopeless or hopeful," depending on the age.
Bible story: the valley full of very dry bones (Ezekiel 37:1–2), "can these bones live?" (37:3), "hear the word of the LORD" (37:4), bone to his bone (37:7), the breath from the four winds (37:9), an exceeding great army (37:10), and God's promise, "shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live" (37:14). 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 Ezekiel 37:4.
What this means for us: God makes us alive (Ephesians 2:1), the gospel (Acts 2:38), God's Spirit gives life (Ezekiel 37:14), and a challenge for the week.
Activity: the word search, crossword, maze, worksheet, the valley of dry bones craft, a Draw the Valley activity, a Bible look-up race or a journal page, depending on the age.
Prayer.

Tips for teaching the valley of dry bones

Keep it gentle. It is a picture God showed Ezekiel "in the spirit of the LORD" (Ezekiel 37:1), and it ends with life. Draw the bones simply, and leave the words "slain" (37:9) and "graves" (37:12) for older kids.
Let God explain it: "these bones are the whole house of Israel" (37:11). There's no need for deep prophecy charts with children.
Make it move: kids shake for the noise and the shaking (37:7) and stand up tall when the breath comes (37:10).
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 valley of dry bones 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 is the main point of the valley of dry bones for kids?

God can make dry things live. God asked Ezekiel, "can these bones live?" (Ezekiel 37:3). When Ezekiel spoke God's word, the bones came together, breath came into them, "and they lived, and stood up upon their feet" (37:10). God also promised His people, "shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live" (37:14).

Is the valley of dry bones too scary for young children?

Not when it is told the way the Bible tells it: it is a picture God showed Ezekiel (Ezekiel 37:1), and it ends with new life. Keep the bones simple, skip the word "slain" (37:9) and the graves (37:12) with little ones, and put the weight on God's power to make dry things live.

What did the dry bones mean?

God told Ezekiel, "these bones are the whole house of Israel" (Ezekiel 37:11). God's people felt dried up and said, "our hope is lost." God promised to bring them into their own land and to put His spirit in them, so they would live (37:12–14).