Queen Esther Sunday School Lesson for Kids

This free Esther Sunday school lesson teaches kids courage to do right and stand up for others: Queen Esther fasted, went in to the king without being called and spoke up to save her people, saying, "If I perish, I perish" (Esther 4:16). 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 hunt for the king's golden sceptre, a short story with hand motions and repeat-after-me lines, three simple questions, a shortened memory verse ("for such a time as this") with a motion, and a touch-the-sceptre activity.
• Kindergarten to 2nd grade, 45 minutes, 4 pages: the May I Come In? game, the story in simple words, five recall questions with answers, the Sceptre Verse game with four paper strips, and an honor parade from Esther 6.
• 3rd to 5th grade, 45–60 minutes, 5 pages: kids look up verses in their own Bibles during a fuller story (Mordecai saves the king, Haman's plan and Pur, "such a time as this," the golden sceptre, the sleepless night, the new letters and Purim), five thinking questions and three recall questions, a rolling scroll verse game and a Bible look-up race.
• Preteens (ages 11–12), 45–60 minutes, 5 pages: a "Speak up or stay quiet?" opening, students read Esther 4:1–17 and 8:3–8 out loud themselves, then discuss courage, God working when His name isn't mentioned, and pride. Six discussion questions, a journal page, and two memory verses (Esther 4:14 and Joshua 1:9).

Lesson at a glance

• Bible passage: Esther 1–10
• Main point: Esther was brave and spoke up to save her people. God can help me be brave, do right and stand up for others.
• Memory verse: Esther 4:14 (KJV), with Joshua 1:9 added for preteens
• Ages: preschool to preteen, in four versions

Lesson outline (the same in every version)

1. Opening game: a short game about waiting for the king's sceptre, passing a message, or speaking up.
2. Bible story: Esther becomes queen, Mordecai saves the king, Haman's wicked plan, "for such a time as this" (Esther 4:14), three days of fasting, the golden sceptre (5:2), the king's sleepless night, Esther names Haman, and the new letters that saved her people. 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 motion to help kids learn Esther 4:14.
5. What this means for us: courage to do right, the gospel (Acts 2:38), and a challenge for the week.
6. Activity: the Esther word search, the Esther crossword, the Esther maze, the Esther worksheet, the Esther craft, a Bible look-up race or a journal page, depending on the age.
7. Prayer.

Tips for teaching Esther

• Read Esther 4:14 and 4:16 straight from your Bible. They are the heart of the story: "for such a time as this" and "if I perish, I perish."
• Get the family right: Mordecai was Esther's cousin, not her uncle. She was "his uncle's daughter," and he raised her as his own daughter (Esther 2:7).
• The choosing of a new queen is told in a sentence or two (2:2–17), Haman's end (7:10) is told briefly and gently, and the fighting in chapter 9 is left out of the story. Each level has short teacher notes in case a child asks.
• The book of Esther never uses the word "God." The lessons don't add words to anyone's mouth; they let kids notice the fasting, Mordecai's words and the king's sleepless night.
• Short on time? Do the story, three questions and the memory verse. That is a solid 25-minute lesson.