Parable of the Mustard Seed Sunday School Lesson for Kids

This free parable of the mustard seed Sunday school lesson teaches kids that a tiny seed can become a tree, and that even a little faith in our great God matters. Jesus said the kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed, "the least of all seeds," that "becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof" (Matthew 13:31–32). He also said, "If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed... nothing shall be impossible unto you" (17:20). 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 Little Seed, Big Tree game, a short story with hand motions and repeat-after-me lines, three simple questions, a shortened memory verse ("nothing shall be impossible unto you") with motions, and a seed-and-tree drawing.
• Kindergarten to 2nd grade, 45 minutes, 3 pages: the Seed, Sprout, Tree game, the parable and the boy Jesus made well in simple words, five recall questions with answers, the Grow the Verse memory game, and a Birds in the Branches review game.
• 3rd to 5th grade, 45–60 minutes, 4 pages: a What Does It Grow Into? game, kids look up every verse in their own Bibles during a fuller story, how the church grew in Acts, 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 13:31–32 and 17:14–21 out loud themselves, with every old word explained, then discuss how the kingdom grew in Acts and what faith as a grain of mustard seed means. Six discussion questions, a journal page, and two memory verses (Matthew 17:20 and Hebrews 11:6).

Lesson at a glance

• Bible passage: Matthew 13:31–32; 17:14–21
• Main point: A tiny mustard seed grows into a tree. Even a little faith in our great God matters, because with God nothing is impossible.
• Memory verse: Matthew 17:20 (KJV), with Hebrews 11:6 added for preteens
• Ages: preschool to preteen, in four versions

Lesson outline (the same in every version)

1. Opening game: a short game about small things that grow big, like "Seed, Sprout, Tree."
2. Bible story: Jesus teaches the multitude in parables (Matthew 13:2–3), the grain of mustard seed a man sowed in his field (13:31), the least of all seeds that becomes a tree where the birds of the air lodge (13:32), and, another day, the boy the disciples could not cure and Jesus' words about faith as a grain of mustard seed (17:14–20). 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 17:20.
5. What this means for us: faith means trusting God, the gospel (Acts 2:38), and a challenge for the week.
6. Activity: the Mustard Seed word search, crossword, maze, worksheet, the mustard seed craft, a Birds in the Branches game, a Bible look-up race or a journal page, depending on the age.
7. Prayer.

Tips for teaching the Mustard Seed

• Say plainly that this is a parable, a story Jesus told to teach a lesson (Matthew 13:34). Jesus didn't explain this one, so the lessons don't add to it; older kids see the church grow in Acts 1:15, 2:41 and 4:4.
• Bring real mustard seeds (the spice aisle has them). Holding "the least of all seeds" makes the story stick.
• Use the King James words: "the least of all seeds" and "becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof" (13:32). Each level explains the old words.
• "Nothing shall be impossible unto you" (17:20) is about trusting God, not getting wishes. The lessons pair it with 1 John 5:14: God hears what we ask "according to his will."
• Tell the boy in Matthew 17 gently: he was very sick, and Jesus made him well from that very hour (17:18).
• Short on time? Do the story, three questions and the memory verse. That is a solid 25-minute lesson.