Naaman Bible Lesson for Kids

This free Naaman Bible lesson teaches kids to be humble and do what God says, even when it seems small. Naaman, a great army captain, had leprosy, a sickness of the skin. A little maid from Israel told about God's prophet, and Elisha sent word: "Go and wash in Jordan seven times" (2 Kings 5:10). Naaman was angry, but when he obeyed, "his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean" (5:14). 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 Dip in the River game, a short story with hand motions and repeat-after-me lines, three simple questions, a shortened memory verse ("there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel") with a motion, and a river drawing activity.
• Kindergarten to 2nd grade, 45 minutes, 4 pages: a Seven Times game, the story in simple words, five recall questions with answers, the Seven Waves memory verse game, and Seven Times in Jordan, where kids act out the story.
• 3rd to 5th grade, 45–60 minutes, 5 pages: a Big Thing, Small Thing game with stickers, then kids look up verses in their own Bibles during a fuller story (the little maid, the letter, Elisha's message, Naaman's anger, the seven dips, and Gehazi), five thinking questions and three recall questions, and a Bible look-up race.
• Preteens (ages 11–12), 45–60 minutes, 3 pages: a How Would You Expect It? opening, students read 2 Kings 5:1–16 and 5:20–27 out loud themselves, then discuss pride, humility, the little maid's courage and Gehazi's greed. Six discussion questions, a journal page, and two memory verses (2 Kings 5:15 and James 4:10).

Lesson at a glance

• Bible passage: 2 Kings 5
• Main point: Be humble and do what God says, even when it seems small.
• Memory verse: 2 Kings 5:15 (KJV), with James 4:10 added for preteens
• Ages: preschool to preteen, in four versions

Lesson outline (the same in every version)

1. Opening game: a short game about doing something seven times, dipping in a river, or a big thing and a small thing.
2. Bible story: Naaman "was a leper" (2 Kings 5:1), the little maid says, "Would God my lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria!" (5:3), Elisha's messenger says, "Go and wash in Jordan seven times" (5:10), Naaman goes away angry (5:11–12), his servants say, "Wash, and be clean" (5:13), and "his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child" (5:14). Naaman says, "now I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel" (5:15). Older kids also hear about Gehazi (5:20–27). 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 2 Kings 5:15.
5. What this means for us: there is one true God, He came in the flesh in Jesus (1 Timothy 3:16), the gospel (Acts 2:38), and a challenge for the week.
6. Activity: the Naaman word search, the Naaman crossword, the Naaman maze, the Naaman worksheet, the Naaman craft, acting out the story, a Bible look-up race or a journal page, depending on the age.
7. Prayer.

Tips for teaching Naaman

• Read 2 Kings 5:14 straight from your Bible. It is the heart of the story: "his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean."
• Use the King James words: "Go and wash in Jordan seven times" (5:10), "Behold, I thought" (5:11) and "Wash, and be clean" (5:13).
• Describe leprosy simply and kindly: a sickness of the skin that no one could cure. No more detail is needed.
• Point out the little maid: a girl far from home who still told others about God (5:2–3).
• Teach it as the Bible tells it: Naaman washed in the river and God healed him. Don't teach his seven dips as a baptism.
• For young kids, leave out the end of the chapter (5:17–27); older kids hear about Gehazi in the Bible's own words.
• Short on time? Do the story, three questions and the memory verse. That is a solid 25-minute lesson.