Tabernacle Sunday School Lesson for Kids

This free Tabernacle Sunday school lesson teaches kids that God wants to dwell among His people. God asked for an offering "of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart" (Exodus 25:2) and said, "let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them" (25:8). The people gave so much that Moses had to stop them (36:5–7). When the work was finished, "a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle" (40:34). 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 happy-givers game with paper "gold," a short story with hand motions and repeat-after-me lines, three simple questions, a shortened memory verse ("that I may dwell among them") with a motion, and a Follow the Cloud game.
• Kindergarten to 2nd grade, 45 minutes, 3 pages: the Follow the Pattern game, the story in simple words, five recall questions with answers, the Seven Strips memory verse game, and Follow the Cloud.
• 3rd to 5th grade, 45–60 minutes, 3 pages: a draw-the-pattern game, kids look up verses in their own Bibles during a fuller story (the willing offering, much more than enough, the pattern, the court and gate, the cloud by day and fire by night), five thinking questions and three recall questions, and a Bible look-up race.
• Preteens (ages 11–12), 45–60 minutes, 3 pages: students read Exodus 25:1–9 and 40:33–38 out loud themselves, then look closer at willing hearts, God's way in every detail, God's glory, and how God still dwells with His people (John 1:14; 1 Corinthians 3:16). Six discussion questions, a journal page, and two memory verses (Exodus 25:8 and 1 Corinthians 3:16).

Lesson at a glance

• Bible passage: Exodus 25:1–9; 40:33–38
• Main point: God wants to be with His people. We give to Him gladly and do things His way.
• Memory verse: Exodus 25:8 (KJV), with 1 Corinthians 3:16 added for preteens
• Ages: preschool to preteen, in four versions

Lesson outline (the same in every version)

1. Opening game: a short game about following God's pattern or giving gladly.
2. Bible story: God asks for a willing offering (Exodus 25:2–7), "make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them" (25:8), the pattern (25:9), the people give more than enough (36:5–7), Moses finishes the work (40:33), and the cloud and the glory of the LORD fill the tabernacle (40:34–38). 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 Exodus 25:8.
5. What this means for us: God wants to dwell with His people, the gospel (Acts 2:38), and a challenge for the week.
6. Activity: the Tabernacle word search, a craft, a cloud game, a Bible look-up race or a journal page, depending on the age.
7. Prayer.

Tips for teaching the Tabernacle

• Read Exodus 40:34 straight from the Bible. It is the high point of the story: God's glory filled the tent His people made.
• Kids love that the people gave so much Moses had to tell them to stop (Exodus 36:5–7). Use it to talk about giving gladly.
• This lesson leaves the ark, the table and the candlestick (Exodus 25:10–40) for another day, so the story stays simple.
• Short on time? Do the story, three questions and the memory verse. That is a solid 25-minute lesson.