Lesson

Wise Men Sunday School Lesson for Kids

A free wise men Sunday school lesson (Matthew 2:1–12) in four age levels, preschool to preteen, with a game, Bible story, questions, memory verse and take-home.

Preschool–Grade 6

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Free to print and copy for your church, classroom, VBS and home. Please don't resell or re-post our files; link to the page instead.

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: Matthew 2:1–12
Bible story: The Wise Men

What you need

A Bible (mark Matthew 2:2, Matthew 2:9 and Matthew 2:11)
Bibles for the kids to look up verses (3rd grade and up)
A large star cut from yellow paper, and tape (preschool and kindergarten to 2nd grade)
6 small paper stars, a marker and tape (memory verse game, kindergarten to 2nd grade)
Three small "treasures" to give, like a small box, a jar and a little bag (preschool)
A whiteboard or large paper and a marker (3rd grade and up)
Paper and pencils (preteens)
Printed take-home sheets, one per child
Printed wise men word search and crayons for early finishers

This free wise men Sunday school lesson teaches kids to seek Jesus and worship Him with great joy, like the wise men who saw His star and came to worship the young child (Matthew 2:1–12). 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 star hunt, a short story with hand motions and repeat-after-me lines, three simple questions, a shortened memory verse ("they rejoiced with exceeding great joy") with a motion, and a gifts-under-the-star activity.
Kindergarten to 2nd grade, 45 minutes, 3 pages: the Follow the Star game, the story in simple words, five recall questions with answers, the Star Verse game with six paper stars, and a find-the-star game.
3rd to 5th grade, 45–60 minutes, 4 pages: kids look up verses in their own Bibles during a fuller story (Herod and the scribes, the prophecy about Bethlehem in Micah 5:2, the star that stood over the young child, the gifts), five thinking questions and three recall questions, and a Bible look-up race.
Preteens (ages 11–12), 45–60 minutes, 3 pages: an "In Matthew 2 or not?" opening game, students read Matthew 2:1–12 and Micah 5:2 out loud themselves, then discuss real worship, seeking God with all your heart and who Jesus is. Six discussion questions, a journal page, and two memory verses (Matthew 2:10 and Jeremiah 29:13).

Lesson at a glance

Bible passage: Matthew 2:1–12
Main point: The wise men searched for Jesus and worshiped Him with great joy. We can seek Jesus and worship Him too.
Memory verse: Matthew 2:10 (KJV), with Jeremiah 29:13 added for preteens
Ages: preschool to preteen, in four versions

Lesson outline (the same in every version)

Opening game: a short game about following a star or searching for something hidden.
Bible story: the wise men from the east, King Herod and the chief priests, the prophecy about Bethlehem, the star that went before them, the young child in the house, the gold, frankincense and myrrh, and the dream that sent them home another way. 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 Matthew 2:10.
What this means for us: seek Jesus and worship Him, the gospel (Acts 2:38), and a challenge for the week.
Activity: the wise men word search, the wise men craft, a Bible look-up race or a journal page, depending on the age.
Prayer.

Tips for teaching the wise men

Read Matthew 2:11 straight from your Bible. Many kids picture the wise men at the manger; Matthew says they came "into the house" and saw "the young child with Mary his mother."
The Bible doesn't say how many wise men there were or mention camels. It names three gifts. Each lesson tells the story the way it is written and gives you a short answer if a child asks.
The lessons stop at Matthew 2:12 and leave out what Herod did afterward (Matthew 2:16). Read it yourself before class. The 3rd to 5th grade and preteen lessons give you a short, gentle answer in case someone asks.
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 wise men 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 wise men story for kids?

The wise men searched for Jesus, and when they found Him they worshiped Him with great joy and gave Him gifts (Matthew 2:2, 2:10–11). We can seek Jesus and worship Him too.

How many wise men were there?

The Bible doesn't say. Matthew 2:1 just says "wise men from the east." It names three gifts, gold, frankincense and myrrh (Matthew 2:11), so many people picture three men, but the number of men is not given. The Bible doesn't mention camels either, so this lesson leaves them out.

Did the wise men visit Jesus at the manger?

Matthew says they came "into the house" and saw "the young child with Mary his mother" (Matthew 2:11). The manger and the shepherds are in Luke 2. This lesson tells Matthew 2:1–12 the way it is written.