Just like there’s not always a lot of Deborah activities for kids, there’s not really a lot of Gideon activities for kids, beyond the “make a trumpet” and blow it craft for Sunday School. Which didn’t really excite me, my kids make quite enough noise on their own.
Last lesson we learned about Deborah.
My thoughts on Gideon
I’ve always thought Gideon was a great example of a man who started strong, and then went horribly wrong. If you read the start of Gideon, he doesn’t want to lead, he thinks God has the wrong guy. But at the end of his life Gideon has multiple wives, he has people collect up gold so he can make an ephod (a type of robe) for the people to worship. Where did he go so wrong?
I mean it’s not like Gideon was a horrible person, he did a lot of great things, but somewhere he forgot it wasn’t Gideon doing those great things. It was God. 100% God’s doing. Maybe it’s when Gideon added in the battle cry “The sword for the Lord AND for Gideon.” Was that where it started? Of was it when he went and punished the people who didn’t help him? Or was he supposed to do those things?
I don’t know. And, to be quite honest I’m comfortable with that because it means I am not proud, a proud person claims to know everything, and I don’t. So, I study Gideon over and over trying to learn more, but I haven’t found that answer yet.
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Gideon activities for kids
By far the most popular activity was our Gideon’s torch craft. The kids loved making it, and it only took about 10 minutes, the perfect time for a Sunday School class.
Supplies for the craft {these are affiliate links}:Tissue paper*
It’s super simple:
- Shred the paper into small 1 inch or so shapes
- Glue about 10-15 of them together into a rectangle.
- Put glue on the bottom of the rectangle and roll it up onto the match stick for a cool looking small torch.
Now, the torch does serve a purpose beyond looking cool. It helps remind the kids that God can use anyone, even the least significant person from the smallest clan, and the weirdest weapon to win a great battle.
Our next activity was to go into my dark closet with a flashlight. They kids thought this was great fun, and when I turned on the flashlight they had to scream in terror just like the Midianite army did. It led to some great discussion of why the army was so scared, and what it was about darkness that causes us to panic, and what we can do when we’re scared.
More Gideon activities
- Gideon lesson for the family, click on the link, or on the picture up above
- Buck Denver Asks: What’s in the Bible? Volume Four – Battle for the Promised Land
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- AIO Classics #4: Bible Eyewitness*
- Gideon printable activity
Next up we learn about our final Judge: Samson. For more ideas on learning about Gideon or the other Judges in the Bible check out the Joshua, Judges, and Ruth page.
What a fun lesson about Gideon! My kids wanted to smash terra cotta pots and hold real torches, but I thought that would cause too much destruction to my house, so we just acted it out with flashlights, pots, and trumpets. Sadly, we did it in the day time, so it didn’t look as cool as it would have looked in your dark closet. Maybe next time…
I’m somewhat surprised my kids didn’t want to do that, but considering I had them rebuild the pots last time we smashed them….
The closet really did make it look cool. Now the crowded and surrounded by clothes did kind of cutdown on the ambience.
I love your torch craft – very pretty!
I love the torch craft too!
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Thanks for down to earth/heavenly ideas!!!
You’re welcome! I loved how simple that project was.
You have a cute story, but you might want to correct your Bible facts:)
Gideon too the 300 that lapped like a dog, bringing the water to their mouths in their hands. The ones who went home were the ones who kneeled to drink. Thanks
I went back and reread the Bible and reread my story, and you’re right. I flopped the two. The problem I’m having is the description lapping like a dog is how I visualize the ones who were sent home, because I visualize lapping like a dog as the person who knelt down and stuck their face in the water.
I’m going to have to think how to phrase that better when I update it later.