Solomon was known to be a wise king. He was fair and just. Teach your preschoolers about this memorable Bible character.

The ideas below may help you when teaching a lesson about Solomon. Feel free to use these ideas to supplement your current curriculum or to make your own lesson.

Story Suggestion

I Kings 3: Solomon prays to God to ask for wisdom. The lesson of this story is that God is pleased with us when we ask Him for the things that will make us better people. God was happy that Solomon did not ask for riches or a large castle. He simply asked for wisdom to become a better king. God rewarded him with that and much more.

Game Ideas

Needs & Wants

This lesson is a good time to talk to children about "needs" versus "wants."

Directions: Before class make several slips of paper and write down specific things that people need and want. Some examples of needs would be love, food, water, and shelter. Examples of wants would be toys, candy, computer games and fancy clothes. Pull out slips of paper and read them out loud. Have the children shout out whether the item is a need or want. You can then have each child make up needs and wants and have the other children shout out whether or not the item is a need or want.

King in the Middle

Directions: Have all the children sit in a circle and select one to sit in the middle. This child is the "king." The king will act out something that he or she wants without speaking. Have those in the circle guess what is being acted out. The child who correctly guesses then becomes the king and the other child returns to the circle.

Snacks

A good snack for this lesson would be:

King Cookies

Directions: Before the class, bake plain sugar cookies in the shape of crowns. Bring the cookies to class with frosting, candies and sprinkles for the children to decorate.

Another good snack for this lesson would be:

Apple Smiles

We often associated apples with wisdom. Since Solomon asked for wisdom, then apples would make a good snack. Cut the apples into slices and spread either peanut butter or cream cheese on the apples. Stick mini marshmallows on the peanut butter or cream cheese to look like teeth.

Art Center Ideas

Needs & Wants Collage

Kids can spend a long time going through magazines and cutting out pictures. This will also reinforce the “needs” versus “wants” lesson.

Materials:

• Old magazines
• Scissors
• Glue
• Construction paper

Directions: For this craft, take a piece of construction paper and draw a line down the middle. Label one side “needs” and the other side "wants." Have the children go through the magazine and cut out pictures of things that they need and things that they want. Have them glue them on the appropriate side of the paper.

Castle Craft

Materials:

• Toilet paper tubes
• Paper towel tubes
• Cardboard boxes of all sizes
• Construction paper
• Glue

Directions: Have the children wrap the tubes and boxes up in construction paper and then construct King Solomon’s castle out of the boxes. The tubes could serve as turrets. You can even use larger boxes to make one large castle instead of smaller castles.

Suggested Prayer

Dear Lord, thank you for listening to my prayers and giving me the things that I need. Amen.

See more Sunday School lesson ideas and great Bible crafts here!