How did the different languages of the world come to be? Teach your preschoolers about the Tower of Babel and how language got started. Great activities and games!
The ideas below may help you teach a lesson about the Tower of Babel. Feel free to use these ideas to supplement your current curriculum or to make your own lesson.
Story Suggestion
Genesis 11:1-9
Song - B-A-B-E-L
Sing the following song to the tune of B-I-N-G-O:
- There was a tower that grew so tall
- And Babel was its Name-O
- B-A-B-E-L, B-A-B-E-L, B-A-B-E-L
- And Babel was its Name-O
- God had a plan for this tower
- And Babel was its Name-O
- B-A-B-E-L, B-A-B-E-L, B-A-B-E-L
- And Babel was its Name-O
- He mixed up all the languages
- So no one could build the tower
- B-A-B-E-L, B-A-B-E-L, B-A-B-E-L
- And Babel was its Name-O
Game Ideas
Telephone
Directions: Have the children seat in chairs or on the floor in a straight line. Start off by telling the first child a secret message. Ask the children to keep passing the message to each other until it gets to the last person. Have the last person say out loud what the message was. See if it is the same as the original message. Make sure you something easy for the children to understand.
Tower Building Contest
Directions: Divide your class into groups of two or three children. Give each group the same number of blocks (big cardboard bricks work the best). When you say, "Go!," all the groups have to build their towers as big as they can before it falls down. When that happens, switch teams around and have a new set of kids working together to play again. There is no real winner in this game. It just helps emphasize teamwork.
Snacks
A great snack for this lesson idea would be:
Babel Towers
Ingredients:
- Graham crackers (or another similar cracker)
- Large marshmallows
- Marshmallow cream
- Peanut butter
- Plastic knives
Directions: Give each child a few crackers. Have them spread the top of one of their crackers with either the marshmallow cream or peanut butter. Next, they will add a large marshmallow on top, and then put either the cream or peanut butter on top of the large marshmallow. Next, they will add another cracker, and start the whole thing over again. See how tall they can make their tower before it falls down, and then eat it.
Art Center Idea
Coloring page: Use the coloring picture below to have children color it and take it home.
Activity Suggestion
Learn a Language
Teach the children how to say hello in different languages. Here are some examples with their pronunciation.
- French – Salut (sal-oo)
- German – Hallo (hail-o)
- Spanish – Hola (ola)
- Italian – Ciao (chow)
- Chinese, Mandarin – Ni Hao (Nee ha-oh)
Suggested Prayer (or use your own)
Thank you, God, for teaching us. With your help from above. Thank you, God, for sending me. Your blessings and your love.
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Great Sunday School Crafts:
Life of King David Bible Crafts
