Jesus Teaches Me to be Wise: Home Ideas

The parable of the Wise and Foolish Builders is a great story to teach your preschooler about wise and foolish choices. In this parable Jesus teaches us that we are like the wise man when we hear His word and act in obedience.  We are like the foolish man when we hear His word and do not do as He says.  Ephesians 6:1 instructs children to obey their parents in the Lord.  Since God's word to children is to obey their parents, you can explain to your child that they are like the wise man when they listen to you and obey.  In contrast, they are like the foolish man when they hear you and choose to disobey you.  Introduce God's Word to your child as the authority, and as the foundation for teaching your child obedience.  Obedience is a lesson parents are always teaching, and truthfully, always learning.

There are several YouTube links this week.  They were just too good, so I had to share them with you!  In balance, though, I also have lots of suggestion for "hands-on, digging-in-the-dirt" fun. :)

• Read the story of the wise man and the foolish man together in your child's Bible.

• In your backyard, or at the park, build a sand castle, and then build a house out of rocks.  Pour water over the houses.  Observe and discuss what happens.

• Watch this Lego animation version of the parable read right from the Bible.

• Here's another cool Lego animation of the story without narration.

• Watch this sweet animation of the story, set to African style music, also without narration.

• Watch and sing "The Wise Man Built His House Upon the Rock."

• After watching all those Lego movies, build and re-enact your own story of the Wise and Foolish Builders.  As you are building, talk about how Jesus says we are like the wise man when we obey, and we are like the foolish man when we disobey.

• Outside, arrange small rocks into various shapes and letters for your child to identify and re-create on their own.  You could also draw shapes and letters in the sand.