Kid's Corner - Parents Guide - Feeding of the Five Thousand

Feeding of the Five Thousand

Dear Mom and Dad,

We applaud you for following Proverbs 22:6 by helping your child understand the Bible. Below, you will find some Teaching Tools to guide you in showing your child the truths of God’s Word and in helping your child apply them in his life.

Ages 3 to 6
Even if your children are older than six, we encourage you to lead them through this material before moving on to the content for their age group.

Ages 7 to 10

What we will learn
• It is important to share, even if it is all we have because Jesus will bless us.
• It is important to not waste.
• Jesus will take care of us.
•It is important to be organized (keep room clean).

LEARN ABOUT FEEDING THE FIVE THOUSAND

In this section, help your child understand why the miracle of Jesus feeding the five thousand was so important. It shows that Jesus can do anything, and that He will provide for us.

Teaching Tool #1:

Help your child understand why it is important to know that Jesus will take care of us. Jesus could have very easily healed the people, told them about God, and left with His disciples. But, as our Lord and Savior, Jesus wants to provide for our earthly needs, too. He fed the people abundantly and, in so doing, illustrated to them His divine power. Tell your child that if we trust Jesus and follow Him, just like the crowds followed Him to the desert, then He will watch after us and take care of our needs.

To illustrate the power of this miracle, get out five slices of bread and two small fish sticks. Explain to your child that Jesus made that small amount of food multiply enough to fill the hunger of over five thousand people.

Teaching Tool #2:
When your child asks why Jesus broke the crowd into groups of fifty, explain to him/her the importance of organization. Use this opportunity to stress the importance of keeping his/her room clean—if the room is clean, they’ll be able to find things quicker and they’ll feel better about themselves. Jesus set an example of organization that even your young child can follow.

Teaching Tool #3:
Explain to your child how important it was that the little boy shared his food. If he didn’t offer the bread and fish, then the people may have left the desert area very hungry. Tell your child to share toys and be kind to other people and Jesus will bless them and be proud of their good deeds. Make a small desert or appetizer and let your child take it to a neighbor (if you know the neighbor well). This will give your child the opportunity to feel the satisfaction of sharing and giving to other people!

Teaching Tool #4:
Explain to your child how important it is to not waste, especially items like food. Jesus told His disciples to gather up the leftovers so nothing would be wasted. Use the story as an opportunity to illustrate to your child that they should be thankful for the food they have, as people throughout the world are not as fortunate, and inspire them to eat all of the food they are given, “to clean their plate,” and to not waste.

Learning Concepts and Unfamiliar Words

Your child learned a fundamental truth about God’s character (that He will provide for us). Your child has also been introduced to the meaning of the word “disciple.”

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Parents' Guide

Dear Mom and Dad,

If you have children that are older (ages 7 to 10) and may enjoy learning more about this miracle, help them understand the following questions. You may want to help your child write his answers in a journal.

What we will learn
• Why it is important that we make the most of what we have.
• The importance of tithing.
• We should thank God for what He has given us.

HOW TO APPLY WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT THIS MIRACLE

Before Jesus fed the five thousand, He blessed the food while lifting it to the sky. Before every meal, every time we sit down to eat, it is a blessing from God and we should be thankful. We should always say a prayer and thank God for the food he provided us. Jesus set an example that we should follow.

Journal:
Do you say a blessing before every time you eat? Try to make it a point, from now on, to thank God for the food He has given you. Think about how thankful the multitudes must have been that Jesus provided for them.

Remember how the little boy offered up his small amount of food to the disciples? That was all he had, yet he was willing to give it away if it allowed more people to eat. God expects us to give also. If we want God to bless us, we should offer up what we have to Him. Not only does God want us to give tithes and offerings at church, but He also wants us, like the little boy, to give and share with others.

Journal:
Is there something you have that you don’t need or use anymore? Write down some clothes or toys that are just sitting around gathering dust and give them to someone who may put them to use. How much money do you make a week from chores and allowance? Consider giving ten percent of this amount to God, through an offering to the church. Malachi 3:10 tells us to “Bring all the tithes into the storehouse....” God wants us to tithe and give to Him as He has provided for us.

Jesus was able to take five loaves of bread and two small fish and produce a huge feast for thousands of people. Jesus wants us to produce, to work, and to make the most of what we have. Even if we have little, we can always use that small amount, and if we use it to help God, we will be amazed at what we can do! We should have a work ethic, that is we should always want to work hard. Read Matthew 25:14-30, The Parable of the Talents, to see how God wants us to make the most of what we have.

Journal:
Are there chores around the house that you could help your parents with? Find something you are comfortable doing, something your parents don’t require you to do already, maybe vacuuming the floor or watering the flowers, and ask them if they could use your help. God wants you to work hard. He will be proud of you for helping around the house.

Remember Rhyme

The little boy offered to Jesus all he had

Five loaves and two fishes made the people glad

For Jesus took this small amount and made it multiply

He blessed the loaves and fishes while looking to the sky.

Learning Concepts and Unfamiliar Words

Your child has learned several fundamental truths about God’s character: He wants us to thank Him for the food that He has blessed us with, share with and give to others, give back a portion of what we make to Him, and work hard to make what we have multiply.

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