Background Scripture (read 2-3 times during the week)
Mark 4:35-41, Luke 8:22-25, Matthew 8:23-27
Story Summary
The Story of Jesus Calming the Storm: A Summary for Kids
Early on in his ministry, Jesus led his disciples to cross over from one side of the Sea of Galilee to the other - from Capernaum to the region of the Decapolis (the Ten Cities). Jesus had been teaching all day and was tired, so he took the opportunity of the boat ride to take a nap. While he was sleeping, a fierce storm suddenly developed and the disciples (some of them who were professional fishermen!), started panicking. They though they were going to drown!
They woke up Jesus (who was still sleeping!). Jesus ordered the wind and the waves to "be still!" and the storm immediately stopped. The disciples started this story by being afraid of the storm and they ended the story being afraid of the one who had power over the storm.
Where Is the Story of Jesus Calming the Storm in the Bible?
You can teach this story from any of the 3 "synoptic" gospels, but a good start is the book of Mark. You can find it in Mark 5:35-41. Mark tends to be the most concise and easiest to read for kids.
Note, this is a different story than Jesus Walks on Water, although they both happened on the Sea of Galilee.
What Happens in the Story, Step by Step
- Jesus had spent a long day teaching and wanted to move from one side of the Sea of Galilee to another.
- He told the disciples that they needed to go across the Sea of Galilee to another area, so they all got in a boat and set out across the water.
- Jesus was taking a nap on the boat.
- Suddenly, a fierce storm whipped up the wind and the waves. It was so strong, the disciples became terrified that they were going to all die in the storm.
- They woke up Jesus and asked him, "Teacher! Don’t you care if we drown?"
- Jesus ordered the storm to stop and the wind immediately calmed down.
- The disciples were terrified, asking, "Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!"
This story lends itself to having the children act out the story as you are teaching it. Recruit the following characters:
- Jesus
- Several disciples
- A boat
- A storm
Why Were the Disciples So Afraid?
Even though some of the disciples were professional fishermen, this storm was so violent that they were very afraid. The geography of the Sea of Galilee lends itself to particularly sudden and violent storms.
Here's a video of a particularly bad storm from 1992 that gives you an idea of how dangerous it would be to be in the middle of that body of water on a boat.
But after the storm, the disciples were more afraid of Jesus than they were of the storm when they came to the realization that one who has power over nature was in the boat with them.
Why Was Jesus Sleeping in the Boat?
The simple answer is that he was tired! We can see in the story leading up to this that he had spent a long day teaching. This helps us remember that Jesus was all God but also all human at the same time. This is similar to the time when Jesus learned of the death of his cousin John the Baptist and wanted to be alone to grieve, but couldn't (Matthew 14:13).
A deeper answer is that Jesus wasn't afraid of the storms, not because he knew of his power over nature, but because Jesus wasn't afraid of death. He knew that death could not get in the way of his mission.
What Jesus Calming the Storm Teaches Kids
As kids begin to experience more of the world around them, fear can set in as they learn that there are forces bigger than their parents can protect them from. Kids can be afraid of fires, "bad guys," and definitely storms!
The disciples were just like them - they got scared too! But they learned that they were following the One who has power over nature. And more than that, they learned that he cared for them enough to protect them during that storm.
My Notes
What You Will Need
Supplies
- A canoe or row-boat to teach from, a New Testament Bible map to show where the Sea of Galilee is located
Video Options
From Crossroads Kids Club
From LifeKids
From Saddleback Kids
From Kids on the Move
Resource Sheet
This coloring sheet depicts Jesus sleeping on the boat before he calmed the storm
1 Warm Up get your kids talking and engaged
Have you ever been on a boat out in water? Where was it? Was it raining or thundering when you were on the boat?
Today, we're going to learn about a time when Jesus and his disciples were on a boat in the Sea of Galilee and a furious storm popped up! How do you think the disciples felt?
2 Teach the Story teach a holistic story
If you have access to one, teach from a canoe or row-boat (something you can fit into your classroom).
Read story from a Children's storybook Bible for younger children.
For older children, read the story from an age-appropriate Children's storybook Bible or read directly from the Bible.
3 Bible Mastery give them basic Bible skills
Scripture for Kids to Read Aloud Mark 4:35-41
4 Comprehension Questions make sure they understand the story
First, ask the children if they have any questions about the story. What to do if you don't know the answer?
- Where did this story take place?
- The Sea of Galilee
- Where were Jesus and the disciples going?
- Across the Sea, to the other side
- What happened as they were on the water at night?
- A great storm arose, and water started splashing into the boat
- What was Jesus doing as this happened?
- He was sleeping in the stern, or the rear of the boat
- What did the disciples do next?
- They woke up Jesus and asked him, "don't you care about us"?
- What did Jesus do in response?
- He asked them why they had little faith, and called out to the storm and told it to be quiet
5 Faith Questions open up a conversation about faith and the gospel; close with prayer
- In this story, the disciples were afraid of the storm that had suddenly appeared as they were crossing the Sea of Galilee. Jesus calmed the storm and asked his disciples to have more faith.
- What are you afraid of? How can Jesus help you?
6 Memory Verse hide God's Word in their heart
Act out the story
- Have the students act out the story.
- You will need one student to be Jesus, several students to be disciples and several students to be the storm.
- Use a canoe or row-boat and spray bottles (for the storm) for effect.
Sleep Tag
- Divide into two teams: Jesus and the disciples.
- Choose one (or more) people to be "It"
- If a disciple is tagged, they are out of the game.
- If someone from the Jesus team is tagged, they must go to sleep.
- The disciples must wake up the people from the Jesus team (by tagging them), without getting themselves tagged first by "It".
- The purpose of the game is for "It" to tag all of the disciples out and get everyone from the Jesus team to sleep.
Jesus Calms the Storm Paper Craft
- Color the entire bottom of the paper with crayon or blue water colors to make the sea.
- On the left side, make dark storm clouds and rain.
- One the right side, draw a sunset.
- Cut dotted line slit above water line.
- Glue or tape boat to popsicle stick.
- Glue Bible verse strip over appropriate side of paper. ( "Teacher! Don't you care if we drown?" and "Quiet! Be still!")
- Slide boat through slit, Can move from storm side to calm side.
Human thunderstorm
- Have everyone in the room do the actions at the same time. If you have a really large group, have them begin the next action in waves. Someone at the front can lead them in the actions and when to change.
- Rub your hands together.
- Snap your fingers.
- Clap your hands together (not at the same rhythm).
- Slap your hands on your legs.
- Stomp your feet.
- Slap your hands on your legs and stomp your feet.
- Stomp your feet.
- Slap our hands on your legs
- Clap your hands together.
- Snap your fingers.
- Rub your hands together.
- Quiet
Juice Box Boats
- Cut card stock into triangles to make sails.
- Decorate both sides of skewers.
- Tape triangle to skewers.
- Stick skewer through juice box.
- Place in water.
- Blow water through straws to creat waves.
Storm in a Bottle
- Fill bottle with water, leaving about an inch from the top.
- Add blue food coloring and glitter
- Add a few drops of vegetable oil.
- Tape the bottle closed.
- Add sea stickers, if desired
Origami Boat Races
- Make boats.
- Place boats in water.
- Blow through straws to race!
Make Lightning
- Push tack through bottom of aluminum pie plate, in center.
- Push pencil eraser onto tack. This will be how you hold the aluminum pan.
- Rub a piece of wool quickly on the styrofoam plate, for about 2 minutes
- Drop aluminum pan onto styrofoam plate, without touching the pan.
- Slowly move your finger toward the aluminum pan.
- You should be able to feel (as see, if dark) the lightning.
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