How to Explain the Beatitudes to Children

The beatitudes are some of the most recited verses from the Bible. This is because they carry a good message that serves as a model for living a humble life and describe the rewards that will come from doing so. However, like most Bible verses, the beatitudes may be a bit tricky for children to grasp and understand. Making an activity revolving around the beatitudes can help children understand the messages.

Read the beatitudes aloud as they are written. Though the children may not comprehend the full meaning, they will get a sense of what they are. Answer questions they have along the way, such as what certain words they are not familiar with mean.

Write each beatitude on a separate sheet of paper. Place the pieces of paper in a hat or basket.

Divide the children into groups. Depending on how many children/groups there are, divide the beatitude sheets evenly. Have the children pull them randomly from the hat or basket.

Ask each group to take a few minutes to discuss their interpretation of the beatitude they selected. This gives them a chance to put the messages into their own words so they can better understand them.

Read the interpretations aloud. Tell the children if they have a good grasp of the beatitude(s) they were assigned. If not, you can tell them slight variations or where they missed part of the meaning. By hearing all of the interpretations in children's words, every group will get a better understanding of what the beatitudes mean.

Give examples of modern day people or things that reflect the beatitudes.