Memorial Day Themed Sunday School Lessons for 4- & 5-Year-Olds

Changing up the lessons in Sunday school class is necessary to keep 4- and 5-year-olds attentive and stimulated by the curriculum. When holidays come up, take the opportunity to incorporate lessons and activities about these occasions into the Sunday school session. For Memorial Day, 4- and 5-year-olds in Sunday school can learn the basic concept of the holiday, which honors those who served in the military to protect the country, and how it relates to their faith.

Tell the students to hide someplace in the classroom and turn off the lights. Make sure you have a flashlight in case you need to check on the kids. With the lights out, teach your students about Memorial Day by informing them that some places in the world, people are not free to practice their own religion, and some have hid in the dark to avoid getting arrested for believing in a god that they weren't supposed to. Ask students what it would be like to have to hide because they believed in God. Talk about how soldiers from America have rescued people who were in hiding, and that's one of the reasons why the people in the armed forces are celebrated and recognized on Memorial Day.

You can teach 4- and 5-year-olds about the basis of Memorial Day and the idea of patriotism through an American flag activity. Introduce your young students to what Memorial Day is all about and relate it to the concept of patriotism. Show 4- and 5-year-olds how to make American flags in honor of Memorial Day. They can create the American flags out of blue construction paper, white cotton balls for the stars and strips of red and white paper. Or, you can make flag posters that say "God Bless America" at the top. Use this activity to jump into a lesson about God and how many people in America turn to his faith during times of challenge or war.

You and your 4- and 5-year-olds can make a giant thank-you sign in honor of those who are remembered on Memorial Day. The thank you sign can be decorated with your Sunday school students' finger-paint handprints, and you can write the words "God Bless" at the top of the poster. Embellish the sign with star stickers kids can place all around the poster. During the activity, talk to kids about the importance of faith and how that plays a large role in honoring soldiers who have passed on. You can discuss the concepts of heaven and angels, too.

Reading your Sunday school students a story about Memorial Day is an effective way to get their attention. You can even write your own story about Memorial Day to read to the class. After the story is finished, ask your students to think about someone they know who is in the military. Talk about prayer and how prayer can help people recover from fear while loved ones are at war. You might even start a prayer circle with your Sunday schoolers and give each child a chance to say a quick prayer.