Fun Object Lesson on Love for Kids {The Fruit of the Spirit #1}

Need a fun idea for teaching kids about love? The Scriptures say God is love–and He enables us to love one another. Use a fun Bible object lesson on love to show introduce this first Fruit of the Spirit to the kids in your Sunday School, VBS, or children’s ministry. You AND your kids will be excited to learn about love after this hands-on illustration about God’s love! Scroll down for details.

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Teach kids what the Scriptures say about love

Need a fun way to introduce kids to the topic of love in your Sunday School or VBS?

If you’re kicking off a series of Bible lesson plans on the Fruit of the Spirit, a lesson on love is first up… and I’m sure you want to start things off with a bang! 😉

How about a fun object lesson for kids on love?

Bible object lessons are a fantastic way to catch kids’ attention. And this Fruit of the Spirit object lesson is no exception! It uses just a few everyday items to teach kids that God is love and how His love enables us to love one another, too.

An object lesson on love

This object lesson on love is easy and lively. Your kids will definitely enjoy it!

And with this fun illustration about love, you’ll feel:

• Inspired to be creative. This is a truly unique idea for introducing the first Fruit of the Spirit to your kids!
• Equipped to teach well. This hands-on object lesson will vividly show kids that God is love, and the source of all true love.
• Excited to get started. Both you and your kids will be excited to start your Bible lesson on love when you use this fun Fruit of the Spirit illustration!

“God is love” object lesson for kids

Materials Needed

• Two clear water glasses. It’s important to use clear glasses, so that your kids can easily see the water in them. This is crucial to the main point of the object lesson!
• A pink sponge. You can use another color, but because the sponge is supposed to represent love, I’d encourage you to find a pink one.
• A red or pink bucket or bowl. This will represent God’s love. It doesn’t have to be huge, but if it can hold about a gallon of water, that would be ideal. It’s easier to find red ones (like this red bucket on Amazon), but here’s a pink bucket for you too. 😉
• Clear packing tape. Use this to attach the sign to your bucket. I’d recommend taping over the entire front of the sign, just in case water is dropped on it.
• A small sign that says “God’s Love.” Write this out yourself, or download and print the one I made for you:

Instructions

Before the kids arrive:

Fill the red bucket with water and set it behind you. Turn it against the wall so that the sign is hidden from sight.

Dip the pink sponge once, so that it is full of water, and set it aside.

Drag a table to the front of the room. You’ll do the object lesson on the table, so that the kids can see easily.

After the kids have arrived:

When the kids are seated and you’re ready to get started, set up the first part of the object lesson. Explain as you go along.

• Ask first for a volunteer to come up to help you.
• Set out one clear glass. Explain that the glass represents someone else. Note: you may wish to place a plate or a small dish under the glass to catch any drops.
• Hold up the sponge. Explain that the sponge represents the volunteer’s heart or love.
• Instruct the volunteer to squeeze as much water from the sponge as he can, into the cup. This represents when we try to show love to others.
• Give the volunteer a few seconds to get as much water in the glass as possible. Then thank him and ask him to sit down again. Note: you may wish to give your volunteer a small chocolate or a candy as a thank you for participating.
• Hold up the glass so everyone can see how much water is in it now. Talk with the kids about the amount. Ask if they think they could have gotten more water in there. Ask if they think it was enough water.

Now move into the second part of the object lesson.

• Point out that even though there’s water in the cup, it’s not anywhere close to full. Explain that, when we try to love other people out of our own abilities, it’s never really sufficient. We aren’t truly capable of loving others well.
• Ask for a second volunteer.
• Set the first cup down on the table again. Set out the second glass next to it. Note: you may wish to place a plate or a small dish under the glass to catch any overflow.
• Give the sponge to the second volunteer. Ask him how much water he thinks he’ll be able to get in the second glass. (Since the first volunteer already squeezed most of the water out, the second volunteer probably will expect to get very little water in the second glass.)
• Now, pick up the bucket and bring it to the table. Turn it so that the kids can see the sign on the bucket–and be sure to point out the sign to your second volunteer.
• Tell the second volunteer that he can dip his sponge as many times as he needs to in the bucket.
• Now ask him to please squeeze as much water as possible into the second glass.
• When the glass is full and overflowing, thank your second volunteer and ask him to sit down again. Note: you may wish to give your volunteer a small chocolate or a candy as a thank you for participating.
• Ask the kids to compare the amount of water in the two glasses. Get them to tell you which worked better–trying to squeeze water out of just a sponge, or dipping freely in the bucket first and then squeezing into the glass.
• Point out to the kids that, when the second volunteer could dip into “God’s Love,” he was able to give a lot more “love” to someone else.

You’ve completed your object lesson on love. Now is a great time to mention that the Scriptures say God is love, and the source of love…

You’re all set to charge full speed into your lesson on love!

This is a perfect object lesson on “love one another.” It’s even a perfect object lesson on “love your neighbor.”

And it’s definitely the perfect object lesson to use as an introduction to a series of lessons on the Fruit of the Spirit!

I hope you’ve truly been inspired, equipped, and excited by this object lesson on love. 🙂

Now have fun “passing the faith along” to your kiddoes!