Bible: Gideon activities for kids

Just like there are not always a lot of Deborah activities for kids, there are not really a lot of Gideon activities for kids, beyond the “make a trumpet” and blow it craft for Sunday School.  Which didn’t really excite me, my kids make quite enough noise on their own. Future Ticia 2024 now has a couple more ideas up her sleeve for a Gideon lesson that I’ll slowly put together to share with you.

Last lesson we learned about Deborah.

My thoughts on Gideon

I’ve always thought Gideon was a great example of a man who started strong and then went horribly wrong.  If you read the start of Gideon, he doesn’t want to lead, he thinks God has the wrong guy.  But at the end of his life, Gideon has multiple wives, he has people collect gold so he can make an ephod (a type of robe) for the people to worship.  Where did he go so wrong?

I mean it’s not like Gideon was a horrible person, he did many great things, but somewhere he forgot it wasn’t Gideon doing those great things.  It was God.  100% God’s doing.  Maybe it’s when Gideon added in the battle cry “The sword for the Lord AND for Gideon.”  Was that where it started?  Was it when he punished the people who didn’t help him?  Or was he supposed to do those things?

I don’t know.  And, to be quite honest I’m comfortable with that because it means I am not proud, a proud person claims to know everything, and I don’t.  So, I study Gideon over and over trying to learn more, but I haven’t found that answer yet.

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Gideon activities for kids

By far the most popular activity was our Gideon’s torch craft.  The kids loved making it, and it only took about 10 minutes, the perfect time for a Sunday School class.

Supplies for the craft

{these are affiliate links}:Tissue paper* (I save any and all paper from presents for crafts), Match Sticks* or Toothpicks* (match sticks are nice because it’s not pointy, I get mine for 40% off at Hobby Lobby), Glue Sticks* (back to school sales)

It’s super simple:

1. Shred the paper into small 1-inch or so shapes
2. Glue about 10-15 of them together into a rectangle.
3. Put glue on the bottom of the rectangle and roll it up onto the match stick for a cool-looking small torch.

Now, the torch does serve a purpose beyond looking cool.  It helps remind the kids that God can use anyone, even the least significant person from the smallest clan, and the weirdest weapon to win a great battle.

Gideon object lesson

Our next activity was to go into my dark closet with a flashlight.  The kids thought this was great fun, and when I turned on the flashlight they had to scream in terror just like the Midianite army did.  It led to some great discussion of why the army was so scared, what it was about darkness that causes us to panic, and what we can do when we’re scared.

More Gideon activities

• Gideon lesson for the family, click on the link
• Buck Denver Asks: What’s in the Bible? Volume Four – Battle for the Promised Land*
• AIO Classics #4: Bible Eyewitness*
• Gideon printable activity

Next up we learn about our final Judge: Samson. For more ideas on learning about Gideon or the other Judges in the Bible check out the Joshua, Judges, and Ruth page.