Lesson Overview
1
Get Them Curious
Prepare kids for an exciting
learning journey.
Opposites
Play an opposites game to get kids ready for the lesson on Jonah and the Big Fish.
2
Screen Time
Show kids a video on the
Bible story.
Jonah and the Fish
Jonah and the Fish, by Saddleback Kids
3
Make it Stick
Help kids remember the
Bible story.
Jonah and the Big Fish Comic Strip
Kids create a 9-frame comic strip to re-tell the story of Jonah and the Big Fish.
4
Dig Deeper
Help kids grasp
the big idea.
Big Gulp of Jonah
In this Jonah and the whale craft and game, players try to get Jonah into the mouth of a whale.
5
Walk the Talk
Help kids live out
the big idea.
Captain’s Order
Players are crew on a ship and must obey the captain’s orders!
6
Take it Home
Send kids home with a concrete action plan and fun midweek activities.
Jonah in a Big Fish Puppet
Make your own Jonah in a Big Fish Puppet at home.
Big Idea
God is compassionate and gracious. He wants to show His love to everyone.
Key Verse
The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. Psalm 103:8
Live it Out
We should respond to God’s love and grace.
This Sunday School Lesson requires some advance preparation. For a consolidated summary of preparation, supplies and free printables required, please scroll to the bottom of this lesson.
1. Get Them Curious – Opposites
In this game, players stand in a circle with a leader in the center. The leader will shout out commands while doing a specific action and everyone in the circle must do the opposite of what the leader says and does.
Explain the commands and actions:
| When the leader says this (and does this)… | Everyone else must do this… |
| Up (Stand up) | Sit down |
| Down (Sit down) | Stand up |
| Left (Turn to the left) | Turn to the right |
| Right (Turn to the right) | Turn to the left |
| Clap (Clap your hands) | Stamp your feet |
| Stamp (Stamp your feet) | Clap your hands |
| Quick (Run quickly on the spot) | Run in slow-motion on the spot |
| Slow (Run in slow-motion on the spot) | Run quickly on the spot |
| Laugh (Laugh out loud) | Rub your eyes and cry out loud |
| Cry (Rub your eyes and cry out loud) | Laugh out loud |
Players must continue doing the action until the leader gives the next command.
For example:
- When the leader says, “Up”, the leader will stand up. Everyone else must sit down.
- When the leader gives the next command, “Quick”, the leader will run quickly on the spot. Everyone else must stand up and run in slow motion on the spot.
Players who do the wrong action are out.
The last person remaining is the winner and becomes the next leader.
Play as many rounds as you like.
Discuss: Can anyone guess the title of today’s Bible story?
Say: Let’s watch a video on Jonah and the Big Fish.
Pray: Dear God, thank you for our Opposites game! Please help us learn what this game has to do with today’s lesson and teach us how you want us to live it out! In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
2. Screen Time – Jonah and the Fish
This is our favorite YouTube video on Jonah and the Fish: https://youtu.be/WOSadLyqshg
Before you begin, tell the children to pay attention to the various events in the story.
3. Make it Stick – Jonah and the Big Fish Comic Strip
Remember to download Jonah and the Big Fish Comic Strip Printable:
(This printable has 9 pages; each page describes 1 scene.)
Discuss: What Bible story did we just watch?
Show Slide 1 (Sunday School Lesson Title & Bible Reference):
Say: Let’s create a comic strip to re-tell today’s story.
Part 1 – Create 9 Frames of Jonah and the Big Fish Comic Strip
Divide your class into 9 small groups (3-5 kids per group).
Give each group:
- 1 page of the Jonah and the Big Fish Comic Strip Printable
- Some markers
Kids must work in groups to create 1 frame of the comic strip to illustrate that scene.
If you have fewer kids in your class, assign more than 1 scene to some groups.
Part 2 – Use the Comic Strip to re-tell the story of Jonah and the Big Fish
After all the groups have finished creating their comic strips, have kids put up all 9 frames in the correct order.
Starting with the first frame, have each group take turns to re-tell (in their own words) that part of the story.
4. Dig Deeper – Big Gulp of Jonah
Remember to download Big Gulp of Jonah Printable and prepare all necessary materials in advance.
Show kids a sample of the Big Gulp of Jonah toy that you have made.
Tell kids they will be making their own Big Gulp of Jonah toy.
You will need for each child:
- Big Gulp of Jonah Printable
- Scissors
- 1 Paper cup
- Sticky Tape
- 1 piece of String (about 18 inches long)
- Clothes Peg, Eraser or Crushed Aluminum Foil (or anything to give Jonah some weight)
How to make the Big Gulp of Jonah toy:
1. Cut out Jonah and the top and bottom pieces of the whale.
2. Paste the top piece of the whale on a paper cup, then the bottom piece (see picture above).
3. Paste Jonah onto a clothes peg or eraser or small piece of crushed aluminum foil (or anything to give Jonah some weight).
4. Paste one end of the string to the bottom of the paper cup; paste or tie the other end to Jonah.
How to Play
Hold the whale in your hand.
Try to swing Jonah into the mouth of the whale.
Discuss:
- Which did you enjoy more? Making or playing with the Big Gulp of Jonah toy?
- Was it easy to get Jonah into the mouth of the whale?
Say: In today’s video, God told Jonah to go to Nineveh, but Jonah did not want to go.
Read Jonah 4:2
Say: This was part of Jonah’s prayer after God decided not to punish Nineveh.
Discuss:
- What does this verse tell us about God?
- Why did Jonah refuse to go to Nineveh initially?
Say:
- Jonah did not want to go to Nineveh initially because he knew that if the Ninevites were to repent after hearing his message, then God would not punish them.
- Jonah felt that the Ninevites deserved to be punished, and he wanted God to punish them.
- But God is compassionate and gracious. He wants to show His love to everyone.
Show Slide 2 (Big Idea):
Have everyone read the slide.
5. Walk the Talk – Captain’s Order
In this game, players are crew on a ship and must obey the captain’s orders!
When the captain shouts out an order, everyone must quickly respond with a corresponding action.
How to Play
Designate a playing area to be the ship.
Identify the bow (front), stern (rear), port (left) and starboard (right) sides of the boat.
Assign one player to be the captain.
The captain will shout out one order at a time. (See table below)
Everyone must obey the order by doing the corresponding action.
Continue doing the same action until the captain gives the next order.
Players who fumble in obeying the command, or the last player to obey the captain’s order, is out of the game.
Play until only 1 player remains. That player becomes the next captain.
Captain’s Order | Players Must Do This |
Captain’s Coming | Stand tall, salute and say, “Aye aye Captain!” |
Scrub the deck | Get down on their hands and knees and scrub the deck. |
Bow | Run to the front of the boat |
Stern | Run to the rear of the boat |
Port | Run to the left of the boat |
Starboard | Run to the right of the boat |
Man overboard | Toss a life buoy into the sea and look for the missing person |
Climb the rigging | Climb a rope ladder |
Hit the deck | Lay facedown on the floor |
Man the lifeboat | Grab a partner, sit down and row the lifeboat together (in the same direction and in sync) |
Discuss:
- Did you enjoy this game? Why or why not?
- How did you feel about obeying the captain’s orders? Tell us more.
- How do you think Jonah felt about obeying God’s instructions?
- When Jonah eventually obeyed God, what was the result?
Say:
- In today’s Bible story, Jonah did not obey God’s instructions the first time.
- But when he finally did, the people of Nineveh repented and God decided not to punish them.
- God is compassionate and gracious. He wants to show His love to everyone.
Read Jonah 1:17, 2:10.
Discuss:
- In today’s story, did God punish Jonah even though he did not obey God the first time?
- How did God show compassion to Jonah? Why do you think God did this?
Say:
- When Jonah refused to go to Nineveh, God sent a big fish to swallow Jonah.
- After 3 days and 3 nights, the fish spit Jonah out onto dry land.
- God had shown compassion and grace to Jonah.
- God is compassionate and gracious. He wants to show His love to everyone.
Show Slide 3 (Key Verse): 
Have everyone read the slide.
Discuss:
- What does this verse tell us about God?
- How do you think God wanted Jonah to respond to his compassion and grace?
- How do you think God wanted the Ninevites to respond to his compassion and grace?
Show Slide 4 (Live it Out): 
Have everyone read the slide.
6. Take it Home – Jonah in a Big Fish Puppet
Say: Let’s recall all that we have learned today. Can you remember the title of today’s Bible Story?
Show Slide 1 again (Sunday School Lesson Title & Bible Reference):
Have everyone read the slide.
Say: Can you remember today’s big idea?
Show Slide 2 again (Big Idea):
Have everyone read the slide.
Say: Can you remember today’s key verse?
Show Slide 3 again (Key Verse):
Have everyone read the slide.
Say: How can we live out today’s lesson?
Show Slide 4 again (Live it Out):
Have everyone read the slide.
Discuss: In today’s story, God showed compassion and grace to Jonah and the Ninevites. Does God also show compassion and grace to each one of us? How?
Read Romans 5:8
Discuss: According to this verse, how did God show His love for us?
Read 1 John 1:8-9
Discuss: How should we respond to God’s compassion and grace to us? Why?
Say: Like Jonah and the Ninevites, we all have sinned and need God’s forgiveness. The Bible tells us that if we confess our sins, God will forgive us.
Read Matthew 22:37-39
Discuss:
- Besides confessing our sins, what else does Jesus want us to do?
- What are some practical ways we can do this?
Give each child a copy of Jonah and the Big Fish Take it Home Handout and the Jonah in a Big Fish Puppet Printable.
Say:
- God is compassionate and gracious. He wants to show His love to everyone.
- For those of us who have not yet asked God for forgiveness of our sins, it is not too late to do that now!
- For those of us who have already put our trust in Jesus, there is more that we can do. God wants us to love Him and everyone around us!
- Let’s write down your personal response to God in the Live it Out section on the first page. Then spend some time on your own talking to God about these things.
- The other pages are for you to do at home. Tell me next week about what you did at home!
Give everyone some time to write down their Live it Out action plan before ending the lesson with this closing prayer:
Pray: Dear Jesus, thank you for today’s Bible lesson on Jonah and the Big Fish. Thank you that you are compassionate and gracious, and you want to show your love to everyone. Thank you that Jesus died for our sins. We confess that we have done wrong things; please forgive us. Please help us love you with all our hearts, all our souls and all our minds. Please also help us love everyone around us. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
Lesson Preparation and Supplies
Here’s a summary of all the preparation, supplies and free printables required for this lesson.1
Get Them Curious
Prepare kids for an exciting
learning journey.
Opposites
Play an opposites game to get kids ready for the lesson on Jonah and the Big Fish.
No preparation needed.
2
Screen Time
Show kids a video on the
Bible story.
Jonah and the Fish
Jonah and the Fish, by Saddleback Kids
Ensure that you can play this YouTube video:
Jonah and the Fish, by Saddleback Kids (Video URL: https://youtu.be/WOSadLyqshg)
3
Make it Stick
Help kids remember the
Bible story.
Jonah and the Big Fish Comic Strip
Kids create a 9-frame comic strip to re-tell the story of Jonah and the Big Fish.
Download and print 1 copy of Jonah and the Big Fish Comic Strip Printable:
(This printable has 9 pages; each page describes 1 scene.)
For this activity, you will need to divide your class into 9 small groups (3-5 kids per group).
For each group, you will need:
- 1 page of the Jonah and the Big Fish Comic Strip Printable
- Some markers
(If you have too few kids in your class, assign more than 1 scene to some groups.)
Download Slide 1 (Sunday School Lesson Title & Bible Reference):
4
Dig Deeper
Help kids grasp
the big idea.
Big Gulp of Jonah
In this Jonah and the whale craft and game, players try to get Jonah into the mouth of a whale.
Download Big Gulp of Jonah Printable:
Make 1 Big Gulp of Jonah toy in advance.
(Follow the instructions in “Dig Deeper” section above.)
You will need to show kids your sample toy.
You will need for each child:
- 1 Big Gulp of Jonah Printable
- Scissors
- 1 Paper cup
- Sticky Tape
- 1 piece of String (about 18 inches long)
- Clothes Peg or Eraser or Crushed Aluminum Foil
Download Slide 2 (Big Idea):
5
Walk the Talk
Help kids live out
the big idea.
Captain’s Order
Players are crew on a ship and must obey the captain’s orders!
Download Slide 3 (Key Verse):
Download Slide 4 (Live It Out):
6
Take it Home
Send kids home with a concrete action plan and fun midweek activities.
Jonah in a Big Fish Puppet
Make your own Jonah in a Big Fish Puppet at home.
Download Jonah and the Big Fish Take it Home Handout. You will need to print 1 copy for each child.
Download Jonah in a Big Fish Puppet Printable. You will need to print 1 copy for each child.
It would be good to tell parents about the Take it Home Handout. Encourage them to do the suggested family activity with their child.
1 thought on “Jonah and the Big Fish”
Thank you so much for the wonderful lesson and activities!
Friends in Christ,
Jackie