A simple Bible storytelling idea from The Scripture Lady: “Is This In the Story?”
This fun, family- and classroom-friendly way to tell a story helps children (ages 4–7) remember the people, places, and key moments of a bible story. Use this easy game to help kids practice listening, build attention, and talk about the lesson together.
Preschoolers and early elementary kids love a good story — especially Bible stories that teach about God, people, and life. As a teacher or parent, you have a special chance to make those stories stick in young minds by using playful, short activities that review the important characters, places, and events.
This simple way of storytelling — a quick review game you can play in 5–10 minutes — boosts attention, encourages recall, and opens up natural conversation about the point of the bible story. Read or tell the story first, then use the activity below to help children practice listening, name characters and objects, and say what the story taught them. Ready? The preparation steps come next.
I call this activity “Is This In the Story?” It’s a simple, playful way to review a Bible story, but a little preparation makes it work smoothly. Follow these clear steps so children will remember the people, characters, places, and key parts of the story.
1) Choose a story and the way you’ll tell it. Pick a bible story appropriate for ages 4–7 (for example, Adam and Eve — Genesis 2:4–25; Noah and the ark; Jonah and the big fish; or David and Goliath). Decide whether you’ll read straight from a Bible passage, use a story Bible, or tell the story with a picture book. Each way of telling the story works—choose what fits your audience and time.
2) Make a noun list (prominent people, characters, places, objects). As you read or review the story beforehand, write down obvious nouns the children should remember. Example (Adam & Eve): Adam, Eve, trees, rivers, animals, birds. Example (Noah): Noah, ark, animals, rain, dove. These nouns will be the “in the story” items.
3) Add decoys—objects not in the story. Choose 3–6 items that are clearly not part of the story (telephone, computer, airplane, hat, cookie). These “not in the story” objects make the game fun and help children think carefully about what really happened.
4) Gather props or paper pictures. Collect small props, printed drawings, laminated sheets, or paper cutouts for each noun and decoy. For safety with preschoolers, prefer paper pictures or larger objects—avoid small pieces that could be a choking hazard. If you have groups, make duplicate sheets or sets so several kids can join at once.
5) Read the story, then play. After you tell or read the bible story, bring out your bag or basket of items. Say: “We’re going to play ‘Is This In the Story?’ I’ll pull something out and you tell me if it was in the story or not.” Pull items one at a time from the front of the bag so everyone sees them. For each item, ask one quick question: “Was this in the story?” and after the answer ask a simple follow-up: “Who was this?” or “What happened with this?” These short questions help children name characters and explain the lesson in their own words.
Teaching tips and variations:
- Small groups: give each group a sheet with drawings or paper objects so everyone can point to answers.
- One-on-one or family: make it a bedtime review—use pillow time to talk about the story’s point.
- Act the story: after the game, invite kids to act out a short scene using a few props to reinforce the lesson and the lives it touches.
- Timing: keep rounds short (5–10 minutes) to match young attention spans.
Follow-up questions to deepen the lesson: “Who was your favorite person in the story?” “What did this story teach us about God or people?” “How can we live what we learned today?” These simple prompts help kids put words to the lesson and make the story part of daily life.
Keep your teaching props handy: store all your paper drawings, sheets, and small props in a bag or box labeled with the name of the story so you can pull them out for the next review. A labeled container saves time and helps teachers and parents run the activity smoothly from week to week.
Try it this week: pick one bible story, gather a few paper pictures or props, and play “Is This In the Story?” with your kids or class. You’ll be surprised how quickly children name characters, remember scenes, and connect the story’s point to their own lives.
“For by grace you have been saved through faith and that not of yourselves, it is a gift from God. Not of works lest anyone should boast.”
Ephesians 2:8-9
I LOVE using props and visuals to tell God’s great Bible stories. Use this Bible storytelling idea to help your little ones learn a Bible story while having fun and maybe even giggle, too!