Here’s a creative, hands-on way to tell a Bible story to kids and keep them engaged from start to finish. Read on to learn how “What’s in the Bag?” works.

I first learned this creative form of Bible storytelling from Tina Houser, a gifted children’s curriculum writer whose creativity, energy, and heart for ministry were an inspiration to me. Tina went home to be with the Lord in 2024, and I still think of her fondly whenever I use this idea — her influence lives on in so many of us who teach children about Jesus.

For this form of storytelling, take any Bible story and separate it into a number of sections. The story of Creation, for example, lends itself nicely to 7 (or 8) sections, since there are 7 days to the Creation story. Then find an object that best depicts each part of the story, and place each object inside its own bag.

For my version, I went to my local dollar store, bought colorful bags, and made number stickers to put on the front of each one. Sticking with the Creation story, I separated it into 8 sections with these objects:

• Bag One: A flashlight (Let there be light. Genesis 1:1-5)
• Bag Two: Cotton balls (Let there be sky. Genesis 1:6-8)
• Bag Three: Dirt (Let there be dry land. Genesis 1:9-13)
• Bag Four: Suntan lotion, a toy star, and some Swiss cheese (Let there be sun, moon and stars. Genesis 1:14-19)
• Bag Five: Toy birds and fish (Let there be fish and birds. Genesis 1:20-23)
• Bag Six: A doll and an action figure (Let there be people. Genesis 1:24-31)
• Bag Seven: A sleeping mask (God rested on the 7th day. Genesis 2:1-3)
• Bag Eight: A bag of candy to hand out while saying, “And God saw all that He had made, and it was very good!” (Genesis 1:31)

Once your bags are filled, hand one to each child. If you have fewer than 8 children, double up on bags; if more, have them take turns.

Begin telling the story by asking, “Who has bag #1?” That child comes forward and pulls out the object. As they pull out the flashlight, you might ask, “What does a flashlight have to do with the story of Creation?” Wait for their answer, then tell that part of the story from your Bible (or with a few simple slides). Continue calling up each bag in order until the whole story has been told.

“What’s in the Bag?” is a fun, engaging way to tell a Bible story using everyday objects you can find around your house or at your local dollar store — and it works beautifully with both preschoolers and elementary kids.