Help Kids Build People Up

Need an object lesson on kindness for children’s church or Sunday school? In this Bible-based activity, kids explore the meaning of kindness as they build up and tear down block buildings. Use it to reinforce the power and importance of being kind to one another.

Object Lesson on Building Kindness

Scripture: Ephesians 4:29; 1 Thessalonians 5:11

You’ll need:

• a Bible
• 8 wooden blocks for each pair

Building Kindness

First, have children form pairs. Give each pair eight blocks.

Say: With your partner, use five blocks to make a block building. Spread out at least an arm’s length from other pairs.

Allow kids some time to build their structures.

Say: Now stand by your building and use your three extra blocks to knock down other buildings. You can protect your building, but you have only 10 seconds. Go!

After 10 seconds, ask:

• How did it feel to have other people tear down your buildings?
• How does it feel when people tear you down with their words?

Read aloud Ephesians 4:29.

Say: When people are unkind to us, they tear down our feelings just as we tore down the buildings. When we’re unkind to others, we tear down their feelings. But God calls us to build up other people with our words and actions.