Proverbial Kids Lesson Plans for Parents

Introduction

Americans have long been enamored with fictional superhero characters who battle to defend the earth against evil threats. From the first Superman movie in 1938 to today’s marvels and avengers, we have seen more than 80 years of ever-increasing power and intelligence played out on the big screen, all for our protection. Yet within those same decades, American family life has imploded. Home is no longer a safe base. Debt, divorce, discord, chaotic scheduling, addiction—all point to the need for protective moral and spiritual principles which carry us from childhood into adulthood, boundaries which protect our children and infuse peace into our homes. I believe the supernatural God of our nonfictional universe has some 3,000-year-old principles to combat today’s “new normal” problems!

In Old Testament Bible times, two men whose names also began with an “S” were the real thing—superheroes, given supernatural abilities by God Himself. Samson was given supernatural strength (Judges 13-16). Solomon was given supernatural wisdom (1 Kings 3). Samson’s life and influence was short-lived, but Solomon’s influence spans millennia.

The book of Proverbs is a 31-chapter collection of wise sayings, practical advice for skillful & godly living, written almost entirely by King Solomon. So broad is the scope of content in Proverbs, one would be hard-pressed to surface a basic life issue which this book does not address. No matter the topic, there is “an app for that.” While the verses in Chapters 1-9 and 31 are organized into topics, most of the remaining chapters contain wide assortments of proverbs—prompting the reader to search for the nugget of the day.

This Proverbial Kids lesson-plan book is a tool for discovering and applying God’s wisdom in Proverbs to your family life. As a parent, curriculum writer, and former children’s minister, I’ve identified seven ABCs of wisdom in Proverbs, recurring themes which speak God’s wisdom into the conflicts we face early on in parenting. On the following pages, you will find a synopsis of the seven themes and a simple two-page lesson plan for each ABC. A handful of Proverbs verses are listed for your study, along with parallel principles from the 10 Commandments and verses from the book of James.

You decide how you will use this resource—family devotions, small groups, homeschooling, children’s church or camp! Pick and choose from four opening activities, four different Bible stories, for as many as 28 one-hour sessions and hundreds of teaching moments. Object lessons and discussion questions are included. For each theme, I have written and illustrated a colorful “character” book for parents to read with their children, also available through Westbow Press. All Proverbial Kids materials are available digitally, making it easy to follow God’s directive in Deuteronomy 6:7 for “on the road” parenting! I hope they are helpful to you!

7 ABCs of Wisdom from Proverbs

A—Accept Instruction …

B—Be Humble and Kind …

C—Control Your Curiosity & Your Tongue …

D—Don’t Be Lazy or Rude

[plus E, F, and G!]