Teaching preschoolers the story of Zacchaeus can be a fun and meaningful way to introduce them to an important Bible lesson. Zacchaeus was a dishonest tax collector who had a life-changing encounter with Jesus. After meeting and spending time with Jesus, Zacchaeus was moved to repent of his sins and live a more generous life. This story illustrates the transformative power of Jesus’ love and forgiveness.
For preschoolers, the story also offers simple but profound messages about saying sorry and changing hurtful behavior. As young children are learning about right and wrong and how their actions impact others, the story provides a relatable example of someone choosing to do the right thing after doing wrong.
Here are some tips for effectively teaching the story of Zacchaeus to preschoolers:
Keep it simple
Preschoolers have short attention spans and limited vocabularies, so aim to teach the story of Zacchaeus in a simple, concise way. Focus on the key details – Zacchaeus was short so he climbed a tree, he wanted to see Jesus, Jesus noticed him, and after talking to Jesus Zacchaeus decided to stop stealing and share his money. Avoid convoluted plot points or abstract moral lessons. Stick to the basics of the story and what preschoolers can understand.
Use engaging storytelling methods
Bring the story to life for preschoolers through interactive, multi-sensory storytelling. Use animated facial expressions, vocal inflection, and gestures as you tell the story. Incorporate props like costumes, artificial trees or branches, and play money. Assign children different roles and let them act out the narrative. Make it full of movement, sights, sounds, and action to capture their attention.
Explain unfamiliar terms
Certain vocabulary in the story of Zacchaeus may be unfamiliar to preschoolers – words like tax collector, synagogue, repent, etc. Briefly explain these terms in kid-friendly language they can grasp. Defining key words will help them comprehend the overall meaning of the story.
Ask engaging questions
Throughout the lesson, ask preschoolers fun questions about what is happening in the story. This promotes listening comprehension and focused attention to the narrative. Example questions: Why did Zacchaeus climb the tree? (To see Jesus) How do you think he felt up in the tree? (Scared, excited) What nice thing did Zacchaeus do after talking to Jesus? (Shared his money)
Make it active with role play
After telling the story, choose children to act it out through role play. Let them take turns playing Zacchaeus, Jesus, the crowd, and reenacting key moments – climbing the tree, coming down, saying sorry, etc. This helps reinforce their understanding and keeps them engaged through active participation. Have fun with it!
Highlight the moral
Clearly emphasize the moral takeaway you want preschoolers to grasp – how Zacchaeus changed from wrong to right. Explain in simple terms that he was stealing before but after meeting Jesus he stopped and paid people back. This highlights the main message about changing hurtful behavior, saying sorry, and doing the right thing.
Review and repeat
Preschoolers learn through repetition. Review the story, go over important points, and summarize the moral lesson again. Repeat key vocabulary and details through questions and conversation. Schedule time over several class lessons to re-tell the story again. Reiteration of narrative and concepts will reinforce retention.
Use props and visuals
Supplement the verbal storytelling with engaging props and visuals. These capture preschooler attention and help concepts stick. Examples:
– Draw simple story illustrations on the board as you talk
– Use felt/flannel boards to tell story with illustrated characters
– Act out with costumes – robe for Zacchaeus, etc
– Construct a model tree Zacchaeus climbs up on
– Show play coins when mentioning money stolen/repaid
Incorporate related activities
Follow up the storytelling with Zacchaeus-themed activities. Preschoolers learn by doing. Examples:
– Have kids climb on a small jungle gym “tree” like Zacchaeus
– Build a tree from blocks and place a Zacchaeus figure in it
– Do a Zacchaeus finger puppet craft
– Count out play coins in “giving back” to friends activity
– Sing “Zacchaeus Was a Wee Little Man” song
– Read child-friendly Zacchaeus books
Send home discussion ideas
Give parents/caregivers suggestions for discussing Zacchaeus at home:
– Talk about times your child said sorry and changed their behavior after doing something wrong. Praise these right choices.
– Ask what they learned from the Zacchaeus story and reinforce the moral about saying sorry and doing the right thing.
– Read a Zacchaeus book together.
– Act out the story at home with costumes or stuffed animals.
Focus on moral themes
Emphasize these moral themes that align with preschooler development:
– Honesty – Zacchaeus was dishonest first but chose to be honest.
– Repentance – He said sorry for the wrong things he did.
– Forgiveness – Jesus forgave him.
– Generosity – Zacchaeus shared his money generously.
– Kindness – We should be kind and not hurt others like Zacchaeus first did.
– Standing up for what’s right – Zacchaeus made courageous choices to do the right thing.
Connect these to preschoolers’ everyday actions and behaviors using concrete examples.
Keep explanations developmentally appropriate
Gear your language, tone and instruction to preschoolers’ developmental level:
– Use simple words and avoid complex theological concepts
– Present moral themes like honesty in concrete terms
– Relate Zacchaeus’ choices to preschoolers’ experiences
– Affirm that we all sometimes make mistakes but can choose to say sorry and do better
– Focus on the positive end result that Zacchaeus changed his hurtful ways
Make applications to preschoolers’ lives
While telling the story, make connections to preschoolers’ own lives:
– Ask if they have ever wanted to see someone important (like Zacchaeus wanted to see Jesus)
– Talk about a time they climbed up high to see better just like Zacchaeus in the tree
– Discuss if they have ever made a wrong choice and then said sorry and fixed it (tie to Zacchaeus)
– Relate the story to preschool experiences to increase relevance
Avoid potential confusion
Some parts of the story may confuse preschoolers. Avoid or briefly clarify elements like:
– Zacchaeus being a tax collector – explain this simply as someone who took people’s money
– Details about his wealth – focus just on that he had a lot of money
– Theology about salvation – don’t go in-depth here
– Abstract moral lessons – keep takeaways simple
Stick to the narrative children can readily grasp and remember.
Make it interactive
Incorporate interactive elements so preschoolers can actively participate:
– Ask questions about what is happening throughout the story and encourage responses
– Have kids role play story moments – climbing the tree, interacting with Jesus, saying sorry, etc.
– Do related finger plays like “Zacchaeus Was a Wee Little Man”
– Have them repeat or answer simple questions about the moral takeaway
This engages them and cements comprehension.
Be enthusiastic and lively
Teach with high energy and enthusiasm! Preschoolers feed off of the teacher’s tone and animation. Use vocal inflection, facial expressions, humor, and lively gestures to bring the story alive. Ham it up and have fun with it – this captures their attention and interest.
Watch for a short attention span
Keep a look out for preschoolers losing focus. Shift gears, take a movement break, or switch to a new activity as needed to reengage them. Short five minute lessons on the story over several class times may work better than one long lesson. Offer varied activities so their attention doesn’t wane.
Check for comprehension
After teaching the story, check for comprehension through simple recall questions:
– Who was Zacchaeus?
– Why did he climb the tree?
– What did he do after talking to Jesus?
– What does this story teach us?
Reinforce key points as needed to ensure they grasped the central narrative and moral takeaway.
Emphasize Jesus’ love and forgiveness
A key theme for preschoolers to understand is Jesus gladly forgave Zacchaeus because He loves everyone. Reinforce how Jesus loves little children and wants us to love others too. His forgiveness transformed Zacchaeus into a new person.
Send a coloring page home
Send home a Zacchaeus coloring page with crayons. This gives parents a creative activity to do together and reinforces what children learned. It also sparks discussion about the story.
Conclusion
The story of Zacchaeus climbing the sycamore tree to see Jesus and then repenting of his wrongs offers powerful lessons for preschoolers about honesty, forgiveness, and changing hurtful behaviors. Keep the narrative simple, use creative storytelling techniques, define new vocabulary, and supplement with engaging props and activities. Make the moral message interactive and concrete for young children. Most importantly, highlight Jesus’ transformative love and model how we should generously love others too. Teaching preschoolers this classic Bible story in a creative, developmentally-appropriate way can help impart meaningful spiritual truths.
Zacchaeus Teaching Tips Summary Table
| Teaching Tip | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Keep it simple | Focus on key narrative points preschoolers can grasp |
| Use engaging storytelling | Incorporate movement, voices, props, and role play |
| Explain unfamiliar terms | Define tax collector, synagogue, repent, etc. |
| Ask fun questions | Promote listening comprehension and focus |
| Highlight the moral | Emphasize Zacchaeus changing from wrong to right |
| Review and repeat | Reinforce through repetition |
| Use visuals and props | Illustrations, costumes, model tree, play coins, etc. |
| Do related activities | “Tree” climbing, crafts, play acting, counting coins |
| Send home discussion ideas | Ways for parents to review the story |
| Focus on moral themes | Honesty, forgiveness, generosity, etc. |
| Keep explanations developmentally appropriate | Simple words, relate to preschooler experiences |
| Make personal applications | Connect Zacchaeus’ choices to children’s lives |
| Avoid potential confusion | Tax collecting, wealth, salvation theology |
| Make it interactive | Questions, role play, finger plays |
| Be enthusiastic and lively | Lively tone and facial/vocal expressions |
| Watch for short attention span | Shift gears or take movement breaks as needed |
| Check for comprehension | Recall questions to ensure understanding |
| Emphasize Jesus’ love and forgiveness | Central theme preschoolers should grasp |
