How to Teach Kids the Fruit of the Spirit
- Eljoh Hartzer, MTh
- Jan 22
- 4 min read
The Fruit of the Spirit is a difficult concept to explain to kids because it is based on a metaphor. It's not real fruit - but a way of saying how our lives will naturally produce certain things if we stay close to God (Think of John 15 and abiding in the Vine). But how do we teach this to children?
Teaching young children about the Fruit of the Spirit is an amazing tool for correcting challenging behavior and building a strong character. As the verse says "there's no law against these things" - Knowing the Fruit of the Spirit and living it out will build up young people for success wherever they go!
This article is built up of different parts from my resources on the Fruit of the Spirit that are for sale from this site's shop. You can view these resources at the end of this post, or keep reading for some free goodness coming your way in... 3...2...1...
Prayer for Kids
Dear God,
thank You for calling me Your child.
I get to live in Your Kingdom!
You also gave me Your Holy Spirit
-the best gift ever.
I am a person of love.
I laugh because I’m joyful.
I know deep peace in my heart.
I patiently trust God’s timing.
I am friendly and kind to others.
I see needs around me and help out.
I always keep my promises.
I pause and respond gently.
I wait and ask God for self-control.
The Spirit in me fills my life with
all kinds of Kingdom things.
All because of your great love Jesus,
Amen!
You can print the Fruit of the Spirit Kids Prayer here:
How do you explain the Holy Spirit to Kids?
God’s Holy Spirit is our special helper. Jesus promised His followers, the disciples, that He won’t leave them alone - you aren’t alone either! The Spirit of God lives inside your
_____
Read what Jesus said in John 15:26-27
“I will send you the Helper from the Father. The Helper is the Spirit of truth who comes from the Father. When he comes, he will tell about me.”
Free Lesson for Teaching Kids the Fruit of the Spirit
Galatians 5:22-23
“But the fruit that the Spirit produces in a person’s life is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” (ERV)
Here's what I'd say:
"In the Bible book of Galatians, chapter 5, we read a list of all the bad things that people do bringing hurt and pain into the world because of sin. But then - in verses 22 + 23 - we read the following:
“But the fruit that the Spirit produces in a person’s life is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these kinds of things.”
So these are the opposite of the bad things people do.
These 9 things are really, reaaally good.
They reflect God’s heart!"
“But what happens when we live God’s way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely.” (Galatians 5:22-23 -MSG)
Resources for teaching kids about the Fruit of the Spirit
I have 2 resources that centre around the topic of the Fruit of the Spirit for young kids. The first is a simple self-guiding activity / workbook that is printable and can be easily completed at home. It's also suitable for larger group settings like churches or classrooms, making it a truly versatile material. All you need is coloring supplies...
The second resource that I have available is a curriculum / lesson plan that takes you through the Fruit of the Spirit over the course of 10 weeks (1 week per fruit, plus introduction). This can also be used by parents or homeschoolers, but it was initially developed for the church where I worked as Kids Ministry Pastor.
Part of that second resource, the curriculum, is a story. When I worked in Kids Ministry, I realized that something like the Fruit of the Spirit is hard for kids to grasp. So this is actually a third option of a resource for those looking to teach kids the Galatians 5 truth about spiritual fruit - You could just get the story.
Through the story of an orphan (John) who is invited to live with a King, they will learn what it means to be a child of God. The King in the story teaches the little boy something about the Kingdom each week in the form of a precious gemstone - love, joy, peace, and so forth.
Note from the author
As someone who’s worked in youth ministry for over a decade, I've always been frustrated by the limited amount of Spirit-inspired resources out there. When I finished my Master’s degree in Practical Theology & got more practical ministry experience, I knew this was what I had to do.
It is my joy to bring these resources to you! I’ve seen tough kids shed a tear when John is welcomed into the King’s arms, because this message connects to something deep within them.
May your experience with these resources be powerful and Spirit-led. You are God’s chosen method of encounter with the kids He entrusted to you. Take up your calling & share the Message with faith, hope, and love.
God bless the work of your hands!
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