This lesson teaches children that listening to wise parents and teachers helps them grow into wise people. It is designed for children ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes to teach.
Big Idea
Wise children listen when someone who loves them gives good advice, and that listening makes their lives better.
Memory Verse
Proverbs 13:1
A wise son listens to his father’s instruction, but a scoffer doesn’t listen to rebuke.
(WEB)
Cup both hands together like a bowl, then slowly open them wide like ears opening to hear. Do this each time you say the verse so your hands remind you to listen.
The Story: Proverbs 13 for Kids
Long ago, King Solomon wrote down many short sayings to help people live wisely. In this chapter, he compared two kinds of children. One kind is wise, and the other kind is called a scoffer, which means someone who makes fun of good advice.
The wise child hears his father’s instruction and thinks about it. When his father corrects him, he listens and changes his ways. The scoffer, on the other hand, hears the same words and refuses to listen at all. He thinks he already knows everything.
Solomon teaches that words matter a great deal. A person who guards his mouth keeps himself out of trouble. A person who talks too much and too quickly often ends up in trouble. Good words can bring good things into a life, but careless words can bring sorrow.
Solomon also talks about hard work and patience. He says that the lazy person often wants things but never gets them, while the hard worker finds his desires satisfied. The lesson is that effort and good choices bring good results over time.
Finally, Solomon reminds us that people who choose to walk with wise friends become wiser themselves. A friend who makes foolish choices can lead you into trouble, but a friend who loves wisdom helps you grow. Solomon wants children to choose their friends and their listeners carefully.
Read It Together
Proverbs 13:3
He who guards his mouth guards his soul. One who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.
(WEB)
Point out that guarding your mouth means thinking before speaking. Ask children to name a time when they wish they had waited a moment before saying something. Explain that controlling our words protects our hearts and friendships.
Proverbs 13:20
One who walks with wise men grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.
(WEB)
Show children that the friends we spend time with shape us. Ask them to think about which friends help them make good choices. Encourage them to walk with friends who love wisdom and kindness.
Proverbs 13:24
One who spares the rod hates his son, but one who loves him is careful to discipline him.
(WEB)
Explain that correction and discipline come from love, not anger. Help children see that parents and teachers who correct them are caring for them. Note that the verse uses the picture of a rod, which in this setting refers to loving guidance rather than cruelty.
Talk About It
- What is one piece of good advice a parent or teacher has given you that helped you?
- Why do you think it can be hard to listen when someone corrects us?
- What is a time you could have used kinder or more careful words?
- How can you tell if a friend is helping you grow wiser or leading you into trouble?
- What is one thing you can do this week to show that you are a good listener?
Activity Ideas
Ear Craft Bookmark
You will need paper, crayons or markers, scissors, and a pencil. Trace a bookmark shape onto paper, then have children decorate it with pictures of ears or open hands. Write the memory verse on the back so they can read it at home each day.
Listen and Follow Game
Stand in a line and give simple instructions like “touch your nose” or “turn around,” but only do the actions when the instruction starts with “Simon says.” Children who listen carefully and follow only the right commands stay in the game. Talk afterward about how listening helps us know what to do.
Wise Words Jar at Home
You will need a jar, paper strips, and a pen. Each day, have your child write one kind or wise thing someone said to them, or one good choice they made. Read the strips together at the end of the week to remember how listening and wise words bless your family.
Teacher Notes
Proverbs 13 shows that wisdom is not only knowing facts but also being willing to listen, to guard our words, and to choose good friends and good habits. For adults, the chapter invites humility: wise people welcome correction and seek advice rather than assuming they already know best. It also reminds us that our speech and our companions shape the direction of our lives.
Avoid overstating to children that obeying wisdom always brings material riches or an easy life. The proverbs describe general patterns, and children should be taught that God loves and cares for people even when life is hard. Focus on God’s kindness and the blessing of growing in wisdom.
A Prayer to Close
Dear Father, thank You for giving us wise words to help us grow. Help us listen carefully to our parents and teachers, and help us choose friends who love what is good. Teach us to guard our mouths and to speak kindly. We want to be wise children who follow You. Amen.
