Joshua and Jericho Lesson Plans for Families

Joshua 6 can become more than a story about a wall falling. For families, it opens thoughtful conversations about courage, patient obedience, prayer, mercy, and trusting God when the next step seems unusual.

Begin with the surrounding story

Read Joshua 1 and 2 before Joshua 6. Joshua has taken on leadership after Moses, and God tells him to be strong and courageous because He will be with him. Rahab’s story also belongs in this lesson: she protects the Israelite spies, asks for safety for her household, and is rescued when Jericho falls. This context helps children see both the seriousness of the account and the mercy within it.

Read the passage slowly

Read Joshua 6 together in short sections. Ask children to notice what Joshua and the people are told to do, how long they wait, and what happens on the seventh day. Keep the focus on the biblical text rather than turning the battle into a game. Children can take turns reading, listening for repeated details, or drawing a simple sequence of events.

Make courage concrete

Joshua’s courage was not pretending that a difficult task felt easy. Ask children where they need courage this week: telling the truth, welcoming someone new, trying something unfamiliar, or asking for help. Connect their answers to the reminder Joshua received that God would be with him.

Practice patience without reenacting the battle

Invite children to build a quiet countdown or sequence card showing the days the Israelites waited. Then discuss times when a good choice requires patience. This keeps the activity connected to the passage without making the conflict itself a noisy competition.

Talk about Rahab and belonging

Ask what Rahab did, what she believed about God, and how her household was treated. Help children notice that the story includes rescue and mercy, and that people can respond to God with faith even when they come from outside Israel.

Close with reflection

Ask: What surprised you? Which part required the most patience? What does Rahab’s story add? What is one small way you can practice courage or trust this week? A short prayer can thank God for His presence and ask for wisdom to act faithfully.

Read the biblical account together, then use this family-friendly retelling as a doorway to honest questions and age-appropriate conversation.