The Good Samaritan
Luke 10:25-37
Our true story comes from a part of the Bible called the Gospel of Luke. Luke loved Jesus and wanted others to know and love Jesus, too. And the word gospel means “good news!”
One day, a man asked Jesus an important question: “Who is my neighbor?”
Jesus answered by telling a story.
“There was a man traveling on a road,” Jesus said. “Suddenly, some robbers came. They hurt the man, took his things, and left him lying by the road.”
The man was hurt and needed help. After a while, another man came walking down the road. He saw the hurt man—but he walked right past him and did not stop.
Then another man came. He also saw the hurt man—but he walked past him, too. The hurt man was still lying there, waiting for someone to help.
Then another traveler came. He was called a Samaritan. When he saw the hurt man, he felt very sorry for him.
The Samaritan stopped right away. He gently helped the man. He cleaned his wounds and made him feel better. Then he carefully put the man on his own animal and took him to a place to rest. The Samaritan stayed with him and made sure he was safe. He even paid for the man to be cared for.
Jesus asked, “Which of these people was a good neighbor?”
The answer was clear—the one who helped.
Jesus said, “Go and do the same.”
Jesus taught us to love others and to help people who are in need.
Key Takeaway for Preschoolers
A good neighbor is someone who helps others. Jesus wants us to be kind and care for people in need.
Dear God,
Thank You for teaching us to love and care for others. Help us notice when someone needs our help. Help us be kind, gentle, and caring, just like the good neighbor in Jesus’ story. Show us ways we can help our friends, our families, and other people around us. Thank You for loving us and teaching us how to share Your love. We love You, God.
In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
Bible Verse: “Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” —1 John 4:11, BSB
Paraphrase: “God loves us, so we should love one another.”
Activities
These activities help preschoolers engage with the story through movement, crafts, music, and storytelling, making the lesson fun and memorable.
1. Helping Hands
Objective: To help children identify simple ways they can be good neighbors by helping people who need care.
Materials: Several simple picture cards showing everyday situations, such as: a child who dropped some toys, someone who fell down, a child sitting alone, someone carrying several items, a child who is sad (Optional paper hand cutouts)
Activity: Show the children one picture at a time and ask, “How could we help?” Encourage simple preschool responses. For example:
- Help pick up the toys.
- Get a grown-up when someone is hurt.
- Invite the child to play.
- Help carry something.
- Sit beside someone who is sad.
After each answer, have the children hold out their hands and say together: “I can be a helping neighbor!”
If desired, give each child a paper hand at the end of the activity as a reminder to use their hands to help others.
Talk About It: “The Samaritan saw someone who needed help, and he stopped to care for him. Jesus wants us to notice people who need help and show them kindness.”
2. Care for the Hurt Traveler
Objective: To help children reenact the Samaritan's compassionate care in a gentle, preschool-appropriate way.
Materials: Doll or stuffed animal, Small blanket, Pretend bandages or strips of clean cloth, Small bowl, Washcloth, Toy animal, if available, to represent the Samaritan's animal
Activity: Explain that the traveler in Jesus' story was hurt and needed someone to care for him. Use the doll or stuffed animal to represent the traveler.
Let the children take turns gently helping:
- place a pretend bandage on the traveler;
- cover him with a small blanket;
- pretend to clean his hurt place with the washcloth;
- carefully carry or move him to a safe resting place.
If you have a toy donkey or other animal, children can pretend the Samaritan helped the traveler ride to a safe place.
Keep the emphasis on gentle care, rather than on how the man was injured.
As the children help, repeat: “A good neighbor helps others.”
Talk About It: “The Samaritan did not walk past the hurt man. He stopped and cared for him. What can we do when someone is hurt? We can be gentle, help them, and get a grown-up when they need help.”
3. Stop and Help! Song (Musical Activity)
Tune: If You're Happy and You Know It (Public Domain)
Objective: To reinforce through music and movement that Jesus wants us to notice and help people in need.
Materials: None
Activity: Invite the children to stand and sing together. Add motions to each verse: pretend to walk, stop with one hand extended, make a helping motion with both hands, and point toward friends for “everyone.”
Song Lyrics:
If you see someone who needs you, stop and help.
If you see someone who needs you, stop and help.
Jesus teaches us to care,
Showing kindness everywhere.
If you see someone who needs you, stop and help.
We can be a loving neighbor, yes we can.
We can be a loving neighbor, yes we can.
We can help and we can share,
We can show somebody care.
We can be a loving neighbor, yes we can.
Talk About It: “Jesus said, ‘Go and do the same.’ The Samaritan showed kindness by stopping to help. We can show God's love when we help people, too.”
4. Good Neighbor Path
Objective: To help children practice recognizing opportunities to show kindness while enjoying an active movement game.
Materials: Paper footprints or painter's tape, Several classroom objects for simple helping situations, such as: a few blocks scattered on the floor, a stuffed animal lying beside the path, crayons that need to be placed in a container, a small blanket that needs folding, Optional sign or picture representing the inn at the end of the path
Activity: Create a simple pathway around the classroom using paper footprints or tape.Along the path, arrange several opportunities to help. As each child follows the path, pause at each situation and ask what a good neighbor could do.
For example: “Oh! Someone dropped these blocks. What can we do?”
The child helps pick them up. “This little animal looks like it needs care. What can we do?”
The child gently picks it up. “These crayons need to go back in their box. Can we help?”
The child puts them away.
When the child reaches the end of the path, everyone says: “You were a good neighbor!”
Allow each child to take a turn.
Talk About It: “The Samaritan was traveling on a road when he saw someone who needed help. He stopped and showed kindness. We can look for ways to help people wherever we go. Jesus teaches us to be good neighbors by caring for others.”
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Story illustrations are the copyright of James M. Thomas. All rights reserved.
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