The Fruit of the Spirit in Practice
Introduce the 9 fruits of Galatians 5:22-23 in a sensory, playful way. Each fruit of the Spirit is paired with a real fruit: see it, smell it, taste it, remember it.
- Ages
- Ages 3 to 6
- Sessions
- 5
- Per session
- 40 minutes
- Total length
- 5 sessions
Key verse
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control."Galatians 5:22-23
Method
"Feel, do, repeat" method. Each session covers one or two fruits with a real fruit to match. A hand gesture for each (it builds body memory). Start by repeating last week’s fruits.
Sessions (5)
1. LOVE (red strawberry)
1 John 4:8: God is love.
Aim: Love is the first fruit. Red like a heart. Sweet.
Activity: Show a strawberry. Ask: "What colour is it?" Say: "Red like what? A heart!" Give each child a strawberry. While they eat, everyone repeats "God is LOVE" and makes a heart with their hands.
Reflection: Love is not only a feeling, it is something we do. Show 3 ways to love: helping, hugging, forgiving.
Prayer: Jesus, thank you for your love. Help me love my friends. Amen.
2. JOY + PEACE (purple grape + green apple)
Psalm 16:11: You will fill me with joy in your presence.
Aim: Joy is on the inside; it comes from a heart that is with God. Peace is calm, even when things go wrong.
Activity: Grape = joy (party colour). Apple = peace (calm colour). Everyone eats a grape while dancing to a happy song. Then they eat a piece of apple sitting very quietly. Feel the difference.
Reflection: Some days are party days (grape), some are calm days (apple). God gives us both feelings.
Prayer: God, thank you for joy and peace. Let me feel them both. Amen.
3. FORBEARANCE + KINDNESS AND GOODNESS (banana + peach)
Proverbs 16:32: Better a patient person than a warrior.
Aim: Forbearance is waiting calmly. Kindness and goodness are doing good things without expecting anything back.
Activity: Banana = patience (you have to wait for it to turn yellow and sweet). Peach = kindness and goodness (soft and sweet, gives without asking). Activity: each child helps ANOTHER child peel a banana. Kindness in practice.
Reflection: Show: when you wait your turn calmly, that is patience. When you help without complaining, that is kindness.
Prayer: God, give me patience and kindness for my friends. Amen.
4. FAITHFULNESS + GENTLENESS (orange + raisin)
Lamentations 3:23: Great is your faithfulness.
Aim: Faithfulness is always being there. Gentleness is speaking calmly (not shouting).
Activity: Orange = faithfulness (always there in season, always healthy). Raisin = gentleness (small, calm, sweet). Game: "telephone", but WHISPERING. Whoever shouts is out. Gentleness in practice.
Reflection: God never fails: that is faithfulness. Jesus spoke gently, without shouting: that is gentleness.
Prayer: Jesus, thank you for being faithful. Teach me to speak calmly like you. Amen.
5. SELF-CONTROL + REVIEW (red apple + fruit party)
Proverbs 25:28: Like a city whose walls are broken through is a person who lacks self-control.
Aim: Self-control is deciding before acting on impulse. We finish with a fruit salad of all the fruits.
Activity: "Statue" game: the teacher puts a fruit in front of the children. They want to grab it but must wait for "Go!". Whoever does not wait is out. Self-control = waiting. Then, a PARTY with a fruit salad of all the fruits in the series.
Reflection: Go over all 9 fruits with their gestures. They became one salad. In the same way, the 9 fruits together make a Christian LIFE.
Prayer: Father, let these 9 fruits grow in me. In Jesus’ name, amen.
What you need
- Real fruit: strawberries, grapes, green apple, bananas, peaches, oranges, raisins, red apple
- Disposable plates + spoons for the fruit salad in session 5
- Christian children’s music
- Towels or paper towels (it will get messy, and that is fine)
Memory verses
"The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace."
Galatians 5:22a