Joseph's family was called Israelites or Hebrews. (Remember, Jacob's 12 sons made up the different tribes of Israel.) They moved to Egypt during the famine after Joseph had saved food during the years of plenty. The Israelites had children and then their children had children. Soon there were a lot of Israelites living in Egypt.
A new king who was called Pharaoh came into power in Egypt. He didn't like it that there were so many Israelites and he thought they would one day take over the land. So he decided to make all the Israelites slaves. They had to work very hard and were not treated well by the Egyptian people. But Pharaoh was still worried about how many Israelites there were. The Israelites families were getting bigger so he decided to make a law to try and control the population. If any boys were born to the Israelites he would have them killed.
At this time there was an Israelite couple who was expecting a baby. When they had a baby boy (whose name would later be Moses) they decided to hide him, so he would not be killed. They hid Moses for three months, but as he got older it became harder to hide him. So his mother coated a basket to keep Moses safe and dry and placed him in the basket. She placed the basket in some tall grass, or reeds, in the Nile river.
Baby Moses had a sister named Miriam, and she watched from a distance to see what would happen to her baby brother. Pharaoh's daughter had come to the river for a swim. While she was swimming she noticed a basket floating in the river. She asked one of her servants to go get it.
Miriam had been watching, and she hurried over and asked, "Would you like me to go find an Israelite woman to feed the baby for you?" The Pharaoh's daughter agreed, so Miriam ran and told her mother that Pharaoh's daughter had found him and wanted someone to nurse him. When he was older, he went back to live in the palace with the Pharaoh's daughter. He was given the name Moses, which means "I drew him out of the water."
This entire story is one of faith and miracles.
Have a baby doll, blanket, and a basket.
Show students a picture of a papyrus basket.
Ask students if they think it would float in the water.
Explain that pitch is used to coat the basket to make it waterproof. This pitch was probably the sticky mud from the Nile River. It was often used to make Egyptian bricks, used for houses.
Wrap the baby doll in the blanket and place it in the basket, as you teach the story.
Read story from a Children's storybook Bible for younger children.
For older children, read story from an age-appropriate Children's storybook Bible or tell the story yourself.
Scripture for Kids to Read Aloud: Exodus 1:6-10, Exodus 1:22-2:6
First, ask the children if they have any questions about the story. What to do if you don't know the answer?
Heads up! You will need to freeze the ice cubes in advance
Scripture When the child grew older, she took him to Pharaoh's daughter. And he became her son. She named him Moses. She said, "I pulled him out of the water." Exodus 2:10
Supplies small plastic baby figures (from baby shower section at the craft store), ice cube trays, yarn, salt
Scripture After that, she couldn't hide him any longer. So she got a basket that was made out of the stems of tall grass. She coated it with tar. Then she placed the child in it. Exodus 2:3
Supplies See link below
Scripture Pharaoh's daughter went down to the Nile River to take a bath. Her attendants were walking along the bank of the river. Exodus 2:5
Supplies See link below
Scripture She put the basket in the tall grass that grew along the bank of the Nile River. Exodus 2:3
Supplies See link below
Scripture Exodus 2:3
Supplies Large piece of blue paper, basket, baby doll, review questions
Scripture So she got a basket that was made out of the stems of tall grass. She coated it with tar. Then she placed the child in it. She put the basket in the tall grass that grew along the bank of the Nile River. Exodus 2:3
Supplies items that float and sink, tub of water, small plastic baby figure (from baby shower section at the craft store)
Scripture When she opened it, she saw the baby. He was crying. She felt sorry for him. "This is one of the Hebrew babies," she said. Exodus 2:6
Supplies baby dolls, baskets, and blankets
Heads up! Need to make jello ahead of time. Cookie baskets can be made with class or ahead of time.
Scripture But when she could hide him no longer, she got a papyrus basket for him and coated it with tar and pitch. Then she placed the child in it and put it among the reeds along the bank of the Nile. His sister stood at a distance to see what would happen to him. Exodus 2:3-4
Supplies sugar cookie dough, blue jello, teddy grahams or gummie bears, pretzels
Scripture But when she could hide him no longer, she got a papyrus basket for him and coated it with tar and pitch. Then she placed the child in it and put it among the reeds along the bank of the Nile. Exodus 2:3
Supplies coloring picture of Moses in a basket, brown and green paper, glue
Heads up! Being careful of allergies, we used an assortment of juice boxes for snack, then snipped them with kitchen shears & dried with paper towel
Scripture She put the basket in the tall grass that grew along the bank of the Nile River. Exodus 2:3
Supplies juice boxes, brown cellophane/packing tape or brown ducktape, stick on felt in blue, small craft sticks, cotton balls, paper towels, markers
Scripture After that, she couldn't hide him any longer. So she got a basket that was made out of the stems of tall grass. She coated it with tar. Exodus 2:3
Supplies See link below