Bible Stories for Kids - Jesus Feeds 5000

Long ago, Jesus was teaching a large group of people by a big, sparkling lake. The sun was shining, and there were men, women, and children gathered around Him, eager to listen to His amazing stories about God’s love.

As the day went on, everyone began to feel very hungry. The crowd had grown to be about 5,000 men, not counting all the women and children who were there too! Looking around, Jesus asked His disciple Philip, "Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?"

Philip was worried. “It would take a lot of money to buy even a little bread for everyone,” he replied. Then Andrew, another one of Jesus' disciples, spoke up. "Here is a boy with five small loaves of bread and two fish, but how far will they go among so many?"

Jesus smiled kindly at the little boy who had shared his food. "Tell everyone to sit down," Jesus told His disciples. The crowd sat down on the soft grass, curious to see what Jesus would do next.

Jesus took the loaves and fish, looked up to heaven, and gave thanks. Then, He began to break the bread and fish into pieces and handed them to the disciples to share with the people. Amazingly, as the disciples gave out the food, they found that they never ran out! Everyone had as much as they wanted to eat, and after they were full, the disciples gathered twelve baskets full of leftover pieces.

The people were amazed. They saw in this miracle that Jesus was truly special and could provide for all their needs. They realized just how much Jesus cared for them.

Craft Activity: Loaves and Fish Basket**

Materials Needed

- Construction paper (brown, yellow, blue)
- Scissors
- Glue sticks
- Crayons or markers
- A small paper plate

Instructions

1. **Make the Basket**: Cut a strip of brown construction paper and glue it around the edge of the paper plate to create a basket. Set it aside to dry.

2. **Create the Loaves**: Draw and cut out five small loaf shapes from the yellow construction paper. Use crayons or markers to add details to make them look like real loaves of bread.

3. **Create the Fish**: Draw and cut out two fish shapes from the blue construction paper. Use crayons or markers to add scales, eyes, and details to the fish.

4. **Assemble the Craft**: Glue the loaves and fish into the paper plate basket. Encourage children to arrange them so they look like the basket is full of food.

5. **Discuss**: As they work, talk about how Jesus provided for everyone and how sharing is an important part of being kind to others.

Discussion, Reflection Questions

1. How do you think the little boy felt when he saw Jesus use his lunch to help feed so many people?
2. Can you think of a time when someone shared something with you that made you very happy?
3. How can you share what you have, like your time, talents, or toys, with others this week?