The story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) is one of the most memorable Bible stories for children — simple to tell, rich in meaning, and full of opportunities for real-life application.
Whether you’re teaching in Sunday school or guiding a lesson at home with kids, this story gives you a wonderful chance to explore compassion, kindness, and what it means to “love your neighbour”.
Why Teach the Good Samaritan Story?
This story helps children see that faith isn’t just about beliefs, but about actions — helping others, showing mercy, treating everyone with love.
In the story:
A man is beaten and left for dead.
A priest and a Levite pass by without helping.
Then a Samaritan (someone the original listeners would have considered an outsider) stops, cares for the wounded man, and pays to ensure his full recovery.
This surprising turn invites discussion about who our neighbour is, and what loving-our-neighbour really looks like.
Helping Children Understand the Story
For young learners, consider pausing during the story for a moment of reflection:
How might the man who was beaten have felt when no one helped?
Why do you think the priest and Levite did not stop?
The Samaritan had to spend time and money — what does that tell us about his heart?
Who is our neighbour today? What might “helping” look like where we live?
These questions help the story become more than history — they help the children see themselves in the story and consider how they can act with compassion too.
Hands-On Ideas for Sunday School
Here are some practical classroom ideas to bring the Good Samaritan story to life:
1. Role-play “Who Is My Neighbour?”
Set up a simple scenario: one child pretends to be hurt, others pass by, then one helper comes and cares for them. After the role-play, talk about how it felt to help, how it felt to be helped.
2. Compassion Craft
Provide a sheet with a silhouette of two hands reaching out. Children decorate one hand as “helper” and on the other hand write or draw a way they can help a neighbour (e.g., share a toy, visit someone lonely, pick up trash).
3. “Neighbour Map” Activity
On poster-paper, draw a map of your community or classroom. Children place “neighbour hearts” on people in their map (family, classmates, local helpers, people who are different). Use this to spark a discussion: “How can I show love to each of these neighbours?”
4. Thankful Action Chart
At the end of the lesson, invite children to commit to one act of help or kindness in the week ahead. Provide a small sticker chart or a journal sheet where they record what they did and how it made someone feel.
Ideas for Christian Homeschool Families
In a homeschool setting, you can stretch the Good Samaritan story into a mini-unit of faith + character development. Try this rhythm:
Monday: Read the story together (Luke 10:25-37) and talk about “helping vs judging”.
Tuesday: Draw or colour a scene from the story — the traveler, the Samaritan, the bystanders.
Wednesday: Create a “helping hands” craft or a “compassion jar” where family members drop in ideas of how to help this week.
Thursday: Write (or dictate) a short reflection: “One person I can help is…”, “One thing I will do to show kindness…”.
Friday: Review the week. Share what acts of kindness happened. Celebrate together.
This gives children not just the knowledge of the story, but a chance to practise compassion right where they are.
A Lesson to Remember
The Good Samaritan teaches us that love crosses boundaries, spans differences, and acts — not just speaks.
Whether you’re teaching in a church setting or at the kitchen table, this story invites children (and adults!) to ask: Who is my neighbour? and What can I do to help them today?
And that kind of heart-change is what makes Sunday school or homeschool lessons truly meaningful.
Download The Good Samaritan Story Companion today and make your next Sunday school or homeschool Bible lesson meaningful, creative, and full of joy!
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