Exodus 19–20 · Ages 6–12
Moses and the Ten Commandments
God gave Moses ten rules on Mount Sinai — a picture of what love for God and people looks like.
Big idea
God's rules are a road map to real love.
Read-aloud
1. A holy mountain
God called Moses up Mount Sinai. Smoke, fire, and thunder covered it. God wrote his ten rules on two stone tablets.
2. Love God first
The first four rules were about loving God: no other gods, no idols, honor his name, rest on the Sabbath.
3. Love people
The next six were about loving people: honor parents, don't murder, be faithful, don't steal, don't lie, don't crave what isn't yours.
4. A gift, not a leash
The rules weren't to trap Israel — they were guardrails to help God's family live and love well.
The Ten Commandments for kids — the full list
Exodus 20:1–17 in plain, kid-friendly language. Read one a day for ten days, or all ten in three minutes.
1. Have no other gods before me
God comes first — before games, before winning, before anything else we love.
2. Do not make idols
Don't build something and treat it like God. Only God is God.
3. Do not misuse God's name
God's name is precious. We don't use it as a joke or a throwaway word.
4. Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy
One day a week we stop, rest and worship together. Rest is a gift, not laziness.
5. Honour your father and mother
Listen to your parents and speak to them with respect — even when you disagree.
6. Do not murder
Every person is made by God. We protect people instead of hurting them.
7. Do not commit adultery
Promises inside a family are kept. Faithfulness is love that stays.
8. Do not steal
If it isn't yours, leave it. Ask instead of taking.
9. Do not lie about your neighbour
Tell the truth about other people, even when a lie would be easier.
10. Do not covet
Don't ache for what someone else has. Say thank you for what God already gave you.
Memory verse
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart… Love your neighbor as yourself.”
— Matthew 22:37, 39
Talk about it
- Which commandment feels hardest for you?
- How does obeying God set us instead of trapping us?
- Which one could our family focus on this week?
Family prayer
God, thank you for showing us how to love. Help our family live your way. Amen.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the Ten Commandments in simple words for kids?
Put God first, don't worship anything else, treat God's name as precious, rest one day a week, respect your parents, don't hurt people, keep promises in your family, don't steal, don't lie, and don't ache for what someone else has.
Where are the Ten Commandments in the Bible?
Exodus 20:1–17, with a second telling in Deuteronomy 5:6–21. God gave them to Moses on Mount Sinai.
What age can kids learn the Ten Commandments?
Most children can learn the list from about age 6, and understand the reasons behind them by 8–12. Younger children do best with one commandment a day in a single kid-friendly sentence.
How do you teach the Ten Commandments to children?
Split them the way Jesus did: the first four are about loving God, the last six about loving people. Take one a day for ten days, ask where it shows up in real life today, and finish with a one-line prayer.
Do the Ten Commandments still apply to Christians?
Yes — Jesus summed them up as loving God with everything and loving your neighbour as yourself (Matthew 22:37–39). They describe what love looks like, not a checklist to earn God's favour.