Today, I want to share 20 short Bible stories for preschoolers that will captivate their hearts and teach them about faith. These simple tales from Scripture are perfect for young minds, offering valuable lessons in an easy-to-understand format.

The Bible (Big Theology for Little Hearts)

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The Action Bible Ultimate Coloring & Activity Pack

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Each story highlights important Biblical characters who demonstrated extraordinary faith in God. Let's explore these timeless accounts that will help little ones understand God's love and faithfulness.

Heroes of Great Faith

Noah Builds the Ark

God saw that the world had become very wicked. He decided to send a flood but wanted to save Noah, who was a good man. "So God said to Noah, 'I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them…make yourself an ark'" (Genesis 6:13-14).

God gave Noah specific instructions to build a huge boat. Noah obeyed even though it had never rained before! He worked for many years building the ark, just as God commanded. When the time came, God sent animals two by two to the ark, and Noah's family entered too. The rain fell for 40 days and 40 nights, but Noah and his family were safe because of his faith and obedience.

Abraham Follows God's Call

Abraham lived in a city called Ur when God spoke to him. "The Lord had said to Abram, 'Go from your country, your people and your father's household to the land I will show you'" (Genesis 12:1).

Abraham trusted God completely. He packed up everything and left his comfortable home without even knowing where he was going! God promised Abraham that he would become the father of many nations, even though he and his wife Sarah were very old and had no children. Abraham believed God's promise, and eventually, they had a son named Isaac. Abraham's faith in following God's call made him the "father of many nations" just as God promised.

Moses Crosses the Red Sea

Moses led God's people, the Israelites, out of Egypt where they had been slaves. Pharaoh changed his mind and sent his army to chase them. The Israelites were trapped between the Red Sea and the Egyptian army!

"Moses answered the people, 'Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today'" (Exodus 14:13). Moses raised his staff as God commanded, and an amazing miracle happened! The waters of the Red Sea divided, creating a path of dry land. The Israelites walked safely through the sea on dry ground. When the Egyptians tried to follow, the waters returned and covered them. God had kept His promise to protect His people.

Gideon's Small Army

Gideon was an ordinary man when God called him to save Israel from their enemies, the Midianites. Gideon gathered an army of 32,000 men, but God said that was too many! "The Lord said to Gideon, 'You have too many men. I cannot deliver Midian into their hands, or Israel would boast against me, saying, "My own strength has saved me"'" (Judges 7:2).

God reduced Gideon's army to just 300 men! With this tiny group, they surrounded the enemy camp at night with trumpets and torches in clay jars. When they broke the jars, blew the trumpets, and shouted, the enemy became confused and ran away. Gideon's faith in God's plan, even when it seemed impossible, brought victory for Israel.

Daniel in the Lions' Den

Daniel loved God and prayed to Him three times every day. The king made a law that no one could pray to any god except him for thirty days. Daniel knew this was wrong and continued to pray to God anyway.

"Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions" (Daniel 6:16). Daniel spent the whole night in a pit with hungry lions. The next morning, the king rushed to see what happened. "My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions" (Daniel 6:22). Daniel was completely safe because he trusted God! His faith saved him from the lions, and the king came to believe in Daniel's God too.

Women of Remarkable Faith

Esther Saves Her People

Esther was a beautiful young Jewish woman who became queen of Persia. When she learned about a plan to destroy all the Jewish people, she had to make a difficult choice. Going to the king without being called could mean death, but saying nothing would endanger her people.

Her cousin Mordecai told her, "Who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?" (Esther 4:14). Esther asked all the Jews to fast and pray for three days. Then she bravely went to the king, saying, "If I perish, I perish." The king welcomed her, and through her courage and wisdom, Esther saved her entire people from destruction. Her faith gave her the courage to stand up for what was right, even when it was dangerous.

Ruth's Faithful Choice

Ruth was a young woman from Moab who had married an Israelite man. When her husband died, her mother-in-law Naomi decided to return to Israel. Ruth could have stayed in her homeland, but instead made a remarkable choice.

"Ruth replied, 'Don't urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God'" (Ruth 1:16). Ruth left everything familiar to follow Naomi and to worship the one true God. In Israel, Ruth met and married a kind man named Boaz. Her faithful choice led her to become the great-grandmother of King David and an ancestor of Jesus!

Mary's Willing Heart

Mary was a young woman engaged to be married when the angel Gabriel appeared to her with amazing news. He told her she would have a baby who would be the Son of God! This was shocking news for Mary, but she responded with faith.

"'I am the Lord's servant,' Mary answered. 'May your word to me be fulfilled'" (Luke 1:38). Even though Mary knew people might not understand or believe her, she trusted God's plan. She willingly accepted the responsibility of being the mother of Jesus, God's Son. Mary's faith allowed her to say "yes" to God's incredible plan for her life.

Deborah the Judge

Deborah was a wise leader whom God chose to be a judge over Israel. This was unusual because most judges were men, but Deborah had special wisdom from God. People came to her for help with their problems, and she led the nation.

When enemies threatened Israel, God told Deborah how to win the battle. She told the army commander Barak, "The Lord, the God of Israel, commands you: 'Go, take with you ten thousand men…for I will give the enemy into your hands'" (Judges 4:6-7). Barak would only go if Deborah went too! She agreed, and together they led Israel to victory. Deborah's faith in God's word made her a powerful leader who helped save her nation.

Hannah's Faithful Prayer

Hannah was a woman who wanted a baby very much, but she couldn't have children. She was so sad that she went to the temple and prayed with all her heart. "In her deep anguish Hannah prayed to the Lord, weeping bitterly" (1 Samuel 1:10).

Hannah promised God that if He gave her a son, she would give the child back to serve God all his life. God heard Hannah's faithful prayer and gave her a son named Samuel. When he was old enough, Hannah kept her promise and took Samuel to the temple to serve God. Samuel grew up to be a great prophet who helped lead God's people. Hannah's faith and her willingness to give back to God what He had given her shows her incredible trust in Him.

Faith in Difficult Times

Joseph's Journey from Prison to Palace

Joseph was his father's favorite son, which made his brothers jealous. They sold him as a slave to Egypt! In Egypt, Joseph worked hard and did well, but then he was falsely accused and thrown into prison.

Even in prison, Joseph trusted God. "But while Joseph was there in the prison, the Lord was with him" (Genesis 39:20-21). Joseph used his gift of interpreting dreams to help others. Eventually, he interpreted Pharaoh's dream and warned of a coming famine. Pharaoh was so impressed that he made Joseph second-in-command of all Egypt! Joseph's faith during difficult times allowed God to use him to save many people, including his own family, from starvation.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the Fiery Furnace

These three young men refused to bow down to a golden statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had made. The king was furious and threatened to throw them into a blazing furnace if they didn't worship his idol.

Their response showed incredible faith: "If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it…But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods" (Daniel 3:17-18). The king threw them into the furnace, heated seven times hotter than usual. But God protected them completely! When the king looked in, he saw four figures walking around in the fire—the three friends and an angel. Their faith in the face of death amazed everyone who saw this miracle.

David Faces Goliath

Young David was just a shepherd boy when Israel's army was challenged by a giant warrior named Goliath. No one dared to fight him until David volunteered.

King Saul said, "You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a young man" (1 Samuel 17:33). But David replied with confidence: "The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine" (1 Samuel 17:37).

Armed with only a sling and five smooth stones, David faced the giant. "You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty" (1 Samuel 17:45). With one perfect shot, David defeated Goliath! His faith in God gave him courage when everyone else was afraid.

Paul and Silas Sing in Prison

Paul and Silas were missionaries who told people about Jesus. Some people didn't like their teaching and had them beaten and thrown into prison. Their feet were fastened in stocks, which was very painful.

Instead of complaining, "About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them" (Acts 16:25). Suddenly, a powerful earthquake shook the prison! All the doors opened and everyone's chains came loose. The jailer was so amazed by their faith that he and his whole family decided to follow Jesus too. Paul and Silas showed that faith can bring joy even in the most painful situations.

Elijah and the Ravens

There was a time when no rain fell in Israel for three and a half years. Food was very scarce. God told the prophet Elijah to go to a specific place by a brook, and there God would provide for him in an unusual way.

"I have directed the ravens to supply you with food there" (1 Kings 17:4). Every morning and evening, ravens (large black birds) brought bread and meat to Elijah, and he drank from the brook. God took care of Elijah through this miracle during the terrible drought. This shows that God can provide for us in unexpected ways when we trust Him, just as Elijah did.

Jesus Shows God's Love

Jesus Calms the Storm

One day, Jesus and his disciples were crossing the Sea of Galilee in a boat when a terrible storm arose. The waves were crashing over the boat, and it began to fill with water! The disciples were terrified, but Jesus was asleep.

"The disciples woke him and said to him, 'Teacher, don't you care if we drown?'" (Mark 4:38). Jesus got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" Immediately, the wind died down and it was completely calm. Jesus asked them, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?" (Mark 4:40). This amazing miracle showed that Jesus has power even over nature, and we can trust Him in life's storms.

Jesus Heals a Blind Man

Jesus met a man who had been blind since birth. The disciples asked whose sin had caused this blindness, but Jesus said, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him" (John 9:3).

Jesus spat on the ground, made some mud, and put it on the man's eyes. Then he told him to go wash in the Pool of Siloam. When the man did this, he could see for the first time in his life! Many people were amazed by this miracle. The man's simple faith in following Jesus' instructions, even when they seemed strange, resulted in an amazing healing that showed God's power.

Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand

A huge crowd of people came to hear Jesus teach. As evening approached, the disciples wanted to send the people away to find food. But Jesus had a different plan. "'You give them something to eat,' he replied" (Mark 6:37).

The disciples only found a small boy's lunch—five loaves of bread and two fish. How could this feed thousands of people? Jesus took the bread, gave thanks, and had the disciples distribute it to the people. The same with the fish. Amazingly, everyone ate until they were full, and there were twelve baskets of leftovers! This miracle showed that Jesus can take what little we offer in faith and multiply it to meet enormous needs.

Jesus Welcomes the Children

Once, some parents were bringing their children to Jesus so he could bless them. The disciples thought Jesus was too busy and important for children, so they tried to send them away.

"When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, 'Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these'" (Mark 10:14). Jesus took the children in his arms, put his hands on them, and blessed them. This shows that Jesus values children very much! They are never too small or unimportant for Him—Jesus loves children and welcomes them with open arms.

Jesus and Zacchaeus

Zacchaeus was a tax collector who had taken too much money from people. He was very rich but not very liked. When Jesus came to town, Zacchaeus wanted to see him but was too short to see over the crowd. So he climbed a tree!

"When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, 'Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today'" (Luke 19:5). People were surprised that Jesus would visit someone like Zacchaeus. But meeting Jesus changed Zacchaeus's heart completely! "Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount" (Luke 19:8). Jesus' love and forgiveness helped Zacchaeus find faith and a new way of life.

Trivia Quiz About Faith in the Bible

1. Question: In the story of David and Goliath, what weapon did David use to defeat the giant?
   Answer: A sling and a stone
2. Question: Who was kept safe in a den of lions because of his faith in God?
   Answer: Daniel
3. Question: How many men were in Gideon's army after God reduced its size?
   Answer: 300 men
4. Question: What did God command Noah to build?
   Answer: An ark (boat)
5. Question: When Paul and Silas were in prison, what were they doing at midnight?
   Answer: Praying and singing hymns to God

Want to learn more Bible stories? Check out the story of Jonah and the Big Fish, where you'll discover how God used a giant fish to teach Jonah an important lesson about obedience and God's compassion!