Note to parent or teacher: Here’s a 40-minute lesson plan on patience that is broken into two sections and can either be divided into separate classes or done as one. The focus is on learning to wait, what to do when things take time, and how one benefits from being patient.

1. Learn to appreciate things that take time.

Read “Character ABC: P Is for Patience.”

Talk about what would happen if a farmer or a gardener got impatient with a plant or crop if it didn’t start growing immediately. Would a farmer or gardener be good at his or her job if they had trouble being patient?

Read “Have Patience.”

Ask the children to think about things in nature that take time and why it’s important that they do. (Some ideas: The metamorphosis of a butterfly or frog, a hatching bird or reptile egg, the growth of a tree, a bird learning to fly, etc.) Explain that some things in nature do happen quickly, too, such as some mammal babies being able to quickly stand and run after being born, but many things take time to grow and develop. (Tip: You can show YouTube clips on these processes at this point.)

Watch “God Takes His Time.”

Color “Coloring Page: Character ABC: P Is for Patience,” and post it somewhere in the house where the children can see it and refer to it.

Optional activity: Sprout a Bean

You will need:

• Dried beans or lentils x 5
• Paper towel or cotton balls
• Small glass jar with a lid

Select a couple of dried beans or lentils. Fold the paper towel until it is the right size to fit in the bottom of the jar (or line the bottom of the jar with cotton balls). Wet the paper towel (or cotton balls) until damp but not soaking wet. Place the dried beans on the paper towel (or cotton balls). Place the lid on the jar, and place it in a sunny spot in the house (such as a windowsill that gets sunshine during the day). Check it every couple of days to make sure the paper towel/cotton balls are still moist. If dry, moisten with a bit of water.

You should start to see a small spout from the beans or lentils within the week. When the sprout is about two inches (5 cm) long, you can transfer it to a flower pot with soil and watch the vine grow even more.

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2. Why patience is important.

Read Romans 8:25: “If we look forward to something we don’t yet have, we must wait patiently and confidently” (NLT). (Optional: Have the children memorize this verse.)

Watch “Have Patience (Herbert the Snail).”

Discuss with the children some things that can go wrong if you are in too much of a hurry.

Read “The Butterfly’s Promise.”

Ask each child to think of a personal experience that required them to have patience. (For example, an outing that they looked forward to, but they had to wait because it was delayed for some reason; a birthday party they really looked forward to, but had to wait for it to happen; a toy or game that they were saving up for, etc.)

You can also discuss whether the activity or gift was lessened or improved because the child had to wait for it. Talk about some things that the child did to make it easier to wait and be patient for what they anticipated.

Watch the “Patience Song.”

Explain that being patient doesn’t mean sitting around doing nothing while you are waiting and complaining about being bored. Often it means looking for other things to occupy your mind and time; for example, when waiting at the doctor’s office, the wait time can be used to look at books or play a game; when waiting for your parents, stay busy by playing or coloring until your parents are ready. This makes being patient much easier.

Pray together for patience and the willingness to wait even when it’s difficult.