Teaching the Ten Commandments to children can be a little challenging. The traditional Catholic wording is important, but some of the language can be difficult for young children to understand. So how can we help kids learn the Ten Commandments while also helping them understand what they mean and how they apply to their everyday lives?
Before you start, note that the order and wording of the Catholic Ten Commandments are different than the Protestant version. So before you hang a poster or buy an activity, make sure they are the correct translation.
- I am the Lord your God: you shall not have strange Gods before me.
- You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.
- Remember to keep holy the Lord's day.
- Honor your father and your mother.
- You shall not kill.
- You shall not commit adultery.
- You shall not steal.
- You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
- You shall not covet your neighbor's wife.
- You shall not covet your neighbor's goods.
Whether you are teaching in a Catholic school, Catholic homeschool, Catholic Sunday school, religious education class, or simply talking about the faith with your children at home, these hands-on Catholic activities can make the Ten Commandments easier to remember and understand.
Here are some ideas for teaching the Catholic Ten Commandments to kids.
1. Start with the Story of Moses
Before jumping into memorizing the commandments, introduce children to Moses and the story of how God gave the Ten Commandments to His people.
Using scripture read the story of Moses, especially Exodus 19 and 20, where the focus is the Commandments. You could also show short videos or read abbreviated biographies like I includ in my 10 Commandments Lapbook.
Talk about Moses leading the Israelites out of Egypt and how God gave Moses the commandments on Mount Sinai. This gives children some context for why the commandments were given and helps them understand that they are part of the story of God's relationship with His people.
For younger children, keep the story simple and focus on the main ideas. You can ask questions such as:
- Who was Moses?
- Where did God give Moses the Ten Commandments?
- Why did God give His people the commandments?
- How do God's commandments help us know how to live?
2. Explain Each Commandment in Kid-Friendly Language
The traditional Catholic wording of the Ten Commandments should be taught, but some of the words and concepts can be difficult for elementary-aged children.
I’ll never forget teaching first grade religious ed with my mom and we got to the word adultery and fumbled for how to explain it to these 7 year olds in a way that was appropriate. And then we hit the phrase “covet your neighbor’s wife” and tried to explain that in the moment. Ooof. Not easy and definitely something we should have planned and thought through ahead of time.
Take time to explain each commandment in language that children can understand. Then give examples of what that commandment might look like in their own lives.
For example, after teaching "Honor your father and your mother," talk about ways children can show respect and obedience to their parents.
After teaching "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor," talk about telling the truth and how our words can affect other people and how we want to avoid things like lying and gossiping.
This gives children an opportunity to connect a commandment they may have memorized with something they actually experience in everyday life.
3. Make a Ten Commandments Tablet Craft
A craft can give children something visual to help them remember the commandments.
One simple idea is to create a Ten Commandments tablet using a paper grocery bag. Cut the bag into the shape of a stone tablet, then have students cut out and glue the Ten Commandments onto it.
You can also have children draw a picture underneath each commandment showing what it means or what it might look like in their lives.
I have a step-by-step tutorial for this activity, including the printable commandment strips:
Find the The Ten Commandments Craft here
This activity works especially well when you take time to discuss each commandment before students add it to their tablet. The craft then becomes more than something cute to take home. It becomes a visual reminder of what they have learned.
4. Create a Ten Commandments Lapbook
If you want students to spend more time exploring the Ten Commandments and digging a little deeper, a lapbook is a great option.
A Ten Commandments Catholic Lapbook gives students multiple ways to interact with the material. Students can write, draw, and reword the commandments as they work through the activities.
The lapbook also includes a kid-friendly biography of Moses, Scripture connections, an explanation of the Great Commandment, and a sorting activity that asks students to think about whether each commandment relates primarily to our relationship with God or our relationship with our neighbors.
Find Ten Commandments Catholic Lapbook Here
This makes it a useful option for Catholic religion classes, Catholic schools, Catholic homeschool, Sunday school, or religious education. No matter what type of class you are teaching this in, take your time. I don’t recommend trying to fit it all in one class period. Take time to go cut and assemble the materials and explore each commandment.
A hands-on activity like this also gives students something they can look back through later when they need to review the Ten Commandments.
5. Make a Ten Commandments Mini Book
For younger students or when you want a smaller project, try a mini book.
The Ten Commandments Mini Book teaches the commandments through symbols and words. Students can color, cut, and assemble the book, making it a simple way to introduce the commandments.
There is also a simplified version that can simply be colored, cut, and stapled, which can be helpful when you are working with younger children or don't have much class time.
Find The Ten Commandments Mini Book Here
For older students, there are also opportunities to write additional details or even write the commandments themselves.
This type of Catholic printables can work well as a religion lesson activity, review assignment, or something students can take home to share with their families.
6. Connect the Commandments to Everyday Life
One of the most important parts of teaching the Ten Commandments is helping children see that these aren't simply words they need to memorize for a religion test.
Ask students how each commandment might apply to their lives.
For example:
1. How can we put God first?
- What things do we spend a lot of our time on? Sports? Technology?
2. How do we show God’s name respect?
These conversations help move the lesson from memorization to understanding. This is also a time to help bring the commandments to the students’ level and help them to think of examples that are relevant to them.
- What should you do when someone says OMG?
- What makes Sunday different from the other days of the week?
- What does respect and obedience look like at home?
- How can what you say and do hurt someone else’s life or spirit?
- Why is it important to respect and honor someone you made a covenant with?
- What should we do if we find something that doesn't belong to us?
- How does lying, gossiping and spreading rumors hurt others?
- Should we be jealous of someone else’s family and their relationships?
- How do you avoid being jealous of what someone else has?
These conversations help move the lesson from memorization to understanding. This is also a time to help bring the commandments to the students’ level and help them to think of examples that are relevant to them.
For example You Shall Not Kill probably doesn’t pertain to most children but if you connect it to video games glorifying killing or killing someone emotionally/spiritually by how you treat them it suddenly has more relevance to a child.
Drawing is another simple way to help younger children understand the commandments.
After discussing a commandment, ask students to draw a picture showing what it means.
For some commandments, students could draw an example of something they should do. For others, they could draw an example of something they should avoid.
This is especially helpful for children who have difficulty explaining their understanding through writing. Their pictures can give you another way to see whether they understand the concept.
Another way to help students who can’t always put into writing what they learn is to act out the 10 Commandments. Kids get so into this. We had first graders loving this activity…especially if you let them act out what NOT to do. They love the chance to pretend to do the wrong thing.
Depending on the age of your students, they could try to guess what the commandment is that they are acting out. You could also have them try to do something you should do and something you shouldn’t do.
Obviously you want to set guidelines for this and depending on the age of your students you might need to give some suggestions on what they could act out. Older students should be able to handle this independently and create a small script of what to say/do as they act out the commandments.
Once you've taught the Ten Commandments, look for simple ways to review them throughout the year.
One idea is to use Catholic reward tags as a way to recognize students while reinforcing what they have learned.
The Catholic Reward Tags Volume 3 set includes tags for the Ten Commandments, including individual tags for all ten commandments. The set also includes tags for the Seven Sacraments and the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy, so it can continue to be used as you teach other Catholic faith topics.
Students earn a tag every time they learn a new commandment and then can look at their collection of tags to reflect on what they’ve learned.
If your students are young, you don't necessarily need to teach all ten commandments in one lesson.
Break them into smaller groups and spend time discussing them. You might teach a few commandments at a time and come back to them throughout your religion curriculum.
You can also review previously taught commandments by asking students to give examples of how they can live them out.
Repeated exposure will help the commandments become more familiar without turning the lesson into a memorization exercise.
Above all, help children understand that the Ten Commandments aren't simply a list of rules.
The commandments teach us how to live in right relationship with God and with the people around us. As children learn each commandment, keep bringing the conversation back to those two relationships.
Ask:
How does this commandment help me love God?
How does this commandment help me love my neighbor?
Those questions can help children begin to see the bigger picture behind the Ten Commandments.
Whether you're a Catholic teacher, catechist, Catholic Sunday school teacher, or parent teaching Catholic lessons for kids at home, choose activities that give children time to learn the commandments, talk about what they mean, and connect them to their own lives.
The goal is not just for children to be able to recite the Ten Commandments. We want them to understand why God gave them to us and begin to see how they can live them out each day.
7. Use Drawing or Role Playing to Help Kids Remember
Draw
Drawing is another simple way to help younger children understand the commandments.
After discussing a commandment, ask students to draw a picture showing what it means.
For some commandments, students could draw an example of something they should do. For others, they could draw an example of something they should avoid.
This is especially helpful for children who have difficulty explaining their understanding through writing. Their pictures can give you another way to see whether they understand the concept.
Role Play
Another way to help students who can’t always put into writing what they learn is to act out the 10 Commandments. Kids get so into this. We had first graders loving this activity…especially if you let them act out what NOT to do. They love the chance to pretend to do the wrong thing.
Depending on the age of your students, they could try to guess what the commandment is that they are acting out. You could also have them try to do something you should do and something you shouldn’t do.
Obviously you want to set guidelines for this and depending on the age of your students you might need to give some suggestions on what they could act out. Older students should be able to handle this independently and create a small script of what to say/do as they act out the commandments.
8. Review the Ten Commandments with Reward Tags
Once you've taught the Ten Commandments, look for simple ways to review them throughout the year.
One idea is to use Catholic reward tags as a way to recognize students while reinforcing what they have learned.
The Catholic Reward Tags Volume 3 set includes tags for the Ten Commandments, including individual tags for all ten commandments. The set also includes tags for the Seven Sacraments and the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy, so it can continue to be used as you teach other Catholic faith topics.
Find Catholic Reward Tags Volume 3: Ten Commandments & Seven Sacraments here
Students earn a tag every time they learn a new commandment and then can look at their collection of tags to reflect on what they’ve learned.
9. Don't Try to Teach All Ten at Once
If your students are young, you don't necessarily need to teach all ten commandments in one lesson.
Break them into smaller groups and spend time discussing them. You might teach a few commandments at a time and come back to them throughout your religion curriculum.
You can also review previously taught commandments by asking students to give examples of how they can live them out.
Repeated exposure will help the commandments become more familiar without turning the lesson into a memorization exercise.
10. Teach the Ten Commandments as a Way to Love God and Others
Above all, help children understand that the Ten Commandments aren't simply a list of rules.
The commandments teach us how to live in right relationship with God and with the people around us. As children learn each commandment, keep bringing the conversation back to those two relationships.
Ask:
How does this commandment help me love God?
How does this commandment help me love my neighbor?
Those questions can help children begin to see the bigger picture behind the Ten Commandments.
Make the Ten Commandments Hands-On
Teaching the Ten Commandments doesn't have to be limited to reading the commandments from a textbook and asking students to memorize them. Crafts, mini books, lapbooks, drawing or acting, discussion, and review activities can all give children different ways to interact with the material.Whether you're a Catholic teacher, catechist, Catholic Sunday school teacher, or parent teaching Catholic lessons for kids at home, choose activities that give children time to learn the commandments, talk about what they mean, and connect them to their own lives.
The goal is not just for children to be able to recite the Ten Commandments. We want them to understand why God gave them to us and begin to see how they can live them out each day.
