📖

Chores and Work: How Children Helped Long Ago

Life Long Ago: Daily Life

Day 47of 180
Week 10of 36
25Minutes
← Day 46Day 47 of 180Day 48
🖨️ Download Worksheet (PDF)

Learning Objectives

1

Understand how children helped families in the past

2

Compare chores from long ago to today

3

Appreciate the importance of working together

Colossians 3:23

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord, and not for men,

Colossians 3:23 (WEB)

Teaching children that all work is important and can be done to honor God

📦 Materials Needed

  • Pictures of children doing chores
  • Bucket and cloth
  • Small watering can
  • Toy farm animals

Lesson Plan

1Opening (5 min)

Gather children and ask about chores they do at home. Explain that long ago, children had very different chores that helped their families survive.

💭 Review Question: What chores do you do to help your family?
2Teaching (10 min)

Children long ago helped their families in many important ways. Young children would fetch water from wells, feed farm animals, help in gardens, and assist parents with daily work.

📌 Key Talking Points:
  • Children worked alongside their parents
  • Chores were necessary for family survival
  • Everyone in the family had an important job
💬 Discussion Questions:
  • What do you think it was like to carry water from a well?
  • How is life different for children today?
  • Why is helping your family important?
3Activity: Chore Time Roleplay (7 min)
hands-on

Children will pretend to do old-fashioned chores using props

📝 Instructions:
  1. Demonstrate carrying water in a bucket
  2. Show how to feed toy farm animals
  3. Let children take turns doing 'chores'
  4. Discuss how these tasks helped families
🔄 Variations:

Simpler: Just demonstrate chores and let children watch

Challenge: Create a chore passport for children to 'complete' different historical tasks

4Closing (3 min)

Remind children that all work can be done to glorify God, just like the memory verse says

📝 Review Questions:
  • What was one chore children did long ago?
  • Why were children's chores important?
  • How can we help our families today?
🙏 Prayer:

Dear God, thank you for teaching us the value of helping others and working together. Amen.

Coming up: Tomorrow we'll learn about how children played long ago!

Colossians 3:23

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord, and not for men,

Colossians 3:23 (WEB)

🎯 Activity: Work Song: Sing the verse to a simple tune

Teaching Notes

📚 Background:

Children today have fewer physical chores, but learning about historical work can teach appreciation and responsibility

💡 Teaching Tips:
  • Use gentle, positive language about work
  • Emphasize teamwork and family support
  • Connect historical chores to modern responsibilities
🤔 Common Struggles:

Children might find it hard to understand how different life was

👀 Signs of Understanding:

Curiosity about historical life, willingness to help at home

Extension Activities

  • Create a simple chore chart at home
  • Read children's books about historical farm life
  • Discuss family roles across generations

Ready for Tomorrow?

Great job completing today's lesson!

Continue to Day 48Back to History & Social Studies