Leader Guide
Story Craft
- Which Mother Pattern
- Cardstock
- Scissors
Make double-sided color copies of the Which Mother Pattern on cardstock; one per child plus extras.
Or to save time in class, make just one craft ahead of time, then hold it up so the children can see it as you review the story with them.
To make the craft:
- Cut out the cards on your pattern.
- Carefully cut along the dotted line to create a slit in each card. Be sure not to cut past the dotted line.
- Slide the two cards together along the slit. Make sure that the images line up properly.
Figuring out who was the true mother was difficult, even for a wise king! Yet with God’s help, Solomon was able to look at the situation differently. How did he find out the true mother?
Yes, he asked for a sword.
Do you think that Solomon ever really intended to hurt the baby? Children answer.
He used that threat as a way to determine which mother really loved the baby.
How did the two women respond?
When faced with the idea that something horrible might happen to the baby, one woman was deeply compassionate and pleaded for the baby’s life (page 3), even if it meant that the baby would be taken away from her. The other woman told the king to go ahead and end the baby’s life, so neither of them could have the baby (page 4).
Which mother really loved the baby? The one who begged to keep the baby alive.
One woman was in pain because secretly she knew that it was her baby who had died in the night. Sadly, she wanted the other mother to feel that same pain. If she couldn’t have the living baby, she didn’t want anyone to have him. She didn’t really care for the baby.
The true mother loved the child very much—in fact, she loved him so much that she was willing to give him up so he could live.
Take your craft home to share this story with your family!