Teaching the Sermon on the Mount For Kids: The ABCs of Kindness (With a Song!)
- Sep 12, 2025
- 9 min read
Updated: Jul 7
Teaching children about the Sermon on the Mount can feel like a big task. Jesus shared deep lessons about the heart, mercy, forgiveness, prayer, kindness, and how we treat others. Those ideas are beautiful, but they can also feel hard to explain to young children.
At Kids Songs Learning Hub, we love making big lessons easier for children through songs, actions, simple words, and everyday family moments.
I’m Janerine Watson, founder of Kids Songs Learning Hub, a mother of three, and a BSc Health and Social Care graduate. As a Christian parent, I know how helpful it can be to turn important Bible lessons into small, repeatable phrases that children can remember and practise.
This guide uses a simple ABCD of Kindness framework to help children understand some of the heart lessons found in the Sermon on the Mount.
The goal is not to explain every verse in detail. The goal is to give children simple ways to practise kindness, mercy, compassion, and doing what is right.
A Gentle Note for Parents and Teachers
The Sermon on the Mount includes powerful teachings, including loving others, showing mercy, being a light, and treating people the way we would want to be treated.
When teaching children about kindness, it is important to keep the lesson safe and age-appropriate.
Children should never be taught that kindness means staying silent when someone hurts them, scares them, bullies them, or treats them badly. Children should always be encouraged to tell a trusted adult if they feel unsafe, worried, hurt, or confused.
Kindness and safety can go together.
A child can learn to be gentle, forgiving, and caring while also learning that their body, feelings, and safety matter.
What Is the Sermon on the Mount?
The Sermon on the Mount is a collection of teachings from Jesus found in Matthew chapters 5 to 7. In these chapters, Jesus teaches about humility, mercy, prayer, forgiveness, being a light, loving others, and making wise choices.
For young children, we can explain it simply:
Jesus taught people how to love God, love others, and live with kind hearts.
That simple sentence gives children a starting point.
They do not need a long theological lesson. They need small examples they can understand, such as:
Using kind words
Helping someone
Saying sorry
Praying for someone
Sharing when they are ready
Telling the truth
Using gentle hands
Being a light through good choices
The ABCD of Kindness
To make the Sermon on the Mount easier for children, we can use four simple letters:
A is for Attitude
B is for Being a Light
C is for Compassion
D is for Doing the Right Thing
Each letter gives children one simple idea to remember.
A Is for Attitude: A Kind Heart
Jesus begins the Sermon on the Mount with the Beatitudes. These verses speak about humility, mercy, gentleness, and a heart that looks to God.
For children, we can explain attitude like this:
Attitude is what is happening inside our heart. A kind attitude helps us choose gentle words, patient actions, and loving choices.
Children are still learning how to manage big feelings. They will not always respond calmly, and that is normal. The point is not perfection. The point is helping them notice their hearts and try again.
Simple child-friendly phrase
“God can help me have a kind heart.”
Song idea
Sing this to the tune of Are You Sleeping?
Kind hearts, kind hearts,
Gentle too, gentle too,
Mercy in our actions,
Love in what we do,
Kind hearts grow,
Kind hearts grow.
Activity idea
Ask your child:
“What does a kind heart look like?”
They might answer:
Helping
Sharing
Saying sorry
Giving a hug if someone wants one
Using gentle hands
Speaking softly
Write or draw their answers on a heart-shaped piece of paper.
Everyday example
If a sibling breaks a toy by accident, you might say:
“I know you feel upset. It is okay to feel sad. Let’s use a kind heart and talk about what happened.”
This helps children understand that kindness does not mean pretending they are not upset. It means learning how to respond with help, honesty, and care.
B Is for Being a Light: Let Kindness Shine
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus teaches His followers to let their light shine. For children, this can be explained in a simple way:
When we do kind things, we can shine God’s love to others.
Being a light does not mean showing off. It means choosing actions that help, encourage, and care for people around us.
Simple child-friendly phrase
“I can shine with kind choices.”
Song idea
Sing this to the tune of This Little Light of Mine
This little light of mine,
I’m going to let it shine,
With kind words and helping hands,
I’m going to let it shine.
Activity idea: Shining Moment
At the end of the day, ask:
“Did we see someone being kind today?”
Examples might include:
Someone shared a toy
Someone helped tidy up
Someone said thank you
Someone comforted a friend
Someone used gentle words
You can draw a small star on paper each time your family notices a kind action.
Everyday example
If your child helps tidy crayons, say:
“That was a shining moment. You helped our home feel peaceful.”
Children often learn best when we notice specific actions rather than giving vague praise.
C Is for Compassion: Caring About Others
Compassion means noticing when someone needs care and choosing to respond with kindness.
Jesus taught people to love others, including people who may be difficult to love. For children, this lesson must be explained gently.
A child-friendly way to say it is:
Compassion means caring when someone is sad, lonely, hurt, or left out.
Simple child-friendly phrase
“I can care about how others feel.”
Song idea
Use this simple tune:
If someone feels sad today,
I can show love in a gentle way,
Kind hands, kind words,
That is what compassion does.
Activity idea: Compassion Role-Play
Use teddy bears or dolls to act out simple situations:
Teddy is sad because his toy broke.
Dolly is sitting alone.
Bear fell down.
A friend feels left out.
Ask:
“What could we do?”
Possible answers:
Ask, “Are you okay?”
Get a grown-up
Offer a tissue
Share a kind word
Sit nearby
Pray for them, if suitable for your family
Safety reminder
If someone is being unkind, scary, or unsafe, children should not be told to handle it alone. Teach them:
“Use kind words, but always tell a trusted adult if someone hurts you or makes you feel unsafe.”
This keeps the lesson spiritually meaningful and emotionally safe.
D Is for Doing the Right Thing: The Golden Rule
Jesus taught what many families call the Golden Rule: treating others the way we would want to be treated.
For children, this can be made very simple:
Before I act, I can ask, “Would I like someone to do this to me?”
This helps children think about their choices at home, school, church, nursery, playdates, and with siblings.
Simple child-friendly phrase
“I can treat others with care.”
Song idea
Use this simple chant:
Do to others, kind and true,
As you would want them to do to you.
Gentle hands and gentle ways,
Kindness grows through all our days.
Activity idea: Kindness Jar
Create a simple kindness jar using a safe plastic tub or paper box.
Each time your child does a kind action, write it on a paper strip and place it in the jar.
Examples:
Helped tidy toys
Said thank you
Shared a book
Used gentle hands
Helped a sibling
Made a card
At the end of the week, read the kindness slips together.
Keep it gentle
Do not use the kindness jar to shame a child or compare siblings. Use it to notice growth and celebrate effort.
The Full ABCD Kindness Song
You can sing this song during family worship, bedtime, car journeys, Sunday school, homeschool time, or quiet reflection.
A is for attitude, a heart that can grow,
B is for being a light everywhere we go,
C is compassion, caring what others feel,
D is doing what is right and true and real.
ABCD, kindness starts with me,
With gentle hands and words of love,
We shine for all to see.
ABCD, Jesus helps me grow,
In kindness, love, and mercy,
Everywhere I go.
Simple Activities to Help the Lesson Stick
1. Kindness Charades
Write or draw simple kind actions on cards:
Sharing a toy
Helping tidy
Giving a card
Saying sorry
Praying for someone
Using gentle hands
Act them out and let the family guess.
This helps children practise kindness through movement and play.
2. Who Is My Neighbour? Drawing
Give your child a large heart shape on paper.
Inside the heart, help them draw or name people they can show kindness to:
Family
Friends
Teachers
Church members
Neighbours
People who feel lonely
People who need help
Explain gently:
“Our neighbour means people we can care about and show kindness to.”
3. Let Your Light Shine Craft
Give your child a paper candle, star, or sun shape.
Ask them to decorate it.
Then write one kind action on it:
I can help.
I can say thank you.
I can use gentle hands.
I can pray for someone.
Place it on the fridge or wall as a reminder.
4. Compassion Teddy Game
Use a teddy bear and say:
“Teddy feels sad.”
Ask:
“What could we do?”
Let your child offer ideas. Keep it simple and practical.
5. Family Kindness Moment
At dinner or bedtime, ask one question:
“What kind thing did we notice today?”
This helps children begin to see kindness as part of everyday life.
The Full "ABCs of Kindness" Song
Now, let's put everything together! This is the whole song. You can sing it in the drive, during playtime, or before bed as a reminder.
Click Here To Listen The ABCD sermon on the mount for kids Song full version here:
Free Printable: The ABCs of Kindness Colouring Sheet
To help children remember the lesson, you can add the ABCs of Kindness Colouring Pages to this article.
This printable includes simple colouring pages that help children think about kindness, compassion, being a light, and treating others with care.
Inside the printable, children can colour:
A Let Your Light Shine page
An ABCs of Kindness heart page
A Kindness Jar page
A Compassion and Comfort page
A Golden Rule playground page
These pages work well after reading the article, singing the ABCD kindness song, or talking about one small kind action your child can practise today.
My kind choice today page
Helpful Related Resources
For more faith-friendly music ideas, visit your Bible songs section.
For Christmas kindness ideas, read Christmas Kindness Activities for Kids.
For toddler song routines, read Christmas Songs for Toddlers and Preschoolers.
For printable learning pages, visit the Free Preschool Printables Library.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I explain the Sermon on the Mount to kids?
Explain it simply: Jesus taught people how to love God, love others, and live with kind hearts. For young children, focus on simple actions like kindness, mercy, prayer, gentle words, and treating others with care.
What part of the Sermon on the Mount is easiest for children to understand?
Children often understand simple ideas like being a light, showing kindness, saying sorry, helping others, and treating people the way they would like to be treated.
Can songs help children remember Bible lessons?
Songs can help children repeat and remember simple phrases. They also make lessons feel joyful and easier to use during everyday routines.
How do I teach “love your enemies” to young children safely?
Keep it age-appropriate. Teach children that Jesus calls us to love and pray, but also teach them to tell a trusted adult if someone hurts them, scares them, bullies them, or makes them feel unsafe. Kindness does not mean staying in danger.
Can this lesson be used in Sunday school?
Yes, this lesson can work for Sunday school, homeschool, family worship, or children’s church. Keep activities short, use songs, and adapt wording for the children’s age.
What if my child does not understand the full Bible passage yet?
That is okay. Young children do not need to understand everything at once. Start with one simple idea, such as “I can use kind words” or “I can be a light.”
Final Thoughts
Teaching the Sermon on the Mount to children does not have to be complicated. Start small.
Use one letter.
Sing one song.
Practise one kind action.
Talk about one everyday moment.
Over time, these small lessons can help children understand that following Jesus includes kindness, mercy, compassion, prayer, and doing what is right.
The ABCD of Kindness gives children simple words they can remember, sing, and practise in daily life.
About the Author
Janerine Watson is the founder of Kids Songs Learning Hub, a mother of three, and a BSc Health and Social Care graduate. She creates music-based learning resources, children’s songs, printable activities, and parent-friendly guides that help toddlers and preschoolers learn through rhythm, repetition, movement, routines, and play.
Through parenting, faith, and her background in health and social care, Janerine shares practical ways families can make Bible lessons, kindness activities, and everyday routines more playful, realistic, and easier to repeat.
Faith, Child Safety and Activity Disclaimer
This article is for general family faith, Bible learning, music, and activity purposes only. It is not medical, psychological, safeguarding, therapy, pastoral counselling, or professional childcare advice.
Children should never be taught that kindness means staying silent about harm, bullying, unsafe behaviour, inappropriate touch, fear, or emotional distress. Encourage children to speak to a trusted adult if they feel unsafe, hurt, worried, pressured, or confused.
Always supervise children during craft, music, movement, role-play, and printable activities. Keep small parts, scissors, glue, beads, bells, batteries, magnets, cords, and choking hazards away from young children.
If your child is struggling emotionally, experiencing bullying, showing distress, or disclosing harm, seek support from a qualified professional, safeguarding lead, GP, teacher, pastor, or appropriate local service.
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