Mesa Valley Church of Christ Grand Junction, Colorado
Illustration for Daniel in the Lions’ Den

Old Testament people Ages 4–10 Story 13 of 25

Daniel 6 · ESV memory verse below

Daniel in the Lions’ Den

Who is this?

Daniel loved God in a faraway land. He did his work well and prayed every day.

What happened?

Jealous men made a law against prayer. Daniel prayed as before. God shut the lions’ mouths because Daniel trusted Him.

The story

Daniel served kings in Babylon with honesty. Other officials grew jealous. They could find no fault in him—except that he prayed to his God.

They tricked King Darius into a law: for thirty days no one may pray to any god or ask help from any person except the king. Anyone who did would be thrown to the lions.

Daniel heard the law was signed. He went to his house. He opened his windows toward Jerusalem and prayed three times a day, just as he always had—giving thanks to his God.

The king was sad, but the law stood. Daniel was put in the lions’ den. In the morning the king hurried to the den. Daniel was alive. No harm was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.

Memory verse (ESV)

So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no kind of harm was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.

Daniel 6:23

Talk about it

Ages ~4–7

  1. Did Daniel stop praying when the law came?
  2. Who kept Daniel safe with the lions?

Ages ~8–12

  1. Why did Daniel pray “as he had done previously”?
  2. How can a habit of prayer help when trouble comes?
  3. What does this story teach about trusting God more than fear?

Family activity

Kneel by a chair three times today and pray a short thank-you, as Daniel prayed. Keep the habit even if the day feels busy.

Parent take-home

Read Daniel 6. Daniel prayed as he had done previously—even when a new law pushed against faithfulness. Practice a short morning or bedtime prayer habit this week; thank God that Daniel trusted Him in the lions’ den.

Talk on the way home

  1. What did Daniel do when the law was signed?
  2. How many times a day did he pray?
  3. What good habit would you keep even if someone laughed?

Longer family guide: Week 13 on the family page.

Print coloring and activities (PDF) All children’s stories

In the PDF: coloring page, memory verse with blanks, plus kid activities (maze). Trace the path with a finger first, then a crayon.

For parents and teachers

Daniel did not begin to pray that day; he continued as he did aforetime. That is the lesson for a household. Read Daniel 6:10. Courage grew out of a daily habit before God.