Jonah and the Whale: Story, Coloring Page and Craft

As you read the story of Jonah and the Whale, allow the children to color the free printable coloring page. After the story, quiz them about what you just read. Ask them what they could do to please God more, and what consequences are there for not obeying God, their parents and their teachers. Finish the lesson with the craft project.

Jonah and the Whale Coloring Page
Print this free coloring page and grab the crayons.

Jonah and the Whale Craft
Make an origami whale. You will need heavy blue or gray paper, scissors, wiggly eyes, markers and a bingo dauber.

Story
The word of the Lord came to Jonah, saying, "Arise and go to the city of Ninevah. Preach my word there, because the people are wicked." Jonah did not do as the Lord had asked. Instead he fled to Joppa. There he found a ship that was headed to Tarshish, which was in the opposite direction from Ninevah.

The Lord sent a great wind, and the ship was tossed about. The sailors were afraid and decided to pray. They also threw cargo from the ship to make it lighter. The whole time Jonah was fast asleep inside the ship.

The sailors cast lots, and found that Jonah was the cause of this terrible storm. They asked him, "What have you done to cause this evil to come upon us?" Jonah told them that he disobeyed God, and was now running away.

The sailors asked Jonah, "What shall we do to calm the sea?" Jonah said, "Pick me up and throw me into the sea. If you do so, it will calm this terrible storm." The sailors did not want to throw him overboard, so they rowed very hard to bring their ship to land. When the sailors found that they could not manage their ship, because the waves were so strong, they prayed again, and threw Jonah into the sea. Suddenly, the waters were calm.

God had prepared a great fish to swallow Jonah. It was there that Jonah lived for three days and three nights. Jonah prayed to the Lord, and the great fish vomited him out onto dry land.
The word of the Lord came to Jonah again, saying, "Arise and go to the city of Ninevah, and preach my word there." This time Jonah listened. He traveled to Ninevah and told the people to repent. The people believed the word of the Lord, and repented of their sins.