Daniel, “Outnumbered?”
Daniel was far away from home, living in a palace where nobody loved God except him. When the King made a rule that everyone had to pray only to the King, Daniel was completely outnumbered. Every single person in the kingdom bowed down, except Daniel. He kept praying to the One True God.
Because he stood out, he was thrown into a dark pit filled with hungry lions! He was one boy against a whole pack of wild animals. But look what happened when he trusted God:
"My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions."
Daniel 6:22
Parents, this mini-devo tackles the heavy feeling of peer pressure and being the "only one" doing the right thing. Through Daniel’s story, your child will learn that standing out for God is a position of strength, not loneliness. It shifts their focus from how many scary things are against them to how big God is for them.
Lets break it down!
Engage:
As you’re reading the story engage:
Everyone in the kingdom is bowing down to the wrong king. Can you bow down low, too?
Now, look at Daniel he is the only one standing straight up for God. Do you think he feels lonely standing out in the big crowd?
The guards are walking Daniel toward the dark, scary lions' den. Put your hands over your eyes like binoculars and peek inside.
Can you see the glowing eyes of the lions waiting in the dark?
Yell Freeze! The angel just arrived and locked the lions' jaws tight!
Can you clamp your hands together like a closed lion mouth? Does the scary cave feel peaceful now that God is protecting Daniel?
Apply:
Just like Daniel chose to pray to God even when the whole kingdom stopped, the things we do to stay close to Jesus help us stand tall when we feel outnumbered.Talk about what that can look like in their world:
Telling Jesus we love Him out loud, even if others aren't praying
Choosing kindness and God’s ways when friends are making bad choices
Standing up for someone who is being left out on the playground
Listening to God’s still, small voice in your heart instead of following the crowd
Sharing the truth about God’s love with a friend
Tell your little a story about a time you felt completely outnumbered or alone, but you chose to trust God and stand tall anyway. Littles learn spiritual bravery best by watching you.
Repeat & Reinforce:
The "Stand Tall" Domino Drop (Object Lesson)
Use a row of dominos (or plastic cups) and one separate, sturdy toy figure. Your little knocks the row over to watch them crash while the figure stays standing.
Standing tall means refusing to fall for peer pressure, trusting that God gives us the strength to hold our ground.
The "One vs. Many" Pepper Experiment
Use a bowl of water covered in black pepper and a drop of dish soap on your little's finger. The moment their soapy finger touches the water, the pepper scatters to the edges.
God's power means it only takes one heart trusting Him to change the whole room. The crowd has to move when God steps in.
The Paper Plate Lion's Den (Craft)
Use a paper plate painted dark brown with a flap cut out for a cave door.
Your little glues Daniel inside and sticks yellow paper triangles around him for glowing lion eyes. God's presence means that even in the deepest, darkest cave where we feel outnumbered, He is right there in the dark with us.
The Lion and the Angel (Roleplay)
Your little starts out as the roaring lion, but when you wave your hand and say "God sent His angel," they have to press their lips together tight.
God's protection means He can calm the loudest fears in our lives, changing a scary situation into a soft, peaceful place to rest.
Closing Thought:
Remind your little that being the only one standing up for God makes them a bright light in a dark room. True bravery doesn't mean we aren't scared; it means we trust that the God who shut the lions' mouths is standing right next to us.
I’ll leave you with this 7 min video The Story of Daniel and the Lions' Den | Bible Stories for Kids
For even more hands-on fun, pair this mini-devo with the activity sheet below.
Love,
Gi 🤍
Daniel Activity Sheet
Help children learn about Daniel with this fun and engaging 2-page activity set! Includes a Bible verse completion and sorting activity, plus a counting and graphing worksheet that builds early math skills. Perfect for Sunday School, homeschool, Christian classrooms, or quiet-time learning.
Skills Practiced: Bible learning, counting, sorting, graphing, fine motor skills, and critical thinking..
The Story of Daniel and the Lions' Den | Bible Stories for Kids
