Author’s note: The Prodigal Son is one of my favorite parables (Luke 15:11-32). I wrote this children’s version to communicate its powerful message in an understandable (kid-friendly) way.

Opening scene with the Thompson’s doing family worship together.

Mr. Thompson: Kids, have you ever lost something you really loved? Do you remember how happy you were when you found it?

Ben: Ya, when I found my lost dump truck, I was so happy! 

Mr. Thompson: Well, Jesus once told a story to show us what makes God happy. I want to share it with you.

There were three people in the story. A Father and two sons.

The younger son was not happy living with his Father.

“I’m tired of living at home!” He came up with a plan.

“Dad, I want you to give me all the stuff that will be mine when you die.”

The Father was very sad, but agreed to do it.

Not long after, the son took the money and headed to a faraway land.

When he arrived, the son thought to himself, “Now I can really have some fun!”

He saw things he had never seen before. He heard things he had never heard before. And he started to do things he had never done before.

At first it seemed fun, but after a while he felt empty inside. The son knew what he was doing was wrong, but he never stopped.

Eventually, he ran out of money. At the same time, the food in the land ran out.

“Why can’t I find a job?”

The son did find a job feeding pigs, but the owner never paid him. He was so hungry that he even wanted to eat the yucky pig food!

The son realized that the life he thought would make him happy, never did.

“Maybe Dad is not so bad after all. Life was a lot better with him.”

The son decided it was time to go back home. On the way home, he worried about seeing his Father again. 

“What will Dad say? I have acted horribly!”

“Maybe if I admit I was wrong and promise to change, then Dad will accept me.”

What the son did not realize is that day after day, his Father looked down the road, hoping his son would return.

“Where is my lost son? I miss him so much!”

The Father kept gazing down the road, but he never saw his son.

Then one day, way off in the distance, the Father saw the son!

“Dad, I’m sorry……..” But the Father would not let him finish. He had already forgiven him.

“Dad, how can I ever repay you?”

“Son, you are loved and accepted by me. You don’t have to repay me. I want you to be part of the family again.”

The Father decided to throw a party. A GINORMOUS party!

The whole town was invited to the party. People were singing and dancing and shouting for joy! Everyone was happy along with the Father.

Well, almost everyone.

Do you remember from the beginning that there were two sons? This is where the older brother comes into the story.

The older son wondered, “Why are people happy?”

Someone said, “Your lost brother was found!”

“You mean that lazy brother of mine? He doesn’t deserve a party! 

The older brother refused to join the party. He did not want to share in his Father’s happiness.

“Why are you angry, son?”

“Dad, I have never done anything bad before. Why have you never given me a party?”

The Father felt sad for his older son.

“Son, everything that is mine is yours. It was right for us to be glad about your brother. We thought he was dead, but now we know he is alive!”

Scene transitions back to the living room with the Thompson family.

Mr. Thompson: Everyone thought the older brother was good. He worked hard and tried to make his Father happy. He never left home and did wrong, but the older brother was just as lost as his younger brother.

Susan: How can that be Dad? He wasn’t the one that ran away from home?

Mr. Thompson: That’s true, but he tried to please his Father in his own way, and did not want to join in his Father’s happiness. Deep down, he did not love his Father.

Ben: So why did Jesus tell this story?

Mrs. Thompson: Jesus told this story to show us what makes God happy. God is happy when lost people are found! Like the two sons in the story, sin keeps us far away from God. Jesus is the only way we can be found by God.

Susan: Does that mean we are kind of like the younger son?

Mr. Thompson: Exactly! Because of our sin, we are lost and far from God. But God the Father is always waiting with open arms for us to come back to Him.

Children, having a relationship with God starts by admitting we are sinners, believing in Jesus, and trusting God to forgive us. When we do that, God is very happy! The Bible says, “Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents” (Luke 15:10).