Crossing the Red Sea Bible Story for Kids.
Crossing the Red Sea is one of the most breathtaking moments in the whole Bible: trapped between the water and an army, God's people watch the sea split in two — and walk to freedom on a dry path between the waves.
Retold by Hannah Whitford · Exodus 13–15 · Updated July 2026
The Story of Crossing the Red Sea Bible Story for Kids
If your family has read the story of Baby Moses, here is the wonderful next chapter: the baby from the basket is all grown up, and God has chosen him to lead his whole people out of slavery in Egypt. The crossing of the Red Sea has everything young listeners love — a night-time escape, a glowing pillar of fire, a heart-pounding squeeze at the water's edge, and then a wonder almost too big to imagine: a dry road through the middle of the sea. Underneath the adventure is a promise children can carry with them. When the way ahead looks impossible, God can make a way.
“Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and Yahweh caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. The children of Israel went into the middle of the sea on the dry ground, and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand, and on their left.”
Exodus 14:21–22
“Yahweh will fight for you, and you shall be still.”
Exodus 14:14
“Yah is my strength and song. He has become my salvation. This is my God, and I will praise him; my father's God, and I will exalt him.”
Exodus 15:2
Quotations from the World English Bible (public domain). Read the full passage together in your own family Bible — the reference is Exodus 13–15.
Dear God, thank You for making a way for Your people when the sea was in front of them and they were afraid. When something feels too big for us, help us to stand still, trust You, and watch what You will do. Amen.
The crossing of the Red Sea teaches children that when the way ahead looks impossible, God can make a way. The people could only see water in front and trouble behind — but God saw the path all along.
- 01Walls of water on both sides and a dry path down the middle — one of the most picture-able wonders in the whole Bible.
- 02The baby from the basket is all grown up, and his big sister Miriam is back too — children love meeting familiar faces again.
- 03The pillar of fire is like a nightlight the size of the sky: a comforting picture of God leading the way in the dark.
- 04It ends with singing, dancing, and tambourines on the beach, so even the youngest listeners get a happy, noisy finish.
Keep the story going.
The story doesn’t have to end at the last page — print, memorize, or read the next one together.
Bible coloring pages
Free printable coloring pages from the stories in this library.
Browse coloring pages →“Don't be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of Yahweh, which he will work for you today…”
Exodus 14:13 · WEB
Books that pair with this story.
Hand-picked after careful research — the ones we recommend most alongside this story.
Ages 2-6 yearsThe Beginner's Bible: Timeless Children's Stories
by Zondervan
Classic Bible stories retold in simple language with bright, engaging illustrations. Short stories perfect for winding down before sleep.
Ages 4-8 yearsThe Jesus Storybook Bible: Every Story Whispers His Name
by Sally Lloyd-Jones
A beautifully illustrated Bible storybook that presents every story as part of God's great rescue plan. Perfect for bedtime with its gentle, lyrical storytelling.
Ages 5-12 yearsThe Biggest Story Bible Storybook
by Kevin DeYoung
A beautifully illustrated storybook that presents the Bible as one continuous story. Rich illustrations and thoughtful storytelling.
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases — it keeps every story and printable free.
The kind of things parents wonder.
Exodus 14:21 says that when Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, God 'caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.' The Bible describes a real wind doing something only God could make it do — blowing all night until the water stood like a wall on the right and the left, with a dry path in between.
Conversation starters.
Questions to ask after you read together. No right answers — just good conversation.
What do you think it felt like to walk between two tall walls of water? What would you have looked at first?
The people were afraid, but Moses said, “Don't be afraid. Stand still.” What helps you feel brave when you're scared?
God led His people with a cloud in the daytime and a fire at night. Why do you think He wanted them to see the way?
Miriam thanked God with a tambourine song. If you made up a thank-you song today, what would it say?
Teaching this story.
- 01Play the walk-through-the-sea hallway game: drape blue blankets, towels, or streamers along both walls of a hallway, dim the lights, and walk through together while you tell the crossing part of the story. Letting a child lead the family through “the sea” makes the dry-path picture stick better than any retelling.
- 02If your child asks “did the soldiers die?”, answer briefly and honestly: yes — the Bible says the sea came back and the army was gone. Don't dramatize it and don't dodge it. Then put the focus where Exodus puts it: God kept His people safe, and the story ends in a thank-you song, not a battle scene.
- 03Connect it to Baby Moses before you begin: “Remember the baby in the basket? He grew up.” Children are amazed to realize God was preparing this rescue for eighty years — and that Miriam, the watchful big sister at the river, is the one leading the singing at the end.
- 04Don't skip the detail that the east wind blew all night. The people had to wait in the dark, trusting, before they ever saw the path. It's a gentle way to talk about times when God is working even while we're still waiting.
Stand-Still Sea Bottle
Fill a clear plastic bottle two-thirds with water, add blue food coloring and a spoonful of glitter, and glue the cap shut. Shake it into a stormy, swirling sea — then hold it perfectly still and watch it calm and clear. As it settles, say the memory verse together: “Don't be afraid. Stand still.” It becomes a little tool your child can reach for on worried days.
Parted-Sea Walking Diorama
Stand two walls of curled blue construction paper along the sides of a shoebox lid, leaving a path of brown paper or sandpaper down the middle. Draw and cut out little people, sheep, and a donkey to walk the dry path, and stick paper fish onto the water walls — because in this story, the fish really would have been right there in the walls, watching everyone walk by.
More stories from the library.
Keep exploring.
Bible Stories in Chronological Order for Kids
See where this story fits in the full Genesis-to-Revelation reading plan — 21 stories in order with summaries, ages, and a free printable.
Browse →Old Testament Bible Stories
See where the Red Sea crossing fits inside a larger collection of foundational Old Testament stories for kids.
Browse →Bible Stories in Order
Follow the big story from Creation through Egypt and beyond, one child-friendly chapter at a time.
Browse →These Bible story retellings are based directly on Scripture and written for children ages 3–10. Each page includes its Scripture reference so families can read the original passage together. Content is reviewed by the Childhood Bible Stories editorial team.