If your house is feeling a little spooky tonight, Daniel and the Lions' Den is a good story to reach for. It has a dark den, hungry lions and a king who can't sleep, but it does not end in fear. It ends with a very quiet morning, and Daniel calling up out of the den that God sent an angel and shut the lions' mouths.
A story that is a little scary, then very safe
Daniel is an old man who has served kings all his life and has never once stopped praying. Jealous officials trick the king into signing a law that no one may pray to anyone but him. Daniel hears about it, and he goes home anyway. He opens his windows toward Jerusalem and kneels down three times a day, exactly as he always has.
Then comes the den. The king is so troubled that he cannot sleep all night. Children feel that worry, and it's okay to let them. The story takes the scary part seriously and then gives them a morning where everyone is safe.
Why it helps at bedtime
Kids often feel better about scary things when the story shows them being faced and finished. Daniel is not loud or angry here. He keeps praying in the same calm way he always did. That steadiness is something a child can borrow on a night when the dark feels big.
The memory verse puts the ending into words:
"He is the living God, enduring forever; His kingdom shall never be destroyed, and His dominion shall be to the end. He delivers and rescues; He works signs and wonders in heaven and on earth, He who has saved Daniel from the power of the lions." (Daniel 6:26-27)
Talk about it together
- Why do you think Daniel opened his windows and prayed the way he always did?
- The king couldn't sleep that night. What helps you when you can't sleep, or when you feel scared?
The whole story, read aloud and illustrated, is waiting in the Fernbug app and on the web. It comes in four versions for different ages, from "God Keeps Daniel Safe" for the youngest to "Daniel Six and the Living God" for ages 9–12, so one story can work for the whole family. You can find it on the Daniel and the Lions' Den page, and the video that led you here is on our TikTok page. Use code WELCOME10 for 10% off. Your first book is free, and each story after that is $1.99 and unlocks all four ages.
