Teach the Doctrine: Younger Children
Jesus Christ wants me to follow Him.
You and the children will read many stories from the life of Jesus Christ this year. Help the children understand that the reason we are learning these stories is so that we can better follow Jesus Christ’s perfect example.
This seems to fit with that, and also introduce what we are learning this year.
Possible Activities
Tell the children about the Savior’s invitation, “Follow me,” found in Matthew 4:18–22. Do an activity where one child does an action and then tells the other children, “Follow me.” Invite the other children to repeat the action.
The children can take turns wearing the crown.
Show pictures of people following the Savior in different ways, both during His mortal ministry and in our day. You can find pictures in the Gospel Art Book or in Church magazines. You can also show the video “Light the World” (ChurchofJesusChrist.org). Let the children identify how the people are following the Savior.
Hand out the black and white pictures to the children. Laying the pieces on the ground, tell the story (one at a time of how Jesus loves and wept with the people, or how he included the man in the tree). Then (one at a time) ask the children how we can included or love and ask who has the match as you move along with the pictures and stories.
Help the children think of things they are doing to follow the Savior. Singing “Seek the Lord Early” (Children’s Songbook, 108) could give them some ideas. Let them draw pictures of themselves doing these things.
The scriptures are true.
Children can gain a testimony that the scriptures are true even before they are able to read them. As you study the scriptures with the children this year, you can help them know for themselves that the scriptures are true.
Possible Activities
Invite the children to tell about favorite gifts they have received for birthdays or other occasions. Bring a gift-wrapped copy of the scriptures, let a child open it, and testify that the scriptures are a gift to us from Heavenly Father.
Show the children some books containing fictional stories, and ask them about their favorite stories. Show them the scriptures, and testify that the scriptures contain the word of God for us. They tell of people who really lived and things that really happened.
Love this idea. I recommend a small, short book, because the kids will want you to read it to them. Then read a little bit from the Book of Mormon. Ask them what the difference between the two books are. Who wrote them? What does it teach us? Do they know that the Book of Mormon is true? They can feel that just from holding the Book of Mormon.
Share the messages found in 2 Timothy 3:15 and Moroni 10:3–5, helping the children to repeat a few phrases. Help them understand that they can know the scriptures are true for themselves.
Hide a picture of the Savior, and give the children clues to help them find it. Help the children understand how searching the scriptures can help us know Jesus Christ. Let the children take turns hiding the picture and giving clues to other children.
I wrote the scriptures on the clues, incase you are in a bind, but it's really good for the children to see you reading from the actual scriptures(:
Treats for the end of the treasure hunt:
If some children are allergic to peanut butter, here is another option.
Sing together a song about learning the gospel, such as “Search, Ponder, and Pray” (Children’s Songbook, 109), and help the children make up actions to go with the words.
Share with the children one or two of your favorite scriptures, and tell them how you came to know the scriptures are true. If the children have favorite scriptures or scripture stories, invite them to share.
Scripture reading chart for this year.
I know what your thinking, this looks a lot like the Christmas gift tag. But there are some people who didn't use it for Christmas and would like to give their primary children socks this year as a Birthday gift(:
Teach the Doctrine: Older Children
Jesus Christ wants me to learn about Him and follow Him.
Think about how you have come to know Jesus Christ. What can you do to help the children learn about and follow Him?
Possible Activities
Invite the children to talk about a close friend they know and describe how this person became a friend. Read and discuss John 5:39 and John 14:15 to find ways we can feel close to Jesus. Ask the children to share times when they felt close to Him.
(Print on colored card stock)
Take your class on a walk around the meetinghouse. Invite the children to raise their hands when they see something on the walk that reminds them of a way they can follow the Savior (such as the baptismal font or a picture).
Sing with the children a song about following Jesus Christ, such as “Come, Follow Me” (Hymns, no. 116). Invite the children to share times when they have followed the Savior’s example.
I can study the scriptures for myself.
As you read the scriptures with the children and ask them questions, you can build their confidence that they can learn from the scriptures and find valuable treasures of knowledge.
Possible Activities
Read together John 5:39 and Acts 17:10–11, and ask the children what they learn about how to study the scriptures.
Select a few simple, powerful scriptures from the New Testament, write each on a piece of paper, and hide the papers. Create clues that will lead the children on a “treasure hunt” within the classroom or church building to find these scriptures. After they find each scripture, discuss what the scripture means and why it is such a treasure.
You have more inspiration for the scriptures your children need then I do. You can just use mine for ideas if you'd like and make your own treasure hunt. I forgot a very important treasured scripture...Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ." So if you want to make your own that one would be a good one to add.
Share a few scriptures you treasure and explain why they are meaningful to you. As a class, keep a list of treasured scriptures the children find in the New Testament this year—at home or during Primary.
If you want to keep a scripture journal this year with your class, here is a cover you can put on a notebook. If you are doing a treasure hunt, this could be the prize at the end.
Update: This is a plastic cover, so in order to get the picture/scripture to stick to it, you need to print on sticker paper. If you would rather use a glue stick to attach the cover, I recommend buying a carboard/paper notebook.
Have a discussion with the children about why it is sometimes hard to read the scriptures. Ask the children to share advice with each other about studying the scriptures. Ask them also to share any positive experiences they have had with the scriptures.
Help the children make simple calendars that they can use to mark how often they read the scriptures. These calendars could remind them to read the scriptures every day.
I have them to print as small calendars so they can fit in a 5X7 notebook. If you would like them bigger you can get them Here . They can just put a dash through the day if they read their scriptures that day. I'm definitely going to put that in my notebook by my bed, how far will I make it before I miss a day? I will be fun to see. (:
There is also this reading chart.
I need my own testimony.
The children you teach will need their own testimonies of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. What can you do to inspire them to learn the truth for themselves?
Possible Activities
Share the story of the ten virgins (see Matthew 25:1–13; see also “Chapter 47: The Ten Virgins,” in New Testament Stories, 118–20, or the corresponding video on ChurchofJesusChrist.org). Ask the children questions like these: How are our testimonies like the lamps? Why is it important to have our own testimonies?
(click on the image to be take to the churches website)
Discuss what we can do to strengthen our testimonies. For ideas, invite the children to search John 7:17 and Moroni 10:3–5. Invite them to share things they know are true.
Ask the children to help you label building blocks with truths that form our testimonies (see Gospel Topics, “Testimony,” topics.ChurchofJesusChrist.org). Let the children use the blocks to build a structure representing a testimony.
how do I find this in Spanish?
Thank you so much for all of your hard work, time and effort into making it easier to plan lessons. I use your site every week. I appreciate you so much.
Thanks again :)
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you. I recently became a primary teacher and came across your website. I love your ideas and how you expound on the lesson. You have such a good variety of ideas and activities of all ages of primary children.