Teach the Doctrine: Younger Children
Jesus will help me as I come unto Him.
Children can feel comfort knowing that Jesus will help them with their burdens when they come to Him.
Possible Activities
Read Matthew 11:28–30, and show the picture of yoked oxen in this week’s outline in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families. Ask the children to point to the oxen and the yoke. Explain that yoked oxen can pull more weight together than each could separately. Testify that when we feel sad, worried, or scared, we can seek Jesus and He will help us.
Before children see this cut out the strips and put them over the top of the other picture. If you don't want to laminate painters tape usually pulls off pretty good. When you show this to the children, do as the primary manual suggest and explain the yoke. Then have the child/ren pull one strip off at a time as you read it and talk about those feelings. The picture underneath will reveal Jesus helping. Bear your testimony that as we seek Jesus we can feel His help in our lives.
Here is a coloring page, where they can draw themselves being yoked with Jesus.
Ask a child to lift a heavy object. When he or she struggles, offer to help. How does Jesus help us do hard things? Share an experience when you felt Jesus help you do something hard, and ask the children to share experiences of their own.
Click on image to be taken to this on the Churches website.
Click on the image, to be taken to Etsy.
I can keep the Sabbath day holy.
What are some fun ways you can teach the children about the Sabbath day and why we keep it holy?
Possible Activities
Read Matthew 12:10–13 out loud. Invite the children to stand up and sit down every time you say “Sabbath,” and repeat with them the phrase “It is [right] to do well on the sabbath days” (Matthew 12:12). What do they think that means?
Here is a game you can play. A child can pull a piece of paper out of a jar and you can help them read it. A happy face and sad face will be placed on opposite sides of the classroom. If the children think it a "right thing to do" they can stand under the happy face or vise versa.
Show a calendar to the children, and highlight the Sabbath day for them. What do we do on other days of the week? What can we do on the Sabbath to make it different from other days? (see Isaiah 58:13–14).
Here is a website that will let you print calendars for free, just click on the image. I think it would be fun for the children to highlight the sabbath day themselves.
Ask the children to draw good things they can do on the Sabbath day (see this week’s activity page).
Invite the children to come up with actions to help them remember ways we get ready for the Sabbath as they sing the song “Saturday” (Children’s Songbook, 196).
Old song(: Point out that when this song was written they used to brush their clothes.
Draw eyes, ears, a mouth, and hands on the chalkboard. Ask the children to tell you what each of these parts of our bodies can do to keep the Sabbath day holy.
Here is a Sabbath Day poem. Click on the image to be take to Etsy.
Heavenly Father gives us good gifts.
The Savior’s teaching in Luke 11:11–13 can help the children you teach understand that Heavenly Father loves them and wants to bless them.
Possible Activities
Use an object lesson to illustrate the Savior’s teachings in Luke 11:11–13. For example, you could place a stone inside a bread bag or put a picture of a scorpion inside an egg carton. Ask the children to guess what is inside, and then show them. Invite them to replace the stone or picture with a piece of bread or an egg. Read Luke 11:11–13, and share your testimony that Heavenly Father loves us, answers our prayers, and gives us many blessings through His Spirit.
Just click on this image to be taken to the bag topper.
Sing together a song about God’s love, such as “My Heavenly Father Loves Me” (Children’s Songbook, 228–29). What are some of the good gifts that He has given us? Ask the children to draw pictures of blessings from Heavenly Father that they are grateful for.
Cut on the lines, fold on the dotted lines, then tape the under-sheet.
It's coming!
Next month is Easter! I have a week long Easter countdown banner, with QR codes to scan for videos simple spiritual thoughts, that keep us focused on the real reason for the season. Look through all the pictures on the listing before you purchase it, so you are aware of the size and assembling the banner. In my home we look forward to this every year. I hope you can enjoy it too.
(Click on the picture to be take to Etsy)
Teach the Doctrine: Older Children
Jesus will help me as I come unto Him.
How can you help the children understand that the Savior will give them rest from their challenges as they come unto Him?
Possible Activities
Invite the children to share a time when they were worried or anxious about something. Invite them to search Matthew 11:28–30 for counsel that can help them in similar circumstances. How does the Savior “give [us] rest”? (verse 28).
Invite the children to draw pictures of things they are doing to come unto Jesus and learn of Him.
Senior Primary: have the children draw on the stepping stone of things they are doing to come unto Jesus. Have them label it.
This is Senior primary so put some stepping stones on chairs, under tables or far apart. If you feel inspired have them carry a burden (a stack of hymn books, they can take one off after every stone they pass). Create an obstacle course, have fun with it(: At the end have them share how this related to the gospel, or finding "rest" with our savior.
I recommend a gospel approved picture of the Savior... for the end of the trail, but if you don't have one, you can use mine.
Help the children memorize the fourth article of faith. Talk with them about how each of the first principles and ordinances of the gospel helps us accept Jesus’s invitation, “Come unto me” (Matthew 11:28).
Now create a new trail, with the new stones, with the 4th article of faith. If anyone in the class doesn't know it review it a couple of times before laying it on the ground. This time have the children create the trail to the Savior. Tell them they must say the article of faith while they step on the stones or they are out(: Read Matthew 11:28, ask them how these principals help us to "Come unto Him?"
If you don't want to do another trail, or you don't have time, here is the article of Faith 4 puzzle. Click on the image to be take to the page to print it.
Here is a coloring page with the scripture.
The Sabbath is a day to do good things that bring me closer to God.
The children you teach will be strengthened as you emphasize the purposes and blessings of keeping the Sabbath day holy.
Possible Activities
Invite a child to pretend to be the man whose hand was healed by the Savior (see Matthew 12:10–13). Another child could ask him or her questions about the experience.
Read together Matthew 12:12. What are some good things we can do on the Sabbath? Let the children draw their ideas on this week’s activity page, cut out the pieces, and take turns putting each other’s puzzles together.
Hide several pictures of people doing things that show love for Heavenly Father on the Sabbath day. Ask the children to find the pictures and share how doing the things in the pictures shows our love for God.
These pictures are from the churches website, you can find more at https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/?lang=eng
Here is a gift tag that encourages them to so a craft on Sunday, and a poem that talks about all the things they can do.
Both my actions and my heart must be pure.
The Savior taught that it is not enough to appear righteous to others. Our thoughts, feelings, and private actions must also be pure.
Possible Activities
To illustrate what these verses teach, show the children a cup or other container that is clean on the outside but dirty on the inside. Help them think about what “the outside of the cup” might represent. What does the “inward part” represent? Why is it important to clean both the outside and the inside?
Love this object lesson from the primary manual. I also found this idea from this Youtube video. She is teaching more about repentance, so-don't listen to that part(:
I would have the children color in the heart and then dip it quickly in water when you read Psalm 24:3-5, then dip it again when you read Matthew 15:7-8, and dip it one last time when you read Moroni 7:6-9. Then bear your testimony about having our inside actions and outside actions clean. Having a pure heart.
Read together some other scriptures that emphasize righteousness both in our hearts and our actions—for example, Psalm 24:3–5; Matthew 15:7–8; Moroni 7:6–9. Discuss why the Savior wants our hearts and private actions to be spiritually clean.
Encourage Learning at Home
Invite the children to share with their families ideas to keep the Sabbath day holy.