2009 LDS Primary Sharing Times for February
Week 1: Adam and Eve were the first family.
Sharing Time:
Invite some of the parents who work in Primary to share with the children, briefly, some of the ways they learned how to be a parent. Get their answers in advance and provide for them an object representing that method if needed (reading parenting books, talking to their own parents, talking to friends who had children.) Have just one object for each different answer (only one parenting book, for instance.) Ask them not to include prayer yet.
Show a picture of Adam and Eve. (There is one in some picture packets that shows them with their children.) Invite children to come up and hold the objects the adults used. Go through each one and ask the children if they thought Adam and Eve had any of these things to help them learn how to be parents. Why not? Ask how they think Adam and Eve learned how to be parents. (They had to pray.) They were the first family and there was no one but God to give them help.
Since God taught them how to be parents, do the children think they were good parents? They were. Tell the children that in this sharing time, they will learn some of the things Adam and Eve might have done with their family.
Singing Time: Sing The Wise Man and the Foolish Man. Then use the object lesson found in The Primary 2 Manual, Choose the Right A, lesson 36, Enrichment Activity three. This demonstrates why building on a weak foundation isn’t wise. Teach the word foundation, and then the phrase “How firm a foundation” and explain that a firm foundation is one that won’t break or fall apart. Tell them the song they’re learning today will show them how to make a firm foundation in their own lives, so they can be like the wise man.
Now sing the first verse of How Firm a Foundation to the children once through, asking them to listen and see if they can figure out what the firm foundation in the song is. The foundation is God’s excellent word. What does excellent mean? Tell the children what the words in the first two lines mean, and that this part is telling you that if you listen to God’s word, and have faith, you’ll be safe. What will they be safe from? Be sure they understand this doesn’t mean they’ll never get hurt or be sad. It means they will be safe from Satan’s influence. It means they’ll find it easier to live the gospel and to hear the Holy Ghost.
Teach the children to sing the first two lines, and imagine themselves singing it to a child who is afraid, and whom they want to comfort. These two lines have the same message as the wise man and foolish man song. Both say that if you build your house on a firm foundation—the gospel—you will always be safe.
Sharing Time:
If you have it, show the picture of Adam and Eve teaching their families, from the picture packets used in lessons. Ask the children if they can guess who the parents in this picture are. (Adam and Eve.) What are they doing? (Teaching their children the gospel.)
Show a picture of a modern family having family home evening. Tell the children that Adam and Eve taught their children about Heavenly Father. They knew this was very important because they wanted their children to have testimonies. Today, parents follow their example and teach their children the gospel, too. What are some ways the children learn about the church? (Family Home Evening, family prayer, family devotionals, talking together, attending church together.) Point out that Adam and Eve and their children were the only people on earth, so they had to have church at home. Everything their children learned was learned at home with their families.
Today, we can go to church, but home is still an important place to learn about Heavenly Father. (Remember some children won’t have any gospel training in their homes, even if their parents are active, so be respectful of that.) Ask all the children to suggest ways a child could also learn the gospel all alone. This will help children who don’t have the gospel at home, but will also help those who do and want to learn even more.
Tell the children that parents have a lot to do and sometimes it can help if the children plan the family home evening. Tell them you’re going to help them plan a family home evening they can carry out with the children in charge, and next week, you’ll send home the plan with each family.
Topic: I Can Have a Happy Family
Show the children a Primary lesson manual. Tell them this is how their teachers know what to teach. Show them the parts of the lesson. The title tells them what the lesson is about. The lesson they’re planning is called, “I Can Have a Happy Family.” Show that the lesson also includes songs, stories, and games. (Keep in mind, as you guide the children, that not all children do have happy families. Focus attention on simple things children can do to make life at home happier.) Their lesson will also have some of these things.
Ask children to name some things that they like to do with their families. Encourage them to think only of things that don’t cost money and to include some spiritual things. Record their answers. Tell the children you’ll put into their packet next week an idea list, called, “Things Children Like to Do With Their Families.” Don't spend too long on this.
Now have the children break into groups with their teachers. Each group will be assigned to plan a family home evening activity that will be included in the packet the families can choose from. You may want to combine a young class with an older one. Tell the older children they are responsible for helping the younger children. Tell the teachers how much time is left. They should keep their plans very basic and simple.
Group One: Choose a Primary song about Families and learn how to lead it. (Have the chorister help with this if none of your teachers know how to lead.)
Group Two: Choose a scripture story about families to tell. Rewrite the story in simple language, with a small number of simple sentences. (The list should be in full sentences, because the children in the family will be turning the list into a picture book.)
Group Three: Prepare a game that helps families learn more about each other. They should put on cards or strips of paper a question (not too personal) family members can answer. Each family member can draw a paper from a box and all members or those the questions are for can answer them. (Sample: How did Mom and Dad meet each other? What do you want to be when you grow up? If you could only eat one food every day for the rest of your life, what would it be?) Have the group write the questions they think of on paper. This week, you can type them up for the packet. Families can cut them themselves.
When the children are finished, use the remaining time for the chorister.
Music: Teach the remainder of verse 1 and to practice the new song. Make sure the children understand what the last lines mean, and that they know the meaning of refuge. What does it mean to have fled to the Savior for refuge? If there is more time, review songs taught last month.
What do you want to do next?
Return to Sharing Time List
Go to 2009 Sharing Time February, Week 2
Grace: A Novel by Richard Paul Evans