Nursery Lesson 4
Title: I can Pray to Heavenly Father
Purpose:
To help each child learn how to pray to Heavenly Father and know that he will listen.
Welcome: Greet each child and help settle him into an activity.
Playtime: 35 minutes
If you have toy lions in the nursery, you might want to set them out for children to play with. Flannel board pictures of lions could also be set out with a board.
Gathering Time: 10 minutes
Opening song: A Prayer Song (This is taught later in the lesson.)
Before prayer: Use one of the two verses in the second suggestion under Additional Activities for Young Children. I use the second of these before every prayer as a brief reminder.
Prayer.
Use the next two activities as taught. Allow time to talk about the pictures if you have a chatty nursery.
You might like to use the activity by Pat Graham, “Sharing Time: When I Begin to Pray,” Friend, Oct 1982, 37. This is a paper doll that has brads to show children what to do when they pray. If you make them sturdy, you could have one for each child or make one very large one and demonstrate. Later, let children play with it under supervision. There is a colored version here: For Little Friends,” Friend, Mar 2007, 32–35
Teach the children how to kneel for prayer. You can play a game by saying, "Stand for prayer, kneel for prayer, sit for prayer." Don't let it get too silly.
Music Time: 10 minutes
This lesson has two songs in it. Teach both. For Prayer Song, hold up a picture from the packet of a child reverently praying. Point to each part of the picture child's body as it's sung about.
For the second song, the second verse of I Pray in Faith, do the following:
Line 1: Show a picture from the packet of a child praying.
Line 2: Show a picture from the packet of a blessing (family, bird...)
Line 3: Show a packet picture of something a child might need, such as a picture of people eating.
Line 4: Show a packet picture of Jesus.
Review I Am Thankful for my Eyes (Enrichment Activities)
Snack Time: 10 minutes
Before the snack, take a moment to remind children we ask a blessing on the food when we pray.
Lesson Time: 10 minutes
Daniel and the Lion's Den: Use this resource--For Little Friends,” Friend, Oct 2005. There is a very simplified retelling perfect for nursery. There is also a cute handout. You can tell this story several times in different ways, first just telling, then with flannel board if you have a version that is church approved (I couldn't find one in the Friend.)
Do a brief review of the points you've discussed by showing the pictures again and letting the children tell you about them.
Activity Time: 15 minutes
Let the children pretend to be lions after you've done the spiritual part of the lesson.
Closing: Ten minutes
Review favorite activity rhymes. Play follow the leader as lions.
Related Articles:
Nursery Games Adapting Nursery Lessons Nursery Lesson 5 Starting Nursery Why Reverence?
Recommend this site to Sustain It. (LDS Digg-type site)