Bake sugar cookies and provide brown frosting to make it look like a potato. Provide chocolate chips/candies for eyes, circus peanuts (sliced in half) for ears, twizzlers for hair, etc.
"In the beginning God created the heaven and earth."
(Sing to ROW ROW ROW YOUR BOAT)
"In the beginning" (Row, row, row your boat)
"God created the" (gently down the stream)
"Heaven and Earth" (Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily)
Genesis 1:1 (Life is but a dream)
Song: Heavenly Father loves me (portion only)
"I'm glad that I live in this beautiful world, Heavenly Father created for me"
Activity:
Bring a basket or envelope for each child. Take them on a walk outside. Show them how to use their hands like binoculars. "What's that?" as you look around at different things outdoors. Take them back inside after a few minutes. Show them the picture on page 34 (of trees & animals). Point out the different things. "Who made all of this?" Show a picture of Jesus.
Craft:
Popcorn popping tree
Using the image below, let the children paste popcorn on the tree to make it look like an Apricot Tree. Sing Popcorn Popping during music time.
Bird texture art
Use image below and purchase a small bag of feathers. Let the children paste these on their picture of the bird after coloring it.
Song:
If you're happy and you know it clap your hands!
Throw
in crazy things like “blow a kiss”, “scrunch your nose”,
“wiggle your knees”.
Activity:
“What makes me happy?”
Create
a large circle that has a smiley face on one side and a frown on the other for each child. Hold up pictures of different things OR bring a bag full
of different items. Ex: toy food, blanket, picture of Jesus, plastic spider, etc. Let them show you what
things make them happy and what makes them sad.
“Therefore
ye must always pray unto the Father in my name;”
Song:
“Roll
your hands” -reinforcing the action of folding their arms-
Activity:
Story
of Daniel in the lion's den. Use this link to print off pictures OR
use electronic device.
Craft:
Lion
Mask
Glue
teeth into a lion ½ face mask that is attached to a popsicle stick. KEEP these masks with you to use next week.
Lion's
Den Game
Instead
of a craft this week, play a game. Give each child their mask they
created last week. You are Daniel. They are the lions. When you are
walking around the room, they chase you and roar. When you kneel
down, everyone says “Shhhhhh” and they lay down on the floor.
Have your assistant be the example lion in this group. They will copy
her.
****
For a snack today, you could do big pretzels as they look like
folding arms.
Lesson
4
Heavenly
Father and Jesus love me
Scripture:Isaiah 49:16 "Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands."
Song:
“
I
feel my Savior's Love” ---First two lines and last 2 lines
only------
Activity:
Show
movie: “My joy is full”. Afterward, hold up a picture of Jesus
and Heavenly Father and tell the children that "Heavenly Father &
Jesus love____ (say child's name)".
Craft:
Lips
Finger puppets
Using
the lip clipart provided, make a small finger puppet by gluing it on
a strip of paper (to wrap around their finger. Let the children color
their lips red/pink. If you're daring, you can bring crushed pink/red
chalk and let the kids dip q-tips into it and put “lipstick” on
the lips. Then they can put it on their fingers (after you tape the
strip into a small circle (like a ring) and “kiss” people.
(Side view so that you can see how to attach it to the strip of paper to make it look like a ring)
(SMMMMMOOOOOOCCCHHH!)
Frosting
Heart Cookie
Make
heart shaped sugar cookies. Also, pink frosting. Give the children a
popsicle stick and a small cup of frosting that they can spread onto
their cookie.
Scripture: 4th Nephi 1:3 "And they had all things common amoung them; therefore there were not rich and poor, bond and free, but they were all made free, and partakers of the heavenly gift."
Song:
Fun
to Do
Sit
in a circle (around a hoola hoop, feet in the middle) Add in “Sharing
with you is fun to do” while you pass around a toy.
Bring q-tips, combs,
toothbrushes, tissues, etc to class with a few teddy bears (or any
stuffy). Demonstrate to the children how they can take care of their
bears.
***Sing "Brushing the teeth is fun to do", re-inforcing your song from the last lesson. ***
Bandaid
cotton art
Bring
cotton balls & Elmer's glue (small amount in a cup and a q-tip to spread it) and have the children glue the cotton onto the middle of each
bandaid.
“
I
have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most
High.”
Song:
I
am a child of God -first two lines only-
Activity:
Previous
to class, gather pictures of each of the children from their parents.
ONE PER CHILD. Before you start the lesson, tape these pictures
around the room. When you start, tell the kids that you have a
picture of each of them somewhere in the room that they have to find.
--You may have to show them how first--- As you find each child, give
that child their picture to hold while you sing, “I am a child of
God” (that phrase only).
Craft:
Crowns
Make
crowns for them to wear that say “I am a child of God” on the
front. Let them do stickers on it, glitter (if you're daring), color,
etc.
Sceptors
Using
Popsicle sticks with a star at the top...like a wand. Decorate with
water colors on the stick and markers for the star.
Lesson
2
Heavenly
Father has a plan for me
Scripture:Abraham
3:25
“And
we will prove them herewith, to see if they will do all things
whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them;”
Song:
I
am a Child of God – rest of song--
Activity:
Do
Craft first this week
Paste
pictures or treasures (pictures of Jesus, family, earth, house, etc)
around the hallway next to your room. Tell the children to look
through their telescopes to see the “treasures”. Take them out
for a treasure hunt.
Craft:
Paper
Towel Rod Telescopes
Paper
towel rods that they can paste on pieces of cut up tissue paper. USE
GLUE STICKS!!! Elmer's is too crazy!
Footprint
Mud art
Print
out a picture of footprints and let the kids finger paint with brown
paint on the feet.
I'm back from Girl's Camp and ready for Nursery once again!
This next week I will be pulling out something a little different. SOME of you may not be ecstatic about this one but I am feeling the need in our group.
You remember the little guy I told you about who is struggling to come and loves cars? Well, the race track caught his attention but he'd only come in if his Dad was in there....meh.
I am going to try something else to catch his attention that hopefully he won't be able to resist!
READY??????
Race cars and shaving cream!
I will be bringing several old shirts/aprons (from the dollar store) for the kids to wear over their clothes. There will be a plastic tablecloth on the floor under the table to catch drips as well.
Shaving cream will be put in dots all over the table as well as the cars. I will be closing the curtain to the toy area as well so that kids don't take the cars over to that side. The kids will just run the cars through the shaving cream and all over the table.
“ Thou
shalt thank the Lord thy God in all things.”
Song:
“ I am glad for many things”, 2nd verse ONLY
Sing
this song while walking around in a circle as you do in Ring around
the Rosie.
Activity:
10
lepers finger play
Draw
faces on each of your finger. Tell the story of the 10 lepers using
your fingers. Have a child hold up a picture of Jesus and have your
fingers talk to him, coughing, making them seem sick to the kids.
When Jesus says, “I will make you better!” wiggle your fingers as
if they are running away, happily. Then curl them all up except for
one, bringing it back to Jesus to tell him thank you.
“Boo
Boo” Animals
Bring
a few stuffed animals to class with band aids on their bodies.
Explain the owies to the kids. Ex: Squishy the Hippo fell down and
scraped his knee. Can Jesus make it better? Have the stuffed animal
run over to the picture of Jesus. “Jesus says ALL BETTER!” and
take off the band aid. Put them in a basket once they are healed.
Have one of the animals come back saying THANK YOU THANK YOU!
Craft:
Jesus
Heals Leperacy
Coloring page of hurt child. Let children put band aids on the child in their picture.
Story
Hands
Trace their hands
and draw faces on each as you did when you told the story. Let them
color their hands. OR if you can find smiley face stickers at a store, let them put these on the fingertips.
Lesson
16
“
I will say I'm
sorry”
Scripture:
3rd
Nephi 12:24
“Go
thy way unto thy brother, and first be reconciled to thy brother, and
then come unto me with full purpose of heart, and I will receive
you.”
Song:
“I'm
trying to be like Jesus”
ONLY
that phrase!
Activity:
Story
of Nephi and the ship
Pretend
to be Nephi. Dress up as he did. Dramatize building the ship,
hammering the nails, carrying the wood from one side of the room to
the other, lifting the sails, etc. Let them walk and stand with you
as you act out these things. Act out Laman and Lemuel teasing him
saying “Neener Neener” while having both wide palms(fingers
stretched out) to each cheek, the thumb touching the cheeck and
wiggling hands back and forth in teasing motion. Pretend to cry.
Nephi's brothers were being mean. Then they said “I'm so sorry
Nephi! We'll help now!” Go back to working, humming and smiling.
Craft:
Popsicle
stick boat
Bring
glue, Popsicle sticks and paper and let them try to build an ark.
Glue sticks will work for this! It doesn't matter if it doesn't look
like a boat...they will be happy anyways! Imagination is a wonderful
thing!
Decorate
a hammer
Build
a hammer with popsicle sticks and toilet paper tubes. Let them
water-color them!
“ I
belong to the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints”
Scripture:
D & C 115:4
“ For
thus shall my church be called in the last days, even The Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.”
Song:
“ I belong to the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints”
that
phrase only, singing while marching around the room banging pans,
shaking things, etc. OVER AND OVER! Don't stop for 3 minutes
straight! This is how they'll learn the song!
Activity:
Poster Board Church Giant Puzzle
Draw
a picture of a church building on one posterboard. Make it blocky!
Simple shapes!
Divide
your picture shapes into puzzle pieces (center square, triangle
steeple, rectangle sides, etc). Cut them apart. Trace these shapes
onto the 2nd poster board in the shape of the FINISHED
church buidling. Color and glue a picture of Jesus in the center.
Place stick on velcro pieces on the backs of the puzzle pieces for
the kids to match.
As
you teach, have the puzzle pieces on the floor and the kids try to
match the shapes and put it together.
Craft:
1)Church building snack
Same
concept of a gingerbread house. Since they are so young, use simple
items. Rolls that they can stick pretzels in for the steeple. Peanut
butter can be given (IF NO ALLERGIES) or frosting, anything for
dipping.
“ And
Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water:
and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of
God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:”
Song:
“ Baptism” 1st verse ONLY
Activity:
Toy Baptizing
Bring
a few action figures/toys that look like people. Show one of the
action figures hitting another, biting, taking away his toy,
screaming, etc. When this happens, take a dry erase marker and give
it a “mark”. After a few times, say “EW! He's so dirty! He
needs Jesus to help him be clean! He needs to be baptized!”
Dip
him in the water (by immersion...all the way under) to wash him
clean. Let each of the children “baptize” their toy.
Craft:
1)Q-tip painting
Each
child gets a q-tip and SMALL Dixie cup with a SMALL amount of blue
paint. Let them dab the paint on the water portion of the coloring
page. USE OLD T-SHIRTS AS SMOCKS!
Print 2 per child. One for the template, the other for cutting out pieces and gluing on template. If you children are not old enough to cut, do it ahead of time and put in little bowls for each child.
Play the song on a CD while they do the craft! This will get it in their heads!
) 1 lesson lasts 2 weeks! There are only 28 lessons. This way you reinforce songs and concepts. They will not tire of seeing something familiar. These little ones usually observe the 1st time they see something and ready to participate.
2) Successful lessons focus on one idea or phrase that you want them to stick with. Ex: "I love to see the Temple", " I can be BAPTIZED!", etc.
3) Use a few different pieces to your lesson.
Scripture
Choose a SHORT one! Have someone hold a picture while you read it.
Song
Again, pick something SHORT and catchy. If needed, just use a portion of the song that gets your point across.
Activity
Something that they can use their hands with. A felt board, puppets....something that is more about application.
Craft
GET AWAY FROM COLORING EACH WEEK! You can still use the coloring page provided in each lesson but try to find different things for them to do with that page.
Ex: Q-tip painting, bingo dabbers, glue sticks with little items to glue, etc.
I will not be able to post next week as I will be in Girl's Camp so I am posting this ahead of time.
Forgive me!
For that week, my attention getter will be:
Paper tube Pom Pom Drop
Whatcha need:
Paper tubes (at least 2 per child)
Pom Poms
Tweezers/tongs (optional depending on the age of your kids)
Bowls to put at the bottom of the tubes
I'm going to tape the paper tubes (toilet paper/paper towel tubes) to the table turned on it's side pushed next to the wall. The kids will have to kneel down to do it but I think it'll work great:)
I have a boy in my Nursery class who is struggling as he just moved to the area. His Dad said he usually LOVES Nursery but he is having a hard time letting go during 2nd & 3rd hour.
I have learned today that he loves cars. SOOOOO, this week I'm going to put an activity that has to do with cars to see if I can nab 'im:)
I may be using a compressible black pipe (like the ones you attach to your water spout) cut in half, so that I can collapse it after I'm done for easy storage.
I'm just going to prop the top on the table and have the end rest at the wall so that it will stop the cars at the bottom.
Here are the pattern pieces if you would like to make your own.
You will need 4 pieces of nude colored felt (main pieces/bodies), 2 grey pieces (hair), 1 Noah's jacket colored felt (your choice), 1 white felt piece, & 1 felt piece Noah's wife dress (your choice of color).
I'm not good at doing step-by-step tutorials. So, basic idea, you'll need to sew on the appliques on each body BEFORE sewing the two main pieces together (sew everything on the top layer first before sewing around the edges of the two pieces to combine). Remember, don't sew the bottom or else your hand won't go through!
Lesson
Prior to the lesson, scatter building blocks on the other side of the accordion wall divider and close it so that they cannot see them.
ANYWHO, I am going to start out the lesson by bringing Noah out from behind my back and have him wave to all of the kids, blow kisses, hug them, etc.
GRAB their attention!
Proceed to have him start crying. MAKE HIM WAIL!!!!! Ask him what is the matter.
N: " Well, the other people are not being nice and there's going to be a lot of rain.... (start singing) the rain comes down and the floods come up..."
You:" Who told you there would be a lot of rain?"
N: "Jesus did. He said that there would be so much rain that the whole world would be like a HUGE swimming pool!And...and....you know what else he told me to do?"
You: "WHAT!?!?"
N: "Here I'll whisper it to you.......Shhhhhhhh, (let the kids have fun with the shhh-ing)......A BIG BOAT!!!!"
Have him hold his hands to his face in surprise.
N: "I need some help making my boat, can you help me get the wood together and make a boat??"
Help the kids go look for a block to bring to NOAH (not you, let his hands do it) and he starts to build. Once done, close the wall again.
N: "Whew! That was a lot of work! Thank you all so much!"
Have him high five the kids while your other nursery instructor goes and spreads animals on the floor (toys OR print outs) of the other room (where the blocks were).
N: "OH NO!!!!"
You: "What's the matter now?!"
N: "Jesus told me that I have to get a Mommy and a Daddy of every animal to put on the boat! That's a lot of animals! Can you help me again?"
You: "YES!!!!!" (Bob your head....the little ones will mimic you)
Open the wall and let them gather the animals like before to give to Noah in the "boat".
N: "Oh thank you so much!"
Let him hug the kids, wave bye, etc.
You: "We should always listen to prophets!"
Put Noah down and start to sing "Follow the Prophet" ONLY CHORUS, while banging your hands on your lap. On "Don't go astray" shake your finger adamantly. "He knows the way" nod your head with your arms up in the air.
For closing the lesson, I downloaded an app on my phone that let's us hear the different animal noises. I'm going to play a few and let the kids listen, try to identify them and we all try making the noise.
Let's face it, when we are trying to call kids' attention to ourselves, we have to act like complete fools/clowns/ psychos/obnoxiously energetic people!
AND IT'S SO WORTH IT!:)
Here are a few things to remember about Music Time while in Nursery:
*For the most part, they are more about watching and observing than participating. You may have some willing to copy you the first time, but most of them may take months of uncomfortable stare-downs before they'll actually show they've been watching and know exactly what to do. Don't get discouraged if this happens! Just be prepared to do a lot of solos;)
*Make a place for them to gather.
If you just sit down and tell them to come by you, some of them may not get it. GIVE THEM A VISUAL! Lay out a blanket and have them sit with you.
1) Place a hoola hoop on the floor, sit on the outside and put your toes inside of the hoop. Call them to you to do the same. "Tickle tickle, I got your toes!" This will call their attention and soon EVERYONE will want their toes touched.
2) Carpet squares. Place them on the floor in a circle and begin jumping from square to square. They will scurry over to you to join in SO fast! After a few rounds, pick a square and sit.
3) Blanket. Just like a picnic. Everybody come have a picnic. You can even pretend to eat food to get their attention to you. (Make the movements SO over-played! The more enthusiastic you are about play, the more they will want to participate.)
*Do not introduce every song.
Just hop from one to the other. Have all of your props for each song within reach so you can hand them out quickly. The kids are too young for explanations. Begin singing the new song directly after the one you just finished and they'll jump in.
*If there are multiple adults in the room, make EVERYONE get down with you!
The kids WILL come around if they see it's what EVERYONE is doing. Peer pressure at it's finest;P
I'm going to walk you through some of my favorite nursery music time selections. I typically pick 3-4 songs per Sunday.
Song #1: The Wheels on the Bus
Just in case some of you don't know the tune OR the actions, here you go. Take note of her facial expression.....you will be doing this subconsciously in a few weeks! BA HA!
Print off a steering wheel for each of the kids.Color (color the middle of it RED for it to look like a horn)& laminate them ( OR glue them onto cardboard or cereal box cardboard) and cut them out (including the inside portions so that they can actually hold onto it like a real steering wheel).
Song #2: Do as I'm doing
CLICK HERE to take you to the music for this song.
You don't need any props for this one. Just a whole lot of energy.
Some actions that are good for the little ones are:
- Hopping
- Sway side to side
- Flap your arms
- March
- Ballerina Dance (going around in circle with hands above your head)
- Clapping (they LOVE this one!)
- Pat your tummy
-Shake your head
- Wiggle your fingers with arms extended (tickle fingers)
Keep them simple! These guys are too little for over-complication!
In Primary, you are able to go around asking children what they'd like to do. In nursery, don't do it! They're better with just following than coming up with ideas AND they don't understand the whole "taking turns", "raise your hand" bid. Just lead them. From action to action, verse to verse, make it flow. They'll copy.
Also, don't make this one too long. 3-4 actions should be plenty. Then move onto another song.
You can just squat and when they say "BEAM" you jump while singing this song or make some props for, remember, each of the kids. They're too little to understand taking turns without meltdowns.
Some of the options for props are:
- Colored suns on Popsicle sticks
- Mirrors
Song #4: Twinkle Twinkle little Star
- Bring some flashlights to shine on the ceiling as you are singing this song. If you're feeling REALLY adventurous, bring a few glow sticks.
Song #5: Rain is falling all around
This is a favorite of mine! CLICK HERE for the music & lyrics.
I LOVE what this woman has done in her own ward for this song. She uses a spray bottle and sprays the air above the kids while she sings this song. I'm sure they mostly squeal rather than sing, but don't worry! Pretty soon, they'll know these words by heart just from listening to you.
Song #5: Roll your hands
Instead of just doing "Roll your Hands", mix up the words a bit to make it fun yet still end with the reverent folded arms.
"Roll your Hands, Roll your Hands
So tiny, so tiny, so tiny like me, (pointer fingers circling each other)
Then fold your arms like me like me,
Then fold your arms like me."
"Roll your Hands, Roll your Hands
Do the Hula, do the Hula, do the Hula like me.
Then fold your arms like me like me,
Then fold your arms like me."
"Roll your Hands, Roll your Hands
Up high in the sky(stretch hands up), down low by the snow(bend down and touch toes).
Then fold your arms like me like me,
Then fold your arms like me."
"Roll your Hands, Roll your Hands
Clap 2 times, (Clap Clap), Clap 1 time (Clap), Clap 2 times like me (Clap clap)
Then fold your arms like me like me,
Then fold your arms like me."
"Roll your Hands, Roll your Hands
to your left, to your right, to your knees like me.
Then fold your arms like me like me,
Then fold your arms like me."
These are just some of the songs that I love to use in Nursery. Stay posted as I will be adding some as I use them!!!
