Week plan for FEBRUARY 25—MARCH 3, Matthew 6—7
Young children
Pick and choose the activities that will most benefit your family. I hope you have fabulous gospel learning this week!
Monday
Doctrine: I can pray to my Heavenly Father as Jesus did. Matthew 6:5–13
Song of the week: I'm Trying to be Like Jesus (CS 78)
Hide pictures of Christ around the perimeter of a room. While you sing, tap one of your children to go find one picture and bring it to the center of the room. Finish singing the verse and then help your child say how they can be like Jesus in that particular picture. Ideas of pictures to use: praying, baptism, hugging, helping, visiting the sick, teaching, comforting.
Scripture story
Read: Jesus Teaches about Prayer, Illustrated New Testament Stories
Memorize: "Ask, and it shall be given you" Matthew 7:7
Go around the house knocking on every door saying the scripture phrase.
Coloring page
Activities
Show picture of Jesus ("I Have Prayed for Thee" by Del Parson is in the Come, Follow Me manual). Ask your children the following questions: What kinds of things do you think Jesus prayed for? Were his prayers heartfelt? Does he look like He’s being reverent in this picture? Do you think He showed respect and love for Heavenly Father while He prayed? Encourage them to follow the example of Jesus while we pray. (Idea and questions taken from here)
Watch the video Primary Kids Explain Prayer. Summarize some of the things it talks about. Who are we talking to when we pray? What should/shouldn’t we do while praying? Summarize why prayer is so important. Share stories of times you have prayed. (Idea and questions taken from here)
Have your children pull pictures out of a hat and tape them to a Thank Thee/ Please Bless poster.
Decorate prayer mats or prayer rugs using supplies from the Dollar Tree.
Challenge your children to think of someone they don't like or have angry feelings toward, and then to pray for them every morning and night. (Idea from Aubin Skankey)
Do this sandwich prayer activity.
Tuesday
Doctrine: I can pray to my Heavenly Father as Jesus did. Matthew 6:5–13
Song of the week: I'm Trying to be Like Jesus (CS 78)
Learn the ASL signs for "try" and "Jesus." Every time you sing the word (or a similar word, such as "trying" and "His") do the sign with it.
Scripture story
Watch: Sermon on the Mount: The Lord's Prayer, Bible Video
Memorize: "Ask, and it shall be given you" Matthew 7:7
Talk about how Joseph Smith asked his question in prayer and how he received an answer.
Coloring page
I Will Be Thankful (to add to a Prayer Train, as described below)
Activities
Put sticky notes on a train picture, each labeling one of the cars with a part of prayer (in words or pictures). Example here. Attach the "I am thankful for..." pictures that your children colored to use as reminders of possible things to include in their prayers.
Set up a few prayer stations. 1) Build a Lego/block tower with each block representing a blessing in your life for which you would thank Heavenly Father. 2) Write a name on a band aid to pray for the sick. 3) Hold up a mirror to see yourself, as a reminder that we can ask for what we need. (Idea from Heather Whittaker)
Recite this activity verse from the song "I Pray in Faith."
Tell this finger puppet story.
Say a sincere gratitude prayer as a family after coming up with ideas of what your children are thankful for—for every letter of the alphabet! Here is printable for it called Prayer Handout. You may want to use alphabet dice, such as the Scattergories die or a paper cube die with letters.
Sing "Did You Think to Pray" once normally, listening for the message of the song. It may be useful to ask a question to direct their listening, such as "When should you pray?". On the second time through the song, quickly get into a prayer position (kneel, fold arms, bow head, close eyes) instead of saying the words "pray" or "prayer" (keep those words silent). As an alternative, tell your children to watch you closely and every time you start to get into prayer position they should copy you and maybe even beat you to it.
Wednesday
Doctrine: I should treat others the way I want to be treated. Matthew 7:12
Song of the week: I'm Trying to be Like Jesus (CS 78)
Similar to yesterday, sing the song with signs for "love", "I", and "you."
Scripture story
Look at the Beatitude Book made last week.
Memorize: "Ask, and it shall be given you" Matthew 7:7
Ask your children to find certain letters or words on this coloring page (scroll down to find it) and then color them.
Coloring page
Activities
Read The Doll in the Green Dress and talk about how Hannah thought of her little sister's feelings before her own. She treated Cara the way she would like to be treated. She followed something Jesus taught called the Golden Rule (pull out the scripture and explain.) Read also Sandwich Buddies and practice sharing lunch or snacks together.
Print this golden ruler (scroll down to find it) and tie in the scripture with how cats and dogs get along, as described in the link.
Make a yellow/gold paper crown to fit your children's heads. If desired, let your children decorate it with gemstones, stickers, etc. Then throughout the day, be on the lookout for when one of your children thinks of another person before themselves. Praise their actions and let them wear the crown for a time. Continue until each child has had a chance to wear the crown by following the Golden Rule.
Have your children act out being different types of pets with their owners. How does the pet want his owner to treat him? Then have them pretend to be injured or sick. How do they want to be treated then? Help them draw parallels to their own life.
Play a Golden Rule game of sorting scenarios into two piles: 1) how you would like to be treated and 2) how you would NOT like to be treated.
Thursday
Doctrine: I should treat others the way I want to be treated. Matthew 7:12
Song of the week: I'm Trying to be Like Jesus (CS 78)
Scripture story
Watch: The Sermon on the Mount: The Higher Law, Bible Video
Memorize: "Ask, and it shall be given you" Matthew 7:7
Write the letters on hole punch circles and then help your children put them together in the proper order.
Coloring page
Activities
Help your children cut out little yellow/gold circles. Demonstrate taping one of the circles onto a paper clip (or clothespin). Provide a pile of paper clips for their circles. While they work on taping all the circles, write out actions, each on its own paper--- some that follow the Golden Rule and some that do not. Spread out the papers across the ground. Gather your children on one end of the room, with their pockets filled with their "Golden Rule clips." They must jump from paper to paper across the room without touching the ground. Along the way, they must put a clip onto any papers whose action reflects the Golden Rule.
Discuss bullying with the help of this article. Then read the story The Bully Busters.
Remind your children of the importance of using kind words with this object lesson using cotton balls and sandpaper.
Tell The New Animal Fable using the printable animal parts.
Sing "Jesus Said Love Everyone" and show this picture.
Write out Matthew 7:12 (or a rephrasing of the Golden Rule to be easier for your children to understand), leaving out all the "o"s. Have your children fill in the "o"s with cheerios or fruit loops. (Idea from Danielle's Place)
Friday
Doctrine: I can build on a strong foundation by following Jesus. Matthew 7:24–27
Song of the week: I'm Trying to be Like Jesus (CS 78)
Write different compliments on slips of paper and put in a hat. Every time after you sing the song, let one of your children choose a paper and say the name of a person to whom they want to say that nice thing. Examples: "You cook really well" or "You are sunshine on a cloudy day." (Idea adapted from Luíza Bueno Dornelas)
Scripture story
Watch the Living Scriptures video of the parable.
Memorize: "Ask, and it shall be given you" Matthew 7:7
Play twenty questions, saying the scripture phrase before asking each question.
Coloring page
Activities
After singing "The Wise Man and the Foolish Man" with hand actions, help your children develop a deeper connection with the song by using pictures of the Sermon on the Mount and of waves crashing onto rocks.
Build houses from legos, plastic cups, or paper, or use Monopoly houses. Place your houses on platforms of sand and rock in plastic tubs, shallow pans, or aluminum casserole dishes. Moist sand (brown sugar is a great substitute) can be molded into shape using a plastic cup. Ensure that the house on the rock is secured well. Before flooding the houses, cut out these choices and help your children divide them between rock (good) and sand (bad). Then pour/spray water on the houses and see what happens!
Help your children fill in these simple worksheets about building on rock and sand.
Make a roller box with pictures illustrating the parable.
While your children stand in front of a blowing fan, read Helaman 5:12 to them and spray them with a mist of water using a spray or spritz bottle. Ask what things in life are like the wind and rain. Draw a picture of a storm.
Saturday
Doctrine: I can build on a strong foundation by following Jesus. Matthew 7:24–27
Song of the week: I'm Trying to be Like Jesus (CS 78)
Review the song with this card game made by Deb Reynolds.
Scripture story
Cut out the scripture figures (link below) after your children color them. If desired, laminate or cover with clear packaging tape. Using the scripture figures, act out the parable of the Wise Man and the Foolish Man.
Read this explanation of the story and its definition for parables.
Memorize: "Ask, and it shall be given you" Matthew 7:7
Throw a ball back and forth, or in a circle, each person saying one word when they have the ball.
Coloring page
Scripture Figures: “The Wise Man and the Foolish Man” (print on cardstock)
Activities
Help your children write "Jesus Christ" with a marker onto a smooth rock to remind them that the foundation of rock from the parable represents Jesus Christ. (Idea from the March 2015 Liahona)
Pull out toy tools (or real, if you're careful, or print paper ones) and label each of the tools with actions that help build your home on either a good or bad foundation. Help your child sort them, discussing as you go, and then pretend to build a house.
Fill a tray with rice or dried beans (something that will make for a slippery foundation; a pillow would work as well) and try to see how tall of a tower you can make together on it using Jenga blocks or popsicle sticks. Then remove the "sandy" foundation and try again to build a tower on the firm tray. It will hopefully stand taller, straighter, and sturdier. Help your children understand that following Jesus Christ is like the firm foundation. (Idea from here)
Cut out the pieces of this Building a Foundation illustration and assemble it together, talking about each piece as you go.
Sunday
Show your children any family heirlooms you have, or pictures of some things your/their grandparents used. Then do this Grandma's Trunk activity.
Help your children each secretly write their favorite Primary song or hymn on a piece of paper. Then put the papers on a ceiling fan and turn it on. Whichever paper falls first is the song you'll sing together. Continue until all songs have been sung.
Have your children draw or paint a picture of something they learned this week.
