Week plan for FEBRUARY 4—10
Young children
Monday
Doctrine: I can choose the right as Jesus did.
Song: Choose the Right
Have your children stand in a line and jump to the right every time you sing the word "right." Explain the meaning of "right" choices.
Scripture story
Watch: Jesus Is Tempted, Illustrated scripture story
Memorize: "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men" (Matthew 4:19)
Say the phrase to your children over and over, loudly and quietly, while fishing with pipe cleaners in a cup of water.
Coloring page
Activities
Make a CTR jar to place on the kitchen table and fill with good choices your children make each day. Pull a few out to read during dinner.
Display a picture of Jesus Christ, and then describe choices a young child might make. For each good choice, ask the children to take a step toward the picture. For each bad choice, ask them to take a step away from it. (Idea from the Primary manual)
Play a Choices and Consequences game based on Chutes and Ladders.
Read Toys in the Tub and Racing Rules. Then tell your own experiences of when you've seen your children make good choices, like following family rules, even though it was hard.
Tuesday
Doctrine: I can choose the right as Jesus did.
Song: Choose the Right
Cut this page into an easy jigsaw puzzle. Divide the song lyrics and write them on the back of the puzzle pieces. Hide the pieces in the room and have your children try to find them while you sing the song. As each piece is found, teach them that portion of the song. Help them make up actions for it. Complete the puzzle and talk about the picture it shows.
Scripture story
Memorize: "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men" (Matthew 4:19)
Cut out rough figures of people, each labeled with a word from the scripture phrase. Show your children how to suck them up with a straw, as shown here, and put them in order.
Coloring page
Activities
Fold this origami CTR shield or print and put together this paper CTR ring. Explain the abbreviation CTR with this Matt and Mandy story.
Tell the story of the three little pigs who built houses of straw, wood, and brick. Then sing "The Wise Man and the Foolish Man" with actions. Compare the two stories. Explain how we can choose the right by building our lives on the Savior. Sort wise and foolish choices and teach more about this topic with this lesson plan.
Poem: A Busy Day for Hands
Read Blair Chooses the Right. Wiggle each body part as it is mentioned.
Help your child cut out these good daily choices and put them back in order
Wednesday
Doctrine: Jesus Christ is my Savior.
Song: If the Savior Stood Beside Me
Introduce the song by singing it with a silent video of the New Testament story Suffer the Little Children to Come unto Me.
Sing again with your children participating by doing these waves of the sea actions.
Scripture story
Watch: Angry People in Nazareth, Illustrated scripture story
Memorize: "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men" (Matthew 4:19)
Write the phrase on a paper and let your child illustrate it.
Coloring page
Activities
Watch Who Is Jesus?, a video of children explaining in their own words who is Jesus.
Read Luke 4:18–19 to the children, and explain what Jesus Christ was sent to earth to do (teach, comfort, and heal people). Share how He has done this for you. (Idea from the Primary manual)
Invite one of your children to pretend to be confused, sad, or sick. Ask the other children to role-play what they could do to help them. Testify that Jesus Christ came to teach, comfort, and heal us, and that we should follow His example. (Idea from the Primary manual)
Cut out one of the full page pictures of the Christ from previous weeks in your Come, Follow Me manual (such as this one). Help your child tape a smaller picture of themselves overlaying the bottom of the Savior picture, along with the words, "The Savior standing nigh, watching over me" (which is a line from today's song by Sally DeFord). An example is shown here. Hang it for display where your child can see it often.
Thursday
Doctrine: Jesus Christ is my Savior.
Song: If the Savior Stood Beside Me
Write out some phrases from the song, each on a different paper, then have your children draw pictures to go with each phrase. Play the song while they draw.
Scripture story
Watch: Jesus Declares He Is the Messiah, Bible video
Memorize: "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men" (Matthew 4:19)
Tape each word to a Lego block, then connect them in order.
Coloring pages
Activities
Act out the occupations of fireman, doctor, policeman, and lifeguard. Match one of these items to each job. Figure out how each of the occupations save us from something (fire, illness, crime, drowning). Finally, show a picture of Christ and ask what He saves us from. Explain in terms your children will understand that He saves us from sin and death, by providing a way for us to repent and be resurrected. He is called our Savior. Have your children repeat "Savior" or "Jesus Christ is our Savior" multiple times back to you.
Give a penny to each child, and one for yourself, to place in a pair of shoes that will be worn this week. Whenever you feel the penny with your foot this week, think to yourself "if the Savior stood beside me, would I be doing what I'm doing right now?" (Idea by Diana Freema)
Show pictures of Jesus fulfilling aspects of His mission (see Gospel Art Book), and ask the children to describe what Jesus is doing. Also show pictures of people trying to be like Jesus (you might find some in Church magazines). (Idea from the Primary manual)
Write on strips of paper phrases that begin with “Because of Jesus Christ” (such as “Because of Jesus Christ, my family can be together forever”). Invite each child to pick one of the paper strips, and help him or her read the phrase. (Idea from the Primary manual)
Friday
Doctrine: Jesus Christ invites us to be “fishers of men.”
Song: I Will Follow God's Plan
Sing with these actions.
Ask your children what the song teaches them about following Jesus.
Scripture story
Watch: Fishers of Men, Children's Bible Video
Memorize: "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men" (Matthew 4:19)
With little toy people or dolls, act out stories of people leaving behind worldly matters to follow Jesus.
Coloring page
Activities
Learn that Peter, James, and John were fishermen before they became apostles of Jesus Christ with this maze activity
Read Jesus Calls His Disciples. Have your children make up actions to go along with parts of the story.
Show your children a dictionary and how to use it. Help them find letters or words they recognize. Tell them that the scriptures have a dictionary too. Pull out the Bible Dictionary and look up the word, "Disciple". Read the dictionary entry and then discuss how even little children can be disciples, or followers, of Jesus Christ.
Write on slips of paper (or roll up pictures) of what your children can do to be disciples and fishers of men, such as "sharing your testimony", "being nice even to people who are mean to you", or "cheering up a family member when they're sad". Stick these inside balloons. Blow up the balloons and let your children help you draw faces on them. Scatter the balloons throughout the house and then collect them with garbage bags. After all are collected, pop the balloons one by one, reading (and possibly role-playing) the paper inside.
Saturday
Doctrine: Jesus Christ invites us to be “fishers of men.”
Song: I Will Follow God's Plan
Give two paper plates to each child and practice the song with Sharla Dance's fun paper plate method.
Scripture story
Memorize: "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men" (Matthew 4:19)
Quiz them on the memorized scripture by saying alternating words with them.
Coloring page
Activities
Cut out simple paper fishes and label each with the name of a member of your family. Then when you are all gathered together, grab a bed sheet or blanket and stretch it out with everyone holding an edge. Put all the fish in the middle and try to send them up in the air with your sheet and then catch them on the way down. Read the name(s) of any fish that you don't catch in your "net". Those people must each think of a specific person who could benefit from their good example (i.e. "my friend Carson at school"), and tell one thing they can do to set that example (i.e. "I could explain to Carson why I don't take the Lord's name in vain).
Eat a "toss your net to the other side" snack with window pane pretzels, chocolate kisses, and goldfish.
Make a toothpick fish as a reminder to be a fisher of men by helping our fellow men.
Sit in laundry baskets and hold long sticks as fishing rods and paper plates as oars. Make "worms" for bait by accordion folding slips of paper. Read The Fishermen while in your boats.
Sunday
Hold a Family Story Swap. If possible, involve extended family members (in person or via phone/video call). Or have your children call their grandparents and interview them.
Review the songs of the week by singing around a fake indoor campfire (such as covering a pile of lit Christmas lights with red, orange, or yellow tissue paper and making a fire tepee with paper towel rolls). Motivate your children to sing with this marshmallow trick.
