Mormons believe you’re never too young to learn, so classes for children begin at eighteen months. The nursery is for eighteen month olds to three year olds. In January, a child who will be four by the end of the year moves into the regular children’s program, known as Primary.
The nursery is not merely a babysitting service. It’s a real class, with a structured schedule and meaningful gospel learning opportunities. Previously, the nursery used the manual for the next class up, with suggestions for adapting it. This year, a new manual just for toddlers was introduced, which reinforces the educational and spiritual aspects of the nursery program.
The nursery is staffed with at lendance is voluntary, but it is an important step to preparing children for the higher demands of the rest of the Primary program.
The new manual is called “Behold Your Little Ones.” The title is taken from a powerful story in the Book of Mormon, when Jesus Christ appeared to the Nephites after his death. Jesus asked the people to bring their children to him. When they were gathered, He stood in their midst and prayed. After the prayer, he gave each child an individual and personal blessing-a special personal prayer to God for the child.
22 And when he had done this he wept again;
23 And he spake unto the multitude, and said unto them: Behold your little ones.
24 And as they looked to behold they cast their eyes towards heaven, and they saw the heavens open, and they saw angels descending out of heaven as it were in the midst of fire; and they came down and encircled those little ones about, and they were encircled about with fire; and the angels did minister unto them. (3 Nephi 17)
The title reminds us of how special children are to the Savior and that miracles can occur through and to children. They are never too young to learn to love their Savior.
The manual contains thirty lessons, including lessons for Easter and Christmas. Each lesson is a complete resource. Spiral bound so it can be set on a table, each lesson includes songs, scriptures to be read directly from the scriptures themselves, scripture stories, repetition activities, and pictures. There are full-color pictures, as well as a simple line drawing to be used for coloring or other activities. The lessons also include optional activities leaders can choose from, such as activity verses, crafts, or games. The pictures are in the actual lesson, not a separate packet, making it easy to show them to the children and to keep track of them.
Along the margins are teaching tips to help leaders understand children or learn to improve their teaching skills. They also outline the church rules for teaching.
As an example, lesson two’s theme is “Heavenly Father Has a Plan for Me.” The lesson flows from the children’s song, “I Am a Child of God.” The points of the lesson are taught as children learn one or two lines of the song. Pictures of Jesus Christ and of families make the topic more understandable for small children, and restlessness is avoided, as the children are also learning to sing the song throughout the lesson. This lesson is an excellent way for music leaders to learn how to teach a child a song.
Because each lesson has a picture and craft idea, leaders are less tempted to use materials that aren’t produced by the church. Everything needed is right in the lesson, and teachers are instructed to supplement, if needed, with materials from other lesson manuals or church magazines.
Nurseries are counseled to include in their schedule:
Lesson
Free Play time with books, toys, and puzzles. Toys are to be out only during playtime.
A healthy snack.
Music lesson.
Transition activities to help children move from one activity to the next. This is the schedule I am using in my nursery:
Gathering activity-10 minutes. This is a craft based on the lesson or a few educational toys, just something to get them engaged while they’re arriving.
Lesson: 15 minutes
Snack: 15 minutes ( a nice break after all that structure.)
Music: 15 minutes
Free Play: 30 minutes. Toys are put into four or five stations, not all over the room. One station is rotated out each week, but books and toddler toys always stay. A teacher sits on a blanket reading to those who want to listen. Educational things are at another station, also with an adult. Remaining adults watch over the nursery. We usually have parents around to help with that.
Closing Activities: A review of songs and action rhymes from the lesson, and then coloring or crafts based on the lesson, games. I set out the flannel boards and maybe one other thing for children who don’t do crafts or coloring.
As you can see, the children are busy and learning the whole time. There is only a half hour of toys, and it’s a selected number of toys to avoid overstimulation.
The new manual makes it very easy to build everything but the free play around your lesson and to use only church produced materials. It’s an amazing work, and I hope the next round of manuals for older Primary children will follow the example of this one. It’s also designed to be used in the home, and is so simply written, a child could plan family home evening from the lessons. Take a look and see for yourself:
The late Terrie Lynn Bittner—beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and friend—was the author of two homeschooling books and numerous articles, including several that appeared in Latter-day Saint magazines. She became a member of the Church at the age of 17 and began sharing her faith online in 1992.
