Tell Me the Stories of Jesus

In the April 2010 General Conference, Elder Neil L. Andersen spoke of the importance of children hearing the stories of Jesus to build their personal testimonies. (Tell Me the Stories of Jesus)  He said:

“The stories of Jesus can be like a rushing wind across the embers of faith in the hearts of our children. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.”  The stories of Jesus shared over and over bring faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and strength to the foundation of testimony. Can you think of a more valuable gift for our children?

Are the life and teachings of Jesus Christ embedded in the minds and souls of our children? Do they think about the Savior’s life when they wonder what to do in their own lives? This will be more and more important in the years ahead”.

He included this promise:

“As you reverently speak about the Savior . . . the Spirit of the Lord will accompany your words.

As you do your best, the testimony of Jesus will gently distill upon your children’s hearts. They will go to their Heavenly Father in humble prayer and feel His influence through the power of the Holy Ghost. A stronger personal faith in Jesus Christ will prepare them for the challenges they will most surely face”.

We have the opportunity to share the stories of Jesus in every aspect of Primary; nursery, Sunday classes, sharing time, music, closing exercises, Activity Days for Girls, Cub Scouts, patrol of 11-year-old Boy Scouts, and Activity Days for All Children.  As we faithfully endeavor to bear witness of the Savior by telling the children stories about Him, they will be strengthened for a lifetime.

Help from the Friend - July 2010

The following are examples of how this month’s Friend can be used in Primary:

Activity Days for Girls, Scouting

                “Funstuf”, p 17

                “A Quilt that Tells a Story”, p 24-25

                “Friends in the News: Westchester First Ward”, p 47

                “Possible Ideas for Family Home Evening”, p 48

Faith in God, My Gospel Standards

                “Courage”, p 16

                “He Told Me, No Way”, p 28-29

Example of Application of July Sharing Time Theme

                “Trying to Be Like Jesus”, p 30-31

Primary 1: I Am a Child of God, lesson 5 and 6

                “For Little Friends: Who is Jesus?”, p 32-33

Behold Your Little Ones, lesson 8

                “Brigham’s Right-Way Feet”, p 35

Primary 6: Old Testament, lesson 28

                “Coloring Page: David and Goliath”, p 46

Toys for Nursery - Age-Appropriate Choices

In general terms, children in the Primary Nursery go through two play stages, manipulation and imagination.  Children ages 18 months through 2 years are all about discovering the world and improving their own skills by manipulating themselves and objects; stacking, sorting, picking-up, throwing, pushing, and pulling.  Three-year-olds are exploring life through imagining and acting out the roles they observe in the world; mother, father, truck driver, policeman, fireman, farmer, and much more.  The following list will give you a general idea of how to select toys appropriate for the Primary Nursery.  Always keep in mind the safety and wash-ability of any toys that are used.  Gently used toys in good repair or new toys can be purchased with the approval of the Primary president using budget funds designated for the Primary. 

18 months to 2 years

Toys:

• Stacking and sorting
• Push or pull toys, especially those that make noises and have removable people
• Puzzles with a few large chunky pieces that are easy to grasp and fit into a specific space

Books:

• Books that improve vocabulary and awareness of the world without story-lines

Art Supplies: 

• A few basic colors of crayons (coloring will be in large strokes that frequently go off the paper)
• Chalk and a chalkboard
• Clay, such as Playdoh (if you choose to use this medium check-out the blog "Play Dough Play" for a recipe and suggestions to make this activity successful in the Primary Nursery.

3 years

Toys:

• Dress-up clothes and hats 
• Child size dishes, pans, and play food
• Tool sets
• Phones
• Dolls and clothing 
• Interlocking blocks that easily stack
• Simple puzzles with a few interlocking pieces to create a picture

Books:

• Books with a simple story-line especially with rhyming and/or words creating rhythm

Art Supplies:

• Glue sticks
• Colored paper
• Large beads for threading on pipe cleaners or laces

Keep toys with multiple parts together in baskets or bins and have a tote ready to take home toys that will need a trip through the dishwasher before the next nursery playtime.  Each Sunday a few toys (about two per child [example: four children = 6 to 8 toys]) should be made available at child-level on shelves or tables for the children to choose from.  Rotate the toys every few weeks to keep things interesting.  A few well selected toys will result in an organized environment where children are safe and happy.

Toys for Nursery - Evaluate What You Have

Spring always brings on the urge to do a little cleaning and sorting.  Now would be a good time to review the toys in the Primary Nursery.  

 

Ask these questions:

• Is this toy appropriate for children ages 18 months through 3 years of age?
• Can it be washed and easily sanitized?
• Will it look clean after it is washed?
• Is it broken or missing parts?
• Does it have edges that are rough or sharp?
• Will a child want to throw this causing injury or disrupting other children's play? 
• Will using this toy encourage climbing (this is specifically prohibited in the guidelines of the nursery manual)? 
• Does it have small or loose parts that could be swallowed? 

Reduce clutter and confusion by:

• Limiting the number of toys available to the children each week
• Providing small bins or baskets to hold toys with multiple parts 
• Donating any excess toys to a local charity or by making them available at the next Relief Society meeting for families who can use them 

Storing the toys in closets and/or closed shelving will help keep the them sanitized and in good repair for use during nursery.   Remember to leave the room clean and uncluttered ready for other uses during the week. 

For tips on how the clean and sanitize toys check "How to Clean and Sanitize Toys" in a blog posted in October of 2009.

Help from the Friend - May 2010

Closing Exercises
     "Come Listen to a Prophet's Voice: My First Talk", p 2-3

Activity Days for All Children
     "Bringing the Book of Mormon to Life", p 18-20.  The video "How-To" is located at:  http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?locale=0&sourceId=7050cf9b00a48210VgnVCM100000176f620a____&vgnextoid=21bc9fbee98db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD 
     "Friends in the News: Five Oaks Ward", p 47
     "Guide to the Friend: Possible Ideas for Family Home Evening", p 48, #4


Activity Days for Girls, Scouting, My Gospel Standards, Articles of Faith
     "Modesty at Any Age", p 8-10
     "Bringing the Book of Mormon to Life", p 18-20.  The video "How-To" is located at:  http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?locale=0&sourceId=7050cf9b00a48210VgnVCM100000176f620a____&vgnextoid=21bc9fbee98db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD
     "Sharing Time: Principles and Ordinances of the Gospel Lead Me to Jesus Christ", p 40-41


Primary 6:  Old Testament
     Lessons 18-21 - "Jehovah Gives Commandments", p 14-15
     Lesson 18 - "Coloring Page:  Moses Becomes a Prophet", p 46


Behold Your Little Ones
     Lesson 15 - "Count Your Blessings", p 34-35

Help from the Friend – April 2010

The following are a few ways this month's Friend can help in your Primary. Make sure you check out the back cover for reminders of online resources at lds.org.

   

The New Albany Indiana Stake theme for 2010
     “Helping Feed the Savior’s Lambs”, p 2-3
     “Making a Difference”, p 8-9
     “Come to the Rescue, p 10
     “Feed My Sheep”, p 32-33
     “Find the Sheep”, p 34

Activity Days for all children, Activity Days for Girls, Cub Scouts, 11-y/o Boy Scouts
     "Friends in the News: Homestead Ward”, p 47

Activity Days for Girls, Cub Scouts, 11-y/o Boy Scouts
     “The Memory Box”, p 4-5
     “Making a Difference”, p 8-9
     “Primary Pianist”, p 22-23
     “The Strength to Choose”, p. 28-29 (My Gospel Standards)
     “Children’s Art Exhibit”, p 39 (would be an excellent goal for Faith in God)

Closing Exercises, Presidency message – October, Week 2
     “Special Witness: How can I be a missionary now?”, p 11

Primary 6, Lessons 15, 16, 17
     “Jehovah Blesses Joseph’s Family”, p. 14-15
     “Coloring Page, p 46

Nursery and Younger Classes - Teaching appropriate behavior and reverence 
     “Be Still”, p 35

Help from the Friend - February 2010

The following are a few ideas of how this month's Friend can be used in Primary:

Activity Days for Girls and Scouting
    "A Banner of Faithfulness" p 2-3
    "Bulletin Board" p 12
    "Funstuff: Seeking Service", p 26
    "Cease From Anger", p 28 - relate to My Gospel Standards

Lesson Supplement - "Heavenly Father and Jehovah Created the World", p 14-15
    Behold Your Little Ones, Lesson 7
    Primary 1: I Am a Child of God, Lessons 8-14
    Primary 6: The Old Testament, Lesson 3

Lesson Supplement - "For Little Friends: Tithing the Best Choice", p 32-35 - especially helpful for adapting lesson for younger children on tithing.
    Primary 2: Choose the Right A, Lesson 33

Cub Scouts
    "The Best", p 20-21 (relate to the Cub Scout motto, "Do Your Best")

Activity Days for all Children
    "Secret Servers to the Rescue", p 22

"Sharing Time: Jesus Christ Is My Savior and Redeemer"

Remember that this resource is for the children to use on their own or in an Activity Day NOT during Sharing Time on Sunday. Follow the lessons provided in 2010 Outline for Sharing Time: I Know My Savior Lives for the Gospel Instruction portion of Sharing Time.

Help from The Friend, November 2009

http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?locale=0&sourceId=34c1ad2dbbb94210VgnVCM100000176f620a____&vgnextoid=336b9fbee98db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD


The following are examples of a few of the ways you can use this month's Friend to enrich Primary.



Activity Days for Girls, Cub Scouts, 11-year-old Boy Scouts
Gathering Activity - Fearless in Sharing the Gospel, p 3
My Gospel Standards - Being Modest, p 10
Articles of Faith, meaning - The Right Kind of Friend, p 20-21

Activity Days for Girls
Cooking and Serving - Autumn Surprise Pumpkin Cookies, p 15
Prepare a FHE lesson - A Happy Home, p 24-25
Faith in God "I Am a Child of God" - Does Heavenly Father love others more than He loves me?, p 37

Activity Days for All Children
Friends in the News:Idaho Falls 15th Ward, p 23
Friends in the News: Ben Lomond 11th Ward, p 23

Nursery
Lesson 16 - Showing Sorry, p 28-29

Primary 1: I Am a Child of God
Lesson 29 - Showing Sorry, p 28-29

Don't forget to check-out The Friend page at lds.org (http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?locale=0&vgnextoid=ae20e975d2a2b010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD).  It has many interactive options for listening, watching, and printing activities from this and past month's magazines. 

How to Clean and Sanitize Toys

The nursery has many little hands and mouths touching blocks and toy cars and snuggling up to stuffed animals. It is important to ensure that the toys children play with remain clean and safe. Nursery leaders can take turns sanitizing the toys that need to be cleaned each week. The youth and older Primary children could do periodic sanitizing for all the toys. Additionally, always check for toys that are broken; have small loose pieces; or have rough edges. Throw away any toys that are unsafe.

The following guidelines come from a variety of government and childcare agencies. I have included the directions and amounts that are consistently given and come from reliable sources.

Instructions:

• Wash and dry stuffed or plush animals in your washing machine and dryer. Use hot water and bleach, if possible. Make sure you check the toys for any parts, such as plastic eyes, that may have come loose in the washing or drying cycle. (This should be done each week with the toys are used by the children).
• Plastic toys should be cleaned at least monthly (or weekly if the children put them in their mouths). The following are three methods for sanitizing plastic toys:
1. Dishwasher: Place toys in a dishwasher and run a sanitizing cycle. (This is easiest method for toys that need weekly attention).
2. 
   
   Bleach:
   
   • Place the toys in a large tub or sink filled with warm, soapy water. Scrub the toys well, making sure to get in between any crevices where germs can hide. You may want to use a toothbrush for hard-to-reach places. Just like hands, the most effective cleaning comes from soap and water with plenty of scrubbing. This is your most important step.
     
   • Rinse the toys well, making sure to remove all soap residue.
     
   • Submerge toys in a tub or sink that contains a bleach and water solution and allow to soak for 10 minutes. One gallon of water to ¼ cup of bleach is the general rule. Don't use too much bleach, as this can be dangerous. Also, bleach tends to be more effective in cool to warm, rather than hot, water.
     
   • Allow the toys to air-dry after sanitizing them. Drying them with a towel can lead to cross-contamination problems, so it's better to just lay them out on a rack and let them dry on their own.
   
   
3. 
   
   Oxygenated bleach powder: Oxygenated bleach is a non-toxic, sanitizing powder that you can mix with water to clean infant toys. It is also an environmentally friendly alternative to regular household bleach.
   
   • Clean toys as directed above.
     
   • Substitute oxygenated bleach powder for bleach. Mix oxygenated bleach powder with water according to package instructions.
     
   • Rinse the toys a second time in this solution.
     
   • Air dry.
     
   
   
   

Play Dough Play

Children in nursery enjoy play dough.  There are several things to remember to keep this activity fun for the children, the teacher, and the carpet.

1. Place a plastic tablecloth (or someting similar) under the table and chairs.
2. Provide toys, such as cookie cutters and rolling pins, to be used exclusively with play dough.
3. Don’t allow other toys to be used at the “play dough table”.
4. Be sure that the children only use the play dough while seated at the “play dough table”.
5. Make your own play dough using the following recipe or another one that is similar.  Keep the entire batch the same color.  This eliminates the impossible task of trying to keep colors from being mixed or the discussion about who gets which color.
6. Put away the play dough, play dough toys, and plastic after Play Time.  It is most successful to have play dough available only once during nursery, so decided which time is best for the children.
7. If the play dough gets dropped, pick It up immediately.  It has a tendency to travel into the carpet on the bottom of shoes.
8. When play dough time is over, check for any spots on the carpet and brush away before the play dough hardens.

Play Dough (similar to commercially available Play-Doh)

This recipe makes a soft dough that can be brightly colored.  It is edible, although it tastes terrible.

1 cup flour

1 tablespoon salad oil

1 cup water

½ cup salt

2 teaspoons cream of tartar

Food coloring (1/8 - 1/4 teaspoon paste type coloring, unsweetened drink mix (Kool-Aid) or liquid food coloring)

Combine flour, oil, water, salt, and cream of tartar in a large saucepan.  Using a wooden spoon, stir over medium heat.  Stir constantly to prevent sticking.  The mix will be soupy and then suddenly stick together and can be stirred into a ball.  When it thickens, remove from the heat and continue stirring.  Turn hot ball out onto a floured surface.  When it is cool enough to handle, kneading until it is smooth and silky (a silicone mat can be used and no additional flour is needed). 

Add desired food coloring by kneading, adding more until the desired color is achieved.  To avoid staining your hands with the concentrated color you can wear gloves or use plastic wrap.  When the color is distributed the color won’t stain your hands.

Note:  If you plan on coloring the entire batch the same color, the food coloring can be added before the mixture is cooked.

Keep in an airtight container or Ziploc bag.

Other uses of play dough:

• With supervision, this play dough could be made by the girls during Activity Days.  It could be used as a service project for the nursery or made for gift giving.
• The dough could be used during Activity Days or teaching situations (sharing time or classes) for the children to make visual items to correlate with the lesson.