Nursery is not just babysitting. Nusery is to teach the youngest children about Jesus, the Gospel, their Divine Nature, and how to follow the prophet. It is there teach the basics of the gospel and to begin life long habits. I have a friend who use to teach seminary, she told me that she was amazed at how many kids start seminary in nineth grade who have never owned their own set of scriptures. Who didn't know how to use scriptures. Nursery is suppose to prepare kids to be able to be ready for Primary. There are countless stories of people who's testimonys of certain subjects have roots all the way back in nursery. They know that the gospel is true because their nursery leader knew it was true. As nursery leaders and teachers we are the first experience children have with the gospel outside their own home. . . and in some cases the first experience the kids have with the gospel period. It is mandatory that we express the love for the gospel and our testimonies to these very young children.
I love this idea. (once again found on
sugardoodle)
by Janis Peterson
I just wanted to share an idea that my friend, Kristen, told me they did in
her old ward and I think it is great! The church sells the softcover Book of
Mormon's. Each child in the nursery got their own scriptures. Each Sunday they
would read a scripture from the Book of Mormon and put a small sticker on that
page or put it next to the scripture. She shared how her daughter would just sit at home and in
sacrment meeting and go through her scriptures and try to find the pages with
the stickers in it.
I thought this was a great way to introduce the
scriptures to the little ones. Any way that there can be a hands on experience
with the scriptures for these little ones is great.
ADDITIONAL
NOTE by Yvonne Moo: I prepared paperback Book of Mormons with a name
and picture of each child on the cover of their own. I ask them to get their
scriptures as I begin the lesson. I highlight the scripture prior, then during
the lesson we assist each to find the new scripture, then I read a portion and
everyone puts a sticker to mark it. We, the leaders, help them to flip through
to glance at the prior scriptures. It only lasts a few minutes, but I've enjoyed
introducing them to the Book of Mormon. It will go with them when they move on
to Sunbeams.
I love the additional note on this by Yvonne Moo. I like having the kids learn that you use the scriptures for lessons, that the truths of the gospel are found in the scriptures. I like the idea of highlighting the scripture before the lesson. I also like the idea of having happy stickers that the child places next to the previously highlighted scripture. In my opinion this will help build ownership and also help the children recognize that the scriptures make them happy.
I like the idea of keeping the scriptures at church, because in our ward they would never make it back. . . I think that in most any ward with nursery children it would be only a few that would make it. I think that giving them their set of scriptures when they graduate from nursery would be a great idea. Then they have them that they can take to sunbeams. They own them, they have scriptures marked and they know their scriptures make them happy.
