Happy Opening
Greet every child at the door and say warmly, "I am SO glad you're here today! We're going to learn about the best helper in the whole world!"
Hold up a stuffed animal lamb (or draw a simple lamb on the board). Ask: "Does anyone know what this is? A LAMB! What does a little lamb need?" Let them shout out answers, food, water, a home, someone to keep it safe!
Say: "A shepherd takes care of lambs. And guess what? TODAY we're going to learn that JESUS is our shepherd, and WE are His little lambs!"
Sing the first verse of "I Am a Child of God" (Children's Songbook, p. 2) together with big, happy voices to open your hearts.
Simple Scripture Story
Hold up a picture of Jesus as the Good Shepherd (Gospel Art Book, no. 64, The Good Shepherd).
Tell the story in simple words:
"A long time ago, a man who loved God very much wrote a beautiful song. He said, 'The Lord is MY shepherd.' He was saying that Jesus takes care of us just like a shepherd takes care of little lambs.
He said Jesus leads us to green, soft grass where we can rest. He leads us to calm, still water so we can drink. He walks right beside us even when the path gets dark and scary. He said, 'I will NOT be afraid, because my shepherd is WITH me!'
And then, the shepherd sets a big, yummy table and fills our cup so full it spills over! That means Jesus gives us MORE than enough love.
He finished his song by saying: 'I will live in the house of the Lord forever!'"
Ask children:
- "Where does the shepherd lead the little lamb?" (Green grass, still water!)
- "What does the shepherd do when it gets dark and scary?" (He STAYS with us!)
- "Who is OUR shepherd?" (JESUS!)
Big Idea
Say this together three times, getting louder each time:
"Jesus is my shepherd. He loves ME!"
Tell them: "Every time we do something today, remember, Jesus is our shepherd. He loves YOU!"
Wiggle and Learn Activities
"Follow the Shepherd!" *(Music & Movement)*
Connection: Just like the lamb follows the shepherd, we follow Jesus!
What to do:
- Choose one child to be the "shepherd" and walk slowly around the room.
- Everyone else is a lamb, follow the shepherd wherever they go!
- When you call "Green pastures!" everyone sits down and pretends to eat grass. When you call "Still waters!" everyone pretends to drink. When you call "Dark valley!" everyone holds hands and keeps walking.
What to say: "Just like in our story, we follow Jesus! He always leads us somewhere safe and good."
Materials: Just your room and happy feet!
"Follow the Shepherd!" *(Music & Movement)*
Connection: Just like the lamb follows the shepherd, we follow Jesus!
What to do:
- Choose one child to be the "shepherd" and walk slowly around the room.
- Everyone else is a lamb, follow the shepherd wherever they go!
- When you call "Green pastures!" everyone sits down and pretends to eat grass. When you call "Still waters!" everyone pretends to drink. When you call "Dark valley!" everyone holds hands and keeps walking.
What to say: "Just like in our story, we follow Jesus! He always leads us somewhere safe and good."
Materials: Just your room and happy feet!
"God Made It Beautiful!" *(Interactive Discussion + Physical Activity)*
Connection: After following the shepherd, now we look at the beautiful world he made for us!
What to do:
- Show simple pictures (or point to a window): sun, moon, stars, mountains, water, animals.
- For each one, ask: "Who made this?" Children shout: "HEAVENLY FATHER!"
- Have them stand up for big things (sun, mountains) and sit down for tiny things (a flower, a bug).
What to say: "The Bible tells us 'The heavens declare the glory of God' (Psalm 19:1). That means every time you see the sunshine or stars at night, God is saying, 'I love you! I made this for you!'"
Materials: Simple nature pictures cut from magazines, or just point out the window!
"My Shepherd Loves Me" Craft *(Hands-On Craft)*
Connection: Now we make something to remember our shepherd, just like we made our hearts walk with the shepherd in the game!
What to do:
- Give each child a simple lamb outline (draw a cloud shape on white paper ahead of time).
- Have them glue cotton balls on the lamb to make it fluffy.
- Help them write or dictate: "Jesus loves _____ (their name)!" on the bottom.
What to say: "This little lamb is YOU! And Jesus, your shepherd, loves you so much. Take this home to remind you: Jesus is MY shepherd!"
Materials: White paper with lamb outline, cotton balls, glue sticks, crayons, markers for names.
"Be Still and Know" *(Role-Play & Acting)*
Connection: Our lamb craft reminded us Jesus loves us, now we practice being still to FEEL that love!
What to do:
- Say: "The Bible says, 'Be still, and know that I am God' (Psalm 46:10). Let's practice being still, that means quiet and calm!"
- Have children sit like little lambs, criss-cross, hands in lap, eyes closed.
- Whisper: "Can you feel how peaceful this is? Heavenly Father is right here with you. He is your refuge, that means your safe place."
- After 20 seconds, let each child say one thing that makes them feel safe.
What to say: "When you feel scared or worried, you can be still and remember: Heavenly Father is right here. He is our refuge and our strength."
Materials: Peaceful, soft music playing quietly (optional).
Picture Time
Show Gospel Art Book no. 64, The Good Shepherd (or the painting The Lord Is My Shepherd by Yongsung Kim referenced in this week's Come, Follow Me).
Ask:
- "What do you see in this picture? Who is that?"
- "How does the shepherd look at the little lamb? Do you think he loves it?"
- "If YOU were the little lamb, how would you feel being held like that?"
Say: "That is exactly how Jesus holds YOU. You are His lamb, and He loves you that much."
Song and Actions
Song: "I Feel My Savior's Love" (Children's Songbook, p. 74–75)
Actions:
- "I feel my Savior's love", hug yourself
- "In all the world around me", spread arms wide
- "His Spirit warms my soul", put hands on heart
- "Through everything I see", shade eyes and look around
- "He knows I will follow Him", march in place
- "Give all my life to Him", reach arms up high
Sing it twice, once to learn, once to feel it!
Jesus Loves Me Moment
Gather everyone into a cozy circle. Hold the stuffed lamb gently.
Say: "Today we learned that Jesus is our shepherd. He leads us to good places. He walks with us when it's dark. He tells us 'Be still, I am right here.' That is how much He loves YOU."
Pass the lamb around the circle. When each child holds it, invite them to finish ONE of these sentences:
"I know Jesus loves me because..."
or
"Jesus is my shepherd and He helps me when..."
Share your own simple testimony: "I know Jesus is our shepherd. I have felt Him near me when I was scared, and He helped me feel peace. He is real, and He loves every single one of you."
Take-Home Hug
Send home the fluffy lamb craft with this simple challenge written on the back:
This week: When you feel scared or sad, find a quiet spot, take a deep breath, and say: "Jesus is my shepherd. He loves me." Then give someone at home a big hug and tell them Jesus loves them too!
Teacher Survival Tips
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Keep the lamb handy as a focal point. If children get wiggly or distracted, hold up the stuffed lamb and say, "Where's our little lamb? Oh, right here! And where is our shepherd?" It instantly refocuses attention back to the Big Idea without scolding anyone.
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Cotton ball cleanup = transition cue. After the craft, make picking up cotton balls a game: "Can you find three cotton balls? Five? Great, now let's be still like little lambs!" It burns the wiggle energy and creates a natural bridge into the "Be Still" activity.
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If a child says they don't feel safe or mentions something hard, gently say, "That is exactly when Jesus the shepherd is closest to you. He never leaves." Keep it simple and warm, don't push for more. The feeling of love in the room is the doctrine landing, not the words they say.
