Happy Opening
Hold up a real heart cut from red paper or a small red pillow. Ask the children: "What is this? Where is your heart?" Let them point to their chest. Say: "Your heart is inside you, and it has feelings in it. Sometimes our heart feels good. Sometimes it feels twisty and sad." Make a happy face, then a sad face. Ask: "When do you feel twisty inside?" Let two or three children answer.
Say: "Today we are going to learn what to do when your heart feels twisty because you made a wrong choice. And we are going to learn something wonderful about Heavenly Father."
Option B (if you prefer a song opening): Sing the first verse of "A Child's Prayer" very softly together before saying anything. Then ask: "Why do we pray? What do we think Heavenly Father does when we pray to Him?" Proceed into the story.
Simple Scripture Story
Tell this story out loud with the children doing the actions with you.
"A long, long time ago, there was a king. His name was David." (Sit up tall and pretend to wear a crown.)
"King David had a big palace and a big kingdom. He was very important." (Spread arms wide.)
"But one day, King David made a wrong choice. A really bad wrong choice." (Shake head slowly and look sad.)
"And after he did it, he felt terrible inside. His heart felt very heavy." (Put both hands on chest and droop shoulders.)
Ask: "Have you ever done something wrong and felt bad inside? What did that feel like?" Let two children share. Nod and say: "That twisty feeling in your heart, that is actually a good thing. It means your heart is working. It is telling you something needs to change."
"King David did not try to hide what he did. He did not pretend everything was fine." (Shake finger no.)
"He got down on his knees and he prayed." (Put hands together and kneel or bow head.)
"He said, 'Heavenly Father. I did something wrong. I am so sorry. Please forgive me. Please give me a clean heart.' " (Say this slowly and gently, inviting children to repeat it phrase by phrase.)
"The Bible is full of the prayers King David prayed. We call them Psalms. They sound like songs. And one of them says this:"
Create in me a clean heart, O God.
(Psalm 51:10)
"That means: Help me feel clean inside again. Help me be better."
Ask: "Do you think Heavenly Father heard David's prayer?" Let them answer. "Yes! The Psalms also tell us something beautiful about Heavenly Father. Listen:"
Thou art good, and ready to forgive.
(Psalm 86:5)
Say it again slowly. Ask the children to say it back with you: "Thou art good, and ready to forgive." That means Heavenly Father is GOOD. And He is READY to forgive. He is not mean. He is not waiting to be angry. He is ready and waiting to help.
"And one more thing the Psalms teach us:"
In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee: for thou wilt answer me.
(Psalm 86:7)
"That means: When I am having a hard day, I will call on Heavenly Father. And He WILL answer me. He listens every time."
"King David said sorry. And Heavenly Father forgave him. And David felt like his heart was clean again." (Put hands on chest and smile.)
Ask: "Who can we talk to when our heart feels twisty?" (Heavenly Father.) "What can we say?" (I'm sorry. Please help me.) "Will He listen?" (Yes, always.)
Big Idea
Hold up the red heart again.
"The one big thing I want you to remember today is this: When I make a wrong choice, I can say sorry. Heavenly Father will help me feel better."
Say it together. Hold the heart up. Say it again. Tap the heart on your chest.
"Heavenly Father is good. He is ready to forgive. He loves you even when you mess up. Especially when you mess up."
Wiggle and Learn Activities
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Follow-the-Heart Path
Before class, cut out six to eight large hearts from red or pink paper and lay them on the floor in a curving path across the room. Write one word on each heart in big letters: WRONG CHOICE, FEEL SAD, PRAY, SAY SORRY, HEAVENLY FATHER LISTENS, FEEL BETTER, CLEAN HEART, HAPPY.
Gather the children at the start of the path.
Say: "We are going to walk King David's path today. Every time we step on a heart, we say what it says together."
Walk the path together. At each heart, stop, read the word, and say it out loud together. When you reach the last heart (HAPPY or CLEAN HEART), everyone jumps with both feet and shouts: "Heavenly Father loves me!"
Walk it a second time faster. On the third time, hop on each heart.
Repeat the Big Idea at the end: "When I make a wrong choice, I can say sorry. Heavenly Father will help me feel better."
Default
Follow-the-Heart Path
Before class, cut out six to eight large hearts from red or pink paper and lay them on the floor in a curving path across the room. Write one word on each heart in big letters: WRONG CHOICE, FEEL SAD, PRAY, SAY SORRY, HEAVENLY FATHER LISTENS, FEEL BETTER, CLEAN HEART, HAPPY.
Gather the children at the start of the path.
Say: "We are going to walk King David's path today. Every time we step on a heart, we say what it says together."
Walk the path together. At each heart, stop, read the word, and say it out loud together. When you reach the last heart (HAPPY or CLEAN HEART), everyone jumps with both feet and shouts: "Heavenly Father loves me!"
Walk it a second time faster. On the third time, hop on each heart.
Repeat the Big Idea at the end: "When I make a wrong choice, I can say sorry. Heavenly Father will help me feel better."
Sorry Beanbag Toss
Set a basket or bucket in the middle of the room. Children stand in a circle around it.
One at a time, each child takes the beanbag and says one thing that might make someone feel sad or might be a wrong choice (hitting, not sharing, saying something mean). Then they toss the beanbag into the basket.
When it goes in, everyone cheers and says together: "Say sorry! Heavenly Father forgives!"
If the child cannot think of something, the teacher gives a gentle example. Keep it light and warm. This is not a confession exercise. It is practice naming that wrong choices happen and that something good follows.
True or False Wiggle
Teacher says a sentence. If it is true, children jump up. If it is false, children sit down fast.
Sentences:
- Heavenly Father loves me. (True, jump up.)
- When I do something wrong, I can never be forgiven. (False, sit down.)
- I can talk to Heavenly Father anytime. (True, jump up.)
- Heavenly Father does not listen to little children. (False, sit down.)
- If I say sorry and mean it, Heavenly Father will help me feel better. (True, jump up and hold the heart pose.)
- Only kings can pray. (False, sit down.)
Repeat the Big Idea after.
My Clean Heart (take-home craft, not a class activity)
Each child gets a large heart shape cut from white paper and a red crayon.
At home with a parent, they draw or scribble inside the heart all the things they want to do right this week: be kind, share, help, pray. They color it bright red.
Teacher note: Send this home in the child's hand as the Take-Home Hug item if you like, with the instructions on the back for a parent to read.
Picture Time
Use Gospel Art Book image 112, "Young Boy Praying" (a child kneeling beside a bed in prayer), or the image "He Leadeth Me" available at churchofjesuschrist.org, showing Jesus walking with a child.
Hold the picture where all children can see it.
Ask:
- "What do you see in this picture?"
- "What do you think this person is saying to Heavenly Father?"
- "How do you think they feel?"
Say: "When we pray, Heavenly Father hears us. Every time. Just like He heard King David."
Song and Actions
Sing "A Child's Prayer" (Children's Songbook, 12-13), first verse only.
Heavenly Father, are you really there?
And do you hear and answer every child's prayer?
Some say that heaven is far away,
But I feel it close around me as I pray.
Actions:
- "Heavenly Father" - point up
- "are you really there" - open hands wide with a wondering look
- "hear and answer" - cup hand to ear, then nod
- "every child's prayer" - spread arms to include everyone in the room
- "heaven is far away" - stretch arms wide and far
- "feel it close around me" - hug yourself
- "as I pray" - fold arms
Sing it twice. The second time, slow down on "feel it close around me" and really let them hug themselves.
Jesus Loves Me Moment
Sit together quietly for a moment. Hold the heart.
Say: "I want to tell you something true. Heavenly Father loves you. Even when you make a mistake. Even when your heart feels twisty. He is good and He is ready to forgive. And Jesus helps us come back to Heavenly Father when we have done something wrong. That is what the Psalms teach us."
Invite children to finish this sentence (call on two or three): "I know Heavenly Father loves me because..."
Share your own simple testimony: "I know Heavenly Father hears my prayers. When I have felt bad inside and I have said sorry, He has helped me feel better. That is real. I know it is true."
Take-Home Hug
"This week, if you do something wrong and your heart feels twisty, remember what to do. Say sorry to Heavenly Father in a prayer. And then know that He heard you, and He loves you, and He is ready to forgive."
If you made the clean heart craft, hand it to them now. Say: "Show this to your family and tell them: Heavenly Father is good and ready to forgive."
Teacher Survival Tips
If a child starts confessing something serious or gets upset talking about wrong choices, gently say: "Heavenly Father already knows, and He already loves you. We can talk to Him." Do not let the lesson become heavy. Keep the emotional temperature warm and safe.
If the children are very wiggly and cannot settle for the story, shorten the story to just three sentences and go straight to the Follow-the-Heart Path. Tell the rest of the story as you walk the path together.
If you are running short on time, cut Picture Time and go directly from the Big Idea to the wiggle activity, then straight to Jesus Loves Me Moment. The Take-Home Hug should never be cut - it is the one thing they carry out the door.
