Happy Opening
Hold up a small box with a bow or cup your hands together like you are holding a secret.
Say: "I have a secret. Do you want to know it? A very, very long time ago - longer than your grandma has been alive, longer than her grandma, even longer than that - a man named Isaiah already knew that Jesus was coming to earth. How did he know? Heavenly Father told him! That is our big secret today."
Let children respond. Give them a moment to be surprised.
Option B: Hold up a small paper star. "This star is for Jesus. Did you know someone knew Jesus was coming before Jesus was even born? His name was Isaiah. Heavenly Father showed him! Let us find out how."
Simple Scripture Story
Tell this story with big eyes, slow wonder, and simple actions children can copy along the way.
Props: one red piece of paper, one white piece of paper, one small paper heart
"Long, long ago - longer than anyone here can count - there was a man named Isaiah. Isaiah loved Heavenly Father very much and listened very carefully to Him."
"One day something amazing happened. Isaiah had a vision. That means he saw something beautiful with his heart and his mind. Let us try. Close your eyes for just one second and think of the most glowing, wonderful, beautiful thing you can imagine. Now open them."
"That is a little bit like what Isaiah saw. He saw Heavenly Father! All around the throne there were beautiful glowing beings called seraphim. They had wings. They sang together."
Invite children to say it softly with you: "Holy, holy, holy."
"Isaiah felt afraid. He said, 'I am not clean enough to be here.' But then one of the glowing beings came close. He touched Isaiah's lips with a coal from the altar and said, 'You are clean.' "
Touch your own lips. Children touch their lips too.
"Then Isaiah heard a voice. Heavenly Father said: 'Who will go? Who will share my messages?' "
Pause. "What do you think Isaiah said? Let us think. Would you raise your hand?"
Let children raise their hands. Then say together loudly: "Here am I! Send me!"
"That is exactly what Isaiah said. He raised his hand and said yes to Heavenly Father."
"And so Isaiah became a prophet. Heavenly Father showed him a great secret. Someday, a very special baby would be born. This baby's name would mean God is with us. He would be called the Prince of Peace."
Hold up the paper heart. "That baby was Jesus."
Hold up the red paper. "Isaiah also told the people something else. He said that sometimes we make mistakes and our hearts feel heavy inside. Like this red paper."
Hold up the white paper. "But he said Heavenly Father can make us as clean and white as snow. Jesus helps us feel this way."
"Isaiah knew all of this before Jesus was even born. Heavenly Father told him because Heavenly Father loves us so much. And everything Isaiah said came true."
Big Idea
Say this slowly and have children repeat each line after you.
"Isaiah knew... Jesus was coming."
"Jesus loves us."
"Jesus helps us feel clean."
Repeat it twice. Say: "That is what we will remember today."
Wiggle and Learn Activities
Run card 1 in the 25-minute path. All four cards are available. Card 4 is take-home only.
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Follow Isaiah's Footsteps
Type: Movement game
Before class, cut 8 to 10 large paper footstep shapes and tape them in a winding path around the room. On each footstep, draw or write one simple image: a heart, a star, the word CLEAN, a smiling face, the words HERE I AM, a simple baby in a manger shape, or a sun.
Steps:
- Tell children they are going to walk the path Isaiah walked when he followed Heavenly Father.
- Children walk from footstep to footstep one at a time. At each stop, the teacher says one simple truth, such as: "Isaiah said yes." "Isaiah knew Jesus was coming." "Jesus loves us." "Jesus makes us clean." "We can say yes too."
- At the final footstep, everyone stops, raises both hands high, and says together: "Here am I! Send me!"
Say as they walk: "Every step Isaiah took, he was following Heavenly Father. We can follow Heavenly Father too."
Materials: Paper footsteps, tape. No other materials needed.
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Follow Isaiah's Footsteps
Type: Movement game
Before class, cut 8 to 10 large paper footstep shapes and tape them in a winding path around the room. On each footstep, draw or write one simple image: a heart, a star, the word CLEAN, a smiling face, the words HERE I AM, a simple baby in a manger shape, or a sun.
Steps:
- Tell children they are going to walk the path Isaiah walked when he followed Heavenly Father.
- Children walk from footstep to footstep one at a time. At each stop, the teacher says one simple truth, such as: "Isaiah said yes." "Isaiah knew Jesus was coming." "Jesus loves us." "Jesus makes us clean." "We can say yes too."
- At the final footstep, everyone stops, raises both hands high, and says together: "Here am I! Send me!"
Say as they walk: "Every step Isaiah took, he was following Heavenly Father. We can follow Heavenly Father too."
Materials: Paper footsteps, tape. No other materials needed.
Red Cloth, White Cloth
Type: Object lesson
Steps:
- Hold up a red piece of cloth or paper. "Isaiah told the people: sometimes we make mistakes and our hearts feel heavy. That is okay. Everyone makes mistakes."
- Hold up a white piece of cloth or paper. "Isaiah said Heavenly Father can make us clean again - as white as snow. Jesus helps us feel this clean."
- Let each child hold the white cloth or paper for a moment. Invite them to say softly: "Jesus loves me and makes me clean."
Say: "That is from Isaiah's words: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow. Isaiah 1:18."
Materials: One red cloth or paper, one white cloth or paper.
Prince of Peace Freeze Dance
Type: Music and movement
Steps:
- Sing or hum a simple Primary song together, such as "He Sent His Son" (Children's Songbook, 34).
- When the music stops, everyone freezes. The teacher whispers one of Isaiah's special names for Jesus: "Prince of Peace," or "Immanuel," or "God is with us."
- Children say the name back softly before the music starts again.
- Repeat three or four rounds.
Say: "Isaiah gave Jesus these beautiful names before Jesus was even born. Isaiah listened, and Heavenly Father showed him."
Materials: None needed, or a simple recording of a Primary song.
My Heart Says Here I Am (take-home craft)
Type: Craft - send home only, not run in class
Steps:
- Give each child a large pre-cut heart shape.
- Invite them to draw themselves inside the heart.
- Teacher writes on each heart: "I will follow Jesus."
Do not draw a cross on the heart. Use a path, a light, or the words "I will follow."
Materials: Pre-cut hearts, crayons.
Send home with the Take-Home Hug message. If class ends early, this can be a quiet final activity.
Picture Time
Picture: "Christ and the Children" (Gospel Art Book, 47). This painting shows Jesus with His arms open and little children gathered close to Him. It is age-true for children ages 3 to 7 and connects directly to the Big Idea that Jesus came to earth to love us.
Hold the picture so all children can see it.
Ask:
- "Who do you see in this picture?"
- "How do you think those children feel being close to Jesus?"
- "Isaiah knew this baby was coming. Do you think Jesus loves children? Do you think He loves you?"
Say: "Isaiah told people Jesus was coming. And Jesus came. And He loves every one of you just like those children in the picture."
Song and Actions
Song: "He Sent His Son" (Children's Songbook, 34)
This song connects directly to Isaiah's message: Heavenly Father loved us so much that He sent His Son to earth. Isaiah knew He was coming, and the song tells us why.
Simple actions:
"How could the Father tell the world of love and tenderness?" - spread both arms wide open
"He sent His Son, a newborn babe" - rock arms gently as if holding a baby
"with peace and holiness" - place both hands quietly on heart
"He sent His Son to walk with men" - walk in place
"on earth, that we may hear" - cup both hands behind ears
"He sent His Son to die for us" - hold both hands over heart with care
"and rise with living light" - raise both hands slowly upward
Sing it through twice. The second time, let children lead the actions.
Jesus Loves Me Moment
Gather children close together. Speak softly and slowly.
"Isaiah lived so, so long ago. But he already knew about Jesus. Why? Because Heavenly Father loves us so much. He wanted everyone to know that Jesus was coming."
Invite children to finish this sentence. Say each part slowly and give them time:
"I know Jesus loves me because..."
Let two or three children share. After each one, nod and say "Yes. That is true."
Then share your own quiet witness without a formula. Something like: "I know Jesus loves us. Isaiah said He would come, and He came. He loves you today, right now, just as much as He loved those children in our picture."
Take-Home Hug
This week, give someone at home a hug and tell them: "Jesus loves you." That is Isaiah's whole message made small enough for little hands to carry.
If the craft heart from Card 4 was made, send it home tucked in a pocket or small bag with a note to parents: "Ask your child to tell you about Isaiah and what he knew."
Teacher Survival Tips
- If children are restless during the story, pause and do a quick action reset: "Say holy, holy, holy with me" or "Raise your hand and say Here I am!" These pull them back in without losing the thread.
- If time runs short, go directly from the footsteps path to the Jesus Loves Me Moment and skip Cards 2 and 3. Those two pieces carry the full lesson on their own.
- The red and white object in Card 2 can be added as a 90-second moment right after the story if children are calm and curious - just hold up the papers, ask the two questions, and move on. It does not need to be its own full activity.
