Before You Teach
A prep snapshot before the full lesson flow.
The Lord asked the prophet Jonah to go to the city of Nineveh and tell the people to repent. Jonah ran the other way. The Lord kept helping him and gave him a second chance, and when Jonah obeyed, the whole city changed. The Lord helps us obey, even when it is hard, and He gives us another chance.
The Lord told Jonah to go to Nineveh. Jonah got on a ship going the other way, to a faraway place called Tarshish. A big storm came, and the ship rocked hard. Jonah told the sailors the storm came because he did not obey. The sailors put Jonah into the sea, and the sea went calm. A great fish swallowed Jonah. Inside the fish, Jonah prayed: "When my soul fainted within me I remembered the Lord" (Jonah 2:7). The fish put Jonah out on dry land. The Lord asked Jonah "the second time" (Jonah 3:1), and this time Jonah went. He told the people, "Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown" (Jonah 3:4). The people were sorry, they changed, and the Lord was kind to them (Jonah 3:10).
Little children make mistakes every day and sometimes worry that they are "bad." They should leave feeling that the Lord does not give up on them. Keep the story about obeying, praying, and trying again. The big fish is exciting, so let it be fun, but keep the attention on Jonah praying and the Lord helping him.
Full Lesson Flow
Use the sections below as a menu. Swap cards and activities to keep the class interactive.
Activity options
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Whisper a short message to one child: "Jesus loves you." Ask that child to whisper it to the next child, all the way around the circle. Ask the last child to say it out loud. Say: "You carried a message! A prophet is a messenger too. Heavenly Father tells the prophet a message, and the prophet tells us. Today we will meet a prophet named Jonah. Heavenly Father gave him a message to carry. Let's see what he did."
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Whisper a short message to one child: "Jesus loves you." Ask that child to whisper it to the next child, all the way around the circle. Ask the last child to say it out loud. Say: "You carried a message! A prophet is a messenger too. Heavenly Father tells the prophet a message, and the prophet tells us. Today we will meet a prophet named Jonah. Heavenly Father gave him a message to carry. Let's see what he did."
Stand in the middle of the room. Point one way and say, "Heavenly Father says go this way!" Then turn and tiptoe the other way with a silly face. Ask, "Did I obey?" Let children shout "No!" Say, "A prophet named Jonah did something like that. Let's find out what happened."
Have the children sit in a "boat" on the floor (a circle, or a blanket). They do every action with you.
1. The message. "Heavenly Father said, 'Jonah, go to the big city of Nineveh. Tell the people to stop doing bad things.'" Cup your hand to your ear. "Jonah heard. But Jonah did not want to go." Ask: "How do you think Jonah felt?"
2. Running away. "Jonah ran the other way!" Children run in place. "He got on a big ship going far, far away." Everyone climbs into the boat.
3. The storm. "Then the wind blew!" Children blow. "The waves went up and down!" Rock side to side, bigger and bigger. "The sailors were scared." Make scared faces. Jonah said, "I fear the Lord, the God of heaven, which hath made the sea and the dry land" (Jonah 1:9). "Jonah knew the storm came because he did not obey."
4. Into the sea. "Jonah said, 'Put me in the sea.' Splash!" Children wiggle fingers down like falling. "And the sea was calm." Everyone sits very still.
5. The great fish. "Then a great big fish came. GULP! It swallowed Jonah!" Children open arms wide and close them. "Jonah was inside the fish for three days. It was dark." Cover eyes. Ask: "What would you do if you were inside a big fish?"
6. Jonah prays. Fold arms and bow heads. "Jonah prayed. He remembered Heavenly Father." Read slowly:
When my soul fainted within me I remembered the Lord. (Jonah 2:7)
"Jonah said sorry. He promised to obey."
7. Dry land. "The Lord spoke to the fish, and the fish put Jonah out on dry land!" Everyone tumbles out of the boat onto the floor.
8. A second chance. Hold up two fingers. "The Lord asked Jonah again. The scriptures say it was 'the second time' (Jonah 3:1). This time Jonah said yes! He walked and walked to Nineveh." March in place. "He told the people to change. The people were sorry. They chose good. And the Lord was kind to them." Ask: "Was Heavenly Father happy when Jonah obeyed?"
Heavenly Father will help me obey, even when it is hard. If I make a wrong choice, I can try again.
Say it with actions: "Heavenly Father helps me" (hug yourself), "obey" (step forward), "try again" (hold up two fingers). Repeat after the story, after the game, and at the end: "Just like Jonah, I can pray, say sorry, and try again."
Activity options
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Materials: a paper sign that says "Nineveh" on one wall, a paper ship on the other wall.
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Materials: a paper sign that says "Nineveh" on one wall, a paper ship on the other wall.
Materials: none, or a hummed tune.
Materials: none.
Materials: paper plates, crayons, small paper Jonah figures.
Show "Jonah and the Whale" by Kevin Carden (shown with this week's lesson on churchofjesuschrist.org).
"Follow the Prophet" (Children's Songbook, 110–11). It has a verse about Jonah.
Hold up two fingers. "Heavenly Father gave Jonah a second chance. Jesus gives us second chances too." Invite each child to finish: "I can be like Jesus when I..." or "When I make a wrong choice, I can..." Help them with simple answers like "say sorry," "pray," or "try again." Close by saying the Big Idea together with the actions.
This week, when you make a wrong choice, say sorry and try again. Give your family a "second chance hug" with two arms.