Come Follow Me with a Toddler
1 Corinthians 8-13 (Aug 26- Sept 1)
So, 1 Corinthians 12:12-27 talks about an analogy of a body to discuss unity. Every body part is needed even though they're different, different roles, and different strengths. I love this analogy for unity and unity not meaning that we are supposed to be the same. We're not supposed to be the same, but we can still work together. Following the commandments and working together does not take away individuality. But for my 2 year old I don't know if he'll catch on. BUT if you have a Mr. Potato Head or some other toy with body parts that are easily removed and replaced, maybe you could show them how if you take away one body part it makes a difference. Maybe we can use a blindfold (without a toy) to show that without eyes it's hard. Or tie hands behind your back. So maybe I can find a way to show him that we're all different but we're all needed just like all our different body parts.
This next one I think we'll for sure do because my son loves to race. He isn't very competitive with it though. He usually gives my husband a head start and is usually just starting when my husband finishes... Anyways, 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 talks about running a race. The scriptures say that only one receives the price, so we should run that we may obtain. But the suggestion suggests offering a crown (reward) to everyone. I think I'm going to say we're going to race. Our goal is to do our best and cross the finish line. If they did their best and crossed then they win. People cross at different times, but if we do our best and continue towards the finish line we can win an eternal reward. (And sometimes our best involves a toddler getting distracted part way and having to be reminded to keep going).
Romans 1-6 (August 5-11)
One of the suggested family activities says to talk about baptism, either attend one or talk about yours or a family members. I'm not sure how much my son will understand but I think this is a great time to discuss baptism. Maybe show a picture of Jesus Christ being baptized and if I can find one from mine. Talk about how he can be baptized by going under the water with Daddy (or mention a male figure close to you who has the Priesthood) when he turns 8 to show he wants to follow Jesus Christ and be more like Him. Depending on his attention span that may be as far as it goes- we'll see.
In the Primary manual I think it suggests teaching the song "Faith". So I may sing that a few times at bedtime. Maybe we'll play hide and seek with an object and say we have faith something is there (behind a pillow) even if we can't see it.
Joseph Smith--Matthew 1; Matthew 25; Mark 12-13; Luke 21 (May 27-June 2)
1. Joseph Smith--Matthew 1:22, 37. The suggested activity asks you to think about what it means to treasure up the word of God? And asks How can we do this as a family? Well, we've been trying to incorporate gospel lessons with our toddler in accordance to Come Follow Me. We read scriptures when he's awake and close by, though we don't force him to sit still for it or even listen. BUT, we want to be better. So, in our bedtime routine, which already includes reading books, we're incorporating reading a chapter from a Book of Mormon reader we have. We did it last night for the first time and it did not go very well, but we did it and I'm hoping as we try to be consistent that it will get better and maybe he'll even sit or be quiet for half of it tonight. For any who are interested and don't have a physical one with pictures to read with your toddler, we're using a print version of the one in the Gospel Library app. The "videos" I've linked to before are the ones from the New Testament one. The books are also pretty cheap. I don't know if it's my favorite, but it's more complete than some others and is good with the amount of pictures to scripture. HERE'S a link to the one we have from Deseret Book for $4.30.
2. Then the parable of the 10 virgins. Matthew 25:1-13. I don't think we're going to bother with trying to explain symbolism but it's one I want my son to be familiar with. We can tell the story briefly with the picture in the Come Follow Me manual and then attach "drops" to objects that can strengthen our testimony that are around the house. We'll go on a scavenger hunt and fill a "lamp" or probably a play teapot is what we have. I don't know if he'll understand why certain things give us drops, but it'll still give me an idea of where to put them and help familiarize my son with the story so we can go into more detail next time around. Examples of items to put them on from the manual include: scriptures, church clothes or a picture of the temple. Or a picture of Jesus Christ, if you have a bank for tithing (not everyone does) or church magazines if you have some- whatever you have lying around that is gospel related.
Videos: Gospel Library app -> children -> New Testament Stories: Chapters 45-48. The Widow's Mite; The Second Coming; The Ten Virgins and The Talents.
Matthew 21-23; Mark 11; Luke 19-20; John 12 (May 20-26)
Scripture videos: Gospel Library app, Children, New Testament videos: Chapter 44
Luke 12-17; John 11 (May 6-12)
Idea 1: Three parables talk about things that are lost (Luke 15). One is a sheep that is lost and the shepherd leaves the 99 to find the one. Another is the widow who lost a coin and searched the whole house and the last is the prodigal son who is metaphorically lost (I don't know if I can get my son to grasp this last one yet). We are going to play hide and seek with finding the person (the lost sheep). And my son loves treasure, so it will be really easy to play losing the coin and searching the whole house for it. The second will be easier to incorporate the story. The first one I'll probably have to say that we're all sheep and then say one wanders off and gets lost. (Then say to my son, "Go hide and pretend to be lost so we have to come find you.) Then I can say that we miss the one and go looking for our lost sheep.
Idea 2: In Luke 17:11-19 it talks about the 10 lepers who were healed and only one said thank you. The suggestion mentions singing "Count Your Blessings" so we'll incorporate that in with our lullabies for the week, and work on saying thank you for things.
Idea 3: watch the following video about Lazarus. (also found on lds.org called "Lazarus is Raised from the Dead"
Other videos for the week: Gospel Library App, Children, New Testament Stories, Chapter 36 (kinda just an intro for the three parables so I'm probably skipping it.), The First Parable, The Second Parable, The Third Parable, 37 and 43.
Matthew 16-17, Mark 8-9, Luke 9 (April 1-14)
Matthew 16:19 (13-19) and 17:1-9. I really like the talk the manual refers you to but without pictures my kid probably won't sit through the first few paragraphs of it. But if you want to talk about priesthood keys, have your child help you unlock things and then say our Prophet has all the keys of heaven.
For me though i think I'm going to focus on "faith can move mountains" Matthew 17:20. we're going to make dirt mountains outside and take a spade and say, "this spade is like having faith in Jesus Christ. with faith we can move mountains" and then use the spade to move the "mountain". we might adapt and use mud but even if the dirt falls off the spade the fact still remains you can move the mountain.
gospel library app, children, new testament stories chapter 32, 33, and 34
Matthew 14-15; Mark 6-7; John 5-6 (March 25-31)
Anyways, this week we decided the easiest thing is going to be re-enacting Jesus walking on water with Peter going out to join him during bath time (yes another bath time). My son already knows this story from my Mom who printed out a scene of water and then Jesus and Peter that you can put on a popsicle stick. If you like the popsicle stick idea better, the figures my Mom used can be found HERE. (or here if that doesn't work: https://www.lds.org/study/friend/2015/07/new-testament-scripture-figures-jesus-walks-on-water?lang=eng) I don't know where she found her lake scene that she cut a line through to pop the figures through, but my son likes playing with just her Jesus and Peter popsicle sticks.
The feeding the thousands with loaves of bread I might do on a small scale, but I don't know if my toddler will grasp the miracle of it yet. But we may break up the bread and share it for a snack.
Videos for the week are in the Gospel Library under Children and then New Testament Stories. Chapter 28, Chapter 29, Chapter 30, and Chapter 31
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