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Brave in Babylon

Daniel and his three friends lived far from home in a king’s palace, and they kept choosing God even when it was scary. This week your kids learn that Jesus will help them do what is right when it’s hard, that Heavenly Father wants them to care for their bodies and pray often, and that His Church is like a small stone that grows to fill the whole earth.

  • Week 46
  • 📅 Nov 9–15, 2026
  • 📖 Daniel 1–7
Start with Monday
Read it togetherDaniel 1–7 in Gospel LibraryCome, Follow Me manualOld Testament 2026, week 46

What your kids learn in class

Stories, verses and games for the week come from each child’s own Primary or youth lesson, so home matches Sunday.

Daily sparks

Five to ten minutes a day, Monday to Sunday, with everyday things you already have. Grown-ups lead; kids act, play and answer. Where a step says to tap something, that’s in the Gospel Sparks app; on the web, use the “Play along” links.

Monday · 10 min · Story

The Three Who Would Not Bow

🔥 Sit up tall! Don’t bow to the gold statue!Drum when the music plays.Friends sit up tall!Sniff test: no smoke!

✅ Nothing to prep. Just start!

⏱ Only 10 minutes?

💡 God was with Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego in the fire, and He’s with us in hard times.

  1. Read Daniel 3:24–25 together.
  2. Ask: “Who was the fourth person in the fire?”
  3. SAY“God was with them in the fire. He’s with us in hard times too.”

😄 Stand-tall challenge! Everyone bows low, then pops up tall when a grown-up says “Choose God!”

📖 Read together: Daniel 3 ↗

  1. Sit in a circle on the floor and tap Story.
  2. Pick three kids or stuffed animals to be the three friends. Everyone else is the king’s crowd.
  3. When the music plays in the story, drum on your knees. The crowd bows. The three friends sit up tall.
  4. At the fire scene, wiggle your fingers like flames. Then gasp at the fourth person in the fire!
  5. At the end, everyone sniffs the three friends. No smoke! Read Daniel 3:27 together.
  6. SAY“They didn’t know if God would save them. They chose Him anyway. That’s real courage.”

🎭 Play along: the story scenes (from the Valiant 7–8 lesson; pick your kid’s class above for theirs)

Talk about it
  • Why wouldn’t the three friends bow down?
  • When is it hard for you to choose the right?
🧸 Little ones (2–5)Let your little one be the royal band. They drum on their knees every time the music plays.
📚 Big kids (10–13)Have your older kid read Daniel 3:16–18 out loud. It’s the three friends’ brave answer to the king.
🧑 Teens (14–18)While a younger kid reads the friends’ answer, have your teen read Daniel 3:24–28. What changed in the king, and why? Then talk about “But if not.” Is it harder to believe God will rescue you, or to stay true if He doesn’t?
☕️ For grown-upsShadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego didn’t know how the story would end when they said “But if not” (Daniel 3:18). Their faith rested on God, not on how things turned out. Is any part of your faith waiting on a specific answer? Could you let it rest on Him instead?

Sticker for today: 🔥

Tuesday · 8 min · Scripture detective

But-If-Not Detectives

🔍 Find the three bravest words in the story!Hunt for three tiny words.Count every “deliver.”Say it without peeking!

✅ Nothing to prep. Just start!

⏱ Only 10 minutes?

💡 We can choose God even when we don’t know how things will turn out.

  1. Read Daniel 3:17–18 together.
  2. Point out the words But if not in verse 18.
  3. Ask: “When might you need to be brave like that?”

😄 Brave echo! A grown-up whispers But if not, and everyone echoes it a little louder each time.

📖 Read together: Daniel 3:16–18 ↗

  1. Tap Key Verse and read Daniel 3:17–18 together.
  2. SAY“Detectives, three tiny words in verse 18 are the bravest words in the story. Find them!”
  3. Give everyone a minute to hunt. The answer is “But if not.”
  4. Next clue: how many times do the friends say “deliver”? The answer is two.
  5. SAY“But if not means even if God doesn’t save us, we’ll still choose Him.”
  6. Say the verse together until someone can say it without peeking.

📖 Play along: the key verse (from the Valiant 7–8 lesson; pick your kid’s class above for theirs)

Talk about it
  • What does “but if not” mean?
  • When might you need to be brave like that?
🧸 Little ones (2–5)Read slowly and let your little one clap every time they hear “O king.”
📚 Big kids (10–13)Give your older kid a harder case. Find the word in verse 18 that means statue. It’s image.
🧑 Teens (14–18)Ask your teen to say “But if not” in their own words. Where might they need that kind of faith this year, even if things don’t work out? Then let them lead the younger detectives.
☕️ For grown-upsAdults face golden images too, just quieter ones: status, money, approval at work. Kids learn more from watching us turn those down than from our lectures. What’s one way you could stand tall this week where your kids can see it?

Sticker for today: 🔍

Wednesday · 8 min · Dinner table

Daniel’s Dinner Challenge

🥕 Dinner challenge: eat like Daniel!Guess the food.Everyday or sometimes?Pick a healthy food!

✅ Nothing to prep. Just start!

⏱ Only 10 minutes?

💡 Daniel took care of his body, and Heavenly Father blessed him.

  1. Read Daniel 1:12 and 1:15 together.
  2. SAY“Daniel asked for vegetables and water. After ten days, he looked healthier than everyone!”
  3. Ask: “What’s one way you can take care of your body?”

😄 Veggie race! Name as many vegetables as you can before a grown-up counts to ten.

📖 Read together: Daniel 1:8–20 ↗

  1. At dinner, read Daniel 1:12 and 1:15 together.
  2. SAY“Daniel asked for vegetables and water instead of the king’s rich food. After ten days, he looked healthier than everyone!”
  3. Play Food Clues. Describe something on the table and let the kids guess it.
  4. For each food, ask: “Is this an everyday food or a sometimes food?”
  5. SAY“Heavenly Father gave us the Word of Wisdom. It helps us take care of our bodies.”
  6. Each kid picks one healthy food to eat more of this week.
Talk about it
  • What blessings did Daniel and his friends get?
  • What’s one way you can take care of your body?
🧸 Little ones (2–5)Help your little one give a food clue too, like “It’s green and crunchy.”
📚 Big kids (10–13)Have your older kid compare Daniel 1:17 and 1:20 with Doctrine and Covenants 89:18–21. Which blessings match?
🧑 Teens (14–18)Ask your teen to read Daniel 1:8. Daniel “purposed in his heart” before the food was ever in front of him. Which standards have they already decided? Which are they still deciding under pressure?
☕️ For grown-upsDaniel asked politely, offered a ten-day test and worked with the man in charge of him (Daniel 1:11–14). Keeping standards doesn’t mean being harsh or preachy. How do you want your kids to see you keep your standards around other people?

Sticker for today: 🥕

Thursday · 8 min · Game

Mystery Picture Night

🦁 Roar when you guess the mystery picture!Answer a question.A tile disappears.Roar and guess!

✅ Nothing to prep. Just start!

⏱ Only 10 minutes?

💡 Daniel prayed three times a day, and we can pray anytime, anywhere.

  1. Read Daniel 6:10 together.
  2. Ask: “Where are places you can pray?”
  3. Let each person name one.

😄 Roar vote! Roar if you can pray in the car. Roar for the bathtub. Roar for a treehouse!

  1. Tap Mystery Picture. A picture from Daniel’s stories is hiding behind the tiles.
  2. To clear a tile, answer a quick question. Name a place you can pray, or a brave choice.
  3. Know the picture? Roar like a lion, then say your guess!
  4. Play until everyone has guessed at least one picture.

🧩 Play along: Mystery Picture with this week’s words (from the Valiant 7–8 lesson; pick your kid’s class above for theirs)

Talk about it
  • Which story from Daniel is your favorite?
  • Who was brave in Daniel’s stories, and how?
🧸 Little ones (2–5)Let your little one tap the tiles and roar with you at every guess.
📚 Big kids (10–13)Older kids earn a bonus if they can find the chapter in Daniel where the picture belongs.
🧑 Teens (14–18)Make your teen the game master. They pick each question and match every picture to a chapter of Daniel. Then read Daniel 7:13–14, where Daniel sees “one like the Son of man.” Ask who that is.
☕️ For grown-upsJesus often called Himself “the Son of man.” That title reaches back to Daniel 7:13–14, where one like the Son of man receives an everlasting kingdom. When He used it before the high priest, they knew exactly what He was claiming (Mark 14:61–64).

Sticker for today: 🦁

Friday · 8 min · Service

Rolling Stone Kindness

🪨 Grow the stone with every kind act!Make a tiny stone.Do a kind act.Add a layer. Watch it grow!

✋ Grab: foil or paper

⏱ Only 10 minutes?

💡 Jesus’s kingdom started small and will fill the whole earth, like the stone in the king’s dream.

  1. Read Daniel 2:34–35 together.
  2. SAY“A tiny stone grew and filled the whole earth. The Lord’s kingdom grows like that.”
  3. Ask: “What small kind act could you do today?”

😄 Rolling stone! Everyone curls into a tiny ball, then slowly grows as big as they can.

📖 Read together: Daniel 2:31–35, 44–45 ↗

  1. Read Daniel 2:34–35 together.
  2. SAY“In the king’s dream, a little stone rolled and grew until it filled the whole earth. Jesus’s kingdom is like that stone.”
  3. Scrunch a small piece of foil or paper into a tiny stone.
  4. Each person does one quick kind act right now. Set the table, share a toy or hug someone.
  5. After each kind act, wrap on another layer.
  6. Keep it going all weekend. How big can it get by Sunday?
Talk about it
  • How did the Church start small and grow?
  • What kind act will you do to grow our stone?
🧸 Little ones (2–5)Let your little one squish on each new layer, with lots of high fives.
📚 Big kids (10–13)Have your older kid read Daniel 2:44 and Doctrine and Covenants 65:2. How can they help the stone roll forward?
🧑 Teens (14–18)Ask your teen to read Daniel 2:44–45. The stone was cut out “without hands,” so no person made it. How do they help it roll forward? Let them add a layer for each real thing they do this weekend.
☕️ For grown-upsDaniel’s stone starts tiny and ends up filling the earth. The kingdom grows the same way in our homes: one family prayer, one kind act, one testimony at a time. It’s okay if your family’s part feels small. So did the stone.

Sticker for today: 🪨

Saturday · 7 min · Activity

Quiet Lions

🤫 Lions, hush! Daniel is praying.Roar and prowl!Daniel prays. Freeze!Beat the quiet record.

✅ Nothing to prep. Just start!

⏱ Only 10 minutes?

💡 God protected Daniel because he trusted Him and kept praying.

  1. Read Daniel 6:22 together.
  2. SAY“Daniel kept praying, even when it was dangerous. God sent an angel to shut the lions’ mouths.”
  3. Ask: “What can you think about during the sacrament tomorrow?”

😄 Quiet lions! Everyone roars, then freezes silent when a grown-up folds their arms. The last one quiet roars next.

📖 Read together: Daniel 6:10, 16–22 ↗

  1. Tell the story fast. Daniel kept praying, so he was thrown to the lions. God sent an angel to shut their mouths.
  2. The kids are hungry lions. Roar and prowl around the room!
  3. When a parent kneels to pray, the lions lie down fast. Mouths shut!
  4. Tap Timer. How long can the lions stay still and quiet? Try to beat it.
  5. SAY“Tomorrow during the sacrament, we can be quiet lions and think about Jesus.”
  6. Lay out Sunday clothes and shoes before bed.

⏱️ Big Timer (in the Gospel Sparks app)

Talk about it
  • Why did Daniel keep praying even when it was dangerous?
  • What can you think about during the sacrament?
🧸 Little ones (2–5)Let your little one be a lion cub who curls up in your lap when it’s quiet time.
📚 Big kids (10–13)Have your older kid run the timer. They can tap each lion on the nose to shut its mouth, like the angel.
🧑 Teens (14–18)Ask your teen to read Daniel 6:4–10. Daniel’s enemies could find no fault in him except his faith. He prayed “as he did aforetime.” Which of their habits would still stand if it suddenly cost something?
☕️ For grown-upsDaniel didn’t start praying three times a day when the law came. He simply didn’t stop (Daniel 6:10). Hard times show our habits more than they make them. What spiritual habit do you want in place before your next hard season?

Sticker for today: 🤫

Sunday · 7 min · Sabbath

Brave Choices, Thankful Hearts

🙏 Share your brave choice and say thank you!Tell what you learned in Primary.How big is our stone?Sing, share and pray.

✅ Nothing to prep. Just start!

⏱ Only 10 minutes?

💡 Heavenly Father hears our prayers, just like He heard Daniel’s.

  1. Read Daniel 6:10 together.
  2. Each person shares one brave choice from this week.
  3. Share a short testimony that Heavenly Father hears our prayers.

😄 High-five chain! Pass a high five around the family and name one thing you’re thankful for.

📖 Read together: Daniel 6:10 ↗

  1. Ask: “What did you learn in Primary today?”
  2. Check your stone from Friday. How big did it grow? Name the kind acts that made it.
  3. Sing “Dare to Do Right” together.
  4. Each person shares one brave choice from this week and one thing they’re thankful for.
  5. Share a short testimony that Heavenly Father hears our prayers. Then kneel by a window for family prayer.
Talk about it
  • What did you learn in Primary today?
  • What brave choice did you make this week?
🧸 Little ones (2–5)Help your little one fold their arms and say one thank-you in the family prayer.
📚 Big kids (10–13)Invite your older kid to offer the family prayer and share a time they felt Heavenly Father was with them.
🧑 Teens (14–18)Ask your teen what Babylon looks like for their generation. What pressures might adults not see? Really listen without fixing. Then invite them to share a time they felt Heavenly Father was with them.
☕️ For grown-upsDaniel and his friends were young when they were taken to Babylon, far from their parents (Daniel 1:3–4). The faith they carried there was faith they brought from home. Today, thank Heavenly Father for the faith your kids already have. Ask how to strengthen it while they’re still with you.

Sticker for today: 🙏

Family challenge

Brave Lion Tally

Every time someone makes a brave choice this week, they get to ROAR like a lion at dinner and tell the family about it. Telling the truth, walking away from a bad show, standing up for a friend and praying when it’s hard all count. Keep a running count out loud and celebrate your brave lions on Sunday!

Parent Corner

Daniel and his friends were taken from Judah as young men and trained to serve the most powerful empire of their day. Babylon gave them new names, new food, a new education and constant pressure to blend in (Daniel 1:4–7). What stands out is how they stayed faithful. The dramatic stands came, but they grew out of quiet habits decided in advance: Daniel “purposed in his heart” about the king’s food (Daniel 1:8), prayed three times a day, and kept close to friends who shared his faith. When the furnace and the lions came, those habits held. The book also lifts our eyes beyond Babylon: every earthly kingdom in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream falls, but a stone cut out without hands becomes a kingdom that will never be destroyed (Daniel 2:44). Our children are growing up in their own Babylon. Our work is less to wall them off from it than to help them become Daniels within it.

  • Ponder: What small daily habits are we building now that our kids will still have when they face their own furnace, and which of them are we actually modeling?
  • Try this: Try Daniel’s pattern for one week: three short, deliberate prayers a day at set times (morning, midday and night), even if the midday one is thirty seconds in the car. Notice how it changes your days.

From general conference

“The Church is that prophesied latter-day kingdom, not created by man but set up by the God of heaven and rolling forth as a stone “cut out of the mountain without hands” to fill the earth.”

— Elder D. Todd Christofferson, “Why the Church,” October 2015

Share on Friday before you start the foil stone, after reading Daniel 2:34–35, 44–45.

Read the talk ↗

Dinner-table questions

  • Would you rather eat beans for ten days or give up screens for ten days?
  • What’s a brave choice a kid your age might have to make?
  • Where are some places you can pray?
  • If you were one of Daniel’s friends, what would you say to the king?
  • How do you know Heavenly Father is with you?

Sources

Scripture quotations are from the King James Version, the Bible used by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

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