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Gulp! Jonah and the Great Fish

Jonah sails the wrong way, a storm roars, a great fish swallows him up, and he gets a second chance

  • 🛡️ CTR 4–6
  • Week 48
  • 📅 Sunday, November 29, 2026
🤔 Forehead Guess🏆 Showdown
💡 The big idea

The Lord helps me obey Him even when it’s hard, and He gives second chances to everyone who turns to Him.

I can listen to the Lord and His prophet, and when I make a mistake, I can turn around and try again.

Come, Follow Me manualOpen this week (Amos; Obadiah; Jonah)
Know the chapters

Amos, Obadiah and Jonah are three short books near the end of the Old Testament. Amos was a shepherd and fig farmer whom the Lord called to be a prophet. In Amos 3:7 he taught that the Lord “revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.” Heavenly Father tells His prophets what we need to know. In 8:11–12, Amos also warned of a time when people would be hungry for the Lord’s words and not find them. That famine ended when the gospel was restored through Joseph Smith. Today we have a living prophet again.

Jonah is one of the most exciting stories in the Bible. The Lord told Jonah to warn the people of Nineveh, a big city that was Israel’s enemy. Jonah sailed the opposite way instead. A great storm came. At Jonah’s own request, the sailors threw him into the sea, and the sea went calm. In 1:17, the Lord “had prepared a great fish” to swallow Jonah. The fish was a rescue, not a punishment. Jonah was inside it three days and three nights. There he prayed, and the Lord heard him. Then the fish put him out on dry land, in 2:1–2 and 2:10.

Then, in 3:1, “the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the second time.” This time Jonah went. The whole city, from the king down, turned from their wicked ways, and the Lord forgave them. Jonah got grumpy about that. So in chapter 4 the Lord used a shady plant and a hungry worm to teach him. The Lord loves all people, even the ones we think are bad guys. In Matthew 12:40, Jesus compared Jonah’s three days in the fish to the three days before His own Resurrection.

For 4- to 6-year-olds, keep the storm and the fish thrilling, not scary. The fish is the Lord’s rescue boat. You tell the story with pictures, and everyone joins in from their seats. The big lessons are simple. Listen to the Lord and His prophet. It’s never too late to turn around. And the Lord loves everyone. For children getting ready for baptism, connect it to the fresh start of baptism. The sacrament lets us start fresh every week.

Only have 5 minutes?

Read Jonah 1–3. Write “Nineveh” and “Ship” on two sheets of paper and tape them to opposite walls. Tell the story in Teach Mode while kids listen for the word “fish.” Say Jonah 3:1 with motions and play Which Way, Jonah? Close with Three Days, Then Out! Brought nothing? Tap “I brought nothing,” and your two arms become the two signs.

What to bring2 items

Tick what you have. Forgot something? Every step that needs a supply has a no-supplies version in the plan below.

Before class

  1. Write “Nineveh 🏙️” on one sheet and “Ship ⛵” on the other. Tape them on opposite walls where everyone can see.
  2. Read Jonah 1–3 so you can tell the story in your own words.

If your class is wild

  • The storm is loud on purpose. Teach a “Calm sea!” signal first. When you raise both hands, everyone goes silent and still.
  • Give your wiggliest kid the Storm Leader job. Now their energy starts the “Whoosh, whoosh!” for everyone.
  • When Jonah comes out of the fish, the whole class can say “Bleh!” It’s silly, it’s in the Bible, and they’ll remember it.
  • In Which Way, Jonah?, kids point from their seats. Nobody runs to the signs.
  • Seat each 4- or 5-year-old by a 6-year-old buddy. Little ones copy the motions, and big kids love to help.

The 25-minute plan25 min + bonus

Bonus steps are for when you have extra time. Steps that mention Teach Mode, the Sound Board or other class games refer to the Gospel Sparks app; on the web you can play Forehead Guess and Scripture Showdown from this page.

1. Hook

Who Lives in the Sea?

3 min

Guessing sea animals from their seats gets kids moving and curious.

  1. SAY“We’re going under the sea! Show me the animal when you know it.”
  2. Tap the waves on the Sound Board. Give clues: “Eight long arms!” “I walk sideways and pinch!” Last, in a big voice: “I swallowed a prophet… Gulp!”
  3. SAY“Let’s find out why the Lord sent a fish to swallow a prophet named Jonah!”
🔊 Sound Board (a class game in the Gospel Sparks app)

Class screen: 🐋 Who lives in the sea? · 🐙 Eight arms? · 🦀 Pinch, pinch? · 🐋 Gulp!

2. Story

Story: Jonah and the Great Fish

7 min

Jonah runs away, the Lord rescues him, and Jonah gets a second chance to obey.

  1. SAY“This is a true story from the Bible. Listen for the word ‘fish.’ Make fish lips each time you hear it!”
  2. Open the story in Teach Mode. Read each scene, and watch for fish lips. Big kids can read the caption first.
  3. After scene 4, ask, “Was the fish a punishment or a rescue?” A rescue!
  4. After scene 5, ask, “What did Jonah do inside the fish?” He prayed and said sorry.
🌪️ If the storm gets too loud, raise both hands: “Calm sea!” Everyone freezes silent, just like the real sea did.

Class screen: 🐋 Jonah and the Great Fish · 👂 Listen for “fish” · 🐟 Fish lips!

3. Wiggle break

Row, Row, Storm!

2 min

A quick burst of movement before the verse.

  1. SAY“Everyone stand up! Here are our moves.”
  2. Row means row a boat. Storm means wobble side to side. Swim means swim arms. Calm sea means freeze. Tap the waves and call moves, faster and faster.
  3. End with “Calm sea!” Hold the freeze for five seconds. Then float down into your seats.
🔊 Sound Board (a class game in the Gospel Sparks app)

Class screen: 🚣 Row! Storm! Swim! Calm sea!

4. Scripture

Key Verse: Jonah 3:1

3 min

Motions help every age remember that the Lord gives second chances.

  1. SAY“Here’s the best news in Jonah’s story.”
  2. Show the verse on your phone or tablet. Let a big kid read it slowly.
  3. Teach the motions. Say it together, then say it a second time. It’s a second-chance verse!
  4. SAY“The Lord didn’t give up on Jonah. When you’re baptized, you get a brand-new start. And the sacrament helps us start fresh every week.”

Class screen: ✌️ The word of the LORD came… the second time.

5. Game

Which Way, Jonah?

7 min

Kids practice choosing to obey and turning around when they don’t, the way Jonah did.

  1. SAY“The Lord wanted Jonah to go to Nineveh. But the ship went the wrong way. Point to where each choice goes!”
  2. Read a choice: “Mom says pick up your toys, and you hide.” Everyone points to the ship! Ask, “How can you turn around?” Let a child answer.
  3. Everyone turns and points at Nineveh with two fingers: “Second chance!”
  4. Try more. “You say your prayers” points to Nineveh. “You hit your brother” points to the ship, so turn around! Then try sharing and not listening.
  5. SAY“The Lord helps us obey. And when we go the wrong way, we can always turn around. He gives second chances to everyone.”
🌪️ Everyone points from their seat. Nobody runs to the signs.

Class screen: 🧭 Which way? Nineveh or the ship? · 🏙️ Obey! · ⛵ Wrong way… turn around! · ✌️ Second chance!

No supplies? Do this instead

Instead of: Two sheets of paper and a marker (for a “Nineveh 🏙️” sign and a “Ship ⛵” sign), plus tape

Which Way, Jonah? (Arm Signs)

  1. SAY“My right arm points to Nineveh. That’s where the Lord wanted Jonah to go. My left arm points to the ship, going the wrong way.”
  2. Hold both arms out. Read a choice: “Mom says pick up your toys, and you hide.” Everyone points to the ship! Ask, “How can you turn around?”
  3. Everyone turns and points at Nineveh with two fingers: “Second chance!” Try more: “You say your prayers.” “You hit your brother.” “You share.”
  4. SAY“The Lord helps us obey. And when we go the wrong way, we can always turn around. He gives second chances to everyone.”

Class screen: 🧭 Which way? Nineveh or the ship? · 🏙️ Obey! · ⛵ Wrong way… turn around! · ✌️ Second chance!

6. Testimony

Three Days, Then Out!

3 min

End quietly with Jesus, whose Resurrection Jonah’s three days pointed to.

  1. SAY“Let’s sit still, like a calm sea. Jonah was in the fish for three days. And then he came out.”
  2. SAY“Jesus said that was like Him. On the third day, He came out of the tomb, alive again! Because of Him, we all get second chances.”
  3. Share a short testimony that Jesus Christ loves everyone and never gives up on us. Then show the Turn Around and Try Again challenge.
  4. Ask a child to say the closing prayer. Little ones can repeat after you, a few words at a time.

Class screen: 🌅 Jesus never gives up on us.

7. Game

Forehead Guess: Jonah Edition

4 minBONUS

A quick Heads Up–style review of the story words.

  1. SAY“Let’s see what you remember! Give clues, but don’t say the word.”
  2. Tap Forehead Guess. The guesser holds your phone or tablet on their forehead. Everyone gives clues from their seats. Little ones can show a motion.
  3. Tilt down for “got it” and up to pass. Give each guesser about 30 seconds. Pair a little one with a big-kid buddy.
▶ Play Forehead Guess on the web

Class screen: 🤔 Forehead Guess! · Give clues, don’t say the word!

8. Game

Scripture Showdown

5 minBONUS

A fast team quiz reviews the lesson.

  1. SAY“It’s Team Fish versus Team Ship!”
  2. Split into two teams, mixing big and little kids. Tap Scripture Showdown.
  3. A big kid on each team reads the question out loud. The team whispers, then points to an answer.
  4. Tap the team that got it right to give them a point. Cheer for both teams.
▶ Play Scripture Showdown on the web

Class screen: 🏆 Scripture Showdown!

The story

Jonah and the Great Fish

Jonah 1–3 ↗

Optional helpers

  • Storm LeaderStarts the swaying “Whoosh, whoosh!” from their seat when the storm comes.
  • Sound HelperSits next to you and taps each scene’s sound on your phone or tablet.

Scenes

  1. 📣🏙️ The Lord sends Jonah to Nineveh

    The Lord gave the prophet Jonah a job. Go to the big city of Nineveh! Tell the people to stop doing wrong. But Jonah didn’t want to go. The people there were his enemies!

    🙌

  2. ⛵😴 Jonah sails the other way

    Jonah got on a ship going the opposite way, far, far away. He went down inside the ship and fell fast asleep.

    🙌

  3. 🌬️🌊 A big, big storm!

    But the Lord sent a great wind. Huge waves crashed over the ship! The sailors were scared. Jonah told them the storm came because he ran from the Lord. “Put me in the sea,” he said.

    🙌 Sway hard: “Whoosh, whoosh!”

  4. 💦🐋 Splash! GULP!

    At last the sailors put Jonah into the sea. SPLASH! The waves went still. Then the Lord sent a great fish, and it swallowed Jonah up! The fish was a rescue. Jonah was inside three days and three nights.

    🙌

  5. 🙏🐋 Jonah prays inside the fish

    Inside the dark fish, Jonah prayed. He told the Lord he was sorry, and he promised to obey. And the Lord heard him! The fish spit Jonah out onto the dry sand. Bleh!

    🙌 Open your arms wide: “Bleh!”

  6. ✌️🏙️ The word of the Lord comes again

    Then “the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the second time.” It was another chance! The Lord sent him to Nineveh again. And this time, Jonah went!

    🙌 Two fingers up: “Second chance!”

  7. 🙇💛 A second chance for everyone!

    The people of Nineveh listened. Even the king took off his royal robe and said sorry. They stopped doing wrong. And the Lord forgave them all. The Lord loves everyone!

    🙌

Key verse

Jonah 3:1 ↗
“And the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the second time”
In kid words: The Lord gave Jonah a second chance!
🙌 “And the word of the LORD” = point up · “came unto Jonah” = cup a hand behind your ear to listen · “the second time” = hold up two fingers and turn all the way around.

More verses

Jonah 1:17 ↗
“Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah”
In kid words: The Lord got a great big fish ready to swallow Jonah.
Jonah 2:2 ↗
“I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the LORD, and he heard me”
In kid words: When I was in trouble, I prayed to the Lord, and He heard me.
Jonah 2:10 ↗
“And the LORD spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land”
In kid words: The Lord told the fish to spit Jonah out on dry land. Bleh!
Amos 3:7 ↗
“he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets”
In kid words: Heavenly Father tells His prophets what we need to know.

Forehead Guess words16 words

  • 🧔 Jonah
  • 🐋 Big Fish
  • ⛵ Boat
  • ⛈️ Storm
  • 🌊 Waves
  • 🚣 Sailor
  • ⚓ Anchor
  • 😴 Sleep
  • 🌿 Seaweed
  • 👑 King
  • 🏙️ City
  • 🙏 Pray
  • 🏖️ Beach
  • 🐙 Octopus
  • 🪱 Worm
  • 📣 Prophet
Clues for each word
  • Jonah: The prophet who got swallowed by a fish
  • Big Fish: GULP! It swallowed Jonah
  • Boat: It floats on the water
  • Storm: Wind, rain and thunder!
  • Waves: Water that goes up and down in the sea
  • Sailor: Rows and works on a ship
  • Anchor: Heavy thing that keeps a ship still
  • Sleep: Jonah did this during the storm
  • Seaweed: Green and slimy, it wrapped Jonah’s head
  • King: The ruler of Nineveh said sorry
  • City: Lots of buildings and people, like Nineveh
  • Pray: Jonah did this inside the fish
  • Beach: Dry sand where the fish spit Jonah out
  • Octopus: A sea animal with eight arms
  • Worm: A wiggly crawler that ate Jonah’s shade plant
  • Prophet: Tells us messages from the Lord
▶ Play Forehead GuessFull screen, 60-second timer, works on any phone.

Scripture Showdown8 questions

  1. Where did the Lord ask Jonah to go?
    • A. The zoo 🦁
    • B. Nineveh 🏙️
    • C. The moon 🌙
    Show answer

    ✅ B. Nineveh 🏙️ The big city of Nineveh, to tell the people to stop doing wrong.

  2. What did Jonah do instead?
    • A. Sailed the other way ⛵
    • B. Went right away 🏃
    • C. Stayed in bed 🛏️
    Show answer

    ✅ A. Sailed the other way ⛵ He got on a ship going the opposite direction.

  3. What did the Lord send while Jonah was on the ship?
    • A. A rainbow 🌈
    • B. A pizza 🍕
    • C. A big storm ⛈️
    Show answer

    ✅ C. A big storm ⛈️ A great wind and crashing waves!

  4. What swallowed Jonah?
    • A. A great fish 🐋
    • B. A crocodile 🐊
    • C. A cloud ☁️
    Show answer

    ✅ A. A great fish 🐋 The Lord prepared a great fish to rescue him (Jonah 1:17).

  5. What did Jonah do inside the fish?
    • A. Played games 🎲
    • B. Prayed 🙏
    • C. Took a nap 😴
    Show answer

    ✅ B. Prayed 🙏 He prayed, and the Lord heard him (Jonah 2:2).

  6. Where did the fish spit Jonah out?
    • A. Into a tree 🌳
    • B. Back in the boat ⛵
    • C. On dry land 🏖️
    Show answer

    ✅ C. On dry land 🏖️ Bleh! Right onto the dry land (Jonah 2:10).

  7. What did the people of Nineveh do when Jonah warned them?
    • A. Laughed 😂
    • B. Said sorry and changed 🙇
    • C. Ran away 🏃
    Show answer

    ✅ B. Said sorry and changed 🙇 Even the king said sorry, and the Lord forgave them.

  8. Who tells us messages from the Lord today?
    • A. Our prophet 📣
    • B. A fish 🐟
    • C. A TV show 📺
    Show answer

    ✅ A. Our prophet 📣 The Lord tells His prophets what we need to know (Amos 3:7).

▶ Play Scripture ShowdownTeams take turns on one screen.

Songs

  • Quickly I’ll Obey Children’s Songbook, p. 197

    Jonah learned to obey the second time. We can obey the first time! Find it ↗

  • Follow the Prophet Children’s Songbook, p. 110

    Jonah was a prophet, and we follow our prophet today. Find it ↗

  • Jesus Said Love Everyone Children’s Songbook, p. 61

    The Lord loved the people of Nineveh too, even though they were Jonah’s enemies. Find it ↗

This week’s challenge

Turn Around and Try Again

This week, when you make a mistake, be like Jonah. Turn around, say sorry and try again. At church on Sunday, think about your fresh start while you take the sacrament.

Text the parents

Today in Primary we heard the story of Jonah and the great fish. Jonah ran away from the Lord, but the Lord sent a fish to rescue him. Jonah prayed. Then, in Jonah 3:1, “the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the second time.” We played Which Way, Jonah? and practiced turning around when we make a wrong choice. Ask your child, “What did Jonah do inside the fish?”

📝 After class

What worked? Who needs a check-in this week? Jot it here on a printed copy, or in the app’s private class notes.

Got extra time?

🌿 Jonah’s Shady Plant · 3 min

  1. Tell Jonah 4 in your own words. Jonah was grumpy that the Lord forgave Nineveh. The Lord grew a big, leafy plant to shade him. Then a worm ate it, and Jonah got even grumpier!
  2. Everyone grows their arms up like a leafy plant. Wiggle one finger like a hungry worm. Then flop the plant down. Show a grumpy Jonah face!
  3. SAY“The Lord taught Jonah that He loves ALL people. Who can we be kind to, even if they aren’t our friends yet?”

🍽️ Hungry for God’s Word · 3 min

  1. Read Amos 8:11. Everyone rubs their tummy and pretends to be very hungry.
  2. SAY“Amos said a time would come when people were hungry for God’s words. But they couldn’t find them. Then Heavenly Father gave us prophets and scriptures again!”
  3. Take turns sharing a favorite scripture story. After each one, everyone takes a big pretend bite: “Yum!”

🐟 Fish Cracker Countdown · 3 min

  1. Check for food allergies and your ward’s snack policy first. Then give each child three fish crackers.
  2. Eat one for each day Jonah was in the fish: “Day one… day two… day three… BLEH!”
  3. Ask, “What did Jonah do in the fish?” He prayed!

🤫 Prophet Whisper · 3 min

  1. Whisper a short message in one child’s ear, like “Say your prayers every day.” That child tells the whole class in a big voice.
  2. Show Amos 3:7 on your phone or tablet.
  3. SAY“The prophet Amos taught that the Lord tells His secrets to His prophets. Jonah was a prophet with a message for Nineveh.”
  4. SAY“We have a living prophet today. What has he asked us to do?”
  5. Try once more with a new messenger: “Be kind to everyone.”

Sources

Scripture quotations are from the King James Version, the Bible used by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Tap or click a reference to open it in Gospel Library. Start with the official Come, Follow Me manual; these ideas are here to help it come alive.

All CTR 4–6 lessons