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Heavenly Father Hears Me

A peekaboo baby, a daddy who said “Shhh!”, a baby who jumped for joy, and prayer arms

  • 🧸 Nursery
  • Week 1
  • 📅 Sunday, January 3, 2027
🤔 Forehead Guess🏆 Showdown
💡 The big idea

Heavenly Father hears me when I pray.

I can fold my arms and pray, and Heavenly Father hears me.

Study it yourself firstRead Matthew 1; Luke 1 in Gospel LibraryCome, Follow Me manualOpen this week (Matthew 1; Luke 1)
Know the chapters

Happy New Year, and welcome to the New Testament! Luke 1 tells about Zacharias and Elisabeth, who loved the Lord and prayed for a baby for many years. While Zacharias served in the temple, the angel Gabriel came and said, “Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard” (Luke 1:13). Because Zacharias doubted, he couldn’t speak until the baby came. The angel also visited Mary. When Mary visited Elisabeth, the baby “leaped” for joy (Luke 1:41), and when John was born, Zacharias could talk again and praised God. Matthew 1 tells how an angel came to Joseph in a dream.

For toddlers, the whole lesson is one feeling: Heavenly Father hears me. Toddlers know what it feels like to be heard: they call “Mama!” and someone comes. Cup your hand by your ear, smile and say “Heavenly Father hears me!” over and over, all day long, in the lesson and in play time.

Most 18-month-olds can’t fold their arms yet, and that’s fine. Hands in a lap, a quick fold or a grown-up’s gentle help all count; cheer for every try. Keep nursery prayers to one or two sentences said by a grown-up. The whole lesson is six minutes, and the play-time ideas below repeat the same idea so it sinks in without anyone sitting still.

Only have 5 minutes?

Grab a baby doll wrapped in a blanket and a picture of Jesus. Play peekaboo with the baby, swipe through the six-picture story on your phone or tablet, jump for joy like baby John, cup your ear while you say “Heavenly Father hears me!” and end with “I know Heavenly Father hears you.” For play time, pick three ideas below. Brought nothing? Tap “I brought nothing”: peekaboo with your own hands works, and your phone or tablet shows the pictures.

What to bring6 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. Wrap the doll in its blanket and keep it behind you until the hook.
  2. Open the Sound Board on your phone or tablet and find the magic and bells buttons. Turn the volume low.
  3. Sweep the floor with your eyes and hands for anything small. Quick test: if it fits through a toilet-paper tube, it’s a choking hazard and goes up high or away.
  4. Decide with the other adult who leads the lesson and who greets and comforts at the door. There are always two adults in nursery. Write the children’s names on a list by the door so you can both greet each child by name.
  5. Practice cupping your hand behind your ear, smiling and saying “Heavenly Father hears me!” That’s the whole key phrase.

If your class is wild

  • New children and move-up weeks bring tears. Let the other adult hold the crying child near the fun and say softly, “Mommy will come back. You’re safe here.” A quick, happy goodbye is easier than sneaking a parent out. Handing a sad child the baby doll to hold often helps.
  • When the room gets loud, don’t raise your voice: whisper. Put a finger on your lips and say, “Shhh, like Zacharias!” Toddlers stop to hear a whisper.
  • Nobody has to fold arms or sit. Fold your own arms slowly and cheer when anyone copies: “You folded your arms! Heavenly Father hears you!”
  • Follow your ward’s policy for diapers and potty trips, and never leave one adult alone with the class or go off alone with one child.

The 25-minute plan6 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

Peekaboo Baby

1 min

A peekaboo baby pulls scattered toddlers close and starts the story of a family who prayed for a baby.

  1. Sit on the floor with the blanket bundle in your lap. Whisper: “Shhh… something’s in my blanket!”
  2. Lift one corner: “Peekaboo!” Cover it again. Peek again. Little ones will come to see.
  3. Open the blanket: “A baby!” Rock the baby. Say: “Zacharias and Elisabeth wanted a baby so much.”
  4. Fold your arms. Say: “So they prayed and prayed. Did Heavenly Father hear them? Yes!” Cup your ear and smile.
🌪️ If a child grabs the baby, let them hold it while you both rock it together. Now they’re your helper.

Class screen: 👶 Peekaboo! A baby!

No supplies? Do this instead

Instead of: A baby doll wrapped in a small blanket (or a blanket rolled into a bundle)

Peekaboo, I Hear You

  1. Sit on the floor. Cover your eyes: “Where’s Ella?” Uncover: “Peekaboo!” Do it with a few children.
  2. Whisper, “Hi, Sam.” When he looks up, cup your ear and smile: “You heard me!”
  3. Rock your empty arms like holding a baby. Say: “Zacharias and Elisabeth wanted a baby so much, so they prayed.”
  4. Fold your arms. Say: “Did Heavenly Father hear them? Yes!” Cup your ear and smile.

Class screen: 👂 Peekaboo! I hear you!

2. Story

Picture Story: The Prayer Heavenly Father Heard

2 min

Six pictures with one sentence and one action each let toddlers fold, whisper, jump and rock their way through Luke 1.

  1. Hold your phone or tablet up at their eye level. Everyone is a Prayer Folder, a Shhh Friend and a Baby John Jumper.
  2. Read the one sentence, then do the action big so they can copy you. Don’t wait for everyone to join; the joiners will come.
  3. After the angel picture, cup your ear on every picture and say, “Heavenly Father hears!”
  4. If attention is gone before the end, jump to the last picture: “Heavenly Father hears you too!”
🌪️ The “Shhh!” picture is magic for a loud room. If they love it, stay there and whisper-wave for a few extra seconds.

Class screen: 🙏 Fold, shhh, jump story!

3. Wiggle break

Jump for Joy

1 min

Toddlers need to move after two minutes of anything, and jumping like baby John is pure joy.

  1. SAY“Stand up! Let’s be baby John!”
  2. Crouch down small, small, small… then jump for joy: “Hooray!” Do it again, slow and then fast.
  3. SAY“Shhh! Tiptoe like Zacharias!” Tiptoe with a finger on your lips.
  4. Fold your arms and sit down together: “Heavenly Father hears me!”

Class screen: 🦘 Crouch! Jump! Hooray! · ⬇️ Crouch · 🦘 Jump · 🤫 Tiptoe · 🙏 Fold

4. Scripture

Our Little Verse: Luke 1:13

1 min

Four words and one motion, said many times, is how a toddler carries a scripture home.

  1. Hold up your scriptures. Say: “This is the Bible. It tells about Jesus.”
  2. Read slowly: “thy prayer is heard.” Say: “That means Heavenly Father hears me!”
  3. Cup your ear and say it together: “Heavenly Father hears me!” Say it three times: a tiny whisper, a regular voice, a happy voice.
  4. Kneel by each child, cup your ear and say, “Heavenly Father hears Ella.”

Class screen: 👂 Heavenly Father hears me! · 👂 Cup your ear!

5. Testimony

Heavenly Father Hears You

1 min

A quiet moment and a tiny prayer help each child feel that Heavenly Father listens to them.

  1. Lower your voice to a whisper. Hold up the picture of Jesus. Say: “This is Jesus. He taught us to pray to Heavenly Father.”
  2. Let each child look closely, point or gently pat the picture.
  3. SAY“I know Heavenly Father hears you when you pray. I know Jesus loves you.”
  4. Fold arms together while a grown-up says a short prayer: “Thank you for each of our friends.”

Class screen: 🙏 Heavenly Father hears you!

No supplies? Do this instead

Instead of: A picture of Jesus Christ (from your meetinghouse library, a Friend magazine, or home)

  1. Lower your voice to a whisper. Put your hand on your heart and say: “Let’s think about Heavenly Father.”
  2. Whisper each child’s name as you touch their hand or wave to them.
  3. SAY“I know Heavenly Father hears you when you pray. I know Jesus loves you.”
  4. Fold arms together while a grown-up says a short prayer: “Thank you for each of our friends.”
6. Song

Sing: A Child’s Prayer

2 minBONUS

If they’re still with you, a slow song with folded arms is a calm, happy way to finish.

  1. Fold your arms. Say: “Let’s sing about praying.”
  2. Sing “A Child’s Prayer” (Children’s Songbook, 12) slowly, or hum it if you don’t know the words.
  3. At the end, cup your ear and whisper: “Heavenly Father hears me.”

Class screen: 🎵 Sing with prayer arms

Story drama

The Prayer Heavenly Father Heard

Luke 1:5–64 ↗

Parts to hand out

  • Prayer FoldersEveryone! Fold arms (or hands in lap) and bow heads.
  • Shhh FriendsEveryone! Finger on lips: “Shhh!”
  • Baby John JumpersEveryone! Crouch down small, then jump for joy.

Scenes

  1. 🙏 Zacharias and Elisabeth pray for a baby.

    Zacharias and Elisabeth prayed for a baby, again and again.

    🎬 Everyone folds arms. Grown-ups fold arms slowly so little ones can copy.

  2. 👼 An angel says, “Your prayer is heard!”

    An angel came to Zacharias at the temple and told him Heavenly Father heard his prayer.

    🎬 Cup a hand behind your ear and smile: “Heavenly Father hears!”

  3. 🤫 Shhh! Zacharias can’t talk!

    Zacharias couldn’t talk, not one word, until the baby came.

    🎬 Finger on your lips: “Shhh!” Then wave hello with no words.

  4. 🦘 Baby John jumps for joy!

    Mary came to visit, and baby John was so happy he jumped for joy!

    🎬 Crouch down small… and jump! Hold hands with little ones who can’t jump yet and bounce together.

  5. 👶 Baby John is born! Thank you!

    Baby John was born, and Zacharias could talk again, and he thanked God.

    🎬 Rock your arms like holding a baby. Then say: “Thank you, Heavenly Father!”

  6. ❤️ Heavenly Father hears you too!

    When you pray, Heavenly Father hears you, and you, and you!

    🎬 Point gently to each child and say their name: “Heavenly Father hears Ella!” Cup your ear and smile.

Key verse

Luke 1:13 ↗
“thy prayer is heard”
In kid words: Heavenly Father hears me!
🙌 Cup a hand behind your ear and smile big while you say it.

More verses

Luke 1:41 ↗
“the babe leaped”
In kid words: Baby John jumped for joy!
Luke 1:37 ↗
“For with God nothing shall be impossible.”
In kid words: Heavenly Father can do anything!
Luke 1:31 ↗
“call his name JESUS”
In kid words: The angel told Mary her baby would be named Jesus.

Forehead Guess words8 words

  • 👶 Baby
  • 👼 Angel
  • 👂 Ear
  • 👵 Grandma
  • 👴 Grandpa
  • 🦘 Kangaroo
  • ❤️ Heart
  • 👨‍👩‍👧 Family
Clues for each word
  • Baby: Peekaboo! Baby John was born.
  • Angel: Brought happy news to Zacharias
  • Ear: Cup it! Heavenly Father hears me.
  • Grandma: Elisabeth was old like a grandma
  • Grandpa: Zacharias was old like a grandpa
  • Kangaroo: Jump for joy like baby John!
  • Heart: Heavenly Father loves you
  • Family: We pray together
▶ Play Forehead GuessFull screen, 60-second timer, works on any phone.

Scripture Showdown5 questions

  1. Who hears my prayers?
    • A. ❤️ Heavenly Father
    • B. 🐸 Frog
    Show answer

    ✅ A. ❤️ Heavenly Father Cup your ear: Heavenly Father hears me!

  2. Which one helps us hear?
    • A. 🦶 Foot
    • B. 👂 Ear
    Show answer

    ✅ B. 👂 Ear Ears hear! And Heavenly Father hears our prayers.

  3. How do we get ready to pray?
    • A. 🙏 Fold arms
    • B. 🤸 Cartwheel
    Show answer

    ✅ A. 🙏 Fold arms Fold your arms and bow your head.

  4. What did baby John do?
    • A. 😴 Sleep
    • B. 🦘 Jump for joy
    Show answer

    ✅ B. 🦘 Jump for joy Crouch down… jump! Baby John was so happy.

  5. Who came to Zacharias?
    • A. 👼 An angel
    • B. 🦒 A giraffe
    Show answer

    ✅ A. 👼 An angel An angel told Zacharias his prayer was heard.

▶ Play Scripture ShowdownTeams take turns on one screen.

Songs

  • A Child’s Prayer Children’s Songbook, p. 12

    Zacharias and Elisabeth prayed, and Heavenly Father heard. Sing it with prayer arms after the lesson. Find it ↗

  • We Bow Our Heads Children’s Songbook, p. 25

    Short and gentle; hum it during Whisper Rest or before the closing prayer. Find it ↗

  • Popcorn Popping Children’s Songbook, p. 242

    Crouch down and pop up to jump for joy like baby John. Find it ↗

  • Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes Children’s Songbook, p. 275

    Stop on “ears” and say, “Heavenly Father hears me!” Find it ↗

This week’s challenge

Prayer Ears at Home

At bedtime this week, fold arms together and say a tiny prayer. Then cup your ear and say, “Heavenly Father hears me!”

Text the parents

Today in nursery we learned that Heavenly Father hears our prayers. Zacharias and Elisabeth prayed for a baby, and an angel said, “Thy prayer is heard” (Luke 1:13). We whispered “Shhh!” like Zacharias, jumped for joy like baby John and cupped our ears while we said, “Heavenly Father hears me!” Try it at home: fold arms for a tiny bedtime prayer, then cup your ear and see if your child copies you.

📝 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.

Nursery play time

The lesson is short on purpose. Fill the rest of nursery with these: pick what fits your little ones today.

🧸 Thank-You Play Time · 10 min

  1. Set out the nursery’s blocks, trucks, dolls and stuffed animals, and let children play however they like. Sit on the floor and play along.
  2. When a child shows you a toy, name it happily: “A truck! Thank you, Heavenly Father, for trucks!”
  3. Every few minutes, say: “Let’s say a tiny thank-you!” Fold arms for one sentence: “Thank you for our toys.” Then cup your ear: “Heavenly Father hears us!”
  4. Keep it quick and happy. Anyone who keeps playing is still hearing you.

🎵 Jump for Joy Songs · 5 min

  1. Stand up and sing “Popcorn Popping” (Children’s Songbook, 242). Crouch down and pop up like baby John jumping for joy.
  2. Sing “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes” (Children’s Songbook, 275). Every time you touch your ears, say: “Heavenly Father hears me!”
  3. Tap Freeze Dance on your phone or tablet. When the music stops, everyone folds their arms.
  4. Don’t know a tune? Play it once in the Gospel Library app, or just chant “Jump, jump, hooray!” while you bounce.

🥁 Loud and Quiet Band · 6 min

  1. Turn plastic bowls or pots upside down on the floor and hand out wooden spoons. Say: “Let’s make music!” Bang, bang, bang!
  2. SAY“Shhh! Zacharias can’t talk!” Put the spoons down and whisper. Then: “Baby John is born! Loud again!”
  3. Play loud, then quiet, again and again. Say: “Heavenly Father hears loud prayers and whisper prayers too!”
  4. Safety: plastic bowls and wooden spoons only, no lids that pinch. An adult watches so spoons stay on the drums and away from faces.
  5. No bowls or spoons? Pat hands on the floor: loud pats, then tiny whisper pats.

🍎 Crunch-and-Listen Snack · 10 min

  1. Today is fast Sunday: check allergies, your ward’s snack policy and each parent’s wishes first. Wipe every child’s hands, and yours, before snack.
  2. Everyone sits to eat, with an adult watching. Skip choking foods for this age: no popcorn, nuts, whole grapes, hard candy or chunks of raw carrot.
  3. Practice prayer arms together. A grown-up says a short blessing: “Thank you for our snack.” Then cup your ear: “Heavenly Father heard us!”
  4. Play a listening game while they munch: “What do you hear? Crunch, crunch!” Say: “Ears help us hear, and Heavenly Father hears us when we pray.”
  5. No snack today? Have a pretend picnic: pretend to munch and crunch, and say thank you to Heavenly Father.

🖍️ Prayer Hands Picture · 8 min

  1. Tape a big sheet of paper to the table or floor. If a child will hold still for a few seconds, trace around their hand with a crayon. If not, skip it; scribbles are perfect.
  2. Give each child one chunky washable crayon to color their hand or scribble all around it.
  3. Write each child’s name and “Heavenly Father hears me” on the paper. Hang it by the door for parents to see.
  4. Safety: chunky crayons only. Skip stickers, glitter, pom-poms and marker caps (small parts). Count the crayons back into the box.
  5. No paper or crayons? Open Draw & Guess on your phone or tablet and trace each child’s hand shape with your finger while they watch.

👶 Where’s Baby John? · 4 min

  1. Hide the baby doll under the blanket with its feet peeking out. Ask: “Where’s baby John?”
  2. Let a child pull off the blanket: “There he is!” Bounce the doll: “Baby John jumps for joy!”
  3. Take turns hiding the baby. Children may hide their own faces under the light blanket for peekaboo too; pull it off quickly and never wrap anyone.
  4. No doll or blanket? Hide your face behind your hands: “Where did I go? Peekaboo!”

🖼️ Picture and Listening Walk · 5 min

  1. Sit on the floor with a child or two in your lap. Swipe back through today’s story pictures on your phone or tablet and point: “Where’s the angel? Where’s the baby?”
  2. Tap a sound on the Sound Board, like bells or rain. Cup your ear: “What do you hear?”
  3. Walk together to the window or the door, holding hands. Stop and listen: “Do you hear a car? A bird? Your friend?”
  4. Finish at the picture of Jesus. Cup your ear and whisper: “Heavenly Father hears me.”
  5. Stay in the nursery room with both adults. If a child drifts off, let them go.

😴 Whisper Rest · 4 min

  1. Spread out the blanket. Children may lie down, sit or climb into a lap. Nobody has to.
  2. Whisper: “Shhh, like Zacharias.” Hum “We Bow Our Heads” (Children’s Songbook, 25) very softly.
  3. Whisper each child’s name: “Heavenly Father hears you, Ella.” Heavenly Father hears whisper prayers too.
  4. Upset child? Hold them, rock side to side and walk to the window together. Calm comes before learning.

👋 Thank-You Goodbye · 5 min

  1. Five minutes before the end, tap bells on the Sound Board: “Toys go home!” Put the toys in their bins together.
  2. Sit together one more time. Fold arms while a grown-up says a short closing prayer. Then cup your ears: “Heavenly Father hears me!”
  3. Hand each child only to their own parent or guardian, as your ward’s policy says. Say: “Ask for prayer ears at bedtime!”
  4. Share today’s family note from the app with parents, and tell them one happy moment about their child.
  5. Kids still waiting? Keep them busy with Where’s Baby John? or a picture book. Both adults stay until every child is picked up.

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.

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