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Follow the Star to Jesus

A peekaboo star, baa-ing sheep, a long twinkle-walk with the wise men, and a hug for Jesus

  • 🧸 Nursery
  • Week 2
  • 📅 Sunday, January 10, 2027
🤔 Forehead Guess🏆 Showdown
💡 The big idea

I can come to Jesus and love Him.

I can twinkle my fingers like the star and hug my heart because I love Jesus.

Study it yourself firstRead Matthew 2; Luke 2 in Gospel LibraryCome, Follow Me manualOpen this week (Matthew 2; Luke 2)
Know the chapters

Luke 2 tells how baby Jesus was born in Bethlehem and laid in a manger. An angel told shepherds the good news, and “they came with haste” to find Him (Luke 2:16). When Mary and Joseph took baby Jesus to the temple, old Simeon held Him and praised God, and Anna, an old prophetess, gave thanks too (Luke 2:25–38). Matthew 2 tells about wise men who said, “we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him” (Matthew 2:2). The star led them to young Jesus, and they knelt and gave Him gifts (Matthew 2:11). Luke 2:52 adds that Jesus grew up.

For toddlers, the whole lesson is one happy idea: everyone came to see Jesus, and I can come to Him and love Him too. Shepherds hurried, Simeon and Anna waited, and wise men followed a star a long, long way. Toddlers love to toddle and love to point at lights, so everyone twinkles and walks. Twinkle your fingers for the star again and again, then hug your heart and say “I love Jesus!” That’s the key phrase: the wise men knelt down and worshipped Him (Matthew 2:11), and toddlers can love Him too.

Keep King Herod out of nursery. The wise men probably came later, when Jesus was a young child in a house (Matthew 2:11); toddlers don’t need that detail, so the story simply says they found Jesus. Baby Jesus is always a picture or a doll, and nobody plays Jesus or Heavenly Father. The whole lesson is six minutes, and the play-time ideas below repeat the same idea for the rest of nursery.

Only have 5 minutes?

Cut a big star from yellow paper or a cereal box and grab a picture of Jesus. Pop the star out from behind your back for peekaboo, swipe through the six-picture story on your phone or tablet, twinkle-walk like the wise men, hug your heart while you say “I love Jesus!” and end with “I know Jesus loves you.” For play time, pick three ideas below. Brought nothing? Tap “I brought nothing”: your twinkling fingers are the star, and your phone or tablet shows the pictures.

What to bring7 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. Keep the star hidden behind your back or in your bag until the hook.
  2. Tape the picture of Jesus low on a wall, at toddler eye level, across the room. The star walk ends there.
  3. Open the Sound Board on your phone or tablet and find the magic and bells buttons. Turn the volume low.
  4. 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.
  5. Decide with the other adult who leads the lesson and who greets and comforts at the door. There are always two adults in nursery.
  6. Practice the heart hug (both hands crossed over your chest) and saying “I love Jesus!” That’s the whole key phrase.

If your class is wild

  • Tears at drop-off are normal, especially with new children in January. Let the other adult hold the crying child near the fun, and say softly, “Mommy will come back. You’re safe here.” Letting a sad child hold the star (with you) often dries tears fast.
  • Everyone will want the paper star. Hold it up high and let each child touch it once. If it rips, say “Now we have two stars!” and keep going.
  • Runners? Turn it into the story: “Hurry, hurry, like the shepherds!” Then tiptoe: “Shhh, we found baby Jesus.”
  • 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 Star

1 min

A star that pops out from behind your back pulls toddlers close and starts the wise men’s long walk to Jesus.

  1. Sit on the floor with the star hidden behind your back. Tap magic on the Sound Board and whisper: “Ooh… what’s that?”
  2. Peek the star out a tiny bit, then hide it: “Peekaboo!” Do it again. Little ones will come to see.
  3. Hold it up high: “A star! A big, bright star!” Twinkle your other hand’s fingers under it.
  4. SAY“Wise men followed a star to find Jesus. Let’s find out who came to see Jesus!”
🌪️ If they grab for the star, let each child touch one point while you hold it, then put it up high.
🔊 Sound Board (a class game in the Gospel Sparks app)

Class screen: ⭐ Peekaboo! A star!

No supplies? Do this instead

Instead of: A big star cut from yellow paper, cardboard or a cereal box (about the size of a dinner plate); a grown-up holds it

Twinkle Peekaboo

  1. Tap magic on the Sound Board and whisper: “Ooh… what’s that?”
  2. Cover your eyes. Then pop your hands up high and twinkle your fingers: “Peekaboo! A star!”
  3. Do it again and again while they copy you.
  4. SAY“Wise men followed a star to find Jesus. Let’s find out who came to see Jesus!”

Class screen: ✨ Peekaboo! A twinkly star!

2. Story

Picture Story: Who Came to See Jesus?

2 min

Six pictures with one sentence and one action each let toddlers rock, baa, twinkle and walk their way to Jesus.

  1. Hold your phone or tablet up at their eye level. Everyone is a Little Sheep, a Twinkle Star and a Wise Men Walker.
  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 star picture, twinkle your fingers on every picture: “Ooh, the star!”
  4. If attention is gone before the end, jump to the last picture: hug your heart and say, “I love Jesus!”
🌪️ Let a child who won’t stop moving tap your phone or tablet to change the picture (with your hand on it too). A job beats a battle.

Class screen: ⭐ Who came to see Jesus?

3. Wiggle break

Twinkle, Hurry, Tiptoe

1 min

Toddlers need to move after two minutes of anything, and a walk to the picture of Jesus retells the story with their feet.

  1. SAY“Stand up! Let’s follow the star!” Twinkle your fingers up high and walk slowly around the room. Little ones can follow you or hold a hand.
  2. SAY“Hurry, hurry, like the shepherds!” Toddle a little faster.
  3. SAY“Shhh! We found Jesus!” Tiptoe to the picture of Jesus on the wall and kneel down softly.
  4. Hug your heart: “I love Jesus!” Sit down together right there.

Class screen: 🚶 Twinkle! Hurry! Tiptoe! · ✨ Twinkle · 🏃 Hurry · 🤫 Tiptoe · ❤️ Hug

4. Scripture

Our Little Verse: Matthew 2:11

1 min

Three 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: “and worshipped him.” Say: “The wise men found Jesus and knelt down because they loved Him!”
  3. Hug your heart and say it together: “I love Jesus!” Say it three times: a tiny whisper, a regular voice, a happy voice.
  4. Kneel by each child, hug your heart and say, “Ella loves Jesus.”

Class screen: ❤️ I love Jesus! · ❤️ Heart hug!

5. Testimony

I Know Jesus Loves You

1 min

A quiet moment with a picture of the Savior helps each child feel that coming to Jesus feels warm and safe.

  1. Lower your voice to a whisper. Hold up the picture of Jesus. Say: “This is Jesus. Everyone came to see Him.”
  2. Let each child look closely, point or gently pat the picture.
  3. SAY“I know Jesus loves you. We show Him our love with a big heart hug.” Hug your heart.
  4. If your nursery has a prayer now, fold arms together while a grown-up says a short one.

Class screen: ❤️ Jesus loves 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 Jesus.”
  2. Whisper: “Jesus loves you,” as you touch each child’s hand or wave to them.
  3. SAY“I know Jesus loves you. We show Him our love with a big heart hug.” Hug your heart.
  4. If your nursery has a prayer now, fold arms together while a grown-up says a short one.
6. Song

Sing: Stars Were Gleaming

2 minBONUS

If they’re still with you, a gentle song with twinkling fingers is a calm, happy way to finish.

  1. Lie down or sit and look up at the ceiling. Say: “Let’s look for the star.”
  2. Sing “Stars Were Gleaming” (Children’s Songbook, 37) slowly while everyone twinkles their fingers.
  3. At the end, hug your heart and whisper: “I love Jesus.”

Class screen: 🌟 Twinkle while we sing

Story drama

Who Came to See Jesus?

Luke 2:7–38; Matthew 2:1–11 ↗

Parts to hand out

  • Little SheepEveryone! Say “Baa!” and hurry to see the baby.
  • Twinkle StarsEveryone! Wiggle your fingers up high like a twinkling star.
  • Wise Men WalkersEveryone! Walk in place a long, long way, following the star.

Scenes

  1. 👶 Baby Jesus is born in Bethlehem.

    Baby Jesus was born in Bethlehem, and Mary laid Him in a manger.

    🎬 Rock your arms like holding a baby and whisper, “Shhh, baby Jesus.”

  2. 🐑 Baa! The shepherds hurry to see Jesus!

    The shepherds heard the good news and hurried to see baby Jesus.

    🎬 Everyone says “Baa!” and toddles fast in place, then tiptoes and kneels down softly.

  3. 👵 Simeon and Anna are so happy!

    At the temple, old Simeon held baby Jesus, and old Anna thanked God.

    🎬 Rock a pretend baby, then clap softly: “Thank you, Heavenly Father!”

  4. ⭐ Look! A big, bright star!

    Far away, wise men saw a big, bright new star.

    🎬 Twinkle your fingers up high: “Ooh, a star!”

  5. 🚶 The wise men follow the star.

    The wise men walked a long, long way, following the star to Jesus.

    🎬 Walk in place with twinkle fingers up high. Grown-ups walk slowly so little ones can copy.

  6. 🎁 Gifts for Jesus! I love Jesus!

    The wise men gave Jesus gifts, and we can give Him our love.

    🎬 Hold out pretend gifts, then hug your heart: “I love Jesus!”

Key verse

Matthew 2:11 ↗
“and worshipped him”
In kid words: I love Jesus!
🙌 Cross both hands over your heart in a big heart hug the whole time you say it.

More verses

Luke 2:7 ↗
“laid him in a manger”
In kid words: Mary put baby Jesus in a manger bed.
Luke 2:16 ↗
“they came with haste”
In kid words: The shepherds hurried to see Jesus!
Luke 2:52 ↗
“And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature”
In kid words: Jesus grew, just like you!

Forehead Guess words9 words

  • ⭐ Star
  • 👶 Baby
  • 🐑 Sheep
  • 👼 Angel
  • 🎁 Gift
  • 👑 Crown
  • 🌙 Moon
  • 🐄 Cow
  • ❤️ Heart
Clues for each word
  • Star: Twinkle your fingers up high!
  • Baby: Rock your arms: baby Jesus
  • Sheep: Baa! Hurry to see Jesus.
  • Angel: Told the shepherds the good news
  • Gift: The wise men gave Jesus gifts
  • Crown: Something a king wears
  • Moon: Shines at night with the stars
  • Cow: Moo! Animals eat from a manger.
  • Heart: Hug it: I love Jesus!
▶ Play Forehead GuessFull screen, 60-second timer, works on any phone.

Scripture Showdown5 questions

  1. Which one twinkles in the sky?
    • A. ⭐ Star
    • B. 🍌 Banana
    Show answer

    ✅ A. ⭐ Star Twinkle your fingers! The wise men followed a star to Jesus.

  2. Who says baa?
    • A. 🐷 Pig
    • B. 🐑 Sheep
    Show answer

    ✅ B. 🐑 Sheep Baa! The shepherds hurried to see baby Jesus.

  3. What did the wise men bring Jesus?
    • A. 🎁 Gifts
    • B. 🧦 Socks
    Show answer

    ✅ A. 🎁 Gifts The wise men knelt and gave Jesus gifts.

  4. Who did everyone come to see?
    • A. 🚗 A car
    • B. 👶 Baby Jesus
    Show answer

    ✅ B. 👶 Baby Jesus Everyone came to see Jesus, and we can come to Him too.

  5. How can I show I love Jesus?
    • A. ❤️ Hug my heart
    • B. 😠 Grumpy face
    Show answer

    ✅ A. ❤️ Hug my heart Hug your heart: I love Jesus!

▶ Play Scripture ShowdownTeams take turns on one screen.

Songs

  • Stars Were Gleaming Children’s Songbook, p. 37

    Twinkle your fingers while you sing it after the lesson or on the Star Parade. Find it ↗

  • Jesus Once Was a Little Child Children’s Songbook, p. 55

    Jesus grew up, just like them (Luke 2:52). Crouch small and grow tall while you sing. Find it ↗

  • I Am a Child of God Children’s Songbook, p. 2

    Hum it softly during Starry Quiet Time; many children know it from home. Find it ↗

This week’s challenge

Star Spotting

When you see stars at night this week, twinkle your fingers together and tell the story: wise men followed a star to Jesus. Then hug your hearts: “I love Jesus!”

Text the parents

Today in nursery we followed a star to Jesus! We baaed like the shepherds who hurried to see Him, twinkled our fingers like the star the wise men saw (Matthew 2:2), and hugged our hearts to show we love Jesus. Try it at home: when you see stars at night, twinkle your fingers, tell how the wise men followed the star to Jesus, then hug your hearts and say, “I love Jesus!” (Matthew 2:11).

📝 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.

🐄 Barnyard Visit · 10 min

  1. Make a little stable from blocks or a cardboard box turned on its side. Lay a doll or a folded blanket inside as baby Jesus. Set the nursery’s toy animals nearby.
  2. Let children play however they like. Play along and make animal sounds: “Moo! Baa!”
  3. Every few minutes, twinkle your fingers: “Who’s coming to see baby Jesus? The sheep!” Help a child walk an animal to the stable.
  4. Hug your heart: “We come to Jesus too! I love Jesus!”
  5. Big animals only, nothing that fits through a toilet-paper tube. No toys? Everyone is an animal: crawl to the picture of Jesus and say “Baa!” or “Moo!”

🎵 Star Parade · 5 min

  1. A grown-up holds the paper star up high and leads a slow parade around the room. Sing “Stars Were Gleaming” (Children’s Songbook, 37) and twinkle your fingers.
  2. End the parade at the picture of Jesus. Kneel and hug your hearts.
  3. Tap Freeze Dance on your phone or tablet. When the music stops, everyone freezes and twinkles.
  4. Don’t know a tune? Play it once in the Gospel Library app, or just chant “Twinkle, walk, twinkle, walk” while you parade. No star? Twinkle your own fingers up high.

📏 Growing Like Jesus · 6 min

  1. Tape a long strip of paper to the wall from the floor up. Say: “When Jesus was little, He grew and grew, just like you!” (Luke 2:52).
  2. Have each child stand against the paper for one second while you mark their height with a crayon. Write their name by the mark. Wigglers are fine; a close guess works.
  3. Sing “Jesus Once Was a Little Child” (Children’s Songbook, 55). Crouch down small, then grow up tall.
  4. Show parents the marks at pickup. Children who don’t want a turn can mark a teddy bear’s height instead.
  5. No paper or tape? Stand each child next to you and say, “You come up to my knee! You’re growing like Jesus!”

🍎 Snack Is a Gift · 10 min

  1. Check allergies and your ward’s snack policy 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. Fold arms. A grown-up says a short blessing: “Thank you for our snack.”
  4. Hand each child their snack like a present: “A gift for you!” Say: “The wise men gave Jesus gifts. What can we give Jesus? Our love!” Hug your hearts.
  5. No snack today? Hand out pretend gifts with cupped hands, and let children give you one back.

🖍️ Big Bright Star · 8 min

  1. Tape a big sheet of paper to the table or floor. Draw a giant star in the middle. Say: “This is the star that showed the wise men the way to Jesus.”
  2. Give each child one chunky yellow or orange washable crayon. Every scribble is starlight! Say: “Shine, shine, Jesus’s star!”
  3. Write each child’s name by their scribbles and hang the picture by the door for parents to see.
  4. Safety: chunky crayons only. Skip glitter, star stickers, 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 let each child finger-paint a star while you hold your phone or tablet.

🎁 Gift Box Stack · 6 min

  1. Set out the empty boxes. Tape any loose flaps shut. Say: “The wise men brought gifts for Jesus!”
  2. Let children stack them, knock them down, carry them and stack them again.
  3. Help each child carry a box to the picture of Jesus and set it down: “A gift for Jesus!” Hug your heart: “I love Jesus!”
  4. Safety: no bows, ribbons or small pieces inside. An adult watches, and nobody climbs the stack.
  5. No boxes? Use soft blocks or pillows, or give Jesus a pretend gift with cupped hands.

🖼️ Picture Walk: Follow the Star · 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, or open a Nativity picture book.
  2. Point and name one thing on each picture: “Sheep! Baa.” Ask: “Where’s the star?” and let them point.
  3. Hold hands and walk slowly across the room to the picture of Jesus, twinkling your free hand: “We’re following the star!”
  4. At the picture, kneel and whisper: “We found Jesus! I love Jesus.”
  5. Stay in the nursery room with both adults. If a child drifts off, let them go; picture walks are for whoever wants to come.

😴 Starry Quiet Time · 4 min

  1. Turn off some of the lights, never all of them. Spread out a blanket. Children may lie down, sit or climb into a lap. Nobody has to.
  2. Look up at the ceiling together and twinkle your fingers slowly: “Night-night, stars.”
  3. Hum “I Am a Child of God” (Children’s Songbook, 2) softly.
  4. Whisper each child’s name: “Jesus loves you, Ella.”
  5. Upset child? Hold them, rock side to side and walk to the window together. Calm comes before learning.

👋 Follow-the-Star Goodbye · 5 min

  1. Five minutes before the end, tap magic on the Sound Board: “The star says it’s time to clean up!” Put the toys in their bins together.
  2. Hold up the star (or twinkle your fingers) and walk together to the rug by the door. Sit and hug your hearts: “I love Jesus!”
  3. Hand each child only to their own parent or guardian, as your ward’s policy says. Say: “Look for stars tonight!”
  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 Gift Box Stack 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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