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Strong Like a Rock

Peekaboo blocks, a rainy story, a squishy sand house, and a rock house that stands strong

  • 🧸 Nursery
  • Week 8
  • 📅 Sunday, February 21, 2027
🤔 Forehead Guess🏆 Showdown
💡 The big idea

When I do what Jesus says, I am strong.

I can stomp my feet and say, “Strong like a rock!”

Study it yourself firstRead Matthew 6–7 in Gospel LibraryCome, Follow Me manualOpen this week (Matthew 6–7)
Know the chapters

Matthew 6–7 finishes Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount. He teaches how to pray (Matthew 6:9–13), reminds us that Heavenly Father feeds the birds and dresses the flowers (Matthew 6:26–30), invites us to ask, seek and knock (Matthew 7:7), and promises that Heavenly Father gives good gifts to His children (Matthew 7:11). He ends with the wise man who built his house on a rock and the foolish man who built on the sand (Matthew 7:24–27). Both men heard Jesus; the wise man also did what He said.

For toddlers, the whole lesson is one feeling in the body: strong. Rocks are hard, sand is squishy, and a house on the rock doesn’t fall down. Children this age love to build and love even more to knock things down, so let them do both. Say “Strong like a rock!” and pound one fist on the other, over and over, in the lesson and in play time.

Don’t expect sitting, sharing or answers. A toddler who wanders off while you talk is still listening. Do every motion yourself so they can copy you, and go on to the next step the moment attention fades. The lesson is six minutes; the play-time ideas below repeat the same idea for the rest of nursery, so it sinks in while everyone keeps moving.

Only have 5 minutes?

Grab a few big blocks (or boxes) and a picture of Jesus. Peekaboo the blocks out of your bag, swipe through the six-picture story on your phone or tablet, do the wobble-and-stomp wiggle, pound fist on fist while you say “Strong like a rock!” and end with “I know Jesus loves you.” For play time, pick three ideas below. Brought nothing? Tap “I brought nothing”: your fists become the blocks, and your phone or tablet shows the pictures.

What to bring5 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 blocks hidden in a bag until the hook. Check them: no loose pieces, no sharp corners, and boxes taped shut.
  2. Open the Sound Board on your phone or tablet and find the rain, wind and cheer buttons. Turn the volume low. Skip thunder and crash today: big booms can scare little ones.
  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.
  5. Practice the key motion: pound one fist on top of the other and say “Strong like a rock!” That’s the whole key phrase.

If your class is wild

  • Tears at drop-off are normal and usually pass in a few minutes. 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 parents out.
  • Knocking the tower down is the best part for toddlers. Build it, let them crash it, and cheer: “Uh-oh, it fell! Let’s build it strong!” Blocks stay on the floor; if one gets thrown, it takes a little rest up high.
  • Nobody has to sit. Lead from the floor at their level and keep going; toddlers who wander still hear you and often copy the motions from across the room.
  • 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 Blocks

1 min

A knocking sound and blocks popping out of a bag pull scattered toddlers toward you and get them ready to build.

  1. Sit on the floor with your bag. Knock on the floor: knock, knock, knock. Whisper: “What’s in my bag?”
  2. Pull out one block at a time: “Peekaboo! A block!” Let little hands touch each one.
  3. Stack the blocks on the hard floor. Say: “Bang, bang! I’m building a house!”
  4. Pound one fist on the other. Say: “Today we learn about a strong house on a rock!”
  5. Let them knock the tower down, then cheer: “Boom! Let’s hear the story.” Put the blocks back in the bag.
🌪️ If everyone grabs the blocks at once, let them. Build two little towers side by side and say, “Strong!” as each one goes up.
🔊 Sound Board (a class game in the Gospel Sparks app)

Class screen: 🧱 Peekaboo! Let’s build!

No supplies? Do this instead

Instead of: 4–6 big blocks: soft foam or cardboard blocks, or empty tissue and cereal boxes taped shut

Fist Tower

  1. Sit on the floor. Knock on the floor: knock, knock, knock. Whisper: “Who’s there? It’s a builder!”
  2. Stack your fists one on top of the other, higher and higher: “Bang, bang! I’m building a tall house!”
  3. Help little ones stack their fists on yours. Say: “A big, strong house!”
  4. Wobble your fist tower and tumble it down with a giggle: “Boom!”
  5. SAY“Today we learn about a strong house on a rock!”

Class screen: ✊ Build a fist tower!

2. Story

Picture Story: The Rock House

2 min

Six pictures with one sentence and one action each let toddlers feel the hammering, the rain and the strong rock while they hear that doing what Jesus says makes us strong.

  1. Hold your phone or tablet up at their eye level. Everyone is a Builder, a Rain Maker and a Strong Rock.
  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. Every time you see the rock, pound fist on fist and say, “Strong!”
  4. If attention is gone before the end, jump to the last picture: “Strong like a rock!”
🌪️ 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: 🏠 Bang, bang! Story time!

3. Wiggle break

Wobble and Stomp

1 min

Toddlers need to move after two minutes of anything, and feeling squishy and then strong puts the story in their bodies.

  1. SAY“Stand up! Let’s be the sand house!” Wobble and wiggle all over: “Wibble, wobble, squishy!”
  2. Sit down gently on your bottoms: “Boom!” Giggle together.
  3. SAY“Now let’s be the rock house!” Stand tall, stiff and still. Stomp, stomp: “Strong!”
  4. Wiggle rain fingers down over your heads: “Pitter-patter.” Stay standing tall: “We didn’t fall!”
  5. Do it again: wobble, boom, stomp. End with fist on fist: “Strong like a rock!”

Class screen: 💪 Wobble, boom! Stomp, strong! · 🏖️ Wobble · 💥 Boom! · 🪨 Stomp · 💪 Strong!

4. Scripture

Our Little Verse: Matthew 7:24

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: “built his house upon a rock.” Say: “The wise man listened to Jesus. He was strong like a rock!”
  3. Pound fist on fist and say it together: “Strong like a rock!” Say it three times: a tiny whisper, a regular voice, a big strong voice.
  4. Kneel by each child, gently tap their fist with yours, and say, “Sam is strong like a rock!”

Class screen: 🪨 Strong like a rock! · ✊ Fist on fist!

5. Testimony

I Know Jesus Loves You

1 min

A quiet moment with a picture of the Savior helps each child feel loved and connects “strong” to Him.

  1. Lower your voice to a whisper. Hold up the picture of Jesus Christ. Say: “This is Jesus.”
  2. Let each child look closely, point or gently pat the picture.
  3. SAY“I know Jesus loves you. When we listen to Jesus, we are strong.”
  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. When we listen to Jesus, we are strong.”
  4. If your nursery has a prayer now, fold arms together while a grown-up says a short one.
6. Song

The Rock House Song

2 minBONUS

If they’re still with you, the song everyone knows about this very story is a happy way to finish.

  1. SAY“Let’s sing about the rock house!”
  2. Sing “The Wise Man and the Foolish Man” (Children’s Songbook, 281). Pound fists for the rock, wiggle rain fingers, and sit down with a soft “boom” for the sand house.
  3. End standing tall: “Strong like a rock!”

Class screen: 🎵 Sing the rock song!

Story drama

The Rock House

Matthew 7:24–27 ↗

Parts to hand out

  • BuildersEveryone! Bang your fists together like hammers: bang, bang!
  • Rain MakersEveryone! Wiggle your fingers down from high to low: pitter-patter.
  • Strong RocksEveryone! Stand tall and stomp your feet: strong!

Scenes

  1. 🔨 Bang, bang! Two men built houses.

    Jesus told a story about two men who built houses.

    🎬 Everyone bangs their fists together like hammers: “Bang, bang!” Grown-ups bang too, so little ones can copy.

  2. 🪨🏠 One house was on a hard rock.

    The wise man built his house on a big, hard rock.

    🎬 Pound one fist on top of the other and say “Strong!”

  3. 🏖️🏠 One house was on squishy sand.

    The other man built his house on soft, squishy sand.

    🎬 Wiggle your fingers low on the floor and say “Squishy, squishy!”

  4. 🌧️💨 Pitter-patter! Whoosh! Here comes the storm!

    Down came the rain, and whoosh went the wind!

    🎬 Wiggle rain fingers down, then wave your arms: “Whoosh!”

  5. 🏖️💥 Uh-oh! The sand house fell down.

    The house on the sand wobbled and fell down, boom!

    🎬 Wobble side to side, then sit down gently on your bottom: “Boom!” Grown-ups say “boom” softly and smile.

  6. 🪨💪 The rock house stood strong!

    The house on the rock stood strong, and when I do what Jesus says, I am strong too!

    🎬 Stand tall, stomp your feet and pound fist on fist: “Strong like a rock!”

Key verse

Matthew 7:24 ↗
“built his house upon a rock”
In kid words: Strong like a rock!
🙌 Pound one fist on top of the other, like a rock that won’t move, while you say all four words.

More verses

Matthew 7:25 ↗
“it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock”
In kid words: The rock house did not fall!
Matthew 6:26 ↗
“Behold the fowls of the air”
In kid words: Look at the birds! Heavenly Father takes care of them.
Matthew 7:7 ↗
“knock, and it shall be opened unto you”
In kid words: Knock, knock! Heavenly Father hears me.

Forehead Guess words8 words

  • 🪨 Rock
  • 🏖️ Sand
  • 🏠 House
  • 🔨 Hammer
  • 🌧️ Rain
  • 💨 Wind
  • 🐦 Bird
  • 🌷 Flower
Clues for each word
  • Rock: Hard and strong. Fist on fist!
  • Sand: Soft and squishy
  • House: Where a family lives
  • Hammer: Bang, bang! It helps us build.
  • Rain: Pitter-patter! Wiggle your fingers.
  • Wind: Whoosh! Wave your arms.
  • Bird: Tweet, tweet! Heavenly Father feeds it.
  • Flower: Heavenly Father made it pretty
▶ Play Forehead GuessFull screen, 60-second timer, works on any phone.

Scripture Showdown5 questions

  1. Which one is a rock?
    • A. 🪨 Rock
    • B. 🧸 Teddy
    Show answer

    ✅ A. 🪨 Rock Fist on fist! A rock is hard and strong.

  2. Which one goes pitter-patter?
    • A. 🍕 Pizza
    • B. 🌧️ Rain
    Show answer

    ✅ B. 🌧️ Rain Pitter-patter! Wiggle your rain fingers.

  3. Which house stood strong?
    • A. 🪨 Rock house
    • B. 🏖️ Sand house
    Show answer

    ✅ A. 🪨 Rock house Stomp, stomp! The house on the rock didn’t fall.

  4. Who told the rock house story?
    • A. 🐶 Puppy
    • B. ❤️ Jesus
    Show answer

    ✅ B. ❤️ Jesus Jesus told the story. When we listen to Him, we’re strong!

  5. What goes bang, bang?
    • A. 😴 Pillow
    • B. 🔨 Hammer
    Show answer

    ✅ B. 🔨 Hammer Bang, bang! Builders use a hammer.

▶ Play Scripture ShowdownTeams take turns on one screen.

Songs

  • The Wise Man and the Foolish Man Children’s Songbook, p. 281

    The song about this very story: rock fists, rain fingers and a soft “boom” for the sand house. Find it ↗

  • Do As I’m Doing Children’s Songbook, p. 276

    Toddlers copy you: hammer fists, rain fingers, a wobble and a strong stomp. Find it ↗

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

    Hum it softly during Quiet Prayer Pillows; Jesus taught us how to pray (Matthew 6:9). Find it ↗

This week’s challenge

Strong Fists at Home

When your little one listens, shares or folds arms for prayer, pound fist on fist together and say, “Strong like a rock!”

Text the parents

Today in nursery we heard Jesus’s story about a house built on a rock (Matthew 7:24–27). We banged hammer fists, made rain with our fingers, wobbled like the sand house and stomped like the strong rock house while we said, “Strong like a rock!” Try it at home: pound one fist on the other and see if your child copies you, especially after they do something kind.

📝 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.

🧱 Rock-House Builders · 10 min

  1. Set out the big blocks and the nursery’s trucks, dolls and animals. Let children build, knock down and play however they like.
  2. Every few minutes, build a little house on the hard floor. Say: “Bang, bang! A house on the rock!” Pound fist on fist: “Strong!”
  3. Build a second little house on top of the pillow. Wiggle the pillow gently until it tumbles: “Uh-oh! The sand house fell!”
  4. Tap rain on the Sound Board and blow wind on the floor house: “It stayed up! Strong like a rock!”
  5. No blocks? Stack paper cups, board books or empty boxes. Safety: nothing heavy enough to hurt a toe, and nobody climbs the tower.

🎵 Stomp and Sway Songs · 5 min

  1. Stand up and sing “The Wise Man and the Foolish Man” (Children’s Songbook, 281). Pound fists, wiggle rain fingers and sit down with a soft “boom.”
  2. Sing “Do As I’m Doing” (Children’s Songbook, 276). Lead hammer fists, rain fingers, a wobble and a big stomp, and let them copy you.
  3. Tap Freeze Dance on your phone or tablet. When the music stops, everyone freezes tall and still like a rock: “Strong!”
  4. Don’t know a tune? Play it once in the Gospel Library app, or just chant “Bang, bang, build the house” while you move.

🍞 Bread, Not a Rock! · 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. Make a silly face and hold up your fist like a rock. Say: “Would Daddy give you a rock for snack? No! Yucky!” Jesus said a dad gives his child bread, not a stone (Matthew 7:9).
  5. SAY“Heavenly Father gives us good things, like food and families (Matthew 7:11).” Let them tell you “Yum!”
  6. No snack today? Have a pretend picnic: pretend to munch bread, pretend to bite a rock (“Ouch! No!”) and say thank you to Heavenly Father.

🖍️ Rain on the Rock House · 8 min

  1. Tape a big sheet of paper low on the wall, where toddlers can reach standing up. Draw a big gray rock with a simple house on top.
  2. Give each child one chunky washable crayon. Every scribble is rain! Say: “Pitter-patter! Here comes the rain!”
  3. Point to the house. Say: “The rain came, but the house stood strong! Strong like a rock!”
  4. Write each child’s name by their rain and leave the picture up for parents to see.
  5. Safety: chunky crayons only; skip stickers, glitter and marker caps (small parts). Count the crayons back into the box. No paper or crayons? Let each child finger-draw rain in Draw & Guess on your phone or tablet while you hold it.

✋ Hard and Soft Hunt · 5 min

  1. Take a slow walk around the room holding hands. Touch the floor, a wall and a table leg: “Hard! Strong like a rock!” Pound fist on fist.
  2. Touch a pillow, a blanket and a stuffed animal: “Soft! Squishy like sand!” Squeeze and wiggle your fingers.
  3. Let children lead you to things. Ask: “Hard or soft?” and cheer whatever they say, then help: “Hard! Knock, knock!”
  4. End sitting on the hard floor: “The wise man built on something strong. We can listen to Jesus and be strong!”
  5. Safety: pat the pillow with hands only; standing on pillows and cushions makes toddlers slip.

🐦 Look at the Birds · 5 min

  1. Walk together to the window with a child or two in your arms or holding hands. Look for birds, trees and flowers.
  2. Point and name: “A bird! Tweet, tweet!” Say: “Jesus said to look at the birds. Heavenly Father takes care of them” (Matthew 6:26).
  3. Look for grass or flowers. Say: “Heavenly Father made the flowers pretty” (Matthew 6:28–29).
  4. SAY“Heavenly Father takes care of the birds, and He takes care of you!” Give a gentle hug to anyone who wants one.
  5. No window? Swipe through today’s story pictures on your phone or tablet or a picture book with animals, and point to each one. Both adults stay in the nursery room.

🙏 Quiet Prayer Pillows · 4 min

  1. Spread out a blanket or a few pillows. Children may lie down, sit or climb into a lap. Nobody has to.
  2. Say softly: “Jesus taught us how to pray” (Matthew 6:9). Fold your arms and let them copy you.
  3. Hum “A Child’s Prayer” (Children’s Songbook, 12) quietly while you pat backs gently.
  4. Whisper a tiny prayer together, one phrase at a time: “Dear Heavenly Father… thank you for Ella… amen.”
  5. Upset child? Hold them, rock side to side and walk to the window together. Calm comes before learning.

🚪 Knock-Knock Goodbye · 5 min

  1. Five minutes before the end, say: “Bang, bang! Let’s build the toys back into their bins!” Clean up together.
  2. Sit together one more time. Pound fist on fist: “Strong like a rock!”
  3. When a parent comes, knock on the door with the child: “Knock, knock! Who’s there? It’s Mommy!” Jesus said, “Knock, and it shall be opened unto you” (Matthew 7:7).
  4. Hand each child only to their own parent or guardian, as your ward’s policy says. Share today’s family note from the app and one happy moment about their child.
  5. Kids still waiting? Build one more tower or look at the birds out the window. 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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