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Jesus Is My Light

A glowing peekaboo under a blanket, Jesus goes to church and reads Isaiah’s scroll, and twinkly shining hands

  • 🧸 Nursery
  • Week 42
  • 📅 Sunday, October 18, 2026
🤔 Forehead Guess🏆 Showdown
💡 The big idea

Jesus is like a light: He shows me the way to go.

I can twinkle my hands and say “Jesus is my light!”

Study it yourself firstRead Isaiah 58–66 in Gospel LibraryCome, Follow Me manualOpen this week (Isaiah 58–66)
Know the chapters

Isaiah 58–66 closes the book of Isaiah with bright, hopeful chapters. “Arise, shine; for thy light is come” (60:1) promises that the Lord will shine on His people. Isaiah 61:1–3 describes the Savior’s mission, and centuries later Jesus stood up in the synagogue in Nazareth on the Sabbath, read these words from Isaiah’s scroll, and said they were being fulfilled that day (Luke 4:16–21). Jesus later said, “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12).

For toddlers, the whole lesson is one picture: Jesus is my light. Little ones know what a light does: it helps us see and shows us where to walk. Keep the room lights on all class. Many toddlers are afraid of the dark, so a flashlight glowing under a blanket is plenty of “dark” for today, and the flashlight always stays in grown-up hands.

These chapters also call the Sabbath “a delight” (58:13), ask us to share bread with the hungry (58:7), and picture the wolf and the lamb eating together (65:25). Toddlers are at church right now, just like Jesus went to church on the Sabbath, so the play-time ideas below make Sunday feel happy and bright.

Only have 5 minutes?

Hide a lit flashlight under a blanket and play peekaboo with the glow, swipe through the six-picture story on your phone or tablet, crouch low and jump up for “Arise, shine!”, twinkle your hands while you say “Jesus is my light!” and end with a picture of Jesus and “I know Jesus loves you.” For play time, pick three ideas below. Brought nothing? Tap “I brought nothing”: your twinkling fingers are the light, 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. Check the flashlight works and that little fingers can’t open the battery cover. Tape it shut if you’re not sure.
  2. Keep the room lights on. You won’t need the dark; a glow under a blanket is enough.
  3. Sweep the floor with your eyes and hands for anything small. 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 twinkling your hands (open and close your fingers by your face) and say “Jesus is my light!” That’s the whole key phrase.

If your class is wild

  • Tears at drop-off are normal. Let the other adult hold the crying child near the fun and say softly, “Daddy will come back. You’re safe here.” Showing a crying child the flashlight glow in a lap often helps.
  • Never shine the flashlight in anyone’s eyes. Shine it on the floor, the wall or the ceiling, and put it up high when you’re done.
  • If everyone wants the flashlight, give each child a “turn” to point at where you shine it instead: “Point to the light!”
  • 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

What’s Glowing?

1 min

A soft glow under a blanket is a magical surprise that pulls toddlers close and shows them what a light does.

  1. Sit on the floor with the blanket on your lap. Turn the flashlight on and hide it underneath, pointing down.
  2. SAY“Ooh! Something is glowing! What is it?” Let them come close to look.
  3. Lift the blanket slowly… “Peekaboo! A light!” Shine it on the floor or the wall, never in eyes.
  4. Hide it and reveal it two or three more times. Say: “A light helps us see!”
  5. SAY“Today we learn Jesus is our light.” Turn the flashlight off and put it up high.
🌪️ If hands reach for the flashlight, hold it up high and say, “Point to the light!” Pointing is a job everyone can do at once.

Class screen: 🔦 Ooh! What’s glowing?

No supplies? Do this instead

Instead of: A flashlight (battery cover screwed or taped shut; a grown-up always holds it) and a small blanket or towel

Twinkle Peekaboo

  1. Sit on the floor. Hide your hands behind your back and say: “Ooh! I have a light hiding! Where is it?”
  2. Pop your hands out and twinkle your fingers by your face: “Peekaboo! Light!”
  3. Hide and twinkle two or three more times. Say: “A light helps us see!”
  4. SAY“Today we learn Jesus is our light.”

Class screen: ✨ Peekaboo! Twinkle, twinkle!

2. Story

Picture Story: Jesus Is My Light

2 min

Six pictures with one sentence and one action each let toddlers hide from the dark, go to church like Jesus, and twinkle their hands for the light.

  1. Hold your phone or tablet up at their eye level. Everyone is Twinkle Hands, Church Walkers and Scroll Unrollers.
  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 light picture, twinkle your hands on every picture and say, “Jesus is my light!”
  4. If attention is gone before the end, jump to the last picture: “Jesus loves you!”
🌪️ 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: ✨ Twinkle, twinkle story time!

3. Wiggle break

Arise and Shine!

1 min

Toddlers need to move after two minutes of anything, and Isaiah’s “Arise, shine” is a crouch-and-jump they can do again and again.

  1. SAY“Let’s get tiny!” Crouch down low together.
  2. Jump up tall: “Arise!” Then twinkle your hands: “Shine!”
  3. Crouch and jump again, three or four times. Make it bigger each time.
  4. Walk around in a little circle: “Jesus shows the way! This way!”
  5. End with twinkle hands: “Jesus is my light!” and sit down together.

Class screen: ✨ Arise! Shine! · ⬇️ Tiny · ⬆️ Jump up! · ✨ Twinkle · 🚶 This way

4. Scripture

Our Little Verse: Isaiah 60:1

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: “Arise, shine; for thy light is come.” Say: “That means Jesus is our light!”
  3. Twinkle your hands and say it together: “Jesus is my light!” Say it three times: a tiny whisper, a regular voice, a happy voice.
  4. Kneel by each child, twinkle your fingers near them, and say, “Jesus is Leo’s light.”

Class screen: ✨ Jesus is my light! · ✨ Twinkle your hands!

5. Testimony

I Know Jesus Loves You

1 min

A quiet moment with a picture of the Savior helps each child feel loved and close 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. He is your light.”
  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 each child’s name as you touch their hand or wave: “Jesus loves you, Leo.”
  3. SAY“I know Jesus loves you. He is your light.”
  4. If your nursery has a prayer now, fold arms together while a grown-up says a short one.
6. Song

Jesus Was Little Too

2 minBONUS

If they’re still with you, a slow song about Jesus as a little child is a calm, happy way to finish.

  1. SAY“Jesus was little, just like you!” Sit close together.
  2. Sing or hum “Jesus Once Was a Little Child” (Children’s Songbook, 55) slowly. Twinkle your hands gently while you sing.
  3. At the end, whisper: “Jesus is my light.”

Class screen: 👶 Jesus was little too

Story drama

Jesus Is My Light

Isaiah 60:1; Luke 4:16–21; John 8:12 ↗

Parts to hand out

  • Twinkle HandsEveryone! Open and close your fingers by your face like a twinkling light.
  • Church WalkersEveryone! Walk in place, then fold arms.
  • Scroll UnrollersEveryone! Roll your hands around and around to unroll a pretend scroll.

Scenes

  1. 🌙🙈 Uh-oh! It’s dark. Where’s the light?

    When it’s dark, it’s hard to see.

    🎬 Everyone covers their eyes: “Where’s the light?”

  2. 🧔✨ Isaiah said a great light is coming!

    The prophet Isaiah said a great light was coming to help everyone.

    🎬 Uncover your eyes and twinkle your hands: “Light!”

  3. 🚶⛪ Jesus went to church, just like us!

    Jesus went to church on the Sabbath day, just like you!

    🎬 Everyone walks in place, then folds their arms.

  4. 📜👐 Jesus read Isaiah’s words from a scroll.

    At church, Jesus unrolled a big scroll and read Isaiah’s words.

    🎬 Everyone rolls their hands around and around: “Unroll, unroll!”

  5. 🔦💛 Jesus is my light!

    Jesus is like a light. He shows us the way to go.

    🎬 Twinkle your hands, then point ahead and walk in place: “This way!”

  6. ❤️ Jesus loves you!

    Jesus loves you, and you, and you!

    🎬 Point gently to each child and say their name: “Jesus loves Leo!” Wave or blow a kiss.

Key verse

Isaiah 60:1 ↗
“Arise, shine; for thy light is come”
In kid words: Jesus is my light!
🙌 Twinkle your hands by your face, opening and closing your fingers, while you say all four words.

More verses

John 8:12 ↗
“I am the light of the world”
In kid words: Jesus said, “I am the light of the world.”
Isaiah 58:13 ↗
“call the sabbath a delight”
In kid words: Sunday is a happy day!
Isaiah 58:7 ↗
“deal thy bread to the hungry”
In kid words: We share food with people who are hungry.
Isaiah 65:25 ↗
“The wolf and the lamb shall feed together”
In kid words: One day even a wolf and a lamb will be friends.

Forehead Guess words8 words

  • 💡 Light
  • 🔦 Flashlight
  • ☀️ Sun
  • ⭐ Star
  • ⛪ Church
  • 📜 Scroll
  • 🐑 Lamb
  • 🍞 Bread
Clues for each word
  • Light: Helps us see
  • Flashlight: Click! It glows.
  • Sun: Big and bright in the sky
  • Star: Twinkle, twinkle!
  • Church: Where we go on Sunday
  • Scroll: Unroll, unroll!
  • Lamb: Says “baa!”
  • Bread: Yummy! We can share it.
▶ Play Forehead GuessFull screen, 60-second timer, works on any phone.

Scripture Showdown5 questions

  1. Which one gives light?
    • A. 🔦 Flashlight
    • B. 🧦 Sock
    Show answer

    ✅ A. 🔦 Flashlight Click! A light helps us see.

  2. Who is my light?
    • A. 🐸 Frog
    • B. ❤️ Jesus
    Show answer

    ✅ B. ❤️ Jesus Twinkle your hands: Jesus is my light!

  3. Where did Jesus go on the Sabbath?
    • A. ⛪ Church
    • B. 🏖️ Beach
    Show answer

    ✅ A. ⛪ Church Jesus went to church on the Sabbath, just like you!

  4. What shines in the sky?
    • A. 🥄 Spoon
    • B. ☀️ Sun
    Show answer

    ✅ B. ☀️ Sun Heavenly Father made the bright sun.

  5. Which one says “baa”?
    • A. 🚂 Train
    • B. 🐑 Lamb
    Show answer

    ✅ B. 🐑 Lamb Isaiah said the wolf and the lamb will be friends one day.

▶ Play Scripture ShowdownTeams take turns on one screen.

Songs

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

    Sing it slowly at the end, or hum it during Little Light Rest. Find it ↗

  • Popcorn Popping Children’s Songbook, p. 242

    Crouch down tiny and pop up tall, just like “Arise, shine!” Find it ↗

  • When He Comes Again Children’s Songbook, p. 82

    A gentle song for Friendly Animals, when the wolf and the lamb are friends. Find it ↗

This week’s challenge

Click! Jesus Is My Light

Every time you turn on a light with your little one this week, twinkle your hands together and say “Jesus is my light!” Try it at bedtime with a night-light.

Text the parents

Today in nursery we learned from Isaiah that Jesus is our light (Isaiah 60:1). We found a glowing flashlight under a blanket, pretended to go to church and unroll a scroll like Jesus did, and twinkled our hands while we said, “Jesus is my light!” Try it at home: every time you flip on a light together, twinkle your hands and say the words.

📝 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.

⛪ Sunday Church Play · 10 min

  1. Set out dolls and stuffed animals and let children play however they like.
  2. Every few minutes, say: “It’s Sunday! Time for church!” Help children line up a few toys in a row on the floor, like they’re sitting at church.
  3. Fold arms together: “Shhh… church time.” Then sing a quick song and cheer: “Sunday is a happy day!” Say: “Isaiah called the Sabbath a delight” (Isaiah 58:13).
  4. SAY“Jesus went to church on the Sabbath day too!” Then the toys go back to playing.
  5. No dolls? Children are the churchgoers: sit in a row on the floor, fold arms, whisper “shhh,” then cheer.

🎵 Arise and Shine Dance · 5 min

  1. Sing “Popcorn Popping” (Children’s Songbook, 242). Crouch down tiny and pop up tall again and again.
  2. Tap Freeze Dance on your phone or tablet. When the music stops, everyone freezes with twinkle hands: “Jesus is my light!”
  3. Crouch low: “Arise!” Jump up: “Shine!” Let children lead the jump when they’re ready.
  4. Don’t know a tune? Play it once in the Gospel Library app, or just chant “Pop, pop, pop!” while you jump.

🔦 Chase the Light · 5 min

  1. A grown-up holds the flashlight and shines a spot of light on the floor. Wiggle it slowly: “Can you catch the light?”
  2. Move the spot a little way for children to follow, stomp on or pat. Say: “Jesus shows us the way. Follow the light!”
  3. Shine it on the wall high, then low: “Up! Down!” Let children point and reach.
  4. Safety: keep the room lights on, never shine it in eyes, and move slowly so nobody runs into anyone. The flashlight goes up high when you’re done.
  5. No flashlight? Twinkle your hands and walk slowly around the room: “Follow my light!” Let children follow in a wiggly line.

🍞 Share-the-Bread Snack · 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. Pass the snack bowl with a child’s hands on yours: “We’re sharing! Isaiah said to share bread with people who are hungry” (Isaiah 58:7). Toddlers aren’t ready to share their own food, so praise any “here you go.”
  5. Talk while they munch: “Is it light outside? Heavenly Father made the sun. Jesus is our light!”
  6. No snack today? Have a pretend bread picnic: pass pretend bread around the circle, munch, and say thank you to Heavenly Father.

🖍️ Sunshine Scribbles · 8 min

  1. Tape a big sheet of paper to the table or floor. Draw one huge circle in the middle and say: “This is a big, bright sun!”
  2. Give each child one yellow or orange chunky washable crayon. Every scribble is sunshine! Say: “Shine, shine! Jesus is my light!”
  3. Write each child’s name by their scribbles and hang the sun 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 let each child finger-paint a sun while you hold your phone or tablet.

💡 Light Hunt Picture Walk · 5 min

  1. Take a slow walk around the nursery room holding a child’s hand or with a child on your hip. Stay in the room with both adults.
  2. Stop at each light you find: “Look! The window! Sunshine!” “Look up! The lights!” Let them point.
  3. Sit down and look at a picture book about day and night, or swipe back through today’s story pictures on your phone or tablet.
  4. Finish at a picture of Jesus Christ. Say: “Jesus is my light,” and twinkle your hands.
  5. Picture walks are for whoever wants to come. If a child drifts off, let them go.

🐑 Friendly Animals · 5 min

  1. Set out the stuffed lamb and any other stuffed animal. Say: “Isaiah said one day even a wolf and a lamb will be friends” (Isaiah 65:25).
  2. Make the animals say hello and give each other a gentle hug. Ask: “What does the lamb say? Baa!” Try other animal sounds too.
  3. Let children make the animals hug, pat or “eat” together. Say: “Friends! Gentle, gentle.”
  4. Hum “When He Comes Again” (Children’s Songbook, 82) while the animals rest together.
  5. No stuffed animals? Everyone is the animals: crawl like lambs, then give each other gentle waves and friendly animal sounds.

😴 Little Light Rest · 4 min

  1. SAY“Time for a little rest.” Children may lie down, sit or climb into a lap. Nobody has to. Keep the room lights on.
  2. Hold your hands up and twinkle them slowly, like stars: “Twinkle… twinkle…”
  3. Hum “Jesus Once Was a Little Child” (Children’s Songbook, 55) softly and pat backs gently.
  4. Whisper each child’s name: “Jesus is your light, Leo.”
  5. Upset child? Hold them, rock side to side and walk to the window together to look at the light. Calm comes before learning.

👋 Shine Goodbye · 5 min

  1. Five minutes before the end, say: “Let’s shine and clean up!” Twinkle your hands, then put toys in their bins together.
  2. Sit together one more time. Twinkle your hands: “Jesus is my light!”
  3. Hand each child only to their own parent or guardian, as your ward’s policy says. Give a twinkle-hands wave and say: “Ask for twinkle hands at home!”
  4. Share today’s family note from the app with parents, and tell them one happy moment about their child.
  5. Kids still waiting? Play Chase the Light or Friendly Animals. 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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