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Jesus Was Baptized

Grasshoppers and honey, a river, all the way under, and a gentle dove from heaven

  • ☀️ Sunbeam
  • Week 4
  • 📅 Sunday, January 24, 2027
🤔 Forehead Guess🏆 Showdown
💡 The big idea

Jesus was baptized, and I can follow Him.

I can follow Jesus and get ready to be baptized when I am eight.

Study it yourself firstRead Matthew 3; Mark 1; Luke 3 in Gospel LibraryCome, Follow Me manualOpen this week (Matthew 3; Mark 1; Luke 3)
Know the chapters

John the Baptist is the baby who jumped for joy three weeks ago. Now he’s grown up and lives in the wilderness. Matthew 3:4 says he wore camel hair and ate locusts and wild honey. Locusts are a kind of grasshopper. His job was to help people get ready for Jesus. “Prepare ye the way of the Lord.” That’s Matthew 3:3. He taught people to repent and baptized them in the Jordan River.

Then Jesus came to the river and asked John to baptize Him. Jesus never did anything wrong. But He was baptized to obey Heavenly Father and show us the way. That’s Matthew 3:15. John baptized Him by immersion, all the way under the water. Then Jesus “went up straightway out of the water.” That’s 3:16. The heavens opened, and the Holy Ghost came down upon Him, with the sign of a dove. Heavenly Father’s voice said, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” That’s 3:17. Heavenly Father, Jesus, and the Holy Ghost were all there, three separate beings.

For three-year-olds, the tiny truth is: Jesus was baptized, and I can follow Him. They may have seen an older brother, sister, or cousin get baptized. Tell them that when they’re eight, they can be baptized just like Jesus. Someone with the priesthood will baptize them, all the way under the water. For now, they follow Jesus by being kind, praying, and listening at church.

Keep the dove accurate and simple. The dove was a sign that the Holy Ghost was there. The Holy Ghost didn’t turn into a bird. You read Heavenly Father’s words. No child plays Jesus or Heavenly Father. Jesus is the picture on your phone or tablet.

Only have 5 minutes?

Tell the class John ate grasshoppers and honey. Ask, “Yum or yuck?” Tell the picture story and let them guess what comes next. Teach “This is my beloved Son” with a hug. Push a washcloth all the way under a bowl of water, then play Under and Up. End by holding up eight fingers. Say, “When I am eight, I can be baptized like Jesus.” Brought nothing? Tap “I brought nothing.” Your arms make the water.

What to bring3 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. Fill the bowl about halfway. Set it on the towel on the floor in front of your chair.
  2. Find a white feather, or cut a simple dove from white paper. A teardrop body with two wing bumps works.
  3. Practice once. Hands down, then up: “Under… and up!”

If your class is wild

  • Water and three-year-olds need care. Only the teacher touches the bowl. The kids are “watchers” with hands on their knees.
  • Grasshopper hops can turn into crashes. Give each child a spot on the floor. Say, “Grasshoppers hop in their own spot!”
  • The fluttering dove is your calm-down tool. When the room gets wild, say, “Here comes the gentle dove…” Flutter your hands down slowly. Everyone copies and gets quiet.
  • No child plays Jesus or Heavenly Father. Kids look at Jesus’s picture on your phone or tablet, and you read Heavenly Father’s words.
  • For potty breaks, never leave the class alone, and never go somewhere alone with one child. Follow your ward’s plan.

The 25-minute plan23 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

Yum or Yuck?

3 min

A silly lunch question grabs attention and introduces John the Baptist.

  1. SAY“I know a man who ate something very funny for lunch. Ready? Thumbs up for yum. Thumbs down for yuck!”
  2. Call out “Honey!” and let them show their thumbs. Then call “Grasshoppers!” Giggle together.
  3. SAY“He wore scratchy clothes made of camel hair!”
  4. Everyone scratches their arms.
  5. SAY“His name was John the Baptist. He did something very special for Jesus. Let’s find out!”

Class screen: 🦗 Yum or yuck?

2. Story

Picture Story: Jesus Is Baptized

6 min

Seven short picture scenes show Jesus being baptized all the way under the water, the dove, and Heavenly Father’s voice.

  1. SAY“John the Baptist had a very important job. Look at the pictures. I’ll ask you to guess!”
  2. Swipe through the scenes. Read each one. At each “Guess!”, take a guess or two. Slow down and whisper for scenes 5 and 6.
  3. After scene 7, ask, “How far under the water did Jesus go?” Everyone answers, “All the way under!”
🌪️ Before the dove scene, say, “Here comes the gentle dove…” Wait until every hand is fluttering softly.

Class screen: 🌊 Jesus was baptized! · 🤔 Guess! · 🕊️ Gentle dove

3. Wiggle break

Grasshopper Hop

2 min

John ate grasshoppers! A quick hop in their own spots gets the wiggles out before the verse.

  1. SAY“John ate grasshoppers! Let’s hop like little grasshoppers in our own spots.”
  2. Hop, hop, hop, freeze! Hop fast. Hop slow. Freeze!
  3. End with “Gentle dove.” Flutter your hands down and sit quietly.

Class screen: 🦗 Hop like a grasshopper!

4. Scripture

Our Little Verse: Matthew 3:17

3 min

Point-hug-point-up motions help Sunbeams remember that Heavenly Father loves Jesus.

  1. SAY“When Jesus was baptized, Heavenly Father said happy words about Him. They’re in the Bible. Listen!”
  2. Hold up your scriptures. Read slowly, “This is my beloved Son.” Then say, “Beloved means loved so much. Heavenly Father loves Jesus!”
  3. Teach the Key Verse motions one at a time. Say it together three times: a whisper, a regular voice, then a happy voice.
  4. Ask, “Who loves Jesus?” Everyone points up and says, “Heavenly Father!”

Class screen: 💛 This is my beloved Son. · 👉 This is · 🤗 my beloved · ☝️ Son

5. Object lesson

All the Way Under

6 min

Watching a washcloth go all the way under, then playing Under and Up, practices the big idea: Jesus was baptized, and I can follow Him.

  1. SAY“John baptized Jesus in a river. When someone is baptized, they go all the way under the water.”
  2. Show the bowl. Push the washcloth partway down. Ask, “All the way under? Not yet!” Then push it all the way under.
  3. Lift it out and say, “And up out of the water!” Everyone does the motion. Hands down low, then up, “Under… and up!”
  4. Play Under and Up. Crouch low for “Under!” Pop up tall for “Up!” Flutter down for “Dove!” Go slow, then fast.
  5. End with “Dove!” so everyone lands quietly. Hold up eight fingers and say, “When you’re eight, you can be baptized, like Jesus!”
🌪️ Only the teacher touches the water. During Under and Up, everyone stays on their own spot.

Class screen: 💦 All the way under… and up!

No supplies? Do this instead

Instead of: A clear bowl of water, a washcloth and a towel

Arm-Circle Water

  1. SAY“John baptized Jesus in a river. When someone is baptized, they go all the way under the water.”
  2. Make a big circle with your arms and say, “This is the water.” Dip one finger in. Not all the way! Then put your whole hand in.
  3. Lift your hand out and say, “And up out of the water!” Let each child try with their own hand and arm circle.
  4. Play Under and Up. Crouch low for “Under!” Pop up tall for “Up!” Flutter down for “Dove!”
  5. End with “Dove!” Hold up eight fingers and say, “When you’re eight, you can be baptized, like Jesus!”

Class screen: ⭕ All the way under… and up!

6. Testimony

I Can Follow Jesus

3 min

A calm ending helps each child feel they can follow Jesus now and be baptized when they are eight.

  1. SAY“Let’s be as quiet as a gentle dove.”
  2. Flutter your hands down into your lap together. Share, “Jesus was baptized to show us the way. I know I can follow Him. And so can you.”
  3. Show your baptism photo if you brought one. Say each name softly, like “Lily can follow Jesus.” That child holds up eight fingers.
  4. Invite them to try Bath-Time Baptism Talk this week. Fold arms for the closing prayer.

Class screen: 🕊️ I can follow Jesus! · When I am eight, I can be baptized

7. Game

Picture Quiz

4 minBONUS

A gentle picture quiz reviews the story. Everybody wins.

  1. SAY“Picture quiz time! Listen, then point to the right picture.”
  2. Open Scripture Showdown. Read each question and point to each picture. Kids point or call out the answer.
  3. Cheer every right answer. Skip team scores if they cause tears. With Sunbeams, everybody wins.
▶ Play Scripture Showdown on the web

Class screen: 🏆 Picture quiz!

8. Game

What’s Hiding? Mystery Picture

3 minBONUS

A picture reveal reviews the story if you have a few extra minutes.

  1. SAY“A picture from our story is hiding! Let’s find out what it is.”
  2. Open Mystery Picture. Call out a “show me,” like “Show me a gentle dove!” Tap away a tile after each one.
  3. Let everyone guess. When the picture shows, tell that part of the story together.
🧩 Mystery Picture (a class game in the Gospel Sparks app)

Class screen: 🖼️ What’s hiding?

The story

Jesus Is Baptized

Matthew 3:1–17 ↗

Optional helpers

  • Dove HelperSits by you and floats the feather or paper dove down to your lap in scene 5.
  • Sound HelperTaps each scene’s sound on your phone or tablet with your help.

Scenes

  1. 🦗🍯 John ate grasshoppers and honey!

    A man named John lived in the wilderness. He wore scratchy clothes made of camel hair. He ate grasshoppers and honey. Yum or yuck?

    🙌 Thumbs up for yum, thumbs down for yuck!

  2. 📣🌊 Get ready for Jesus!

    John told everyone to get ready, because Jesus was coming! Lots of people came to the river to be baptized.

    🙌

  3. 🚶🌊 Jesus comes to the river

    One day Jesus came to the river. He asked John to baptize Him. Jesus wanted to obey Heavenly Father.

    🙌 Guess! What will John do?

  4. 💦⬆️ All the way under… and up!

    John baptized Jesus all the way under the water. Then Jesus came right up out of the water!

    🙌 Hands down low, then pop them up: “Under… and up!”

  5. 🕊️☁️ A gentle dove comes down

    The heavens opened! A dove came gently down. It was a sign that the Holy Ghost was with Jesus.

    🙌 Flutter your hands down softly, like a dove.

  6. ☁️💛 “This is my beloved Son”

    Then Heavenly Father spoke from heaven. He said, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

    🙌

  7. ✋🎂 When I am eight, I can be baptized!

    Jesus was baptized to show us the way. When you’re eight, you can be baptized, just like Jesus!

    🙌

Key verse

Matthew 3:17 ↗
“This is my beloved Son”
In kid words: Heavenly Father said, “This is My Son. I love Him!”
🙌 “This is” = point to Jesus’s picture · “my beloved” = give yourself a big hug · “Son” = point up to heaven and smile

More verses

Matthew 3:16 ↗
“Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water”
In kid words: Jesus went all the way under the water and came right back up.
Matthew 3:3 ↗
“Prepare ye the way of the Lord”
In kid words: John said, “Get ready for Jesus!”

Forehead Guess words12 words

  • 🦗 Grasshopper
  • 🍯 Honey
  • 🐝 Bee
  • 🐪 Camel
  • 🌊 River
  • 🕊️ Dove
  • 💧 Water
  • ☁️ Cloud
  • 💛 Heart
  • ✋ Eight
  • 🐟 Fish
  • 🏜️ Wilderness
Clues for each word
  • Grasshopper: John ate them. Hop, hop!
  • Honey: Sweet food John ate
  • Bee: Makes honey. Buzz!
  • Camel: John’s clothes were made of its hair
  • River: Where Jesus was baptized
  • Dove: A gentle bird, a sign of the Holy Ghost
  • Water: All the way under!
  • Cloud: The heavens opened up
  • Heart: Heavenly Father loves Jesus
  • Eight: How old you are when you can be baptized
  • Fish: Swims in the river
  • Wilderness: The dry place where John lived
▶ Play Forehead GuessFull screen, 60-second timer, works on any phone.

Scripture Showdown7 questions

  1. What did John eat?
    • A. 🍕 Pizza
    • B. 🍯 Honey
    Show answer

    ✅ B. 🍯 Honey John ate wild honey and grasshoppers. Yum or yuck?

  2. Where was Jesus baptized?
    • A. 🌊 In a river
    • B. 🛁 In a bathtub
    Show answer

    ✅ A. 🌊 In a river John baptized Jesus in the Jordan River.

  3. Who baptized Jesus?
    • A. 🧔 John
    • B. 🦖 A dinosaur
    Show answer

    ✅ A. 🧔 John John the Baptist baptized Jesus.

  4. How far under the water did Jesus go?
    • A. 🦶 Just His toes
    • B. 💦 All the way under
    • C. ✋ Just His hands
    Show answer

    ✅ B. 💦 All the way under Jesus was baptized all the way under the water.

  5. What came down gently from heaven?
    • A. 🦅 An eagle
    • B. 🎈 A balloon
    • C. 🕊️ A dove
    Show answer

    ✅ C. 🕊️ A dove The dove was a sign that the Holy Ghost was with Jesus.

  6. What did Heavenly Father say about Jesus?
    • A. 🤗 This is my beloved Son
    • B. 😴 Time for bed
    Show answer

    ✅ A. 🤗 This is my beloved Son Heavenly Father loves Jesus and was happy He was baptized.

  7. How old can you be baptized?
    • A. 2️⃣ Two
    • B. 8️⃣ Eight
    Show answer

    ✅ B. 8️⃣ Eight When you are eight, you can be baptized, just like Jesus!

▶ Play Scripture ShowdownTeams take turns on one screen.

Songs

  • Baptism Children’s Songbook, p. 100

    Tells how John baptized Jesus in the river. Sing it after the story if there’s time. Find it ↗

  • When I Am Baptized Children’s Songbook, p. 103

    Helps little ones look forward to their own baptism day. Find it ↗

  • I’m Trying to Be like Jesus Children’s Songbook, p. 78

    Following Jesus starts now, long before age eight. Find it ↗

This week’s challenge

Bath-Time Baptism Talk

At bath time, dip a washcloth all the way under the water. Say, “All the way under, like Jesus!” Tell your family, “When I am eight, I can be baptized.”

Text the parents

Today in Sunbeams we learned that John baptized Jesus in the river, all the way under the water. A dove came down as a sign of the Holy Ghost. Heavenly Father said, “This is my beloved Son.” That’s Matthew 3:17. Ask your child, “What did John eat?” The answer is grasshoppers and honey! Then ask, “How old will you be when you can be baptized?” If you have family baptism photos, this is a great week to show them.

📝 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?

🕊️ Dove Drop · 3 min

  1. Sit in a circle. Stand up and hold the feather or paper dove up high.
  2. Let it go. Everyone watches quietly as it floats down.
  3. Say, “The dove came down gently. The Holy Ghost helps us feel peaceful and calm.”
  4. Let each child have one turn dropping it.

📷 Baptism Photo Share · 3 min

  1. Show a photo on your phone of your baptism day or a family member’s.
  2. Say one happy thing you remember about that day.
  3. Ask, “Has anyone seen a baptism?” Let kids share.
  4. Say, “Someday, when you’re eight, it will be your special day!”

✏️ Draw & Guess · 3 min

  1. Open Draw & Guess. You draw a word from this lesson on your phone or tablet.
  2. Kids guess, like a grasshopper, a dove, a river, or a bee.
  3. When they guess, everyone does that thing. Hop, flutter, wiggle, or buzz.

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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