I Belong to a Family

Purpose

To help each child understand that Heavenly Father planned for each of us to belong to a family that needs us and loves us.

Preparation

Prayerfully study Luke 1:26–35.
Become familiar with the families of the children in your class and be prepared to mention something positive that is happening in each one, such as a new baby, a brother or sister on a mission, or a family outing.
Materials needed:
1. A Bible.
2. Chalk and eraser.
3. Picture 1-5, Family with a Baby (62307); picture 1-7, A Loving Family; picture 1-16, The Nativity (Gospel Art Picture Kit 201; 62495); picture 1-23, A Nest with Baby Birds; picture 1-51, A Family Working Together (62313); picture 1-53, Family Fun (62384).
Make the necessary preparations for any Enrichment Activities you want to use.

Note to the teacher: Be sensitive to the family situations of the children in your class. Help the children understand that the important thing about a family is not the number of people in the family, but that the family members love each other and take care of each other.

Learning Activities

Invite a child to give the opening prayer.

Attention Activity

Show picture 1-23, A Nest with Baby Birds. Let the children talk about the picture and have them identify the birds and the nest.

Who built the nest for the baby birds?
Why do the baby birds need a mother and father to take care of them? (To feed them, to keep them warm, and to protect them from danger.)
When the baby birds get a little older and stronger, who will teach them to fly?

Explain that the baby birds belong to a family that will help take care of their needs.

I belong to a family

Do you have a family?
Why do you need a family to take care of you?

Show picture 1-5, Family with a Baby. Review how Heavenly Father planned for each of us to come to earth and be part of a family. Explain that when a baby is born, the baby can’t take care of itself. A baby can’t feed or dress itself. It needs a family to take care of it.

Who took care of you when you were born?
What are some things that your family did for you when you were a baby?
What are some things that your family does for you now?
Who planned for you to belong to a family?

Help the children understand how happy their families were when they were born. Emphasize how much their parents and other family members love them and want them to be happy.

Song

Help the children sing or say the words to “I Am a Child of God” (Children’s Songbook, p. 2).

I am a child of God,
And he has sent me here,
Has given me an earthly home
With parents kind and dear.

Lead me, guide me, walk beside me,
Help me find the way.
Teach me all that I must do
To live with him someday.

Show picture 1-16, The Nativity, and explain that Jesus was born into a family when he came to earth (see Luke 1:26–35).

Who are the people in this picture?
Who is Jesus’ mother?
Who is Jesus’ father? (Remind the children that Heavenly Father is Jesus’ father; Joseph was a good man chosen by Heavenly Father to take care of Mary and Jesus.)
How do you think Mary and Joseph felt about Jesus?
What do you think Mary and Joseph did to care for baby Jesus?
Who planned for Jesus to have a family to love and take care of him?

Heavenly Father and Jesus love every family

Show picture 1-7, A Loving Family. Explain that some families have a mother and a father, and some families have only one parent. Some families have a grandparent or other person helping to take care of the children. Some families have many children, while other families have one child or no children. Help the children understand that every family is different and Heavenly Father and Jesus love every family.

Activity

Invite each child to tell about his or her family. One at a time, help each child draw stick figures on the chalkboard to represent the members of his or her family. Have the child say each family member’s name aloud and then count the members of the family. As each child finishes, share with the class something you have learned about the child’s family.

Heavenly Father and Jesus want family members to show love for one another

Song

Help the children sing or say the words to “A Happy Family” (Children’s Songbook, p. 198).

I love mother; she loves me.
We love daddy, yes sirree;
He loves us, and so you see,
We are a happy family.

How do you know your family loves you?
What do you do to show your family members you love them?

Show picture 1-53, Family Fun.

Is this a happy family? How do you know?
What do you like to do with your family?
When everyone is kind to one another, how do you feel?

Show picture 1-51, A Family Working Together.

What is this family doing?
What do you do to help your family?
How do you feel when you help members of your family?

Activity

Have the children think of different ways they could help their families at home, such as picking up their toys, playing with the baby, or helping wash the dishes. Let the children act out their ideas. Encourage the children to help their families during the week.

Testimony

Share your feelings of gratitude to Heavenly Father for the blessing of being part of a family.

Enrichment Activities

Choose some of these activities to use during the lesson.

Sing “A Happy Family” again. Choose four children to be the family in the song. Have them hold signs to indicate which family member each one represents. Stand behind the four children and point to the appropriate child’s head as you sing or say the words with the children. Repeat the song, allowing other children to take the part of family members. Continue until each child has had a turn.
Tell the children about King Benjamin’s instructions to families, as found in Mosiah 4:14–15. Read the last half of verse 15 aloud. Have the children suggest ways that members of a family can love and serve each other.
Help the children do the following finger play:

My Family

Here is my pretty mother (point to index finger);

Here is my father tall (point to middle finger).

Here is my older sister (point to ring finger),

And that isn’t all.

Here is my baby brother (point to little finger),

As small as small can be.

Who is this other person (point to thumb)?

Of course you know it’s me.

One, two, three, four, five, you see (touch each finger as you count),

Make a very nice family!

Help each child hold up the appropriate number of fingers to represent the number of people in his or her family (if a child’s family has more than ten people, have another child help). Help each child repeat the last two lines of the verse, counting up to the number of people in his or her family before saying “make a very nice family!”

Additional Activities for Younger Children

Show picture 1-23, A Nest with Baby Birds. Help the children do the actions to “Birds in the Tree” (Children’s Songbook, p. 241) while you sing or say the words:

We will find a little nest (cup hands together)

In the branches of a tree (hold arms up rounded over head).

Let us count the eggs inside;

There are one, two, three (hold up one, two, and three fingers).

Mother bird sits on the nest (cup left hand, place right hand on top)

To hatch the eggs, all three (hold up three fingers).

Father bird flies round and round (move arms in a flying motion)

To guard his family.
Sing “Here We Are Together” (Children’s Songbook, p. 261), using father, mother, sister, and brother where the song indicates to insert names. Let the children clap or dance while you sing.

Here we are together, together, together;

Oh, here we are together in our family.

There’s father and mother and sister and brother;

Oh, here we are together this bright, sunny day.
Help the children do the actions to the following verse while you say the words:

My Family

Just like the birds way up in the tree (flap arms like wings),

I have my very own family (point to self).

They give me food (pretend to eat)

And teach me to play (jump),

So I can be safe and happy all day (smile a big smile).
Say the following words or sing them to any tune that fits:

Mommy loves you, Mommy loves you.

Daddy too, Daddy too.

People in your family, people in your family,

Love you true, love you true.