I Am Thankful For My Home

Opening Song: "Home" (Children’s Song Book # 192)

Opening Prayer: Daddy

Lesson: Mommy “I Am Thankful for My Home” (adapted from the primary 1 manual: lesson 31)


What do you think it would be like if your home was in the water? What might happen if your home was in a tree?

Explain that animals and insects live in many different kinds of homes. People also live in different kinds of homes.

Show picture 1-61, Exodus from Nauvoo.

Story: Tell about the early members of the Church who built a city called Nauvoo. They worked hard to build their homes and a beautiful temple. But some people around Nauvoo did not like the Church members and forced them to leave. The Church members traveled with only the belongings they could fit in covered wagons. Because the covered wagons were small, many of the children had to leave their toys behind. Some of the people lived in their covered wagons and in tents for a long time.

Why would it be hard to live in a covered wagon or tent?

Activity: Have the children stand and do the following action verse:
The pioneer children walked and talked (walk in place);
Then they played games and skipped and hopped (hop or jump in place).
When it was night, stars sparkled and gleamed (close and open hands);
Inside the wagons they slept and dreamed (close eyes, lay head on hands).


Activity: Have the children pantomime some things they can do to help keep their homes neat and clean, such as picking up their toys, sweeping the floor, and folding and putting away their clothes.

Describe a situation in which he or she could be a good helper in the home. Ask the child what he or she would do to help in that situation. Use the following examples or make up your own situations to fit your child:

You accidentally spilled a glass of water on the floor. What should you do?

You played with your blocks all afternoon. Now it is time to eat. What should you do with your blocks?

Your mother is in a hurry to get dinner on the table. She needs someone to set the table before the family can eat. What could you do?

Your clothes are washed and neatly folded. What should you do with them now?

You have been playing outside and your shoes are covered with mud. What should you do before you come into the house?

Your bed is messed up when you get out of it in the morning. What should you do to it?

Encourage the children to talk about things they do to help keep their homes neat and clean. Tell the children how you work to keep your home neat and clean.

Explain that the kind of home we live in is not important. We might live in a large house, a small house, an apartment, a tent, or a boat. The important thing is that our homes are places where family members love each other. Tell about your own home and what you do to make it a loving place.

Why do you like to be at home?

How do you know your family loves you?

Closing Song: “Sing Your Way Home” (Children’s Song Book # 193)

Closing Prayer: Mommy


Craft Ideas: Folding House: Mount the folding house and hearts on a heavier piece of paper or lightweight cardboard, and color them. Cut out the house and the slot in the roof. Fold along the dotted lines to create a box house, and glue where indicated. Cut out the hearts. Begin with an empty house each morning. During the day, each time you remember to show your love for a family member, slip a heart through the slot in the roof. At the end of the day, open the lid of your box house and see how many hearts you have collected. Start over each day and try to increase the number of hearts you place in your house. Share this activity with your family, and see how many hearts you can collect together. (Make more hearts as needed.) -From June 1996 Friend

Treat: Making Jesus's first home: Gingerbread Nativity at Fun Recipes