Gospel Sparks Join the beta

Jesus Prayed with the Children

Jesus knelt and prayed with little children, and Heavenly Father hears my prayers anytime, anywhere

  • 🛡️ CTR 4–7
  • ⚡ Fast Sunday
  • 📅 Sunday, February 7, 2027
🤔 Forehead Guess🏆 Showdown
💡 The big idea

Heavenly Father always hears me, so I can pray to Him anytime and anywhere, just like Jesus did.

I can pray to Heavenly Father every day, and I can talk to Him about anything.

Study it yourself firstRead Enos 1:1–17; Joseph Smith—History 1:13–17; Matthew 14:15–21; Luke 22:39–43; 3 Nephi 17:21–24 in Gospel LibraryCome, Follow Me manualOpen this fast-Sunday lesson (Enos 1:1–17; Joseph Smith—History 1:13–17; Matthew 14:15–21; Luke 22:39–43; 3 Nephi 17:21–24)
Know the chapters

This is the February fast-Sunday lesson from Appendix B of the 2027 manual. On fast Sunday it takes the place of the regular Come, Follow Me lesson. Prayer is a perfect fast-Sunday topic, because fasting and prayer go together: grown-ups who fast skip food for a little while so they can think about Heavenly Father and pray. Children aren’t required to fast, and some may just be hungry. Keep the mood bright and skip food rewards.

The story is one young children love: Jesus with the Nephite children (3 Nephi 17). After He rose from the dead, Jesus visited the Nephites. When He said He had to leave, the people cried and wanted Him to stay, so He stayed. He healed every sick person they brought. Then He asked for the little children to be brought to Him. The children sat on the ground around Him, everyone knelt, and Jesus prayed. His prayer was so wonderful that nobody could write it down, and the people were filled with joy. Then He wept, blessed the children one by one, and prayed for them. The heavens opened, and angels came down in what looked like fire and circled around the children (3 Nephi 17:11–24). About 2,500 people saw it (3 Nephi 17:25).

The manual also points to other prayers: Enos prayed all day and into the night and felt forgiven (Enos 1:1–17), and young Joseph Smith prayed in the woods and saw Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ (Joseph Smith—History 1:13–17). Jesus Himself prayed often: early in the morning (Mark 1:35), on a mountain (Matthew 14:23), before feeding thousands (Matthew 14:19), and in Gethsemane, where an angel came to strengthen Him (Luke 22:39–43). If you have extra time, the extras include Enos and Joseph Smith.

For 4- to 7-year-olds, focus on real talking with Heavenly Father: say hello to Him, thank Him, ask Him, and close in the name of Jesus Christ. Answers come in many ways: a calm or happy feeling, a good idea, a person who helps. Sometimes the answer is “wait.” Don’t promise every child will get the answer they want; promise that Heavenly Father always listens and always loves them. Your 7-year-olds will soon be baptized; point out that the sacrament prayers everyone hears each week are prayers too.

Only have 5 minutes?

Read 3 Nephi 17:11–24 so you can tell the story in your own words. Open Teach Mode and let the Story Drama carry you: the children sit around the teacher, everyone kneels, and the angels twinkle. Teach the Psalm 4:3 motions (call and hear), play Jesus Prayed Here Too! and Forehead Guess, and end with a quiet class prayer. Brought nothing? Tap “I brought nothing” and the Prayer Steps become kids.

What to bring4 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. Make 4 Prayer Steps, one big picture and a few words on each sheet: 👋 DEAR HEAVENLY FATHER · 💛 THANK YOU FOR… · 💬 PLEASE HELP… · 🙌 IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST, AMEN. Tape them in a row on the floor like hopscotch squares.
  2. Pick two gentle kids to be the Angels and give one the flashlight. Tell them the light only comes on in scene 7.
  3. Choose a 6- or 7-year-old reader to be the Record Keeper. Show them the line they’ll read in scene 5 so they feel ready.
  4. Add your kids’ names in the My Class tab so you can hand out story parts with one tap.
  5. Think of one short, true time you felt Heavenly Father heard your prayer. You’ll share it at the end.

If your class is wild

  • It’s fast Sunday. If a child is hungry and grumpy, give them a helper job right away (hold the Prayer Steps, run the flashlight) and use high-fives instead of treats.
  • Use the Noise Meter from the hook all lesson: “Can we be as quiet as a whispered prayer?” Watch the meter drop together.
  • In the story, the Nephite Children sit on the floor in a circle around you. Sitting on the floor is part of the story, so it keeps wigglers in one place.
  • If kneeling gets silly, say, “Jesus asked everyone to kneel, and they did.” Count to three and try again.
  • Kids who blurt out a prayer idea during class are doing it right! Say, “Save that one for your prayer tonight!”

The 25-minute plan25 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

Can You Hear a Whisper?

3 min

A whisper-and-think test gets kids curious and sets up the big idea: Heavenly Father hears even the quietest prayer.

  1. Open the Noise Meter. Say: “Let’s see how loud we are!” Have everyone clap, then be super quiet. Watch the meter jump and drop.
  2. Walk to the far side of the room. Whisper a silly instruction, very softly: “Touch your nose.” Who heard it? Try another: “Pat your head.”
  3. Now close your mouth and just think a word (like “puppy”). Ask: “What word am I thinking?” (Nobody knows!)
  4. SAY“The Noise Meter can’t hear a thought. You can’t hear a thought. But Heavenly Father can hear every prayer, even a whisper, even a prayer you say in your heart. Today we’ll learn about a time Jesus prayed with little kids just like you.”
🌪️ If they get loud to make the meter jump, say, “Loud is easy. Quiet is the superpower!” Then see who can make it drop to zero.
🐭 Noise Meter (a class game in the Gospel Sparks app)

Class screen: 🤫 Can you hear a whisper? · 👂 Listen closely…

2. Story

Story Drama: Jesus Prayed with the Children

6 min

Sitting in a circle, kneeling and watching angels come makes this tender story real, and shows how much Jesus loves children.

  1. Hand out the roles (tap Roles in Teach Mode to assign them from your class list). Give the flashlight to an Angel. Everyone else is the Crowd & Sound Crew.
  2. Sit in a chair in the middle of the room. You read what Jesus says. No child plays Jesus.
  3. Read each scene aloud and pause for the action cue. In scene 6, point gently to each child one at a time so every child is counted.
  4. At scene 7, the Angels’ light comes on for the first time. Keep it slow and quiet.
  5. End with everyone’s arms folded. Whisper: “Heavenly Father hears you too.”
🌪️ The Angels only walk. If anyone runs, the light switches off and everyone freezes until it’s calm again.

Class screen: 🎭 Story Drama time! · Everyone gets a part

No supplies? Do this instead

Instead of: A flashlight (or your phone’s flashlight) for the angels

  1. Hand out the roles (tap Roles in Teach Mode). The Angels wiggle twinkly fingers high over their heads. Everyone else is the Crowd & Sound Crew.
  2. Sit in a chair in the middle of the room. You read what Jesus says. No child plays Jesus.
  3. Read each scene aloud and pause for the action cue. In scene 6, point gently to each child one at a time.
  4. At scene 7, tap the magic sound. The Angels float in slowly, twinkling their fingers, and walk around the circle.
  5. End with everyone’s arms folded. Whisper: “Heavenly Father hears you too.”
3. Wiggle break

Jesus Prayed Here Too!

2 min

Acting out the places Jesus prayed gets the wiggles out and shows we can pray anytime, anywhere.

  1. SAY“Jesus prayed in lots of places. Let’s go there!”
  2. Call out each place and act it: early morning (yawn and stretch) · up a mountain (climb, climb, climb) · a picnic on the grass (sit and pretend to hold bread and fish) · a quiet garden (tiptoe past flowers) · with children (sit in a circle).
  3. After each one, say, “And there… He prayed!” Everyone freezes with folded arms for two seconds.
  4. Last round, name places from their week: in bed, in the car, at school, at soccer. Ask: “Can I pray there?” Everyone: “Yes!”
🌪️ Climb and tiptoe in place. Anyone who leaves their spot climbs back down the mountain to their seat.

Class screen: ⛰️ Where did Jesus pray? · 🌅 Morning · ⛰️ Mountain · 🌿 Garden

4. Object lesson

Prayer Steps

3 min

Hopping through the four parts of a prayer teaches pre-readers and readers how to talk to Heavenly Father in their own words.

  1. Point to the four Prayer Steps on the floor. Let readers read each one; little ones say what the picture means.
  2. SAY“A prayer has four easy steps. We say hello to Heavenly Father, we thank Him, we ask Him for help, and we close in the name of Jesus Christ.”
  3. Kids take turns hopping from square to square. On each square they say their own words: “Dear Heavenly Father… thank you for my dog… please help my grandma… in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.”
  4. SAY“You don’t need fancy words. Heavenly Father just wants to hear from you.”
🌪️ One hopper at a time. Everyone else does the motions from their seat: wave, hand on heart, hands open, arms folded.

Class screen: 🪜 Four easy prayer steps! · 👋 Dear Heavenly Father · 💛 Thank you for… · 💬 Please help… · 🙌 In the name of Jesus Christ, amen

No supplies? Do this instead

Instead of: 4 sheets of paper, a marker and some tape for the Prayer Steps

Living Prayer Steps

  1. Choose four kids to be the Prayer Steps and stand them in a row. Each has a motion: wave (Dear Heavenly Father), hand on heart (thank you), hands open (please help), arms folded (in the name of Jesus Christ, amen).
  2. SAY“A prayer has four easy steps. We say hello to Heavenly Father, we thank Him, we ask Him for help, and we close in the name of Jesus Christ.”
  3. Other kids take turns walking down the row. At each Step, the Step does its motion and the walker says their own words.
  4. Switch who the Steps are so more kids get a turn. Say: “You don’t need fancy words. Heavenly Father just wants to hear from you.”

Class screen: 🪜 You are the Prayer Steps!

5. Scripture

Call and Hear: Psalm 4:3

3 min

A short promise with big motions helps every child remember that Heavenly Father hears them.

  1. Show the verse on the screen and let a reader read it. Everyone repeats it after you.
  2. Teach the motions: point up, cup your ear, cup your mouth, fold your arms.
  3. Say it three ways: a normal voice, a whisper, and then only the motions with no voice at all. Say: “Even when we don’t make a sound, Heavenly Father hears!”
  4. SAY“Every Sunday in sacrament meeting we hear special prayers: the sacrament prayers. Heavenly Father hears those too. When you’re baptized, they’ll help you remember your baptism promises.”

Class screen: 👂 The Lord will hear when I call! · Psalm 4:3

6. Game

Forehead Guess: Prayer Edition

4 min

A Heads Up–style game reviews the story and the places we can pray, and the pictures let everyone play.

  1. Tap Forehead Guess. The guesser holds your phone or tablet on their forehead, screen facing the class.
  2. The class gives clues without saying the word. The picture shows with each word, so 4-year-olds can act it out: kneel for Kneel, flap arms for Angel, snore for Bed.
  3. The guesser tilts your phone or tablet down for “got it” and up to pass. Each turn lasts about 45 seconds.
  4. When a 4- or 5-year-old guesses, give them a big buddy (a 6- or 7-year-old) who stands beside them and helps.
🌪️ Clue-givers stay sitting on their spot. Pick each new guesser with the Name Spinner so nobody argues about turns.
▶ Play Forehead Guess on the web

Class screen: 🤔 Forehead Guess! · Give clues. Don’t say the word!

7. Game

Scripture Showdown

5 minBONUS

A fast team quiz reviews everything they learned.

  1. Split into two teams, mixing big kids and little kids on each team. Tap Scripture Showdown to start.
  2. Read each question and the picture choices aloud. Teams whisper together, then point to an answer.
  3. Tap the team that got it right to give them a point.
▶ Play Scripture Showdown on the web

Class screen: 🏆 Scripture Showdown!

8. Talk it over

Pass and Share

2 min

Help each child think about what they want to tell Heavenly Father.

  1. Sit in a circle. Pass the rock (or ball or stuffed animal) to whoever answers next.
  2. Pick one or two questions. Little ones can answer with one word. Share your own answer too.
💬 Ask the class
  • What is something you can thank Heavenly Father for tonight?
  • Where is a place you could pray this week?
  • Who is someone you could pray for, like Jesus prayed for the children?
  • How do you feel when you pray?

Class screen: 💬 Pass it and share!

No supplies? Do this instead

Instead of: A small smooth rock, a soft ball or a stuffed animal to pass during Talk It Over

  1. Sit in a circle. Put your hands together like you’re holding a tiny bird. Pass the pretend bird gently to whoever answers next.
  2. Pick one or two questions. Little ones can answer with one word. Share your own answer too.
9. Testimony

He Hears Me

2 min

End calm and reverent with a real prayer and a plan to pray at home.

  1. Everyone folds arms. Say softly: “Today is fast Sunday. Grown-ups who fast pray extra hard today. Kids don’t have to fast, but everyone can pray.”
  2. Share your short, true time you felt Heavenly Father heard your prayer.
  3. SAY“Jesus prayed for children because He loves them. Heavenly Father loves you and hears every prayer.”
  4. Show the Pillow Reminder challenge on the screen. Ask a child to say the closing prayer using the four Prayer Steps.

Class screen: 🙏 Heavenly Father hears me every time · This week: pray morning and night!

Story drama

Jesus Prayed with the Children

3 Nephi 17:1–25 ↗

Parts to hand out

  • Nephite ChildrenThe littlest kids. Sit on the floor in a circle around the teacher and fold their arms.
  • Moms and DadsOlder kids who gently lead the Nephite Children to the circle, then kneel behind them.
  • Healed FriendsLimp, squint or hold a pretend sore arm, then jump up happy and healed.
  • The Record KeeperA reader! Pretends to write everything down, then reads a line out loud in scene 5.
  • AngelsTwo kids who come down softly with light and walk in a circle around the children.
  • Crowd & Sound CrewEveryone else: cry softly, gasp, kneel, and whisper “Wow!”

Scenes

  1. ✨🌍 Jesus visits the Nephites!

    After Jesus rose from the dead, He came down from heaven to visit people far across the ocean. They were called the Nephites. He taught them all day long, and they loved Him.

    🎬 Crowd & Sound Crew look up high, point and gasp: “It’s Jesus!”

  2. 😢💛 The people wanted Jesus to stay

    Jesus said it was time for Him to go. But the people started to cry. They wanted Him to stay a little longer. Jesus loved them so much that He stayed.

    🎬 Crowd rubs their eyes and says softly, “Please stay!” Then everyone smiles big.

  3. 🩹🌈 Jesus heals everyone

    Jesus asked if anyone was sick or hurt, and He told the people to bring them to Him. They brought everyone who was sick or hurt, and Jesus healed every single one.

    🎬 Healed Friends limp or squint, then jump up and cheer: “I’m better!”

  4. 🧒👨‍👩‍👧 Jesus asked for the little children

    Then Jesus asked for the little children. Moms and dads brought them and set them on the ground all around Him. Jesus stood right in the middle of the children.

    🎬 Moms and Dads lead the Nephite Children to sit in a circle around the teacher’s chair.

  5. 🧎🙏 Everyone kneels, and Jesus prays

    Jesus asked everyone to kneel down. Then Jesus knelt and prayed to Heavenly Father. His prayer was so wonderful that nobody could write it down. The people felt so much joy!

    🎬 Everyone kneels and folds their arms. The Record Keeper reads: “It was too wonderful to write down!”

  6. 🥲🤲 One by one

    Jesus was so happy that He cried. Then He took the little children one by one. He blessed each child and prayed to Heavenly Father for them. Every single child!

    🎬 Crowd counts softly while you point to each child: “One… two… three…” Every child is counted.

  7. 👼🔥 Angels circle the children

    Jesus said, “Behold your little ones.” The people looked up, and the sky opened! Angels came down in bright light, like fire, and made a circle all around the children.

    🎬 The Angels switch on the light and walk slowly around the circle. Everyone whispers, “Wow!”

  8. 💛👂 Heavenly Father hears you, too

    The same Heavenly Father who heard Jesus pray for those children hears you when you pray. You can pray in the morning, at night, at school, anywhere. He is always listening.

    🎬 Everyone folds arms and bows heads for three quiet seconds. Then whisper together: “He hears me!”

Key verse

Psalm 4:3 ↗
“the LORD will hear when I call unto him”
In kid words: When I pray, Heavenly Father hears me. Every time!
🙌 “the LORD” = point up · “will hear” = cup a hand behind your ear · “when I call” = cup both hands around your mouth · “unto him” = fold your arms and bow your head

More verses

Mark 1:35 ↗
“rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed”
In kid words: Jesus got up very early, before the sun, and went to a quiet place to pray.
Matthew 14:19 ↗
“looking up to heaven, he blessed”
In kid words: Before Jesus fed thousands of people, He looked up to heaven and blessed the food.
Luke 22:41 ↗
“kneeled down, and prayed”
In kid words: When Jesus felt very sad and heavy in the garden, He knelt down and prayed.
Mark 10:16 ↗
“And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them”
In kid words: Jesus held the children in His arms and blessed them. He loves children!

Forehead Guess words17 words

  • 🙏 Pray
  • 🧎 Kneel
  • 👼 Angel
  • 🧒 Children
  • 🌅 Morning
  • ⛰️ Mountain
  • 🌿 Garden
  • 🍞 Bread
  • 🐟 Fish
  • 🛏️ Bed
  • 👂 Ear
  • 🤫 Whisper
  • 🙌 Amen
  • 👨‍👩‍👧 Family
  • 🌲 Forest
  • 💡 Light
  • 🥲 Happy Tears
Clues for each word
  • Pray: Talking to Heavenly Father
  • Kneel: Get down on your knees
  • Angel: They came down and circled the children
  • Children: Jesus blessed them one by one
  • Morning: Jesus got up early to pray
  • Mountain: Climb up high to pray
  • Garden: Jesus knelt and prayed in one
  • Bread: Jesus blessed it before the big picnic
  • Fish: Swims in water. Jesus blessed two of them
  • Bed: Kneel by it at night to pray
  • Ear: What you listen with
  • Whisper: Talking very, very quietly
  • Amen: The last word of a prayer
  • Family: The people you pray with at home
  • Forest: Lots of trees. Joseph Smith prayed here
  • Light: The angels came down in it
  • Happy Tears: Crying because you feel so much joy
▶ Play Forehead GuessFull screen, 60-second timer, works on any phone.

Scripture Showdown8 questions

  1. Who did Jesus ask the people to bring to Him?
    • A. 🐶 Their puppies
    • B. 🧒 Their little children
    • C. 🍕 Their pizza
    Show answer

    ✅ B. 🧒 Their little children Jesus loves children. He wanted them right next to Him!

  2. What did everyone do before Jesus prayed?
    • A. 🧎 Knelt down
    • B. 💃 Danced
    • C. 🏃 Ran away
    Show answer

    ✅ A. 🧎 Knelt down Jesus asked everyone to kneel, and they did.

  3. What came down and circled the children?
    • A. 🦋 Butterflies
    • B. 🎈 Balloons
    • C. 👼 Angels
    Show answer

    ✅ C. 👼 Angels Angels came down in bright light and circled the little ones.

  4. How did Jesus bless the children?
    • A. 🎲 Only a few
    • B. ☝️ One by one
    • C. 🙅 He didn’t
    Show answer

    ✅ B. ☝️ One by one He blessed every child, one at a time. He loves each one!

  5. When can you pray to Heavenly Father?
    • A. 📅 Only on Sunday
    • B. 🎂 Only on birthdays
    • C. ⏰ Anytime, anywhere
    Show answer

    ✅ C. ⏰ Anytime, anywhere You can pray in the morning, at night, at school, anywhere!

  6. Can Heavenly Father hear a prayer in your heart?
    • A. ✅ Yes
    • B. ❌ No
    • C. 📢 Only if you yell
    Show answer

    ✅ A. ✅ Yes He hears every prayer, even a quiet one in your heart.

  7. How do we end a prayer?
    • A. 👋 “Bye, see you later!”
    • B. 🙌 “In the name of Jesus Christ, amen”
    • C. 🍕 “Pass the pizza!”
    Show answer

    ✅ B. 🙌 “In the name of Jesus Christ, amen” We close our prayers in the name of Jesus Christ.

  8. When did Jesus get up to pray in Mark 1:35?
    • A. 🌙 At midnight
    • B. ☀️ At lunchtime
    • C. 🌅 Very early morning
    Show answer

    ✅ C. 🌅 Very early morning Jesus got up before the sun came up to pray in a quiet place.

▶ Play Scripture ShowdownTeams take turns on one screen.

Songs

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

    It asks the very question from today’s lesson: does Heavenly Father hear me? Find it ↗

  • We Bow Our Heads Children’s Songbook, p. 25

    A short, gentle song to get ready for prayer and calm the room. Find it ↗

  • Tell Me the Stories of Jesus Children’s Songbook, p. 57

    It’s about Jesus and little children, just like our story. Find it ↗

  • I Feel My Savior’s Love Children’s Songbook, p. 74

    Perfect for the quiet ending, after Jesus blessed the children one by one. Find it ↗

This week’s challenge

Pillow Reminder

Each morning, put a stuffed animal or a shoe on your pillow. At bedtime, when you move it, kneel and pray. Each morning, pray too. Use the four Prayer Steps and thank Heavenly Father for one new thing every day.

Text the parents

Today in Primary we learned that Jesus knelt and prayed with the Nephite children, blessed them one by one, and angels came and circled around them (3 Nephi 17). We practiced the four steps of prayer and Psalm 4:3: “the LORD will hear when I call unto him.” Ask your child: what are the four Prayer Steps, and where could you pray this week?

📝 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?

🏹 Enos Prays All Day · 4 min

  1. Tell it simply: Enos went hunting in the forest and remembered what his dad taught him about Jesus. He knelt and prayed all day and into the night (Enos 1:3–5).
  2. Kids act it out: tiptoe hunting, kneel, then keep praying while you slowly move a pretend sun across the sky and bring out the moon.
  3. SAY“The Lord told Enos he was forgiven because of his faith in Jesus Christ. Then Enos prayed for other people too. Who can you pray for?”

🌲 Joseph Smith’s Question · 4 min

  1. SAY“Young Joseph Smith had a question. He read in the Bible that if you need wisdom, you can ask God (James 1:5).”
  2. Everyone makes a forest with tree arms. One reader kneels among the trees.
  3. SAY“Joseph prayed, and Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ came to him (Joseph Smith—History 1:17). When we have a question, we can pray too.”

🖍️ Prayer Places Picture · 5 min

  1. Give each child a paper and crayons.
  2. Draw one place they can pray: their bed, the dinner table, the car, school.
  3. Readers can write “I can pray here!” Little ones can draw folded arms. Take it home and hang it by their bed.

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.

All CTR 4–7 lessons