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I Have Loved You

A peekaboo mirror, ten pennies, a cup that overflows, and hearts that turn to our families

  • ☀️ Sunbeams
  • Week 51
  • 📅 Sunday, December 20, 2026
🤔 Forehead Guess🏆 Showdown
💡 The big idea

Heavenly Father loves me and pours down blessings on me.

I can say, “Heavenly Father loves me,” and thank Him for my blessings.

Come, Follow Me manualOpen this week (Malachi)
Know the chapters

Malachi is the last book of the Old Testament. The Lord’s very first words in it are tender: “I have loved you, saith the LORD” (Malachi 1:2). Then He teaches His people to give Him their best, including their tithes. He promises to “open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it” (Malachi 3:10). At the end, Malachi promises that Elijah will come to turn the hearts of children and parents toward each other (Malachi 4:5–6), a promise fulfilled when Elijah restored the sealing keys in the Kirtland Temple (Doctrine and Covenants 110:13–16).

For three-year-olds, the whole lesson is one tiny truth: Heavenly Father loves me. Tithing, the windows of heaven and families are all ways He shows it. Say “Heavenly Father loves me” so often that they sing it on the way out the door.

Tithing is one-tenth of what we receive. Children can pay tithing on birthday or allowance money with a parent’s help, using a donation slip given to a member of the bishopric or online. Heavenly Father’s blessings come in many forms, often quiet ones like peace, a happy family moment or help when we need it. Most three-year-olds don’t have money, and some families are going through hard times, so never ask who pays. Keep it joyful: tithing is a way to say thank you.

Be gentle about families. Some children live with one parent, grandparents or foster parents, and some families are going through hard things. Talk about “the people who love you,” and remind every child that they belong to Heavenly Father’s family.

Only have 5 minutes?

Put a small mirror in a paper bag (or tap “I brought nothing” and use cupped hands). Let each child peek at the one Heavenly Father loves: themselves! Sing “My Heavenly Father Loves Me,” let Teach Mode carry the picture story, and teach “I have loved you, saith the LORD” with a hug. Count ten fingers and wiggle the one for tithing, then pour pretend blessings into their cupped hands until they overflow. End with each child’s name: “Heavenly Father loves you.”

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. Put the mirror in the bag or box so it faces up when a child peeks in.
  2. Count out 10 pennies and write “For Heavenly Father” on the small envelope.
  3. Fill the water bottle. Put the cup on the tray and keep the towel close by. Practice pouring until the cup overflows onto the tray.
  4. Open this lesson in Teach Mode and add your children’s names in the My Class tab. You’ll say every child’s name today.

If your class is wild

  • The peekaboo mirror is magic for criers: let a teary child peek first and whisper, “Heavenly Father loves this person so much!”
  • Water and three-year-olds: only the teacher pours, and keep the tray on the floor in front of you. Children are the “blessing catchers.”
  • Potty breaks: never leave the class alone and never go somewhere alone with one child. Ask a Primary presidency member or the child’s parent to help, following your ward’s plan.
  • Snacks: check allergies with parents and your ward’s snack policy first, and save it for the very end.
  • When a child talks about a hard family situation, just say, “Heavenly Father loves you and your family,” and keep going warmly.

The 25-minute plan24 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

Who Does Heavenly Father Love?

2 min

Peeking into a bag and finding their own face makes the lesson personal from the first minute.

  1. Hold the bag closed on your lap. Say: “In my bag is someone Heavenly Father loves very, very much. Do you want to peek?”
  2. Let each child peek in, one at a time. Whisper: “Shhh, don’t tell who it is!”
  3. After everyone peeks, ask: “Who did you see?” (Themselves!)
  4. SAY“Heavenly Father loves YOU! Let’s learn about that today.”
🌪️ If everyone crowds the bag, say, “Sit on your bottom and I’ll bring it to you!” and walk it around.

Class screen: 🪞 Who does Heavenly Father love?

No supplies? Do this instead

Instead of: A small hand mirror inside a paper bag or small box

  1. Cup your hands together like a tiny secret box. Say: “In my hands is someone Heavenly Father loves very, very much. Do you want to peek?”
  2. Walk around and let each child peek into your hands. As they peek, gently tap their nose and whisper, “It’s YOU!”
  3. SAY“Heavenly Father loves every one of you! Let’s learn about that today.”

Class screen: 🤲 Peek! Who does Heavenly Father love?

2. Song

Sing: My Heavenly Father Loves Me

3 min

Singing the truth fills the room with it and brings everyone close.

  1. SAY“Let’s sing a song about Heavenly Father’s love!”
  2. Sing “My Heavenly Father Loves Me” (Children’s Songbook, 228). Point up to heaven every time you sing “Heavenly Father.”
  3. Sing it again and give yourself a hug at the very end.
  4. Humming and doing the motions counts. They’re learning!

Class screen: 🎶 My Heavenly Father loves me!

3. Story

Picture Story: Malachi’s Happy Message

5 min

Seven short picture scenes, each with an action, show the ways Heavenly Father loves us.

  1. Pick a Malachi and a Window Opener. Everyone else is the Blessing Rain and the Heart Helpers.
  2. Show each picture on your phone or tablet, read the one or two lines, then do the action together.
  3. After each scene, say together: “Heavenly Father loves me!”
  4. At the last scene, slow down and whisper. Christmas is almost here!
🌪️ If the rain gets stormy, say, “The rain stops… now!” Everyone freezes with their fingers up high.

Class screen: 📖 Story time: Malachi’s happy message!

4. Wiggle break

Melting Snowman

2 min

Growing tall and melting down gets the wiggles out and ends calm.

  1. SAY“It’s almost Christmas! Let’s be snowmen!”
  2. Sing “Once There Was a Snowman” (Children’s Songbook, 249). Everyone starts small, grows tall, tall, tall, then melts slowly to the floor.
  3. Do it twice: once fast, once super slow.
  4. Finish melted on the floor, quiet as snow.

Class screen: ⛄ Grow tall… then melt!

5. Scripture

I Have Loved You

3 min

Six words with a hug, said to every child by name, help each one feel loved.

  1. SAY“The Lord said happy words through the prophet Malachi. Let’s say them!”
  2. Teach the motions. Then say it together: “I have loved you, saith the LORD.”
  3. Say it in a whisper voice, then a snowman voice, then a big happy voice.
  4. Go around the circle. Say one child’s name, and everyone points to that child and says the verse together. Do every child!

Class screen: 🤗 I have loved you, saith the LORD. · 🤗 I have loved · 👉 you, · ☝️ saith the LORD

6. Object lesson

Ten Pennies and a Full Cup

3 min

Counting pennies and an overflowing cup make tithing and blessings something they can see.

  1. Count 10 pennies onto the floor together: 1, 2, 3… 10!
  2. SAY“When we get money, we give one out of ten back to Heavenly Father. That’s tithing!” Let a child put one penny in the envelope.
  3. Set the cup on the tray. Say: “Malachi said Heavenly Father pours out blessings, more than we have room for!”
  4. Slowly pour water into the cup until it spills over onto the tray. Everyone says, “Too many blessings!”
  5. SAY“Heavenly Father loves us and blesses us.”
🌪️ Only the teacher pours. Children keep hands on their knees until it’s their turn to count.

Class screen: 🥛 Too many blessings to hold!

No supplies? Do this instead

Instead of: 10 pennies (or 10 buttons or blocks) and a small envelope, A clear plastic cup, a water bottle, a baking pan or tray, and a towel

  1. Everyone holds up ten fingers and counts together: 1, 2, 3… 10!
  2. Fold down nine fingers and wiggle one. Say: “When we get money, we give one out of ten back to Heavenly Father. That’s tithing!”
  3. Everyone cups their hands like a little bowl. Walk around and pour pretend blessings from high above into each child’s hands.
  4. Keep pouring until their hands are too full! Everyone spills their hands open: “Too many blessings!”
  5. SAY“Heavenly Father loves us and blesses us.”

Class screen: 🤲 Too many blessings to hold!

7. Game

Open the Windows!

2 min

Each tile is a little window of heaven opening, and the hidden picture reviews the story.

  1. Open Mystery Picture. Say: “Let’s open the windows and see what’s hiding!”
  2. Ask an easy question (“Who loves you? Heavenly Father!”). Each right answer, a child taps away one window.
  3. When they guess the picture, everyone does its action: hug for a heart, rain fingers for rain, temple roof for the temple.
🧩 Mystery Picture (a class game in the Gospel Sparks app)

Class screen: 🪟 Open the windows! What’s hiding?

8. Talk it over

Love Ball

2 min

Rolling a ball gives every child a turn to share, with or without words.

  1. Sit in a circle. Show a question on your phone or tablet and roll the ball to a child.
  2. The child answers with a word, a point or a show-me, then rolls the ball back to you.
  3. Help shy children with two choices: “Is it your mom or your grandma?”
💬 Ask the class
  • Who loves you?
  • What yummy food did Heavenly Father give us?
  • Out of ten pennies, how many are for Heavenly Father? Show me!
  • Show me your family hug!

Class screen: ⚽ Roll the ball! Who loves you?

No supplies? Do this instead

Instead of: A soft ball or a rolled-up pair of socks

  1. Sit in a circle. Show a question on your phone or tablet and hold out your cupped hands: “This is a love bubble!”
  2. Gently “hand” the bubble to a child. The child answers with a word, a point or a show-me, then hands the bubble back to you.
  3. Help shy children with two choices: “Is it your mom or your grandma?”

Class screen: 🫧 Pass the love bubble! Who loves you?

9. Testimony

Heavenly Father Loves You

2 min

Hearing their own name with the truth is a moment a three-year-old can feel.

  1. Ask for whisper voices. Everyone puts a hand on their heart.
  2. SAY“Heavenly Father loves you. He gives you so many blessings, and He sent baby Jesus. I know He loves you, and I love you too.”
  3. Go around the circle and whisper each child’s name: “Heavenly Father loves Sam.”
  4. Fold arms and say a short closing prayer, or help a child say one.

Class screen: 💛 Heavenly Father loves me.

10. Game

Picture Quiz

4 minBONUS

Pointing at pictures lets pre-readers review the story and cheer.

  1. Open Scripture Showdown. Read each question aloud and point to each picture.
  2. Children point to or shout the right picture. Everyone cheers every right answer.
  3. Skip the team scores if they cause tears. With Sunbeams, everybody wins.
▶ Play Scripture Showdown on the web

Class screen: 🏆 Picture quiz!

Story drama

Malachi’s Happy Message

Malachi 1:2; 3:10; 4:5–6 ↗

Parts to hand out

  • MalachiOpens his arms wide and says, “I have loved you!”
  • Window OpenerPretends to open a big window in heaven when the story says so.
  • Blessing RainEveryone! Wiggle your fingers down like rain: pitter-patter blessings.
  • Heart HelpersEveryone again! Make heart hands and turn to show them to each other.

Scenes

  1. 🧔 The prophet Malachi says, “I have loved you!”

    Long ago, a prophet named Malachi shared a message from the Lord. The message was, “I have loved you!”

    🎬 Malachi opens his arms wide and says it. Everyone gives themselves a great big hug.

  2. 🌞 God gives us so many good things

    Heavenly Father gives us sunshine, yummy food, and people who love us. He gives us so much!

    🎬 Point up to the sun, rub your tummy, then wave to a friend.

  3. 🪙 Ten pennies: one is for Heavenly Father

    When we get money, we give a little part back to Heavenly Father. It’s called tithing. It’s a way to say thank you!

    🎬 Hold up ten fingers. Fold down nine and wiggle one: “This one is for Heavenly Father!”

  4. 🪟 The windows of heaven open!

    Malachi said Heavenly Father will open the windows of heaven and pour down blessings. So many blessings!

    🎬 The Window Opener opens a big pretend window. Everyone wiggles fingers down like rain: pitter-patter!

  5. 💞 Our hearts turn to our families

    Malachi also said our hearts would turn to our families: moms and dads, grandmas and grandpas, and everyone who loves us.

    🎬 Make a heart with your hands. Turn around slowly and show it to everyone.

  6. 🏛️ In the temple, families can be forever

    In the temple, families can be together forever. The temple is a happy, holy place.

    🎬 Make a pointy temple roof with your arms and whisper, “Together forever.”

  7. 👶 Heavenly Father loves you! Christmas is coming!

    Heavenly Father loves you so much. He even sent baby Jesus, and Christmas is almost here!

    🎬 Rock your arms like holding a baby. Then hug yourself and say, “Heavenly Father loves me!”

Key verse

Malachi 1:2 ↗
“I have loved you, saith the LORD.”
In kid words: The Lord says, “I love you!”
🙌 “I have loved” = give yourself a big hug · “you” = point to a friend · “saith the LORD” = point up to heaven and smile

More verses

Malachi 3:10 ↗
“open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing”
In kid words: Heavenly Father opens heaven’s windows and pours down blessings!
Malachi 4:6 ↗
“he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers”
In kid words: Our hearts turn to our families, and their hearts turn to us.

Forehead Guess words12 words

  • 💛 Heart
  • 🪟 Window
  • 🪙 Penny
  • 🌧️ Rain
  • 👨‍👩‍👧 Family
  • 🏛️ Temple
  • 🌞 Sun
  • 🥛 Cup
  • ⛄ Snowman
  • 👵 Grandma
  • 🧔 Prophet Malachi
  • 👶 Baby Jesus
Clues for each word
  • Heart: Our hearts turn to our families
  • Window: Heaven’s windows open with blessings
  • Penny: One out of ten is for Heavenly Father
  • Rain: Blessings pour down like this
  • Family: The people who love us
  • Temple: Families can be together forever there
  • Sun: Heavenly Father gave us sunshine
  • Cup: It was so full it spilled over
  • Snowman: He grows tall, then melts
  • Grandma: Our hearts turn to her too
  • Prophet Malachi: He said, “I have loved you”
  • Baby Jesus: Heavenly Father’s best gift at Christmas
▶ Play Forehead GuessFull screen, 60-second timer, works on any phone.

Scripture Showdown7 questions

  1. Who does Heavenly Father love?
    • A. 🙋 Me!
    • B. 🙅 Nobody
    Show answer

    ✅ A. 🙋 Me! Heavenly Father loves YOU, and every child everywhere!

  2. Out of ten pennies, how many are for Heavenly Father?
    • A. 🔟 All ten
    • B. ☝️ One
    Show answer

    ✅ B. ☝️ One One out of ten is tithing. It’s a way to say thank you!

  3. What did Malachi say would open in heaven?
    • A. 🍕 A pizza box
    • B. 🪟 Windows
    • C. 🧸 A toy chest
    Show answer

    ✅ B. 🪟 Windows The windows of heaven open and blessings pour down!

  4. Where can families be together forever?
    • A. 🏛️ The temple
    • B. 🛝 The playground
    Show answer

    ✅ A. 🏛️ The temple The temple is a happy, holy place for families.

  5. Which one is a way to say thank you to Heavenly Father?
    • A. 😝 Stick out my tongue
    • B. 😴 Take a nap
    • C. 🙏 Say a prayer
    Show answer

    ✅ C. 🙏 Say a prayer We can thank Heavenly Father in our prayers.

  6. Who did Heavenly Father send at Christmas?
    • A. ⛄ A snowman
    • B. 👶 Baby Jesus
    Show answer

    ✅ B. 👶 Baby Jesus Baby Jesus is Heavenly Father’s very best gift!

  7. What did we make with our hands?
    • A. 💛 A heart
    • B. 🐙 An octopus
    Show answer

    ✅ A. 💛 A heart Our hearts turn to our families, full of love.

▶ Play Scripture ShowdownTeams take turns on one screen.

Songs

  • My Heavenly Father Loves Me Children’s Songbook, p. 228

    The one tiny truth of the lesson, sung right after the peekaboo mirror. Find it ↗

  • Once There Was a Snowman Children’s Songbook, p. 249

    A December wiggle song: grow tall, then melt into a calm, quiet class. Find it ↗

  • Families Can Be Together Forever Children’s Songbook, p. 188

    Sing it after the temple scene or at the end if there’s time. Find it ↗

  • I Want to Give the Lord My Tenth Children’s Songbook, p. 150

    A short tithing song to sing while you count the ten pennies, if there’s time. Find it ↗

This week’s challenge

Blessing Window

Tape a paper heart on a window at home. Every time you see it, say, “Heavenly Father loves me!” and name one blessing, like your family, your food or baby Jesus.

Text the parents

Today in Sunbeams we learned that Heavenly Father loves us: “I have loved you, saith the LORD” (Malachi 1:2). We counted ten pennies and set one aside for tithing, watched a cup overflow like the blessings from the windows of heaven (Malachi 3:10), and made heart hands for our families. Ask your child: “Who does Heavenly Father love?” and tape a paper heart on a window to remember.

📝 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?

🖍️ Blessing Window Drawing · 5 min

  1. Give each child a paper with a big window drawn on it (four squares).
  2. Children draw or color blessings in the window: family, food, sunshine, pets.
  3. SAY“Heavenly Father pours down blessings because He loves you!”
  4. Write “Heavenly Father loves me” at the top so parents can read it at home.

📷 Family Picture Share · 3 min

  1. Show a photo of someone in your family on your phone, like a grandma or grandpa. Tell one happy thing about them.
  2. Ask: “Who is someone in your family you love?” Let each child say a name.
  3. SAY“When we love our families, our hearts turn to them, just like Malachi said.”

🍎 Give Our Best · 2 min

  1. SAY“Malachi taught people to give Heavenly Father their very best.”
  2. Ask: “What is your very best smile?” Everyone shows it. “Your very best quiet reverent arms?” Everyone folds arms.
  3. SAY“We can give Heavenly Father our best listening and our best kindness at church.”

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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