Preparation: Make some simple puppets using flannel board figures from the Primary Visual Aids Cutouts or use pictures from magazines, coloring books or the Internet. See the scenarios below to determine the figures you will need. Mount the figures on stiff paper, cut them out, and attach a craft stick to the bottom of each cutout by taping it on the back of the figure.
Presentation: Tell the children that Heavenly Father wants us to serve and help others. Tell them they are going to act out some ways they might be able to do this.
Invite some children to come forward and give them the appropriate puppets for the scenario they will be acting out. As you give them the puppet explain who they are and what is happening. Using the puppets, have the children act out what they think might happen next.
1. (Puppets: two children and an older adult woman) Sister Peterson is outside raking leaves. She is having a hard time. Jenna and Everett walk by and see her.
2. (Puppets: a mother and a child) Mom is busy getting dinner ready. Justin sees that the table needs to be set.
3. (Puppets: a father, an older child, and a younger child) Dad is busy fixing the vacuum cleaner. Andrew’s little sister wants Dad to read a story to her. Andrew is nearby playing a video game.
4. (Puppets: two children) At recess Juliette is playing with a jump rope. She sees Angie sitting by herself looking lonely.
5. (Puppets: a mother and a child) At church Nathan hears them say that Brother Hammond broke his leg and can’t get around very well. The next day, his mother is fixing dinner and he has an idea.
6. (Puppets: two children) Ben and Jack are riding their bikes. They see lots of litter in an empty lot near their house.
7. (Puppets: a mother and a child) Mom is gathering up some things to donate to Deseret Industries. Evelyn has just gotten some new clothes for school and knows she has some other clothes she doesn’t wear very much.
8. (Puppets: two children) Russell just got a package of M&Ms from his grandmother. He is sitting on the porch eating them when he sees his friend.
9. Act out other ideas and scenarios you or the children can think of as time permits.
Sing songs that will help reinforce serving others, such as: “Give, Said the Little Stream,” Children’s Songbook, 236; “I’m Trying to Be like Jesus,” CS 78; “A Happy Helper,” CS, 197; and “When We’re Helping,” CS 198.
Testify that Heavenly Father loves each of us very much. He has provided many blessings for us and we can help others as a way of showing our thanks.