{Sharing Time} August 2016 Week 1: My Body is a Temple

July 25, 2016·By: ·10 Comments

Sharing Time Ideas from the 2016 Primary Outline

Introduce the doctrine: Before Primary, write the phrase “Ye are the temple of God” (1 Corinthians 3:16) on the board. Show the children pictures of temples, and ask them what makes a temple so special (it is a house of the Lord, clean, well cared for, and a place where the Holy Ghost can come). Write their responses on the board. Explain that our bodies, like temples, are sacred and need to be treated with respect by ourself and others.

Encourage understanding and application: Copy the picture on page 47 of the nursery manual, Behold Your Little Ones. Cut out the circles in the picture, and put them in a container. Ask a child to choose one of the circles. Ask the children how the picture reminds them to treat their bodies like temples. Give each child a copy of the picture, and invite them to color it. Invite older children to write one thing under each circle that they will do this week to treat their bodies like temples. Invite the children to take their pictures home to teach their family how they can treat their bodies like temples.

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Sharing Time Ideas from Little LDS Ideas

Here are some great ideas for this week’s Sharing Time. Many of these ideas I have shared in years past, but are great ideas that the children will enjoy. Pick and choose what you like and come up with your own idea or use one of the simple ideas I share below. Enjoy!

My Body Is a Temple

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Temple Grab Bag

Have the children close their eyes and have them imagine their favorite temple. Have them think about what color it is, how many windows they see, how many spires, etc.
While they have their eyes closed display pictures of different temples.
Ask the children if all temples are the same. You could show them the different pictures of the temples and point out some differences.

Next, read the scripture 1 Corinthians 3:16.
Explain to the children that in this scripture it teaches us that our bodies are temples. Even though we are all different, just like each of the temples, our bodies are still sacred.
When we visit the temple how do we act? Are we loud and noisy? Do we leave garbage on the lawns?
Just as we take care of the temple, we are asked to take care of our own temples, our bodies, too. Today we are going to learn how we can care for our bodies.
For this activity you will have several different objects and pictures inside of a bag, bucket or box. The children will be picking items and will be deciding if that object helps them treat their bodies like temples.
Find several objects or pictures to use both good and bad. You can use the ideas given in the outline that are found in the Nursery Manual, Behold Your Little Ones, on page 47, and/or add some of your own. You will also need a large picture of a boy/girl. If you can’t find a large picture, then trace around a small child and use that as your picture.
At the front of the room display your large picture and beside it have a trash can.
Invite a child up to the front of the room and have them grab an object out of the bag. Have the child look at the picture/object and have them explain how that item is used to take care of our bodies or if it is something that can hurt our body.
If the object/picture is something good for our bodies, have them attach it to the large picture of the boy/girl. If it is harmful have them place it in the garbage can.

Be sensitive to the children and the items you choose. 🙂 At the end of your lesson, invite the children to think of something they will do this week to treat their bodies like temples. Invite the children to share with their family how they can treat their bodies like temples.

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‘My Body Is a Temple’ Roll

Here is another idea that would also be great for this week. Have a large die with different body parts (Here is a great ‘Body Parts’ die) or the pictures from the Nursery Manual.

Invite a child up to the front and have them roll the die. Have the child then share a way they can use that body part to treat their body like a temple OR you could even discuss how they can take care of that part of the body.

Example:

Eyes: read the scripture, watch uplifting movies and TV shows, read good things, etc.

Ears: listen to good music, listen to their parents, you could discuss earrings (but that can be a touchy subject), etc.

Arms/Hands: read the scriptures, dress modestly, do good things/Choose the Right, etc.

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MR. Potato Head Sharing Time

And one last idea that I had to throw in, that is always fun, is Mr. Potato Head Sharing Time. Bring in a blank/empty Mr./Mrs. Potato Head and have all the body parts in a bag. Begin by explaining to the children that our bodies are temples, and then tell them that to help them talk about this, you have decided to bring in a helper. You can then pull out the ‘Mr. Potato Head’. Invite a child up and have them pick a part from the bag. Invite them to share different ways that they can treat their body like a temple as they pull the different parts from the bag.

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Lesson Outline

Guess what! I found a lesson outline that I typed up and shared back in 2011 for this Sharing Time, so here is another great idea you could use. Although I shared it back in 2011 it would still make an awesome idea for this week. 😉

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Click HERE to print my ‘My Body is a Temple’ lesson outline.

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I hope you enjoy my ideas that I have shared with you today, and use them for your lesson. I would love to hear what you plan on doing, so leave me a comment and let me know!

Thanks so much for stopping by. Have a wonderful day and a great Sharing Time!

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Sheena

Sheena

Hi! I’m Sheena, the blogger behind Little LDS Ideas. I love sharing LDS Ideas and printables to help make your life and calling a little bit easier. I am a mother to 4 and a wife to one amazing guy. In addition to being busy with blogging and being a wife/mother, I am also in school. Studying and homework keeps me busy, but I love it. Thanks so much for stopping by! ♥

Sheena
Sheena

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Comments

  1. Jane

    Thank you for all these wonderful sharing time ideas!!
    I’m new to primary and now have to do sharing time and I’m so glad their are genuine helpful people out there!!

    Thank you!!

    1. littleldsideas

      Thanks for the kind comment, Jane. I hope you find my ideas useful. Thanks for stopping by and for taking the time to comment. ?

  2. Presh

    I love your blog!!!! thank you, thank you for saving the kids (and me) from a boring Sharing Time. I’m going to use you ideas but change just a bit and give each class a piece to tape onto the outline of the body and an object (for example a shirt and a pair of swim goggles or a mouth and a banana or eyes and a good book, or hands and soap etc). They will discuss how the object relates to keeping our body healthy/clean, and share one class at a time with the rest of primary then tape their article on the body. Grateful the Lord blessed you with such creativity and for your willingness to share!!!

    1. littleldsideas

      Thank you, Presh, for your kind comment, and for the idea. I love it!

  3. Heather

    I can usually pull an idea from the lesson, but then I like to look at your ideas to expand it more. Thanks for sharing!

    1. littleldsideas

      I do that sometimes too. I look at all kinds of different ideas and then create my own, pulling ideas from several sources. Hope your Sharing Time goes well! 🙂

  4. Michelle Grant

    thank you! i have used Mr Potato head to teach reverence in the pas,t but I feel this will be a great way to keep the attention of our junior primary.

  5. Ann Engstrom

    Thanks for all your great ideas. I am going to use Mr. Potato Head as part of my Sharing Time this coming Sunday. I know the kids will enjoy it and be involved.
    I’ve also used your Relief Society Visiting Teaching ideas. You are awesome and thanks so much for sharing.

    1. littleldsideas

      Thank you so much, Ann, for your sweet comment. Mr. Potato Head is always a fun one to use during Sharing Time. Hope it goes well!