Opening song and prayer
2 minSing The Lord Is My Shepherd (Hymns 108), then invite a child to offer the opening prayer.
Follow the Shepherd's Voice
4 minPlace a toy sheep at one end of the room. Choose a volunteer to wear a blindfold. Tell them the sheep is lost and they need to find it without bumping into chairs or walls.
Stand somewhere in the room and guide them only with your voice: 'Two steps left. Stop. One step forward.' Let the class watch how hard it is without a guide, and how much easier it gets when they listen.
When they reach the sheep, explain that in Psalm 23, David compared the Lord to a shepherd who guides His sheep safely.
- Could the blindfolded child find the sheep without help?Not safely. They needed someone who could see the whole room.
- What happened when they listened to the shepherd's voice?They moved in the right direction and reached the sheep.
- When do you listen for Heavenly Father's guidance in your life?Let children answer. During prayer, when reading scriptures, when a parent or leader gives good counsel, or when the Spirit whispers.
The Lord leads us like a shepherd
6 minKing David wrote Psalm 23. He had been a real shepherd boy, so he knew what shepherds do. They lead sheep to green grass and calm water. They protect them from danger.
David said the Lord is his shepherd. That means God gives us what we need, guides us on good paths, and stays with us even in scary places.
- What does a shepherd do for sheep?Leads them to food and water, keeps them safe, and stays close so they do not get lost.
- David said, 'I shall not want.' What does that mean?With the Lord as his shepherd, David had what he truly needed. God took care of him.
- Jesus called Himself the Good Shepherd. How is He like the shepherd in Psalm 23?He knows us, leads us, and laid down His life to protect us.
- When have you felt the Lord leading you somewhere good?Let children answer. A kind friend, a good decision, feeling peace about a choice, or being helped when they were scared.
The heavens tell us God is real
6 minPsalm 19 says the sky itself preaches about God. The sun, the stars, and the wide earth show His power and His love.
You do not need a telescope to see it. A sunset, a mountain, a bird building a nest, or the way seasons change all point to a Creator who planned it.
- What does 'the heavens declare the glory of God' mean in kid language?The sky and everything in nature show us that God is real and that He is glorious.
- Name something in nature that makes you think of Heavenly Father.Let children answer. Trees, rainbows, babies, the ocean, flowers, or animals.
- Can you learn about God without opening a scripture book?Yes. Creation is one of God's teaching tools. Scriptures help us understand what we see.
- How could you notice God's handiwork this week?Let children answer. Look at the stars, watch a storm cloud, notice a flower, or thank God for something beautiful.
Jesus is the Good Shepherd (optional)
optionalPsalm 23 was written hundreds of years before Jesus was born. But Jesus fulfilled it perfectly.
He said He is the Good Shepherd who knows His sheep by name. He searches for the one that is lost and brings it home.
- What did the Good Shepherd do for the lost sheep?He went looking for it and brought it back safely. Jesus does that for each of us when we wander.
- Does the shepherd give up on a lost sheep?No. He keeps searching until he finds it.
- Who is one person you can help feel found and loved this week?Let children answer. Someone sitting alone, a new kid, a sibling, or a classmate who seems sad.
In the scriptures
5 minRead these together and talk about them.
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
- Who wrote this psalm?David, who had been a shepherd and later became king of Israel.
- What is David saying about his relationship with God?That God takes care of him the way a good shepherd takes care of sheep.
- Can you say this verse as a prayer of trust?Yes. It is a way of telling God, 'I know You will take care of me.'
The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.
- What is the firmament?The sky and everything above the earth. It shows God's handiwork, meaning what He made with His hands.
- How do the heavens 'declare' something without using words?They show God's power and beauty so clearly that we can tell Someone made them on purpose.
- What did you see this week that reminded you of God?Let children answer with something real from their own life.
Shepherd's path drawing
optionalGive each child a piece of paper. On one side, have them draw something from Psalm 23: green pastures, still water, or the shepherd's rod and staff.
On the other side, have them draw something from nature that shows God's glory: a star, a tree, a bird, or a sunrise.
Invite a few children to share their drawings and explain why they chose those images.
Latter-day Kids lesson bundle and coloring pages for this week