Difference between revisions of "Nursery"

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Nursery is a program set up by [[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]] that children between the ages of eighteen months and three years attend during Sunday classes, though not [[Mormon meetings|Sacrament Meeting]]. Children younger than eighteen months stay with their parents while children older than three years attend [[Primary]].  
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[[image: Mormon-primary1.jpg|350px|right|alt=Mormon Primary Nursery]]
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'''Mormon Primary Nursery''' is a program run by [[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]] for children ages 18 months to three years of age. The children participate in this class while their parents attend classes, but it is not held during [[Sacrament Meeting]], the basic Sunday worship service. Children attend that meeting with their parents.
  
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Nursery is not to be considered a baby-sitting service provided for parents. The Church's Nursery Guidebook says that the purpose of nursery is “to serve the children,... to provide a safe, organized environment where young children can learn and play and have a happy church experience.” The children should feel that church is a good place to be and they should be able to feel the love and respect due to every child of our [[Heavenly Father]]. From the Nursery Guidebook again, it states, “The children’s welfare should guide all the teacher’s efforts. The children come first, not the program.”
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The lesson manual for the nursery class states that:
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:...“the purpose of the nursery class is to help children learn the restored gospel of [[Jesus Christ]] and live it. The nursery class should help the children increase their understanding of and love for [[Heavenly Father]] and Jesus Christ, have positive experiences in a church setting, and grow in feelings of self-worth.”
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The nursery is staffed by at least two adults who are the same gender unless they are married. Nursery must be held in rooms designed for that purpose and which meet specific safety standards, including special windows, child-safe door handles, and locked closets.
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The nursery is considered to be an actual class, not a babysitting service. Teachers set a schedule for the hour and forty minutes the children attend. The schedule includes a  lesson on a religious topic, music time, coloring or crafts, a snack, group games, and free play. Teachers arrange the schedule according to the needs of their students.
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Teachers use a lesson manual, ''Behold Your Little Ones'', to prepare the lessons. Lessons are repeated often so the children learn the material well and activities and songs learned in a lesson are repeated throughout future weeks. This manual has a variety of options for teaching each topic, and teachers select those best suited to their students. Each lesson includes full-color illustrations and a coloring page.
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Children are encouraged to sit quietly during lessons, and to participate in the structured activities, but are not required to do so. Children sometimes choose to wander during lessons under the supervision of the assistant teacher. The teacher will often encourage the child to return by inviting him to look at a picture or to help with an activity.
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Lesson topics feature scripture stories from the [[Bible]] and the [[Book of Mormon]] and discuss topics that are meaningful to toddlers. Following are several lessons taught:
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*I am a Child of God.
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*I Can Pray to Heavenly Father.
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*Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ Love Me.
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*Jesus Christ Showed Us How to Love Others.
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*I Love the Scriptures
  
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Guidelines to provide a good nursery environment include:
 
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*One teacher for every six children
 
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*Groups should be no larger than 16 children. If there are more children that attend nursery regularly a second room should be used for nursery.
 
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*The teachers are there consistently to give security and unity to the nursery children.
 
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Because an hour and forty minutes is a long time for young children to be in the same place, nursery leaders are encouraged to follow this format:
 
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*Greeting time lasts between fifteen and twenty minutes. Teachers greet each of the children and spend time with them individually.
 
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*Gathering time is also between fifteen and twenty minutes. It is started with a prayer, followed by singing songs, finger plays, and other group activities. Although there are not formal lessons, the Nursery Workbook and Resource Book provides good suggestions on activities that will also teach gospel principles.
 
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*Activity playtime takes up the bulk of the time lasting from forty-five minutes to an hour. The children are able to play with toys. They are taught to take only one toy out at a time and to return it before playing with another. This time is supposed to help promote interaction between the children, teach them verbal skills, discipline, and problem solving. The toys provided in a nursery are meant to be educational and not encourage disruptiveness.
 
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*Closing time is the time children prepare to meet their parents. Teachers may review what was talked about during gathering time, then close with a prayer. The children then engage in quiet activities such as singing songs or reading stories until their parents come.
 
  
 
'''For More Information'''
 
'''For More Information'''
 
*[http://library.lds.org/nxt/gateway.dll?f=templates$fn=default.htm$xhitlist_q=Nursery%20Guidebook$xhitlist_x=Simple$xhitlist_s=relevance-weight$xhitlist_d=$xhitlist_hc=%5BXML%5D%5Bkwic%2C0%5D$xhitlist_xsl=xhitlist.xsl$xhitlist_vpc=first$xhitlist_sel=title%3Bpath%3Bcontent-type%3Bhome-title%3Bhit-context%3Bfield%3Azr%3Bfield%3ARef  “The Nursery: Where Children Come First,”] (''Ensign'', Dec. 1980, 62)
 
*[http://library.lds.org/nxt/gateway.dll?f=templates$fn=default.htm$xhitlist_q=Nursery%20Guidebook$xhitlist_x=Simple$xhitlist_s=relevance-weight$xhitlist_d=$xhitlist_hc=%5BXML%5D%5Bkwic%2C0%5D$xhitlist_xsl=xhitlist.xsl$xhitlist_vpc=first$xhitlist_sel=title%3Bpath%3Bcontent-type%3Bhome-title%3Bhit-context%3Bfield%3Azr%3Bfield%3ARef  “The Nursery: Where Children Come First,”] (''Ensign'', Dec. 1980, 62)
 
[[Category: Youth and Children]]
 
[[Category: Youth and Children]]
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[[Category:Church Callings and Leadership]]
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[[es:Guarderia]]
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[[ru:Ясельная группа]]
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[[pt:Bercario]]
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Latest revision as of 20:16, 7 November 2011

Mormon Primary Nursery

Mormon Primary Nursery is a program run by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for children ages 18 months to three years of age. The children participate in this class while their parents attend classes, but it is not held during Sacrament Meeting, the basic Sunday worship service. Children attend that meeting with their parents.

The lesson manual for the nursery class states that:

...“the purpose of the nursery class is to help children learn the restored gospel of Jesus Christ and live it. The nursery class should help the children increase their understanding of and love for Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, have positive experiences in a church setting, and grow in feelings of self-worth.”

The nursery is staffed by at least two adults who are the same gender unless they are married. Nursery must be held in rooms designed for that purpose and which meet specific safety standards, including special windows, child-safe door handles, and locked closets.

The nursery is considered to be an actual class, not a babysitting service. Teachers set a schedule for the hour and forty minutes the children attend. The schedule includes a lesson on a religious topic, music time, coloring or crafts, a snack, group games, and free play. Teachers arrange the schedule according to the needs of their students.

Teachers use a lesson manual, Behold Your Little Ones, to prepare the lessons. Lessons are repeated often so the children learn the material well and activities and songs learned in a lesson are repeated throughout future weeks. This manual has a variety of options for teaching each topic, and teachers select those best suited to their students. Each lesson includes full-color illustrations and a coloring page.

Children are encouraged to sit quietly during lessons, and to participate in the structured activities, but are not required to do so. Children sometimes choose to wander during lessons under the supervision of the assistant teacher. The teacher will often encourage the child to return by inviting him to look at a picture or to help with an activity.

Lesson topics feature scripture stories from the Bible and the Book of Mormon and discuss topics that are meaningful to toddlers. Following are several lessons taught:

  • I am a Child of God.
  • I Can Pray to Heavenly Father.
  • Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ Love Me.
  • Jesus Christ Showed Us How to Love Others.
  • I Love the Scriptures


For More Information

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