Nursery

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 Sacrament Meeting. Children younger than eighteen months stay with their parents while children older than three years attend Primary.

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.”

Guidelines to provide a good nursery environment include:

• One teacher for every six children
• 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.
• The teachers are there consistently to give security and unity to the nursery children.

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:

• Greeting time lasts between fifteen and twenty minutes. Teachers greet each of the children and spend time with them individually.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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

• “The Nursery: Where Children Come First,” (Ensign, Dec. 1980, 62)