School of Service

A Quarterly Activity idea from: Sheena Perron of Little LDS Ideas

Here is a Primary Quarterly Activity idea. This is perfect for a back to school activity. The children will be
attending the ‘School of Service’ where they will learn the importance of serving and what they can do to
serve others.

You will need:

Teachers-for each class
Group Leaders
Any other helpers you may want/need
Class Schedule- Make a schedule for each group that tell them which class to go to.
Classroom Signs
School Kit Supplies-
Service First Aid Kit supplies- list given below
Handouts- I wanted one for each class, but you can decide what you would like to do.
Bell- this will let everyone know when to go to the next class.
Refreshments

Before the Activity: You will need to separate your Primary into 4 groups and write/type the groups onto a
piece of paper. You will also need to get all of your supplies for the activity (handouts, treats, school kit
supplies, etc.) There are 4 different classes so you will need 4 different adults to be the teacher for the classes.
You will also need group leaders, some helpers for the classes, and some helpers to put together the
lunches/refreshments.
Opening:
Opening: Have the children meet in a room. As they come in, separate them into their groups. Once everyone is
there have an opening song and prayer. Then hand out their schedules and tell them a little bit about the activity.
Then dismiss for classes.

List of Classes:
History Class: (15-20 minutes)
For History Class the children will learn about people in the scriptures that served. Here’s a fun idea/example
from the ‘Friend’:
Tell the account of Nephi’s broken bow (see 1 Nephi 16:18–32). Review the account by using a quiver with
arrows. Make a simple quiver by rolling and stapling together a large piece of paper. The arrows can also be
made out of paper. On each arrow in the quiver, attach a question. For example, write “Who did Nephi ask for
direction in where to hunt?” (his father, Lehi) and “What did Nephi do with the food he obtained?” (shared it
with his family). On each arrow write a word that relates to the question, such as obedience or sharing. After all
of the questions are answered, explain that Nephi served his family by working hard, being cheerful, and being
forgiving.
Point to each arrow in the quiver and ask the children to liken (see “Likening,”TNGC, 170–71) the quality
written on the arrow to their own families. Ask for specific examples such as “I could share a treat I received
with my little brother.”
Handout Idea: an arrow that has a scripture or quote or you could do what the idea above says.
*I thought the children would really like having an arrow of their own. But you could do this type of thing with
any other scripture story, i.e.- ‘The Good Samaritan’ and use band-aids,
P.E. (A
(A ‘Perfect Example’
Example’)- (15-20 Minutes)
Here the children will learn about Jesus Christ and that Jesus Christ was a ‘Perfect Example’ of service. You
will share some stories where Christ served others. I also thought of telling them that our Prophet is also a
great example of Service. Since it’s P.E. you may want to play a fun game, example below.
Here’s something from the friend:
Show a picture of President Thomas S. Monson and point out that he has devoted his life to serving others,
and often teaches us about serving others. To illustrate how President Monson learned at a young age to serve
others, tell the story of “Old Bob” (see Thomas S. Monson, “The Long Line of the Lonely,” Ensign, Feb.
1992, 4). Explain that when President Monson was once asked to describe what he would consider the ideal
gift for his birthday, he said, “Find someone who is having a hard time, … and do something for them”
(Ensign, Nov. 2008, 105–106). Ask the children to share things their family has done to serve others.
Game Idea for P.E.:
P.E.:
‘Serving Mrs. Sally’ Game- For this game, split the group into 2 teams. You will need a helper to act like Mrs.
Sally. And you will need a large bag full of supplies/pictures (i.e.- Band-aids, Lawn Mower, Dishes, etc)
Have Mrs. Sally sit at one end of the room and the children at the other end. Tell the children that Mrs. Sally
needs our help, are you going to help ‘Serve Mrs. Sally?’ Tell the children that today we are going to have a
relay race. Have the 2 teams stand in 2 lines. Explain to the children that the first child will run to Mrs Sally and
ask what he/she can do to be of service. Mrs. Sally will then tell them something that she needs help with(i.e.- I
fell down and cut my knee, I have a sink full of dishes, but I’m sick and can’t do it myself, etc.). The child will
then run back to the next person on his team and give him the message. That child will have to look in the bag
for the item Mrs. Sally needs help with. Once it is found, the child will run and give it to Mrs. Sally. The child
can then ask Mrs. Sally if there is anything else she needs. Have her tell the child something else, the child will
then run to the next teammate in line and give him/her the new message.
The first team to have each person serve Mrs. Sally wins!
After the game have eveyrone sit down. Here is a cute handout that you could use to end your class. I found it
on Sugardoodle.
Handout Idea: Hand out a snack size or a small bag of M&M’s. Here’s an idea that I found on Sugardoodle:
M&M's : Give a package of M&M's. Acronym could stand for Model the Master. Look at an M&M and
remember the M stands for meaningful, turn the m&m and it's a three so to do three good deeds
every day. Turn it again and it is a W to let them remind them of the worth, warmth and willingness to
work with others. Turn it again and it is an E which stands for an example...we are modeling the Master.

Health Class- (15-20 Minutes)

Here the children will be putting together a ‘Service First Aid Kit’. Before you start on the first aid kit you
could share some stories from the Friend that has to do with serving others. You could tell the children that
there are people out there that may be sick or people that aren’t able to do things (mow lawn, plant flower,
etc), tell them that they can use this first aid kit to help those in need.:
Have all the children sit at a table. Tell them that today they are going to be making their own Service First Aid
Kits. You could show them one that is already made. Before class, put each item into a large bowl. As you talk
about each item on the first aid kit list, pass the bowl around and have each child put one item in their bag.
You could ask a child how they could use that item to serve.
- Service First Aid Kit:
~ A kiss to comfort those in trouble---stencil or picture of lips or drawing of lips--then I put a REAL Hershey’s kiss.
~ See someone mad...sing a song to make them glad---I made a stencil of a musical note with the saying.
~ A smile to brighten someone's day--made a smiley face.
~ A lollipop to cheer up the sad--made a lollipop--and put in a real one.
 ~ A Band-Aid to cover a wound of a hurt friend--made a picture of a Band-Aid and put in a real one.
~ A listening ear to those who have problems--I made an ear--that was tricky so I made a backward letter C.
~ A lifesaver to sweeten the mood--picture of a lifesaver--and put in a real one.
~ A watch to remind you to spend time with someone who is lonely--made a picture of a watch.
~ A bear hug to show you care 'beary' much. Made a bear-and put in real gummy bears.
~ "Chews" to help a friend in need. Picture of chewing gum--then put in real gum.

Art Class-
Class (15-20 Minutes)
This is where the children will work on the School Kits. I think the best way to do this is to have an assembly
line. Have a long table set up. At the front of the table have the bags, then the notebooks, then the pencils,
etc. etc. Have the child(ren) at a specific station. Have a child get a bag and pass it to the next child. Have
that child add their item into the bag and then pass it on, and so on and son on. Then have an adult at the end to
make sure everything is in there (straighten it up a bit) and put it into the box.
Before you begin working on the school kits, explain to the children why they are doing this and how they are
helping others by doing this.

Lunch
Once each group has gone to each class it will be time for ‘Lunch’. Here is what we decided to do for our
Primary:
Brown Bag lunch:
lunch PB&J, an apple, and a drink.

The children really enjoyed the ‘Primary Bucks’ at our last activity, so we decided to do that again this time. For
the last few weeks we have been handing out Primary Bucks to children that are reverent, singing, or if they
answer a question. At the back of our Primary Room are 4 posters. Each poster has a pocket for each child.
If a child gets a Primary Buck, they put it in their pocket. That way they aren’t taking their bucks home and
loosing them. The day of the activity we will bring the posters into the cultural hall (where lunch will be). We will
have a small Snack table (vending machine) where the children can use their bucks to buy a little treat. We
decided to do Rice Krispie treats and small candy bars. I have a School Bus and School House cookie cutter that
we will use for the Rice Krispie Treats. Using the Bucks helps with the reverence during Primary, and the
children love being able to ‘buy’ special treats.

**Here
**Here is another Class idea that you could use:
Writing Class-
Class Have the children write ‘Thank you’ letters to someone: a teacher, parent, friend, or a
missionary. For the younger children, have the letter typed up and have them sign or have them draw a picture
for the person. I would write up some sample letters for the children to look at, this will give them an idea of
what to write.

Here are some other handout ideas from Sugardoodle:

Sugardoodle:
- Bubble Gum- “Chews ye this day whom ye will serve.”
- Elastic - "Expand" your desires to serve.
- Bubble Gum Tape - it looks like a round tape measure and on the outside put a sticker reading, "How does
you service to others "measure" up?”
History
Class
 P.E.
(a ‘Perfect Example’
Example’)
Health
Class
Art Class