Friend September 2023 “The Armor of God” Match each piece of armor with what it stands for in the scriptures.
Friend October 2019 “Find It” This girl drew the armor of God that she learned about in the scriptures (see Ephesians 6:11). Can you find the hidden objects?
Ensign March 2017 “Put On Your Armor” Draw a line from one number to another for every item mentenioned concerning the gospel things we can do that help protect us from the bad things of the world.
Friend February 2017 “Friends By Mail” Picture of the children wearing the armor they made for family home evening.
See also Book of Mormon Lesson 25 and the song Scripture Power
Ensign October 2019 “The Armor of God” Lesson ideas for what each armor item represents.
Doctrine and Covenants 27:15–18
Cut out the pieces of armor, and let the children put them on one of the figures as you read Doctrine and Covenants 27:15–18.
Perhaps your family would enjoy staging a pretend battle with additional clothing to represent the armor of God, such as hats, vests, aprons, or shoes. How does armor help protect us in battle? Discuss some of the evil influences your family faces and the things you can do to put on spiritual armor. Consider showing the video “Put on the Whole Armor of God” (ChurchofJesusChrist.org).
Friend March 2021 “Scripture Time Fun: Armor Up”
Friend March 2021 “Scripture Time Fun for Little Ones”
Ensign August 2018 “Building Spiritual Patterns” A girl’s parents put imaginary armor on her and her siblings before they left for school each day. This was meant to remind them of the spiritual armor that would protect them from evil.
I can find spiritual protection in the gospel.
Alma 43:17–21; 48:7–8; 49:1–5; 50:1–6
Come, Follow Me—For Primary: Book of Mormon 2020 “Alma 43-52”
Help the children make a shield out of a large piece of paper or cardboard, and ask them to write on it things that protect us spiritually. Give each child a piece of paper, and invite the children to write something bad that Satan might tempt us to do (such as lie, steal, or be unkind). Ask them to crumple their papers into balls and throw them at the shield to illustrate how the gospel can keep us safe from Satan (see also Ephesians 6:16).
Draw a child on the board, and help the children think of things that protect us spiritually as armor protects our bodies (for example, prayer, scripture reading, or keeping the commandments). Each time something is mentioned, draw a piece of armor on the child on the board.
Primary 4: Book of Mormon “Lesson 25: Captain Moroni Defeats Zerahemnah”
- Play a matching game (see “Teaching from the Scriptures,”p. vii. Write the names of the following pieces of armor on six cards and what they symbolize on another set of six cards. Have the children match the name of the piece of armor to what it symbolizes in our armor of God.
- Girdle (belt) — Truth (Ephesians 6:14)
- Breastplate — Righteousness (Ephesians 6:14)
- Shoes — Preparation of the gospel of peace (Ephesians 6:15)
- Shield — Faith (Ephesians 6:16)
- Helmet — Salvation (Ephesians 6:17)
- Sword — God’s Spirit, or the word of God (Ephesians 6:17; D&C 6:2)
Using Ephesians 6:13–18, help the children memorize what each piece of the armor of God symbolizes. Name a piece of armor as you toss a beanbag or ball to a child. Have the child give the meaning of that piece of armor and then name a different piece of armor while tossing the ball to another child, who will give the meaning and choose a new piece of armor, and so on.
Ask the children what types of things Satan uses today to try to wound or kill us spiritually. They may mention such things as certain movies, television programs, videos, books, or magazines; temptations to break the Word of Wisdom; temptations to not go to church; and so on. Discuss what the children are doing to strengthen their spiritual armor, such as having personal and family prayers, having personal and family scripture study, having family home evenings, attending church, and so on.
Primary 4: Book of Mormon “Lesson 26: Captain Moroni and the Title of Liberty”
Friend August 2020 “Happiness and Obedience” Captain Moroni gave the Nephites shields to help keep them safe. On each shield, write a gospel standard from the list below that can help you stay safe and strong.
For additional ideas see Resources by Topic “Armor of God”
The armor of God can protect me from evil. (Jr)
Show a picture of a person wearing armor, such as the one in this week’s activity page or this week’s outline in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families. As you summarize Ephesians 6:10–18, show the children how different pieces of armor protect different parts of the body. (See “The Whole Armor of God,” Friend, June 2016, 24–25.) (Come, Follow Me—For Primary: New Testament 2023 “Ephesians” )
Bring several items to class that could represent the pieces of armor mentioned in Ephesians 6:14–17 (for example, a hat or an apron), or make simple pieces of armor from paper. Let the children take turns putting on the “armor.” Help them understand how we put on the armor of God (for example, by studying the scriptures, serving others, praying, obeying, and so on). Discuss how doing these things protects us from evil. (Come, Follow Me—For Primary: New Testament 2023 “Ephesians” )
Come Follow Me for Kids “New Testament Activities: Download #36” For the Perfecting of the Saints”
Armor pieces: If using household items, here’s a list of possible items that could be used:
Breastplate: apron or a flat pan
Shoes: Mom or Dad’s boots
Girdle: a belt
Sword: a stick
Shield: muffin tin or a piece of cardboard
Helmet: a hat, helmet, or pot
Have all items in a pile or in a large bag, and let everyone take turn choosing one piece. As each
piece is chosen, read and discuss the card for it and show them how to wear/use that piece of
armor.
After all of the pieces have been taken out of the bag/pile, discuss: what does the armor of God
protect us from? How can we put on these pieces of armor every day?
Family Paper Snowball Fight –
On the shield, write or draw ways we can have faith in Heavenly Father and Jesus.
On separate pieces of paper, write ways Satan tries to attack us. Crumple these up to turn them into
“snowballs.”
Use these to have a family paper snowball fight.
How can our faith help shield us from Satan’s attacks? In what other ways can God arm us against
Satan?
- Cake Batter Snowball Cookies- https://www.mybakingbliss.com/cake-batter-snowball-cookies/ Before
eating, everybody say one thing they’ll do to shield themselves from Satan’s attacks this week.
Latter Day Kids “Put On the Armor of God” Lesson ideas
See additional teaching ideas at Armor of God
The armor of God can protect me from evil. (Sr)
(Think of some of the spiritual dangers that children face and how you can help strengthen the children against them.) As one child reads Ephesians 6:10–18, ask another child to list or draw on the board the pieces of armor mentioned. Why is armor important in a battle? How can we put on spiritual armor every day? (Come, Follow Me—For Primary: New Testament 2023 “Ephesians” )
Teaching Children the Gospel “Lesson 25: Captain Moroni Defeats Zerahemnah”
Give each child a piece of paper, crayons, pencil, and a small copy of each piece of armor. Have them draw a picture of themselves on the paper, a size that would fit the small set of armor. Have them attach their armor pieces to the drawing of themselves using small pieces of removable double-sided tape. Remind them what each piece represents and have them write it on their paper next to the armor piece.
For the Strength of Youth October 2023 “Armor Up”
Show the children the orange. Ask a child to catch it and then toss it back. Do this a couple more times. Ask what would happen to the orange, as it is tossed around, if didn’t have a protective shell on it. (It would quickly become dirty and damaged.) Ask the children if they can think of other items that have protective outside coverings. Items might include: bananas, eggs, nuts, etc.
• For what reason might a person wear a protective outside covering such as armor? To protect their body in dangerous situations such as war.
Assign each child to draw and label a piece of armor described in Ephesians 6:14–17. How might these pieces of armor protect us from evil? What does the Lord promise to those who put on the armor of God? (see Ephesians 6:13). What does it mean to “withstand in the evil day”? (Come, Follow Me—For Primary: New Testament 2023 “Ephesians”)
Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families: New Testament 2023 “Ephesians” Your family could make their own “armour of God” using household items. The video “The Armour of God” (ChurchofJesusChrist.org) can help family members visualize this armor, and they can find simple explanations in “The Whole Armor of God” (Friend, June 2016, 24–25). How does each piece of armor protect us spiritually? What can we do to help each other “put on the whole armour of God” (Ephesians 6:11) every day?
