Table of Contents
- Graduation from Nursery to Sunbeams
- New Year Class Changes
- Graduation from Primary
- How the Primary came to Be
- Talks in Primary
- Opening Exercises
- Singing Time
- Activation
- Primary Handouts
- Bulletin Board and Primary Room Displays
- Primary Activity Ideas
- Bringing Scriptures to Primary
- Primary Teachers
- Primary Sacrament Program
Friend December 2024 “Primary Power” Elder James W. McConkie III Of the Seventy and his wife served as mission leaders in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. He loved going to Primaries in the area. He learned three things about Primary children. First, he learned that they can feel and recognize the Holy Ghost. Second, he learned that they want to learn about spiritual things. Third, he learned that Heavenly Father is aware of them. He wants them to have spiritual experiences. Primary is a special place where they can learn about the gospel and feel the Holy Ghost. (See more at link)
Graduation from Nursery to Sunbeams
Friend January 2017 “For Parents of Little Ones” Ideas on how to help a child prepare to go to Sunbeams.
Friend January 2016 “It’s Primary Time” Preparing nursery children for Primary and Sunbeams
Friend December 2019 “For Parents of Little Ones” Ideas on how to help children from nursery transition to Primary.
Friend December 2019 “A New Sunbeam”
New Year Class Changes
Friend December 2022 “The New Teacher” Anna likes her Sunbeam class and is nervous to go to a new class at the beginning of the new year. But her new teacher is very welcoming and the same kids from her Sunbeam class are in her new class.
Friend January 2026 “Brave in Primary”
Graduation from Primary
Friend December 2020 “What’s on Your Mind?” A child is nervous about graduating from Primary and doesn’t know what to expect.
Friend November 2020 “What’s on Your Mind?” A child is nervous about leaving Primary because everyone in Young Women and Young Men is older and more experienced. The Friend magazine and some other kids give some advice to the preteen.
Friend September 2018 “Friends by Mail” Robyn’s friends had all gone into Young Women and she didnt have any friends in Primary with her. It made her feel kind of sad and lonely. She found a maze in the Friend magazine about emotions like confusion and being afraid, with scriptures in the middle of each. After she looked up the scriptures and prayed, she felt peace and love from Heavenly Father.
Friend November 2024 “Too Big for Primary?” Gift was tired of Primary. She was older, taller, and bigger than all the other kids. Her friends at church were all in Young Women now. She asked the bishop if she could go to YW’s early, but she coudn’t. He pointed out that she probably makes a big difference for the younger children. The next week she helped teach a song in Primary. Afterwards one of the little girls said, “I want to be like you when I get big.” She realized maybe she could still learn and do good things in Primary.
Friend October 2017 “Finding Lydia” Lydia isn’t excited to be graduating from Primary and going to Young Women’s, but she becomes more excited when her mother finds some family names for her to do baptisms for in the temple, and one is named Lydia.
Friend November 2015 “Young Women Strong!” Maya learns about Young Womens and how it adds spiritual strength.
Friend May 2019 “Feed Your Spirit” President Nelson is happy when he sees 11 year olds that graduate from Primary doing good things in the gospel like passing the sacrament and going to the temple. He is thrilled when children of all ages feed their spirits by feasting on the truths of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Friend January 2019 “Show and Tell” I am the oldest kid in Primary, and everyone looks up to me, so I act reverent. Nicholas F., age 11, Idaho, USA
Friend November 2022 “A Chat with Xiomara about Being New in Young Women” Xiomara tells of her experience of going from Primary to Young Women’s.
Friend March 2023 “Just Lillian” Lillian was excited to go into Young Women’s, but then she learned she would be the only one in there, her and the teachers. She prayed for help, and her prayers were answered when her mom said that her young women’s leader was her best friend. Maybe that would happen for her too. And then a new girl moved into the ward too.
Friend November 2023 “Ready, Set, Go!” Here are some things you can do to help you get ready for Young Women or Young Men. Can you get four in a row?
Moving On to Young Men and Young Women? Here are some things to get excited about! A new magazine: For the Strength of Youth. Also, a guide for making choices. (Also temple baptisms)
Friend November 2023 “We’ll Do This Together” Annie was nervous about starting Young Women’s. It wasn’t easy for her to make new friends and talk to people. Her sister suggested she look for others to help that might be nervous too. So she did and it helped her feel better.
Friend November 2025 “Ready to Keep Growing” Jewel was nervous about going to Young Women’s. But she felt the Holy Ghost telling her she was now old enough to learn more about being a disciple of Jesus Christ. She felt comforted by those words. Even though she didn’t have many friends in Young Women yet, she wasn’t alone. She had the Holy Ghost. The second time she went to YW’s a girl invited her to sit by her. The girl was kind and made her feel welcome. During the lesson Jewel even told how the Holy Ghost had helped her. Jewel still missed Primary sometimes. But because of the Holy Ghost, she was ready to keep on growing.
Friend November 2025 “Looking Forward to the Youth Program” Leaving Primary the year you turn 12 can sometimes feel scary or even sad. Luckily, there are a lot of exciting things about turning 12 and joining your Young Women class or Aaronic Priesthood quorum! Here are just a few.
Friend November 2023 “Akoni Prepares for the Temple”
How the Primary came to Be
Friend August 1986 “Primary Makes Me Happy” A play about how the Primary came to be.
Primary children in stake had a Friend reading challenge. Together they read 2,920 Friend stories! They put a box full of Friend magazines to read at each Church building in the stake. Each child had a punch card to keep track of how many stories they read or listened to. They even had a stake activity using ideas and recipes from the Friend.
Talks in Primary
Friend August 2023 “Jayden’s Talk” Jayden prepares his talk himself but he is nervous. He says a prayer and Heavenly Father helps him.
Friend September 1986 Sister Grassli gave a talk in Primary when she was eight years old. She talked about pre-earth life and how Jesus Christ and Satan presented their plans and about how Christ’s plan was chosen. Satan got mad and said, ‘I’ll get them!’ She thought at the time, “Well, he’s not going to get me!” She remembered that decision and determination all her life. Primary talks helps us learn and grow spiritually stronger.
Friend July 1986 Game: Children practice teaching and giving talks.
Friend February 2015 “Juliana Gives a Talk” Juliana is scared to give a talk, but Heavenly Father helps her.
Friend November 1985 – “Louis’s Talk” – A boy prepares his first talk.
Friend November 2019 “The Primary Talk” Dennis was afraid to give a talk in Primary. He prayed, prepared, and practiced but he was still nervous, so he asked his father to give him a blessing. After the blessing he was able to give the talk with only a few stutters, and he knew Heavenly Father helped him.
Opening Exercises
Friend June 2020 “Friends by Mail” For our 2019 Kindness Garden, we adopted a “Primary grandma” each month. We sang their favorite Primary songs and listened to their testimonies. They even helped us sing in our Primary program! Garden Park 7th Ward, Utah, USA
Singing Time
Activation
Birthday Visits
Friend September 2019 “Friends by Mail” My mother is the Primary president, and sometimes I go with her to visit kids who haven’t been to Primary in a while. We say hi to them, or visit them on their birthday. We take the Friend with us as a gift for them. Levi C., age 9, California, USA
Primary Handouts
Friend August 2018 A wristband to cut out and wear that says “Primary is Awesome.”
Bulletin Board and Primary Room Displays
Friend January 2021 “Show and Tell” This Primary in Texas, USA, created a bulletin board of Christ appearing, with everyone in Primary standing around Him. It helps everyone feel closer to Him.
Friend June 2018 “Show and Tell” Primary children in this ward look for their photo holding to the iron rod whenever they are in the Primary room.
Primary Activity Ideas
Friend April 2026 “An Easter Idea” After watching “Friend to Friend” a Primary class wanted to do a service project. They decided to make Easter bags for kids who do not have much for Easter. They made flyers and got donations and made over 100 Easter bags!
Friend July 2026 “Friends Around the World”
Primary children in North Carolina, USA, collected broken crayons. They sorted them by color and peeled off the paper. The old crayons were sent to a recycling company and made into easy-to-hold triangle crayons. Then children in hospitals got the new crayons!
Primary children in Pohnpei State, Micronesia, picked up trash at a local park and played kickball after.
Friend March 2024 “Following Jesus Together”
Friend June 2023 “Baking Bread for the Sacrament”
Friend March 2021 “Find It” The Primary invited the elderly in their branch to a game day activity. Find the hidden objects.
Friend January 2021 “Find It” These Primary children in Germany had a family history day! Find 5 old photos and 10 pairs of scissors. Then find the other hidden objects.
Friend June 2019 “Friends by Mail” Activity day girls in Florida, USA, created a tropical kindness garden! It hangs in the Primary room for other children to add their kind deeds. (includes photo)
Friend October 2018“The Parleys Creek Branch Primary, Utah, USA, went to the open house for the Jordan River Utah Temple.”
Friend December 1980 – making a piñata. See Internet for pictures and ideas
Friend March 2016 Primary children in a stake had a Friend reading challenge. Together they read 2,920 Friend stories! They put a box full of Friend magazines to read at each Church building in the stake. Each child had a punch card to keep track of how many stories they read or listened to. They even had a stake activity using ideas and recipes from the Friend.
Friend August 2023 “The Family Story Activity” The children in Lorrain’s primary were learning about their family history so they could share the stories at a Primary activity. Lorrain learned about being named after her great grandmother and about her father traveling to the temple to be sealed to his family when he was six. Before the Primary activity they heard some exciting news. A temple would be built in on their island!
Friend January 2022 “Story Time” These children are listening to a scripture story. Can you find these shapes in the picture?
Friend February 2026 “Friends Around the World” (See photos at link)
- Primary children in Acre, Brazil, collected and delivered essential items to seniors living in an assisted living center. They learned empathy, compassion, and service to others.
- Primary children in North Carolina, USA, collected over 500 books for a stake service project. The books were donated to local free libraries to help children have access to free books.
Friend March 2026 “Celebrating Easter” These Primary children in Texas, USA, celebrated Easter together with a Primary activity! (See their picture on the back cover.) They also made cards and bracelets for people who were sick.
Bringing Scriptures to Primary
Friend October 2017 “Show and Tell” Primary children in the Cobblestone 2nd Ward Primary, Utah, USA, earned blocks by bringing their scriptures to church and by reading about Jesus and choosing the right. They built 12 different Book of Mormon scenes and had fun growing their testimonies of the scriptures! (Leaders could build with the blocks during the week and show the children what was built with their blocks. It would be fun for the kids to see what scene it will be. They could even guess.)
Friend June 2016 Primary children of the Sarasota Ward, Sarasota Florida Stake, earned blocks to build the Nauvoo Temple by coming to Primary, bringing their scriptures, and learning the Articles of Faith. They learned that families are forever!
Friend May 2016 Primary children in the Virden Ward, Duncan Arizona Stake, New Mexico, USA, fill jars of pennies to buy copies of the Book of Mormon for the missionaries. Every Sunday, children who bring their scriptures get to put a penny into a jar. When it is filled, they put a child’s testimony in each Book of Mormon to share.
Primary Teachers
Friend July 2020 “The Secret Ingredient” Sister Franco’s primary teacher when she was young always brought chocolate cake for her class. Sister Franco didn’t like chocolate cake but one day she tried it because her primary teacher said it was made with a special ingredient. Later, Sister Franco found out that her teacher used her bus money to make the cakes, and had to walk 2 miles to church. The secret ingredient was love.
Primary Sacrament Program
Friend April 2022 “A Part to Play” The kids in Capri’s Primary class each got a part to say in the Primary program, but Capri has disability that makes it hard to speak. Her teacher gave her a special music box to play in the program that plays “I Am a Child of God.” Capri felt something warm in her heart. She knew she was a child of God. And she had an important part to play.
Friend October 2024 “Just Right for Zack” Zack has sensory processing disorder, so he likes to do the same things every day. One day at church, all the kids practiced for the Primary program in the chapel. This was very different! Nothing helped him feel better so the leaders gave him a special job for the program. It was just right for him.
Friend November 2020 “The Great Big One-Girl Primary Program” Bella is the only child in primary in her small branch. She and her mom (who is the Primary president) work on ways to do a program with just one child, and other people pitch in and help too.
Friend May 2023 “Cameron the Piano Player” Cameron volunteered to play a couple of songs in the Primary Program even though he didn’t know how to play. He took lessons and practiced really hard and did great at the program and wanted to learn more songs. He felt like it was a way to share his testimony.
Friend November 2015 – Mandy wants to be a good example for the younger children in the Primary program.
Friend August 2015 “Clara and the Primary Program” New member, Clara, is asked to read and bear testimony in the Primary program.
Friend October 2022 “Being Brave” Brayden was scared to talk in front of so many people for the Primary program. His father suggested saying a prayer to help him fell brave. It helped him feel better and he was able to say his part and remember all the words.
Friend October 2023 “Find It!” These Primary children are singing in their sacrament meeting program. Can you find the hidden objects?
