Time Fillers

1. Have various children stand one at a time and recite their favorite article of faith.*
2. Silently choose a child and begin describing positive attributes about that child. Have the children try to guess who you are describing.*
3. Ask the children a gospel-related question, then gently toss a bean bag or small ball to the child and let the child catch it. The child that caught it then answers the question and throws the bag or ball back. Continue with other questions. (Be careful with this one, as it sometimes becomes a game of dodge ball with you as the target.)*
4. Play “Who Am I?” State a list of facts describing someone or something in the scriptures or from church history. Let the children raise their hands to guess who or what you are describing.*
5. Have the children use the Topical Guide and look up their favorite scripture and read it aloud.*
6. Keep a tape recorder handy and tape the children expressing their love for Heavenly Father, Jesus, the bishop, or their parents. Play it back at a later date.*
7. Prepare a sack of items that represents someone from the scriptures or church history. Pull the items out one at a time and let the children try guessing who the items represent.*
8. Copy the picture of the First Presidency and the Twelve Apostles found in the conference issue of the Ensign. You want to enlarge the pictures to make them easier to see. Mount the pictures on heavier paper and list their name and make a few interesting facts about each one on the back of their picture. Use them as flashcards for the children to learn who they are.*
9. Make flashcards from pictures of all the prophets, past and present. Write their names and interesting facts about each prophet on the back of each card.*
10. Make flashcards from pictures of the temples. Write the name of the temple and interesting facts about it on the back of the each card.*
11. Gather three large (9″ x 12″) colored envelopes. They can usually be found at a stationary or printing store. Place in each envelope a picture of a prophet, temple, event in the scriptures or church history, etc. Also
include a short story or description of the picture. Have someone choose one of the envelopes. Take out the contents, show the picture, and tell the story.*
12. Have the children take turns telling of a time when Heavenly Father answered one of their prayers.*
13. Hum a favorite Primary song as group.*
14. Have the children recite the books in the Old Testament, New Testament, and Book of Mormon.*
15. Make flashcards with the books of the Old Testament, New Testament, and Book of Mormon listed on them. Hold up the cards one at a time and have the children guess which set of scriptures it belongs to.*
16. Using a file folder, write the words “Who Am I”? or “What Am I?” on the front. Glue a gospel-related picture inside. Write clues about the picture on the back of the folder. Hold up the closed file so the children can see
only the front of the file. Read the clues on the back, letting them try to guess who or what it is. When they guess, open the file folder, revealing the picture.*
17. Use a bean bag or small ball to toss to the children. When a child catches it, they must name a prophet (ancient or modern). This can be done by naming the temples.*
18. Scramble the letters of various gospel terms and write them on cards. Hold the cards up one at a time and let the children unscramble the letters, revealing the gospel term. Once guessed, you could have the children give the definition of the term.*
19. Create a “reverence jar.” Designate a certain amount of time (i.e., 30 seconds). Every time all the children are reverent for that period of time, add a small object to the jar such as a bean, a marble, a piece of macaroni, etc. When the jar is full, reward the children with a special card, ribbon, cookie, or candy.*
20. Ask the children a gospel-related question such as, “What year was the Church organized?” Then, while your back is turned, have the children pass a bean bag or small ball from one child to another. When you turn around, ask the child holding the bean bag or small ball to answer the question. Continue asking questions as long as time permits.*