How to Prepare a Talk for Primary...(or anything else)

We have a small primary, so my kids get to give talks on a regular basis. When I am thinking about it, I like to try to be the kind of parent who teaches them to do things for themselves. Preparing their own talks for primary is one of those things. This is an easy way to help kids do that with a small amount of guidance. It is the same formula I use to prepare my own talks and lessons.

The Motivational Sequence is something I learned from the high school debate team. It goes a little something like this.

I - Introduction. Something to catch attention & introduce your topic. For children this can be as easy as saying "My talk today is on the temple" For adults, you can use jokes, stories, or anything else.

N- Need. State the problem or NEED. For children I ask them "Why is the temple important?" or "Why do we need temples?"

S- Satisfaction. What will SATISFY the problem, what is a solution? How is that need satisfied? For children, "How can we receive the blessings of the temple?"

V-Visualization. Help the audience to VISUALIZE how the topic applies in their lives? This is a great place to put in personal experiences or other stories. For children I ask something like "Have you ever had a neat experience at the temple?" or "what kind of blessings has the temple given to you?"

A-Action. The spirit builds testimonies and affects our lives when it is acted upon. Therefore, we must invite others to TAKE ACTION on the principles of the gospel. Here both children and adults can challenge the audience to do something. for example "I hope you'll all go the temple with your family"

Here is an example of the talk that Aiden wrote and gave last week. Of course adding scriptures and quotes from the prophets is always a good thing too.

(introduction) My talk today is on the temple.

(need) Temples are important because they help us to be together forever and to make special promises so we can go back to live with Heavenly Father again.

(satisfaction)When we live worthy to go to the temple we can feel the holy ghost. In doctrine covenant section 97 verses 15 and 17 it says:

And inasmuch as my people build a house unto me in the name of the Lord, and do not suffer any unclean thing to come into it, that it be not defiled, my glory shall rest upon it;1But if it be defiled I will not come into it, and my glory shall not be there; for I will not come into unholy temples.

(visualization) My family and I got to walk through the Draper temple during it's open house. When I was there, I felt really good inside. That feeling was the Holy Ghost.

(action) I hope you can all live worthy to go to the temple and feel the Holy Ghost.


Easy peezy lemon squeezy. Hope this is helpful! It works for me. :)