Throughout his ministry, Jesus Christ made time for children. Their natural humility and eagerness to learn made them an important part of His audience and an example for all of us to follow when studying His teachings. 

Our Latter-day Saint artists have created many heartfelt pieces showing Jesus teaching and laughing with kids. For this blog, we wanted to focus on a few stunning pieces showing quiet moments of Jesus blessing them. Children and youth face so many challenges in today’s modern world. But they are never far from Heaven’s sight.

Jesus blessing the children is one of the most touching scenes from the Book of Mormon. The children in the story, as well as their families, had just gone through many traumatic events. When Jesus came, He blessed, healed, and wept over each of them. The story illustrates God’s love for and understanding of little children. Their troubles are not lost on Him.

This painting is another take on the same scene by Jorge Cocco. Here, there is a bigger focus on the angels surrounding the children during this sacred event. They also ministered to them to the point that they were able to teach and prophesy to their parents. While we may not see angels, it is still true that, in unexpected ways, children show wisdom and insight often overlooked by busy adults.

This timeless sketch by Joseph Brickey shows Jesus interacting with children and siblings of different ages, from toddlers to nearing adolescence. It is a calm, quiet sort of scene. Jesus’ expression is reverent, and each of the children appears comfortable in His presence. The toddler is even reaching out to Him. Their trust in the Savior is worth exemplifying in our own journey of discipleship.

Joseph’s painting is similar to his sketch. We see children of different ages surrounding Christ in a serene setting. Except here, they are also studying a scroll together. The title, together with the emphasis on studying, harks back to what the scriptures teach about God’s intelligence. In many ways, it is synonymous with light. We love this painting because it is evident by young ones' facial expressions that just Jesus' presence is Jesus blessing the children

There are few things more powerful than a child’s prayer. As adults, it can become so easy to get caught up in the fast pace of life that we may forget to slow down and acknowledge the hand of God in our lives. But little kids tend to have a gift for noticing what is important. And sometimes even just listening to them pray is grounding. As simple, or even as silly, as that prayer might be, our Heavenly Father hears it.

There is more than one way to depict Jesus blessing the children. Teens also hold a special place in Christ’s heart. The stage between childhood and adulthood is such a challenging and confusing one. In today’s world, it is hard to find a clear path or even a clear identity. Annie’s drawing reminds us that the Savior suffered for what today’s youth face. He knows every nuance of their pain and wants to embrace them.

This next drawing by Annie carries a similar theme. Finding a sense of belonging is particularly difficult for youth. They may even sacrifice core pieces of themselves to find it. Help them know that regardless of what is going on in life if we stay close to the Savior, we always carry a true sense of home. He knows us better than anyone else and can help us find what brings true joy.

This blog covers just a small selection of the different artistic angles and spiritual insights our artists and photographers chose when painting Jesus with children. For more art like this, check out:

I Am a Child of God: 10 Touching Pictures of Jesus With Children

Baptism Gifts for Girls

Baptism Gifts for Boys