Family Activity Night

2012

Family Activity Night Ideas~ Family Home Evening

Here are several great activity ideas for you to do with your family (couples, too) for a Family Activity Night.

1. Cooking Class: Host a cooking class with your children (of all ages) and give each family member a responsibility in creating dinner and dessert. Teach how to measure, cook with the stove/oven safely, setting the table and of course, the clean-up!

2. Cake Decorating: Prior to this family night, bake a small cake for each family member to decorate. Gather all the decorating tools and icing and go over different decorating methods. Afterwards, have everyone try out their new skills by decorating their own cakes. Instead of having a number of cakes at your home, take some to your neighbors and share the goodies.

3. Service Coupons: Gather computer paper, markers, scissors and any other craft items you want to use for this project. Have every person write/create service coupons for different things that each of them can do for others in the family, friends or neighbors. You can put these in a jar and have others pick out of the jar for items of service that will be performed for them and that they will perform for others.

Look for more ideas to come soon….

Have a great Family Night!

Filed Under: Activities, Couples, Families, Family Home Evening, Newlyweds

New Year Individual and Family Goals

2012

Leave a Comment

Purpose: Setting goals and establishing resolutions is the number one way people begin the New Year. The most important aspect is to plan according to what you really want to accomplish in realistic time frames. You can plan for one long-term goal(s), something to focus on throughout the year and you can also do smaller, short-term goals to work on for a few months at a time, or even shorter. The most important aspect is “if you fail to plan, you plan to fail.”

This lesson is to help jump-start individuals and families to set goals to for the New Year.

Lesson:

Goals have multiple layers: first, you create a visual in your mind of the goal(s) you would like to accomplish. Once you have in mind what you want to do, you’ve already accomplished half your goal.

1. Visualize yourself at the end point of reaching that goal.

Create a detailed plan to reach that goal. Will this be reached in 3, 6, 9 or 12 months? When will you have accountability on how you’re doing on reaching these goals? How often will you have this accountability? You can invite family and/or friends to help keep you focused on the goal(s) that you create.

What type of goals are you wanting to create for the upcoming year?

Career (do you want to achieve a promotion, finish an important project, increase sales, etc), Financial (pay off one credit card, two credit cards, all debt, pay off car, learn how to coupon and use them weekly, etc), Education (go back to school- finish your degree or begin a degree program, learn a new language, take a community class, etc.), Family (plan a vacation and set a budget, create a budget for your family, etc), Volunteer Service (make goals to volunteer monthly or do toy/food drives, make 24 Hr. Survival Kits, etc.), Physical (make goals to work out, lose weight, run a race, etc.), Personal Enrichment (learn to play a musical instrument, paint, cut hair, etc.).

2. Write it down.

Keeping a written log, journal or even create a blog to keep a daily or weekly record of your experience working towards your goals. Blogging can be a powerful way to keep yourself accountable and to engage others which will help you stay focused.

3. Create the plan.

Use budget sheets, goal sheets, calendars and whatever other materials you can find to get a detailed break down of your goal.

Set SMART Goals (from mindtools.com):

S – Specific (or Significant).
M – Measurable (or Meaningful).
A – Attainable (or Action-Oriented).
R – Relevant (or Rewarding).
T – Time-bound (or Trackable).

Discussion:

1. Is goal setting important? Why or why not?

2. How can setting goals help you discover new things about yourself and help you live your best life?

Activity:

FREE Budget Tracking Sheets & other Financial Worksheets

FREE Blog Access (create a free blog to journal your progress in reaching your goals)

Why Set Goals? article

Treat:

Hot Chocolate & Marshmellows and No Bake Cookies

Hershey’s No Bake Cookies

Ingredients

1 3/4 cups white sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup butter
4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter
3 cups quick-cooking oats
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, milk, butter, and cocoa. Bring to a boil, and cook for 1 1/2 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in peanut butter, oats, and vanilla. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto wax paper. Let cool until hardened.

Filed Under: Activities, Couples, Couples, Families, Families With Children, FHE Lessons for All, Latter-day Saints, Newlyweds, Newlyweds, Single Groups, Tweens & Teens

Christmas Service Countdown Service

2011

Leave a Comment

“Christmas Service Countdown Family Home Evening“

Purpose: To reflect on serving one another in our families during the Christmas season. Often times we can focus on selfish thoughts during this gift-giving season. It’s important that we strive to keep the focus on being selfless as our Savior was as we celebrate His birth.

Lesson:
“Over the years, many people, especially youth, have asked me, “Elder Cuthbert, how can I become more spiritual?” My reply has always been the same: “You need to give more service.
Service changes people. It refines, purifies, gives a finer perspective, and brings out the best in each one of us. It gets us looking outward instead of inward. It prompts us to consider others’ needs ahead of our own. Righteous service is the expression of true charity, such as the Savior showed.” – Elder Derek A. Cuthbert, Ensign May 1990

Here are a list of ways service helps us become more spiritual:

1. Helps us see true value in material things vs. things of the eternal value

2. Service establishes a righteous tradition. Start serving when you’re young and that will lead to more willingness to serve throughout your life in the community and church.

3. Service helps us overcome selfishness and sin.

4. Service helps us generate love and appreciation.

5. Service is the principle in which we show gratitude to our Savior.

Discussion:

~ What ways have you been served? How did it make you feel?

~ What are some ways that you’ve served others?

~ How did it make you feel when you’ve served someone else?

~ Why should we focus on service during the Christmas season?

Activity Ideas: *This activity requires prep work*

Prep work for countdown chain: Count down the days from FHE night until Christmas Day. Cut out equal sized strips of red and green construction paper to make the countdown chain.

1. Pick one of the ways stated below to use each section of your chain. Remember that the service continues and includes Christmas Day.

W 1. With each section of the chain you can write an act of service to perform as a family.

2. 2. Each night at dinner you can take a piece of the chain off and describe what acts of service each family member did during that day.

Treat:

5-Minute Chocolate Pie

Ingredients:1 Ready Graham Cracker Pie Crust 1 1/4 C. cold milk 2 pkg. (4- serving size) chocolate instant pie pudding mix 1 tub (8 oz.) whipped topping (thawed) 1. Beat milk, pudding and half the whipped topping together in medium bowl with a wire whisk for one minute. The mixture will thicken. 2. Pour into ready-made crust. 3. Top with remaining whipped cream. You can eat it right away or chill until ready to eat!

Filed Under: Activities, Couples, Couples, Families, Families With Children, Family Home Evening, Lessons, Newlyweds, Newlyweds, Service Project Ideas, Service Projects, Single Groups, Tweens & Teens

Protecting your home and property

2011

1 Comment

“Protecting Your Home and Property”

Purpose: We are counseled often to be prepared with having food storage as well as money set aside for a rainy day. But what happens when a sudden storm or fire destroys all that we have? This lesson will help us make further preparations in protecting our home and property.

Lesson: Throughout the scriptures there are countless stories of those that chose to be prepared, rather than fear. From early on, we learn of Noah. This prophet constructed an entire ark without it even raining one drop.

Prophets have always warned of the calamities that have come and those that are yet to come.

Does our Heavenly Father want His children to live in fear? No!

Being prepared both spiritually and temporally helps us to show obedience to our Father in Heaven.

Discussion:

1. How are you or your family showing that you are temporally prepared?
2. What calamities have you seen in the world in the past 4-5 years?

3. How can you or your family start preparing your homes to be more prepared in the event of a disaster (fire, flood, earthquake, theft, etc?)

? Do you have the proper insurance to cover you, your home or your property? Even those that don’t own homes or have families– most likely still have property that should be protected by insurance. Add up to basic costs of the items in your home and you’ll be surprised about how much money it would take to have to replace all of that if lost in a fire, flood, theft if they were not insured.

Helpful Web sites:

Know Your Stuff (Home Inventory Online Web site– FREE!)
* You can upload images of all your property as well as descriptions of your items all in one location online.

Home Inventory Check List (paper version)

Activity:

Youth to Adults: Inventory Your Home You can slit the home and assign rooms to each person in the family. You may want to use this helpful sheet to document the items and their value. You should have at least two copies of this list. You should store one copy in a fire and water-proof box in your home and a copy in a safety deposit box. You may want to even talk with family members who may live in your area about doing this same home inventory and even sharing a safety deposit box.

Home Inventory Check-list (click on link to download)

Treat:

Buried Treasure Cupcakes

Filed Under: Couples, Families, Families With Children, Latter-day Saints, Newlyweds, Newlyweds

Thanksgiving Fun

2010

Leave a Comment

Thanksgiving Day Family Home Evening
Lesson For Young Children

Attention Activity:

Have each child take a handful of Reese’s Pieces (the fall colors are fun at Thanksgiving), M&M’s or another small candy. After everyone has taken some, go around the room and say something you are thankful for for each piece of candy you have. After you say each thing, eat the treat.

Discussion:

Heavenly Father has commanded us to be grateful for our blessings and to remember to thank him. Why is it important to remember to be thankful? How do we feel when we remember our blessings and thank Heavenly Father for them?

Louise Johnston, “Thanksgiving Is—,” Friend, Nov 1988, 47

T ime to think and time to pray.

H appiness with friends each day.

A pples ripe and rosy red.

N ighttime in my cozy bed.

K ittens purring soft and low.

S ilver moon and stars that glow.

G ardens, flowers, painted white.

I ce and snow and frosty night.

V ees that form when geese fly high

I n the clear blue autumn sky.

N eighbors’ visits, joy, and sharing.

G od, whose love is warm and caring.

*Parents: Take a moment to go around the family and tell each of your children why you are thankful for them and how special they are.

Thanksgiving activity ideas:

Week-long: Wall of Thanks
Choose a wall to dedicate to all of the things you are thankful for. Using a pad of sticky notes, write down something you are grateful for and stick it on the wall. Continue adding to the wall until it is full or you run out of sticky notes. It might be fun to give each person in the family a different color pad of sticky notes!

Other idea: Thankful Turkey

Make the body of a turkey using brown poster board (or color a white one!) by drawing a large circle and cutting it out. Draw a smaller circle for a head. Make an orange triangle beak and add a red gobbler. Draw feathers on cardstock. Have each member of the family decorate one or more feathers with some things they are most thankful for. Attach the feathers to the turkey and mount your thankful turkey on the wall. See the picture for a visual guide. Remember though that your turkey doesn’t have to look perfect! Your kids will love seeing their work on the wall and it will help them remember all of their blessings.

Treat idea:

Turkey Sugar Cookies

These are so cute and easy. Fun for all!

Filed Under: Activities, Couples, Families, Families With Children, Service Project Ideas, Tweens & Teens