Activity ideas

The "Outline for Sharing Time and the Children's Sacrament Meeting Presentation," used by the Primary organization, gives Primary sharing time activity ideas each month. These are also published in The Friend. After leaders use these activities in sharing time, I think it is a good idea to reuse them at home. This helps to reinforce what children are learning in Primary. It also allows children to practice what they are learning and gives them more opportunities to apply Church teachings in their lives.

I serve in our ward nursery and we try to have something for the children to take home each week. This lets parents reteach their children what is being taught at Church. Parents can take advantage of materials children receive at Church and use them to apply Church teachings at home. — Diana Eckersell Janson, Rexburg, Idaho

Adapt lessons to children

I have been a Relief Society teacher for a few years. The Monday following my lesson our family home evening lesson is taken directly from my Relief Society lesson and adapted to our children. Even the Brigham Young lessons are easily adaptable to small children.

I also find it easy to use the Sunday School lessons for our family home evening lessons. It is an easy way to follow the counsel given recently by the First Presidency to have gospel instruction in our homes. — Kathy Jo Haycock, Littleton, Colo.

Dinner discussions

I try to ask at Sunday dinner, "What did you learn in Sunday School, Primary, Young Women, Relief Society or priesthood?" to each family member. We have some good discussions from adults who all had the same lesson. Even a 3-year-old granddaughter loves to get in on the conversation. I use this as a way to involve a less-active member of the family in gospel teachings.

Another excellent way is to use the "Suggestions for Family Discussion" paragraphs in this year's New Testament Class Member Study Guide. There are some good object lessons that are great for family home evening. — Evelyn Greene, Weston, Idaho

Daily experiences

At the beginning of each month the children in our Primary come home with a handout that lists the monthly theme, the scripture and the song they will be learning. We memorize the scripture as a family, we discuss the theme in family home evenings, and we practice the song throughout the month. The Friend is an excellent resource for us because it contains stories and pictures about the Primary themes.

When I ask my daughter on Sunday to tell me about the things she learned in Primary that day her answers are often brief. But during the week as we read The Friend together or as we discuss ways of dealing with a challenge she may be facing, the things she has learned in Primary come to her mind and she tells me stories and concepts she remembers from her lessons. I look for opportunities to relate the gospel principles she is learning to our daily experiences. Our testimonies have been strengthened as we strive to help our children build their testimonies upon the solid foundation they are gaining in Primary. — Mirien Church, Aurora, Colo.

Family assignments

I am in the ward Primary presidency. We use the Primary sacrament meeting outline every year, and each month we send a card to each child. On this card, we print the monthly theme and the scriptural references. They are to read the references with the help of their parents and there are little assignments, such as finding out how many times Jesus' baptism is described in the New Testament. The parents then sign off the child's card, and the child returns the card to the presidency. Every three months we then have a celebration that includes all the children so no one is left out. The kids love this. They feel they've accomplished something. In addition, reading with their parents — or with teachers, if necessary — helps the children learn how to study the scriptures.

In addition, my son is the secretary in his teachers quorum. His quorum assignment is to take notes and keep a calendar during meetings. Therefore, his family assignment is to take care of the family calendar. He records on the calendar, using a computer program, all the events of our family. He has learned this in his quorum and uses this skill at home. He also has done extraction work through his quorum, and he has brought those skills home as well to our family history research.

When leaders and parents help young people learn usable, fun skills, the young people are more apt to be interested in what they are learning, and this blesses the family. It pays off to invest time in knowing what your children are learning in Church auxiliaries and to be involved as parents. — Suzie Bastian, Vestal, N.Y.