Activity Days: Painting

For Activity Days we had the girls finish up their sculptures and start painting them to display at our Recognition Night. They really loved getting all creative with paint colors and decorating. We've had a couple girls miss the past activities so we'll have to have a makeup day to get these girls all caught up.

Activity Days: Sculpting with clay

We will be having our recognition night for Activity Days in June and I thought it would be a great time to work on some art projects. Developing Talents #4 Make an item from wood, metal, fabric, or other material, or draw, paint, or sculpt a piece of art. Display your finished work for others to see. We will be working on our art pieces for the next couple of Activities so they will be ready to be displayed at our Recognition Night. The girls really struggled at first coming up with their ideas but once they decided what to make they were off! I found this great website: http://fun.familyeducation.com/ which had many different recipes for sculpting clay. I tried the Modeling Clay recipe which turned out great! Next activity we will be painting the sculptures.

While the girls were busy creating I decided to make edible play dough as a treat for them to enjoy. It was very easy and the girls loved it!

Yummy Edible Play Dough

16 oz can of prepared white frosting
1 cup creamy peanut butter
2 cups powdered sugar
Food Coloring


Mix first two ingredients until thoroughly combined. Gradually knead in sugar until stiff. Knead in Food Color and then add addition sugar if sticky. Makes 3 cups. This recipe comes from Rondi. Thanks!

Activity Days: Mother's Day Cards

This idea came from myself.

In the Faith in God book one suggested activity for Serving Others is to write a letter to a teacher, your parents, or your grandparents telling them what you appreciate and respect about them. I decided to have the girls make Mother's Day cards for their moms including what they respect and appreciate about them. They absolutely love to get all the craft things out and make projects so this was a hit! We used glitter glue sticks, colored paper, jeweled brads, stickers, ribbon and their creativity to come up with some very darling little cards. Once they dried they wrote what they appreciated about their moms and will present them to their moms on Mother's Day or anyday for that matter.

Activity Days: Article of Faith Easter Egg Hunt

This idea came from the Sugar Doodle website and was a major hit with the girls. Katelyn hid the eggs for me and was a little too good at it! I included all three different ways of doing this activity! http://www.sugardoodle.net/Articles%20of%20Faith/AOFEasterEggHunt.shtml

1. Divide everyone into two teams. Place all of the articles of faith on the same color paper. Choose a color for each team. Place the articles in the eggs with the candy. Tell everyone that they may only keep the color of their team. If they find another color have them replace it into the egg and move on. When the team has assembled all 13 pieces of paper have them place the articles in order. So by now you know that you do not place a number on the article. The team has to work together to order the articles. First team to have all the articles in order is the winner. (Kate)

2. What I did was print two copies of the Articles of Faith cards without the numbers and cut them out into individual articles. I had 42 old plastic eggs, which I could divide by "warm colors" and "cool colors" (pink, yellow, orange and green, blue, purple) into 2 teams. I put each Articles of Faith in an egg, along with some candy, for the other eggs, I just put candy (no chocolate, because we live in AZ). Then I hid the eggs in my backyard. Each team had to find only their color eggs, and then, when all were found, dump out each egg into a bowl, get the papers, and number the articles from one to thirteen. Then they split the candy evenly into Ziploc baggies. (Amanda Evans)

3. I did one the other day that turned out pretty well. I divided each Article of Faith up into seven pieces. Then I numbered the eggs. Each girl was assigned specific numbers to look for. For example, one had to look for eggs number 1, 2, and 3. It was a lot of fun because they tried to not let the other girls see where they were looking if the egg wasn't theirs. Anyway, after all the eggs were found then we went in and tried to put them into order. I of course helped, I had a couple of older girls who happened to be there and so they helped the younger ones. After they were done putting them into order we read them out loud to make sure we put them together right. The 13th egg I divided so each girl had to find only 2 pieces of it and then we put it in order together. It was a lot of fun! (Cathy Updike)

I baked sugar cookies for the girls to decorate but they had so much fun finding the eggs and seeing who could solve the scrambled Articles of Faith that we just ate them without decorating and enjoyed the good weather instead! This definitely keeps them occupied and having lots of fun together!

Activity Days: Lip Gloss and Kindness

Summary:
Make home made lip gloss and use the poem to teach a lesson on kindness. Good unity activity.

Activity Description:
M'Shelle D.'s activity days class made home made lip gloss and then had a lesson on kindness, relating to the cute poem:

LIP GLOSS POEM
I have this pot of lip gloss,
I'll put some on each day.
I do it to remind me
To choose the words I say.

I'll try to speak with kindness
to everyone I meet.
I'll try to spread some happiness
to those that I may greet.

This pot of gloss reminds me
of the values I hold dear,
The colors are so cheerful
and the message is so clear.

If I want to live the gospel
I'll choose each word I say
I'll speak in just the kindest words
and I won't forget to pray!


Click on this link for a cute handout of the poem to give the girls: http://www.mormonshare.com/sites/default/files/images/LipGloss.pdf
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I found many recipes for homemade lip-gloss:

Recipe for Homemade Lip Gloss
2 T Petroleum Jelly or Vaseline
1 t Beeswax
10-14 drops flavored extract

In a small pot, melt the petroleum jelly, and then when melted, add beeswax. When melted, remove from heat then add extract. Carefully pour into small containers.
Note: Glitter can also be sprinkled on top!
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Lip Gloss

Materials:
Vegetable shortening,
honey,
unsweetened drink mix (eg. Kool-Aid),
hot water

Instructions:
1. Use a small bowl to mix 1 tbsp of the solid vegetable shortening and 1 tsp of honey. In a separate bowl, mix the drink mix and 1/4 tsp of hot water until it is dissolved. Stir in as much of the drink mix as possible. The actual amount will depend on the temperature of water. The more you can dissolve, the stronger the flavour will be.

2.You can choose the color and flavor of you lip gloss by the type of drink mix you use.

3. Add one drop of the water mixture to the shortening/honey base. Stir well. Repeat until you get the color/flavor combination you want. Pour into a clean container or old lip gloss pot.

4. Store in the refrigerator. Keeps for 3 days, but it tastes so good that you will use it up very fast!

http://www.creativekidsathome.com/activities/activity_40.html
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St. Patrick's Day activity-
Make your own Green Lipstick

Wet & Wild Mega Eyes trio in Amazon Greens
One full tablespoon of Vaseline
A few squirts of pure Vanilla extract
One small pot
One small plastic container with lid
Colored glitter if optional

First step- First place your pot on the stove. Now add a ¼ cup of water to the pot. Bring this almost to a complete boil. Slowly begin to drop your tablespoon of Vaseline into the water. Take a spoon and mix this up for about five minutes until you see the Vaseline completely liquefied.Second step- Remove the mixture off the stove allow it to cool down for 30 seconds. Then place your Green eye shadow and Vanilla into this pot. You should use at least a couple spoonfuls of the eye shadow. I have used the whole rectangle of eye shadow and it made a pretty decent size amount of Green lip gloss for all the little kids in my area last year for St. Patrick's Day.
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Lip-Smacking Good
Make homemade lip-gloss.

You Need:
Vaseline or Crisco: Crisco version goes bad after three days or so
Unsweetened Kool-Aid or any flavored drink mix
Vanilla extract
Cocoa powder
A small mixing bowl
A spoon: For mixing
Measuring spoons
Microwave
Cake decorating glitter: To add a little sparkle.
A container for the lip gloss: Find them at your local craft or beauty supply shop. You may want to pick up a dozen or so.
Stickers: For a label.
Food coloring

How to do it:
1. Have your kid decide what flavor of lip gloss she wants to make before she starts mixing things together.
2. To start, have your kid put some Vaseline (or Crisco) into a (microwaveable) mixing bowl and microwave it for about two minutes—until it's a liquid. Try not to let it boil!
3. If she's making chocolate gloss, have her add cocoa powder to the base and mix and stir it up to get rid of any lumps. She should add as little or as much powder as she wants, keeping in mind the more she adds, the darker the tint will be.
4. Then have her return the mixture to the microwave for another 20 seconds and then stir again.
5. If she wants to make vanilla flavored lip gloss, instead of heating the Vaseline in the mixing bowl, just have her add a tiny amount of vanilla extract to it (like 1/8 teaspoon for every 2 tablespoons of Vaseline).
6. To make red cherry-flavored lip-gloss, warm the Vaseline in the microwave for about 20 seconds, then stir in some cherry Kool-Aid.
7. Your kid can now stir in food coloring to tint her lip-gloss or add cake glitter to make it sparkle. 8. Finally, get her to pour or scrape the mixture into the lip gloss containers and let it cool. (If you've been using the microwave, be careful, it'll be hot!)
9 When she's finished making the lip gloss, have her make some labels for it. She can print or draw a label on paper and stick it on with a glue stick or print or draw one on a sticky blank address label. She can dress her gloss up with stickers, too!
10. That's it! Have her pucker up and slap on some of her homemade lip-gloss. She'll be licking her chops all day long.

Homemade lip-gloss makes a great gift for your kid's girlfriends. Do this DO at your kid's next birthday party. An activity and party favor all in one!
http://www.parentsconnect.com/do/lip-smacking_good.jhtml?cc=10492&psc=10027&mid=null

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Here are a few stories I read to the girls regarding kindness they both have very good morals:
http://www.sugardoodle.net/Anger/Nail%20in%20the%20Fence.shtml
and
http://www.sugardoodle.net/Work,%20Employment/The%20Legend%20of%20the%20King%20and%20the%20Water.shtml

Activity Day Ideas: Family Trees

This idea comes from:
http://jacobus-family.blogspot.com/2008/11/primary-activity-day-family-tree.html


The boys used the family trees they made at Halloween to make these great artful trees to hang on their wall for a Primary Activity Day (that's through the children's program at our church) The leaders did so much precutting work for the kids so they could assemble this nice tree. I can only imagine how many hours they put into this, but see the beautiful results?!

Activity Days: Joseph Smith's first vision packet

This weeks Activity Days we colored and cut out pictures of the first vision for the girls to use in their upcoming Family Home Evening. This covers Learning & Living the gospel #2. Here is the packet for Family Home Evening:

Opening Song: “Joseph Smith’s First Prayer” #26 in Hymns

Prayer:

Scripture: If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him (James 1:5)

Quote: President Joseph F. Smith said: “The greatest event that has ever occurred in the world, since the resurrection of the Son of God from the tomb and his ascension on high, was the coming of the Father and of the Son to that boy Joseph Smith. … Having accepted this truth, I find it easy to accept of every other truth that [Joseph Smith] … declared” (Gospel Doctrine, 5th ed. pp. 495–96).

Lesson: Tell the story of the first vision, use the cutouts to help you.
1. Joseph plowing the field - When Joseph was fourteen years old; many people in his hometown were excited about religion. Preachers gave sermons to try to get people to join their churches. Joseph learned about the different churches, but he couldn’t decide which one to join. The preachers disagree with each other. They can’t all be right!
2. Joseph reading the scriptures - One day, as he was studying the Bible, he read James 1:5. “ If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” Then he knew what to do. Joseph decided he would do what the scripture said—ask God. He went into the woods to pray.
3. Joseph kneeling and praying - Joseph had never prayed out loud before. He looked around to make sure he was alone, then knelt down. As soon as he tried to speak, he was surrounded by thick darkness and he was afraid he would be destroyed. He prayed to be saved from this evil power.
4. Joseph looking up to the sky - Joseph later said: “Just at this moment of great alarm, I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me. … I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!”
5. Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ - Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ had appeared to Joseph. They told him not to join any of the churches because they were all wrong. When the pillar of light and the Heavenly Beings left, Joseph was lying on his back. He felt peace and joy. Joseph returned home and told his family about his experience. Joseph’s family loved God and wanted to keep his commandments. They read the Bible and prayed together often. Like Joseph, they were confused about which church was the true church of Jesus Christ. After Joseph received his first vision, his family believed him and supported him in the great work he was called to do.
6. Joseph talking with a preacher - When Joseph told others about his vision, they made fun of him. Ministers of other religions persecuted him, even though he was only a boy. “There are no such things as visions anymore! You’re either lying or you’ve been deceived by the devil.”
7. Book of Mormon - Joseph never denied his testimony. He said: “Though I was hated and persecuted for saying that I had seen a vision, yet it was true; … I knew it, and I knew that God knew it, and I could not deny it.”
8. Children praying - We, too, can go to Heavenly Father in prayer and receive answers to important questions in our lives. Through prayer we can also receive a testimony from Heavenly Father that Joseph Smith was a prophet.

Discussion:
There are two reasons why we pray:
1-We pray to thank Heavenly Father for our blessings
2-We pray to ask for Heavenly Father’s help
Just like Joseph Smith’s prayer was answered, our prayers will be heard and answered when we sincerely speak to Heavenly Father. Ask the family if anyone would like to tell about a time they had a prayer answered. Share your own testimony of prayer or ask one of your parents to share their testimony.

Activity: Play stick pulling, one of Joseph Smith’s favorite games. Contestants sit on the ground facing one another with their feet braced sole to sole. Grasp a round stick, a 1 1/4-inch hardwood dowel, between them, parallel to the ground and lengthwise over their braced feet. On a given signal they begin to pull against each other until one is lifted off the ground enough to see daylight beneath him. The best out of three pulls determines the winner of the contest.

Closing Song: “On a Golden Springtime” (Children’s Songbook p. 88)

Closing Prayer: