FHE: ...

the plan was to do the pumpkin carving activity from last year, but uncooperative kids during the day made it so i didn't have time to clean out the insides beforehand, and I really just carved a couple pumpkins with the kids.  we didn't really tie in a spiritual message, as I had wanted.  (also, the hubby is going through a lot at work right now and he got home later than usual, so we started late and i felt rushed.)

oh well- you can't win them all!

FHE: Peer Pressure

I basically used the lesson idea from 52 Weeks, but sort of told the story of the pre-existence quickly and we focused most of our time and attention on the daily choices sign game.  Although, I changed some of them a bit, and added a few extras.  They really liked the choices game (it's amazing what having a sign can do to help foster the conversation) and I really enjoyed asking them why they would say what they would say, and helped them think of nice ways of saying "no" in each situation, or why it would be a good idea to say "yes".

This was very successful, I thought, and I was amazed at how long their attention span was for this!  I think I'll try to use this same "Yes or No" answering format for other topics.  I feel like we had a great discussion!  My husband and I decided to move to eating our treat for the last few questions, since we didn't realize how long we would end up spending on this (and the kids needed to get ready for bed.)

Here are the questions we used:

1. You and your friends are playing in your neighborhood. One of your friends 

says, "I see flower pots on your neighbor's porch. Let’s go and pick 

them for our magic potion!" 

2. Before church your friend says, "Let's both tell our parents we need to use 

the bathroom and we’ll meet in the hall and play during sacrament meeting! I 

brought my DS with me." 

3. Your little sister asks if she can share your new toy. 

4. A new girl comes into Primary and is sitting all alone. She gets up and asks 

"Can I sit next to you?" 

5. You and your friend find a dollar in your neighbor’s driveway. He says, 

"Let's keep this and buy candy with it!" 

6. Your friend forgot her snack for school. You're really hungry. She asks if she 

can share yours. 

7. You are playing at your neighbor's house and they offer you coffee (we also discussed tea and what kinds of teas are "ok") to drink. 

Your friend says, "Just drink it this once. It's so good. You're Mom will never 

know." 

8. Your friends are sitting with you on the school bus and see a shy girl sitting 

alone. They tell you to make a mean face at her. 

9. Your teacher asks if you will miss some recess to help a student in class that 

you don't like very much with her homework. 

10. Your sibling tells you to throw food at the dinner table. 

11. Mom asks you for help clearing the dinner table. 

12. Your sibling asks you to sing songs with them to help cheer up the baby.

FHE: Love God with All Your Heart, Might, Mind & Strength

I got this lesson from The October Friend.  You can find it here.

Prep:
I printed off a picture of a strong arm and a lightbulb and then cut out a heart from red paper.  Then I cut out the pictures provided in the Friend and taped them all around the room.

I started out by having my 5-year-old "read" a scripture (i.e. copy what I say while reading...) D&C 59:5 and talked about what it meant.

Then I had the kids find the little pictures taped all around and had them bring them back and tape them onto the corresponding picture (which was an easy task since there were little arm/lightbulb/heart next to the picture descriptions).  Then we went through and talked about all of them and also asked if they could think of other ways they can serve using our minds, our hearts, and our strength.

My 5-year-old and 3-year-old loved finding the pictures and putting them in the right place, but they were quite rowdy and I'm not sure how much they heard... Although after reading the one about telling your family you love them, my 3-year-old said she loved me :) <3

FHE- Joseph Fielding Smith

I really really failed this week.  We just whipped out the picture of Joseph Fielding Smith from the back inside cover of the October Friend magazine and I read what was there.  (after singing the latter-day prophet song and showing all the old inside back covers...)

I should have read and referenced some things from here.

FHE- Honesty (Take 2)

After the failed ice cream analogy, I thought I'd try this "Lie Monster" lesson on for size.

I think it went over much better.  It's amazing how much more engaging a story is for young kids when you have a visual aid!  I laminated it to save for future use.