FHE: Holy Ghost - Halloween

Opening Song: Family Night

Opening Prayer

Scripture: Doctrine and Covenants 130:22

Lesson:
Halloween is this week.
What are some symbols you think of when you hear the word Halloween?
(Jack-o'-lanterns, black cats, witches, skeletons, ghosts, etc...)
Today we are going to talk about a ghost.
Not just any ghost though...
We're going to talk about the Holy Ghost.
The Holy Ghost is not a scary ghost.
Instead of being scary, it helps us when we're scared or afraid.
The Holy Ghost can comfort us.

Story:
Found in Behold Your Little Ones: Nursery Manual (Lesson 6)

The Holy Ghost has many names...
The comforter.
The Spirit.
The Spirit of the Lord.
The Spirit of God.
The still small voice.

The Holy Ghost is called the still small voice because he doesn't speak loudly.
He tells us things in a quiet voice or most often in a feeling.

How do you feel when you do something that is good?
How do you feel when you do something wrong?
He gives us a happy, warm feeling when something is right
& a bad or sad feeling when something is wrong.

The Holy Ghost will help us know what's right & what's wrong,
but we have to be willing to listen & choose the right.

First stanza of the poem 'Help from the Holy Ghost' by Erin Renouf Mylroie
I'm learning how to choose the right.
I'll do my best both day and night.
But when I'm not sure what to do,
The Holy Ghost will help me through.

Closing Song: The Holy Ghost

Closing Prayer

Activity: We watched The Nightmare Before Christmas,
but Casper would probably fit the theme better if you wanted to watch something (;

Treat: Banana Ghosts

xoxo

FHE: I Am a Child of God

Opening Song: Family Night

Opening Prayer

Scripture: Psalms 82:6

Lesson:
The parable of Rapunzel
with excerpts from the Primary 1: I Am a Child of God Manual
We lived in heaven with our Heavenly Father before we came to earth.
We don't remember living with Him,
but we know we are His spirit children because we read about it in the scriptures.
{see Psalms 82:6}
Heavenly Father is the king of both heaven & earth.
Because we are His spirit children,
we are all princes & princesses.

Rapunzel lived with her parents in the castle when she was a baby,
but she was taken away from them when she was still little
so she doesn't remember that she is their daughter
& that she is actually a princess.

Rapunzel's parents, the king & queen, never gave up their search for her.
They sent out floating lanterns every year in hopes that she would follow them back home.
Our Heavenly Father wants us to choose the right so that we can return to live with Him someday
so He sent us the scriptures & a prophet to guide us back to Him.

Mother Gothel constantly lied to Rapunzel & tried to keep her locked up in the tower
because she wanted all of the hair's magical powers for herself.
She tells Rapunzel that "mother knows best" just to get her to stay.
She didn't want her to discover who she really was & find her way back home.
Satan is the same way.
He lies to us & tries to keep us locked up in his grasp
because he wants all the power & glory for himself.
He wants to take our agency away.
 He tries to trick us into thinking that his way is best.
Satan doesn't want us to find our way back to Heavenly Father.

Rapunzel wanted to see the floating lanterns
just like we should want to read the scriptures & listen to the prophet.
She discovered that she is a princess & she found her way back to her home,
just like we know that we are all children of God
& that we can live with our Heavenly Father again someday too.

photo credit: disneyscreencaps.com

Rapunzel stood in front of the mirror & put her tiara on.

She was the daughter of a King.

Story:
Seeing a Child of God
We can stand in front of a mirror & remember that we are children of God too.
Hold a mirror up in front of each person & tell them that they are a child of God.

Closing Song: I Am a Child of God

Closing Prayer

Activity: Color/decorate crowns while watching Tangled
Here's a link to Rapunzel's tiara

Treat: Paint brush rice krispie treats

xoxo

FHE: Helping Out Around the House

Opening Song: Family Night

Opening Prayer

Scripture: Doctrine and Covenants 88:119

Lesson:
Questions:
Is our house dirty or clean?
Are you happy when our house gets dirty?
Is the church building dirty or clean?
Are temples dirty or clean?
Temples are also called the House of the Lord.
Do you think Heavenly Father is happy when our house is dirty?
Would it be easy to clean the entire house all by yourself every day?

House puzzle:

Print & cut out the house puzzle.
Distribute puzzle pieces among family members
then have the family try to put the puzzle together.
Hold onto your puzzle pieces & don't help them at all.
When they realize that they can't complete the house puzzle without you,
explain that you all need to work together to make your house a home.

Story:
The Little Red Hen

When we work together,
the chores seem easier & things get done faster.
Cleaning together is more fun than cleaning alone anyway.
How else can we make cleaning more fun?

"Whistle While You Work" from Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs:
Just whistle while you work
<whistle>
And cheerfully together we can tidy up the place
So hum a merry tune
<hum>
It won't take long when there's a song to help you set the pace
And as you sweep the room
Imagine that the broom
is someone that you love and soon you'll find you're dancing to the tune.

When hearts are high the time will fly so whistle while you work.

Things the kids can do to help around the house:
Pick up their toys & keep them in the playroom
Sweep up crumbs with the little broom
Put things where they belong
Sort & fold laundry
Help with dishes
Wipe counters
Make beds

Closing Song: When We're Helping

Closing Prayer

Activity: Make a family chore chart & watch Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs

Treat: We're making my Grandma's Apple Crisp,
but you could also make an apple pie like Snow White makes in the movie,
or do any sort of apple treat really...

xoxo

FHE: Honesty - Pinocchio

Since holding FHE (Family Home Evening) weekly is one of my resolutions this year

I decided to start posting about what we do.

Partially to share our FHE ideas with each of you,

but mostly to help myself remember how important it is

& to make sure it's happening each week.

I'm not gonna beat myself up if we miss a week here or there

but the goal is to do our best to make it happen every week.

Some weeks may be more thought out than others,

& some weeks we may just watch a movie

then ask questions about lessons learned from it.

Young kids have such short attention spans

that we are going to try to keep the lessons short & simple.

I noticed that LDS Living is doing Disney themes for FHE this month

& I absolutely adore that idea!

I want to try to have one Disney themed FHE each month,

but we'll see how that goes.

Without further ado,

here is tonight's Pinocchio FHE about Honesty...

Opening Song: Family Night

(This will almost always be our opening song, since that was our tradition growing up)

Opening Prayer

Scripture: Psalms 120:2

Lesson:

Story:

Read The Boy Who Cried Wolf.

If we lie over & over again,

people may not believe us when we are telling the truth.

Pinocchio's nose grows when he tells a lie,

but we have a conscience like Jiminy Cricket
(our conscience is not an actual cricket)

that helps us know right from wrong

& helps us do the right thing

even when it's hard.

Nose Grows game:

Say statements or actions that are true/honest & some that are lies/dishonest.

Have the kids fold their arms if it's something that is true or honest

& touch their nose if it's a lie or dishonest.

String of lies object lesson:

Read the story, "The Lie Monster".

Gently wrap yarn around a child's wrists (once for each lie in the story)

& explain that it's hard to break free from lies when they grow on each other.

The only way to break free from lies is to be honest

& to always tell the truth.

"I've Got No Strings" from Pinocchio:

I've got no strings to hold me down

to make me fret, or make me frown

I had strings, but now I'm free

There are no strings on me.

When we are honest,

we don't have 'strings of lies' holding us down.

If we get tied up in a lie,

we can make things right & be free by telling the truth.

Closing Song: I Believe in Being Honest

Closing Prayer

Activity: Watch Pinocchio

Treat: 'Pinocchio's nose' pretzel rods & 'Pleasure Island' ice cream

xoxo