Because we have Garrett and Caleb to consider when planning what to do for Family Home Evening, we tend to keep our lessons and activities simple. Sometimes we'll teach something from the new nursery manual, or we'll play a game together. Other times we'll just sing songs that Garrett knows. These activities are always accompanied by wiggles and occasionally, since it's so close to bedtime, by magnificent meltdowns, which is why the structured moments of a Family Home Evening at our house rarely last longer than five minutes. But we make the time to be together to discuss principles of the gospel, and I think that, in the end, is what is most important.
Last night was one of our more successful Family Home Evenings, and we have YouTube to thank for it -- specifically the Mormon Messages found there. Garrett has a minor addiction to YouTube, so Blake's idea to use modern media for the bulk of his lesson was ingenious. We started with President Hinckley's touching silver dollar story. And when it was over and Garrett asked for more, we showed him the old-time Western Homefront Mormon Ad, which he really got into. Seriously, he was on the edge of his seat the entire time.
What are the components of a successful Family Home Evening with young children at your house?
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5 comments:
Love the mormon messages idea. We have incredibly short family home evening lessons, like 5 min, and we always start with simon says to get them all ready to listen before we sing and do the opening prayer and then we do the hokey pokey after the closing prayer.
The Gospel Art Kit has also been a wonderful resource, we will show the picture and tell the story for a lesson and they really like it.
"Family Olympics" has been one of our favorites for a long time. It basically consists of this: Who can stand on one foot the longest, or jump the highest, or fold your arms and close your eyes like when we pray for the longest, or think of the best thing to say to your friend who is not sharing. That kind of stuff. We did simpler things when the girls were small and we're now thinking that we need to add in harder things like find a scripture on gratitude or find Mosiah 2:17 or something. Anyway, we've been doing "Olympics" forever, and used to have medals made of paper. The kids used to love those.
What a great idea! I'm going to have to try that with my boys!
We always sang primary songs together. They get a gospel message on their level.
Toddler styled FHE is a little tricky I've found. Like everyone else, our lessons are generally quick. We always have a song, a prayer and a scripture. Sometimes it's just a line of a scripture, but I think it's important to start the habit of reading out of the actual scriptures (as opposed to the cardboard children's version.) Our lessons generally incorporate something to do. We learned about the creation and planted herbs. We learned about obedience and played simon says (or "mommy says"). We talked about sharing and brought cookies to someone. We talked about eternal families and wrote grandma a letter. Very simple.
I agree with what you said. Making time to be together, talking about gospel principles, and establishing the habit (ok I added that part) are what it is all about. And one day we'll see the blessings of all our efforts.
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