I pray to Heavenly Father for strength to do what is right: 1st Week Sharing Time Idea for June 2012

***Update: Since I think all of you are so great (hehe), I decided to add a Sharing Time Outline that you can print out and use for this idea. I used the outline I shared from last year, but changed it to fit this theme. Enjoy!! (link is at the bottom of this post)

Sharing Time Idea from the 2012 Primary Outline

ENCOURAGE UNDERSTANDING (discussing prayer): Show the children a telephone or another form of communication.  Discuss how it is used.  Ask the children how we can communicate with Heavenly Father. Explain that just as we dial a number to talk to someone on the phone, we can pray to communicate with Heavenly Father; we can ask Him for strength to do what is right.  Give each class a picture of a different kind of prayer (for example, personal prayer, family prayer, blessing on the food, or class prayer).  Ask each class to show their picture to the other children and tell them what type of prayer is shown and when, where, and why this type of prayer is said.

ENCOURAGE APPLICATION (playing a game): Punch a small hole in the end of two empty aluminum cans, and connect the cans with a string.  Pull the string tight, and let the children take turns quietly saying into one can something they could pray to Heavenly Father for as they try to do what is right (for example, to tell the truth, to be reverent, or to be kind).  Let another child listen in the other can.  Share (or ask a child to share) an experience when Heavenly Father has given you strength to do what is right.  Testify that Heavenly Father hears and answers our prayers and will give us strength to do what is right.

Sharing Time Idea from Little LDS Ideas

I was supposed to finish this post last Friday, and then got too busy. And we've been going ever since. So here's my idea. There are many different ways you could use this, so let me know what you come up with. Sorry it's late!


I've been thinking about this Sharing Time for awhile, not sure what to do. But as I was thinking of ideas for last week idea came to me. 

Do you remember 'Wimpy Wayne/Wanda' from a past idea I shared? Well it's time to ask for their help again. :)

To begin your Sharing Time ask the children, 'Is it hard sometimes to do what is right?' Do you ever feel like you're not STRONG enough to say NO? Today we're going to talk about what we can do to help us have the strength to do what is right.

Next you will introduce the children to your helper: Wimpy Wayne or Wimpy Wanda

Share a few stories where Wimpy Wayne wasn't 'STRONG' enough to do what's right.

Maybe they hit their sister, called someone a bad name, cheated at school, etc.

Then tell the children that you have an idea to help Wimpy Wayne have the STRENGTH to do what is right. Have them guess what it is.

Tell them we should do this every day. 

We should do this with our Family and by ourselves.

We usually kneel down when doing this.

Keep giving clues until the children know what you are talking about. Next you could do the phone activity from the outline to explain that prayer is communication with our Heavenly Father.

After you explain prayer to the children ask them if they would like to help Wayne/Wanda.

Wimpy Wayne/Wanda Activity
The children will be helping Wayne/Wanda gain strength to do what is right by answering questions about prayer.
Have several scenarios or questions or scriptures about prayer. As the children answer the questions correctly have them add some 'muscle' to Wimpy Wayne/Wanda.
You can do your 'muscles' any way you want. Have your helper wear a big shirt and stuff it with small balloons. You could even call them prayer balloons and have them scattered around the room.
At the end of your Sharing Time your Wimpy Wayne should have the strength to do what is right.

How would you use Wimpy Wayne? Any ideas?
Let me know!
Below is an idea that I typed up. It's a little different than the one above. You will be using weights for Wimpy Wayne. If you don't want to use weights, then change the weights to balloons  for 'muscles' for Wimpy Wayne.

Click here to view my Sharing Time Outline for this weeks idea.

Have a wonderful week and a great Sharing Time!

When I take the Sacrament I renew my baptismal covenants: 4th Week Sharing Time Idea for May 2012

Sharing Time Idea from the 2012 Primary Outline

ENCOURAGE UNDERSTANDING (discussing covenants and reading scriptures):  Explain that a covenant is a sacred two-way promise between us and Heavenly Father; we promise to do certain things, and when we do, He promises to bless us.  Remind the children that we make a covenant with Heavenly Father when we are baptized, and explain that we renew that covenant when we take the sacrament.  Make wordstrips with phrases from the sacrament prayers that explain what we promise when we take the sacrament and what Heavenly Father promises us (see Doctrine and Covenants 20:77, 79).  Give the wordstrips to a few children, and have them stand in the correct order as you read the scriptures out loud.

Sharing Time Idea from Little LDS Ideas

We're all finally back to normal around here. Now I'm busy preparing for an upcoming Relief Society activity. I'm really excited about it, and can't wait to share it with all of you. But for now, here are some ideas for this week's Sharing Time.

Invite one of the children to help you. Tell him that if he will do as you ask, you will give him something special. Ask him to do a simple task, such as turn around two times and shake your hand. Ask him to promise to do his best in doing it. Then let him do it. After he does the task, tell him that you will keep your part of the promise. Then hand the child a little prize. You could make a little badge that says ‘I Can Keep My Promises’. Tell the children that both you and the child who helped you kept your promises.

·         What did we each promise to do?

·         What happened when you kept your promise?

(Adapted from Primary  3: Lesson 13)

Show a picture of a child being baptized. Ask the children what is happening in this picture. Ask the children a few questions about baptism or ask the children to tell you some things that happen when we are baptized. When we are baptized we make special covenants. Do you know what a covenant is? A Covenant is a two-way promise, just like what (Child’s Name) and I just did. He/she promised to spin and shake my hand and in return I promised to give him something special.

Continue to tell the children about the promises we make and the promises our Heavenly Father promises us.

Then ask the children ‘Is it hard sometimes to remember all the promises we have made to Heavenly Father? Wouldn’t it be nice if we could do something every week to help us remember those promises?’ Explain to the children that there IS something we do every week to help us remember our baptismal covenants.

To help the children know what it is play a guessing game. Have them ask yes or no questions to try to figure it out, or give them clues and have them guess. You could even place a few things inside a bag and have the children pull them out one at a time. Have them place them on a table and when they have all been pulled out of the bag have them guess.

To discuss the promises use this activity:

Before sharing time ask for 2 sacrament trays (one for the bread and one for the water). On a bulletin board, poster board, or chalk board have 2 columns: 'I Promise' & 'Heavenly Father Promises'. Have the promises typed up onto pieces of paper or write them as you discuss each one.

For the activity you can use either the water or bread tray. I thought of possibly placing questions, scenarios, or scriptures about the sacrament inside the sacrament tray. You could pass the tray around (make sure they're very reverent) and have the children pick out slips of paper and then read them aloud. 

You could have the pianist play a song and when the music stops have that child pick a paper from the Sacrament tray.

As you discuss each one talk about the promise it goes with, then write or place the appropriate promise in the correct column. 

If you have each promise typed up have them all together in a group. Then as the children read the questions, scenarios, or scriptures have them find the correct promise.

OK. That' my idea for this week. Have a great week and a wonderful Sharing Time!

The Holy Ghost can help me: 3rd Week Sharing Time Idea for May 2012

Sharing Time Idea from the Primary 2012 Outline

IDENTIFY THE DOCTRINE (seeing an object lesson): Have a child stand by the door.  Blindfold the child, and have him or her try to find his or her chair and sit down without any help.  Repeat the activity, but this time ask another child to guide the blindfolded child by touching his or her arm and leading the way.  Discuss with the children why it was easier for the child to find the chair the second time.  Explain that the Holy Ghost can help us by giving us direction in our lives.  Invite the children to say, "The Holy Ghost can help me."

ENCOURAGE UNDERSTANDING (singing a song and playing a matching game): Write the word help on the board.  Sing "The Holy Ghost" (CS, 105), and invite the children to count things mentioned in the song that the Holy Ghost does to help us.  

Before Primary, prepare 10 pieces of paper with a CTR shield drawn on the front.  On the back of each paper, write one of the following 5 phrases describing how the Holy Ghost helps us: 

- the Holy Ghost comforts us

- the Holy Ghost testifies of Jesus Christ

- the Holy Ghost teaches us

- the Holy Ghost tells us what to do or not do

- the Holy Ghost helps us to do good

Each phrase will be on two different papers.  Place the papers on the board in random order with the CTR shields facing the children.  Invite a child to turn over one of the papers.  Say the words on the back together.  Choose another child to turn over another paper and try ot make a match.  Say the words on the back together.  If the papers match, take them off the board.  If they do not match, turn them back over.  Repeat until all the matches have been made. 

ENCOURAGE APPLICATION (discussing scriptures): Divide the children into groups.  Give each group one of the following scripture references:

John 14:26

John 15:26

2 Nephi 32:5

D&C 11:12

Ask each group to read their scripture and discuss what it means.  Invite the children and their teachers to share examples of how they have felt the influence of the Holy Ghost.

Sharing Time Ideas from Little LDS Ideas

Wow! What a week it's been for us here at the Perron household. My kids have been sick for 10 days now, with fevers, throwing up, coughs, and something known as Hand, foot and mouth disease! Yeah, I thought my little girl just had fever blisters and a heat rash. Then I called my sister and was talking about it and she freaked out and told me it sounds like hand, foot, and mouth disease. So, we've had lots of sleepless nights, and sad little kids runnin' around the house. And to make it worse, she was sick on her 1st birthday. :(

But luckily we're on the road to recovery. 

I decided to just re-use some ideas from past years, hope you don't mind. One idea is from last year and it is very similar to this year's idea from the outline. Take a look, and hopefully it can help you out.

Click the links below to read my Sharing Time Ideas:

The Holy Ghost Can Guide & Protect Us.
or
The Holy Ghost Comforts & Guides Me.

Have a wonderful week everyone, and a great Sharing Time!!

Mother's Day Treat Tags

Are you in need of a cute little treat bag tag for Mother's Day? Maybe I can help you out. 

Our Ward is handing out bags of Hugs and Kisses to all the Sisters in the ward, and I was asked to make a nice tag to attach to the bag of candy.

Here is what I came up with:

This would work great for Primary too. Just have the children fill up their bag with Hugs & Kisses, sign their name and attach a tag to the bag of treats. Easy!
What is your Primary planning for Mother's Day?
Click Here to Print my Mother's Day Treat Tags.I think I uploaded the wrong file. Try this one and see if it works. It's through my Picasa Web Album. Just click on 'Actions' and download the file, then you should be able to print.
Thanks!!

When I am baptized and confirmed I am following Jesus' example: 2nd Week Sharing Time Idea for May 2012

Sharing Time Idea from the 2012 Primary Outline

ENCOURAGE UNDERSTANDING (playing a memory game and reading the scriptures): Display pictures of John the Baptist baptizing Jesus and a child being baptized.  Let the children look at the pictures for 20 seconds.  Then cover the pictures and ask the children to tell you as many things as they can that are the same in the two pictures.  You may want to list their answers on the board.

Ask the children to read Doctrine and Covenants 20:72-74 to discover who can baptize someone and how a baptism should be performed.  Invite the children to share what they have found.  Emphasize that the person who performs the baptism must have priesthood authority and that the person being baptized must be immersed, or go completely under the water.  Show both pictures again.  Point out that both Jesus and the child are being baptized by immersion, by one with priesthood authority.

Sharing Time Ideas from Little LDS Ideas

Wow! What a crazy week it's been. But it's been a good week, busy, but good. We've had church meetings, school things, enrichment meetings. I've been getting bookmarks printed, and Mother's Day treat tags printed, and working on upcoming RS meetings/activities. It's slowly getting done, so that is great!Now for this week's idea!I found this idea in 'The Friend' (May 2009) and thought it was a great idea. Here is what it was:

"Jesus Christ was baptized. Ask a priesthood holder approved by the bishop or branch president to portray John the Baptist. Ask him to tell about the life of John the Baptist and what he was foreordained to do. Display GAK 208 (John the Baptist Baptizing Jesus) and tell the story of Jesus’s baptism found in Matthew 3:13–17. Sing the first two verses of“Baptism” (pp. 100–101).

Before Primary, write the following words or phrases on pieces of paper and put them in a container: John the Baptist, River Jordan, immersion, this is my beloved Son, descended like a dove, obedient. Have the children pass the container while the pianist plays “Baptism.” Stop the music and have the child holding the container choose a paper, read the word or phrase, and tell how it relates to Jesus’s baptism. Continue as time allows. Explain that when we are baptized we are following Jesus and obeying Heavenly Father’s commandment to be baptized. Sing the third verse of “Baptism.” Bear testimony of the need to follow Jesus Christ and be baptized."

You could also have John the Baptist tell the story of Jesus's baptism. Then do the bucket activity.

If you don't want to sing the song, just take turns having a child come to the front to pick a word out of the bucket. I would decorate the container that the words/phrases are in. I would find a picture of a little boy or girl dressed in white and attach them to the can and then on top of them add a sheet of blue paper. I would cut the top of the paper to make it look like water. Have the water come about waist deep to the child that is on your can/container. You could even name the bucket 'Baptism Bucket'.

Here's another idea that I came up with:

Fill The Font

You will need a box or even a clear storage bin would work. Whatever you use you will be attempting to make a mini baptismal font. Here's mine that I whipped up in 10 mins. (No judging! It's not the prettiest, but I figured it would help explain what I meant).

Add a little baptism girl or boy for effect. So, as you see you will be cutting a hole in the middle of your box. You will also need to cut a hole at the top of your box (where the top of the water is). Cover the front of the water with blue paper, to look like water. Then cover the hole with 

plastic wrap, vellum, wax paper, etc. Just as long as it's pretty transparent.

Next you will need to come up with some questions. Use the idea from above and have words/phrases about Jesus' baptism and have them tell you how it relates. Have the scripture from the outline as one and have them tell you how we baptize, who can baptize, etc. Ask how old you need to be to be baptized. Look up some questions from the Primary Manuals, those are always great resources for questions.

Now for the fun! Have your questions in a container and take turns choosing a child to come to the front to pick a question. If the child answer correctly they get to fill the font with a little bit of 'water'. For the water you could use packaging peanuts, large noodles (you could even die them blue), balls, cotton balls, etc. When the 'water' has filled the font, have everyone shout something about Baptism. :)

Another way to play!

Inside a large box or storage bin, have packing peanuts. Hide your questions inside the 'font' and have the children look for them. Have your question printed onto little baptism boy and girls or on #8's, or something else that has to do with baptism.

Decorate the outside of the box so that it looks like water.

So those are my ideas for next week. If you make a 'font' I would love to see them. Have a wonderful week and thanks for stopping by!

Like My New Look?

So, do you notice anything different? Yep! I have a new design for my little space on the net, yeah!!! When I decided to finally do this I shopped around. I looked all over the internet comparing prices and portfolios.Luckily I subscribe to a lovely little craft blog called 'Ginger Snap Crafts' (take a look, she's got super cute stuff). She had just written a post about her blog design that was redone byKim over at Seven Thirty Three Designs.  So, I went over to her website and looked around. That was probably bad, because I was instantly hooked! I had  to have her help me with a new blog design.I think Kim is secretly psychic. I only told her what colors I liked and what fonts, labels and menu bars, and when she emailed me a sample of my new design I was in love. It was exactly what I wanted!It was so nice working with Kim, she was quick and made sure it was exactly what I wanted. Kim had the best price for a full custom design service, but that was only one thing that caught my eye. I looked at her portfolio and loved every single website on there that she had done. Thank you Kim for your amazing work. You are very talented and I'm so glad I came to you for the job. 
Do you have a blog in need of a face-lift? Then head over to Seven Thirty Three---Custom Blog Design and sign up.
I'm so excited for my new design! You'll have to be patient with me as I get things organized. If you noticed I now have 2 menu bars up at the top. Want to know a little bit about me, then click on 'About'. Have questions, click on 'Contact Me'. Have an idea you'd like to share, click on 'Submit'.For the second menu bar I have different auxiliaries listed. I will eventually have the ideas separated into each auxiliary. I am also hoping to share more ideas for each one (Family Home Evening, Relief Society, YW). I'm hoping with my new design it will be easier to find past ideas.But it will take some work, so be patient. :) Something else that's new...do you see those 4 cute little light bulbs up at the top? Those are my Social Network buttons. Do you want to follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, Subscribe to my Feed? Then click on the little light bulb. I love my little light bulbs, so cute!
I also have a new button! So go ahead and grab it and put it on your blog (OK, only if you want to, don't feel obligated to. hehe)
Now I want to hear what you think. Leave me a comment and let me know.Thanks again Kim! And thanks everyone for stopping by. Have a great week!