FHE Thursday Thirteen

Here is a helpful Thursday Thirteen to those of you like me who may not always get FHE planned until the last minute.

Use the gospel art kit to have some fun, quick lessons.

1.For this first activity, pull out all the modern day prophet pictures. You might have to find one of President Monson to add to your collection! Next, the caller calls a prophet's name and the other family members take turns being the finder. For the younger kids they would wave their hands over the pictures while we sang. When we were soft they were far from the picture, when they we close we sang really loud! Once the picture is found I read a small quote off the back.

2. Another game is to pick out several pictures from just one section. The Book of Mormon and New Testament sections work best. Mix up the pictures then have the kids put the pictures in order of when it happened. They might be surprised to find that the Ether comes way before the other stories in terms of chonology.

3. Have each person pick a picture out from anywhere in the box. Then they have to tell as much as they can about that picture.

4. Each person picks a picture and slides it into a file folder without anyone seeing what they picked. Then they give clues about their person or event until someone guesses what it is.

5. Have a basket of 'props'. Pull out a picture or have some already set aside. Have one person be the 'director' and the rest of the family are the actors. Act out the story on the picture. (We did this with David and Goliath, a bowl from the kitchen for a hat, a foam sword, and a lot of rolled up socks!)

6. Another variation on #5 would be to give a minute to each person to run find 5 things to use for their 'show'.

7. Practice listening. Pull out a picture and read the back to the family.

8. Practice asking questions. After the story is read, have each person ask a question about the story.

The next 4 in my list are web resources (just click!) for quick FHE's, but may require more than a minute to prepare! (You can find even more web sites by typing Family Home Evening into your google bar. Most have lessons for all different age groups.)

9. LDS Living FHE lessons (You can get on an email list to have this sent to you every Monday.)

10. Idea Door

11. The Homemaking Cottage

12.SugarDoodle

13. And for one last quick idea...pick a primary song, divide up the lines, and have each person in the family draw a picture to go with their line. Then sing the song! We have done this to a few songs and it's very fun.