Activity Days PENPAL

Is now closed---Due to Me getting a new calling! 
Okay by the raise of hands who is ready for summer to be here? Anyone with kids counting down the days, hours & minutes till its here? Well I sure am, with my five kids there are days I hope that everyone is fed dinner and just has their teeth brushed for the day! Okay its not that bad but hey my daily calendar for the month of may looks like my three year old colored all over it! WOW! BUSY BUSY! So I had to plan and execute a MOMMY and ME dinner for all the girls and their moms- We had almost 60 People there, it turn out great ! (Pictures are almost done) So in other words Ive been very very busy! I had a great Activity Days leader email me and give me a great idea (HER IDEA) ! For the summer/fall I thought it would be great to start an Activity Days PENPAL program with your girls . You could teach your girls some writing/letter skills (since they are almost non existent these days with computers) and they would receive a letter from another girl, maybe a picture, and a note, story or poem on some pretty paper and someone to get to know that is their same age!

(Plus this could pass of DEVELOPING TALENTS #3)

Email Me at : ldsactivitydayideas@gmail.com
WITH THE FOLLOWING:

1- The number of girls you have in your group
2- The girls ages
3- Where you live

I will send you an email with another ACTIVITY day leaders email and you can coordinate with the other Activity day leader your address and how many girls you have and if you want to send pictures with your letters or not.

RULES: 1- Please do not give out or let the girls give out their address, phone number or email to protect them and their privacy....
2- Lets just stick to all the letters being sent to the leader of the group.

I think this would be really FUN and the girls will love it! Please send pictures of the process and I will display them here! ( I can cover their faces for privacy if needed)

HAVE FUN!

Having a Plan

*Thanks to Patricia for sharing this idea!

For my last activity I had laid out all the ingredients for cookies in my kitchen. I told the girls we were going to make cookies. They were so excited. They said "how much should we put in" and I would just say "What do you think?" So they finally got their cookies mixed (with things like 4 tsp salt, 1/2 C milk, and 3 eggs because there were 3 girls :) ). They decided to bake them on 400 for 20 minutes. As you can imagine they were nasty tasting. 

I then said "Oh, I have a recipe". So we pulled out the recipe and made another batch. While they were cooking we worked on our A of F. When they came out we talked about the difference of having a plan vs. just doing what seems good at the time. We talked about if you want to go to the temple, you can't just decide the day before that you want to go. You have to have a plan and implement it all your life. We talked about the most important plan of all, The Plan of Happiness. I printed off this Plan of Salvation Chart.

And then we talked about planning our days. I printed copies of these calendars.  And we talked about making wise use of our time and planning to get things done.

I then bore my testimony that time is one of Heavenly Father's gifts to us and we should plan to use it wisely.

Patricia also said that she made a cute copy of the right recipe for each of her girls.  Great idea, thanks for sharing!

Babysitting

Today with the 10-11 year old girls I had a babysitting lesson. I adapted some of these ideas and came up with the rest on my own.

A few weeks ago I told the girls that we would be having this lesson and told them that they would need to be on the lookout for an old bag of any kind (purse, backpack, etc...) that they could bring. Here are the invitations that I handed out so that you can see how I worded the reminder. Although most of the girls said that they already had something in mind when I told them to be looking for a bag, I didn't want anyone to feel like they had to have something spectacular. After all, it's what's inside that counts, right?

I made each girl a personalized Babysitting Guide using a simple folder (the cheap paper ones) that included these things:

Add to your Kit
Babysitting Games
Safety First
Bee a great sitter

*Update I do not have access to these forms in Word. This posting is from an old Activity days Leader. Sorry! Please check Wendy's Activities Blog for more babysitting ideas and downloads!

I also added a few sheets of notebook paper (for notes, tic-tac-toe, phone numbers and so on) and a few coloring pages. I was going to buy dollar store coloring books for each girl but decided to print a few for each of them and then give them a few fun links (which can be found on the Add to your Kit list) where they can print more. They loved the idea!

I also glued a small emergency phone list on the inside pocket. The numbers included 911, Poison Control, the non-emergency number for the police and fire department and the closest hospital.

I wanted to include a basic first aid handout that the local fire station give out but they were all out. It's a handy little flyer geared toward kids that tells you what do to in all kind of emergencies. If you can get your hands on some, they would be great to add!

We discussed the Safety First, Add to your Kit and Bee a Great Sitter handouts and quickly reviewed most of the points. As we went along they asked questions about babysitting and believe it or not, we had a great discussion going!

After we had talked I gave them the rest of the items that I had for their kits:
(Keep in mind that it's a great time to stock up on crayons, glue, scissors, etc.)

Band-aids
Craft items like crayons and glue
Cotton Ball Game items

On the Babysitting Games handout it teaches you how to play a game with cotton balls. I gave each girl a few cotton balls and a long piece of yarn. At the end of the activity we played the game so that they would know how it worked.

They all said that they learned something new and were very excited! 2 of the 9 girls (the older ones of the group) currently babysit for me every now and them and at the end of the activity almost every one of them asked if they could babysit my kids tomorrow! One of them even called me when she got home! I hope I didn't start something!

UPDATE: Wendy, over at Wendy's Activities came up with these great PDF's. Most of the information from my original documents are included and them some. I do not have these files in Word. Sorry!

Bee a Great Sitter
Safety First
Important Information
Babysitting Games
Songs to Sing
Add to your Kit

Manners and a Tea Party

* Thanks to Heather for sharing this idea!

The girls LOVED the "Tea Party" for this weeks achievement days. In today's society so many young ladies lack the simple manners necessary to help them become respectful women. So, having an activity centered around manners was only appropriate. Don't worry no real tea drinking took place.Each girl was formally invited with a had delivered invitation. They were instructed to wear their Sunday best and a hat to match. The girls said they loved getting all dolled up for the event.
Along with the theme of a tea party small finger foods were made for the girls. Mini cupcakes, mini croissant sandwiches, mini muffins, mini fruit kabobs and assorted gumdrops and candies. They thought they were in heaven. I think they loved the frappe drink the best.
When the girls arrived each had a setting prepared for them at the table. We talked about manners. What's expected of them and how to properly act in different types of settings. We even talked about holding doors, language and modesty. Once they had their fill of treats we played a few games.The first was a tray with 20 things you may find at a tea party. Each girl had only 2 minutes to study the tray and then try to remember what was shown. The girl with the most correct items listed won. Of course there were party favors for everyone so no one went home empty handed.

This was due to the place settings. Each of the girls were assigned a seat. There name was listed on a card and the card was attached to their tea cup with a hair clip that was holding their name card, a great way to include a party favor into the actual setting.After the game of memory the girls played a game they just had a hoot doing. This was a little silly but gave them a chance to be a little more relaxed since the event was so proper. A small box with a simple gift inside, we used a dress up necklace was wrapped 10 times. You can wrap the box as many times as you like. Under each layer was a sticker with an action the girls must do. The girls sat at the table and we passed the box around to music. When the music stopped the girl left holding the box removed the first layer of wrapping paper. Under the paper was a sticker telling her to do something like "sing your favorite primary song opera style" she must complete the action and once done the game continues. Each time the music is stopped a girl will remove a layer of paper and complete the action until the box can be opened and the prize revealed. The last girl to open was the keeper of the necklace. The girls had a great time doing this and loved playing.

When the activity was over we again talked to the girls about manners to practice thru the week and encouraged them to have a family home evening with their family and focus on the manners that they learned that day. I think it turned out great and the girls were able to complete more than one goal.

Becoming Thrifty

Today was a great activity! I talked to the girls about how much it costs to run and home and a family and talked to them about ways that we can save money. One of the things that we discussed was making things at home that we usually buy at the store. Then we made three different things- all of which the girls got to be a part of.

The first thing was hand cream. So easy and it only took about 3 minutes. Here are the instructions:

15 oz. baby lotion (can use generic)
3.75 oz. Vaseline (can use generic)
18 oz. St. Ives Vitamin E hand lotion (don't use generic!)
4 oz. Fruit of the Earth Vitamin E Skin Care Cream (don't use generic!)

Melt the Vaseline in warm water. Mix everything together and viola!

I bought little containers (either Rubbermaid or Ziplock) and filled one for each girl. They loved it!

*I was only able to find the Vitamin E cream at Wal-Mart. It is in the hand lotion area and comes in a pack of 2 for about $3.88. At my store it was on the very bottom shelf.

Next we made Ice Cream in a bag. The girls said it tasted like a milkshake!

*We used 10lbs. of ice per 5 girls. Also, be prepared to double up on the gallon bag. Some of the bags got holes and we needed to add another. One more thing, I would add more salt than it calls for- it freezes a lot faster that way.

And while they were shaking and eating that I made homemade tortillas. Since the ice cream didn't take very long some of the girls were able to help. They buttered them up and thought they were great!

*If you want to do this activity I would recommend making the tortillas a few times before the activity (if you have never made them). You don't want to be trying to figure out your method on the spot.

Pool Safety

*Another fun idea submitted by Jessica

Where we live, almost everyone has a pool in their backyard. I am going to be teaching the girls a class on pool safety. In my ward, we only have 10 Activity Day girls, but we have separated them into two groups. I am the leader of the younger girls (8-9 years old). Since these girls are so young, I am going to teach basic safety rules, and simple things like how to call for help, and dial 911, etc. For a group of older girls, it would be a great idea to have an EMT teach them First Aide and CPR. We will all go swimming after!

A Lesson in Babysitting

If you have older Activity Day girls, you may want to consider having a lesson on babysitting.

Help the girls assemble simple kits with the following:

crayons, washable markers, pencils, paper, safety scissors, craft materials. (include any or all of these)

First Aid kit (and the knowledge to use it)

Words to children's songs--Five Little Speckled Frogs, The Wheels on the Bus, Head Shoulders
Knees and Toes, There's a hole in the bottom of the sea, Mary Had a Little Lamb, etc.

Game ideas--hokey pokey, I'm a little teapot, duck duck goose, Ring around the Rosy, Motor Boat Motor Boat, Mr. Fox, Hide and Seek, 20 Questions, Oink, hand clapping games

Antiseptic hand cleaner

Duck's in a Row Baby sitter's List and pen to complete it. (Download it here.)

Flashlight with batteries

Old sheets or old clothes for dress up or making tents (optional)
*List ideas from Mormon Share

Discuss babysitting safety:

Give each of the girls this handout. When you have reviewed it, have them keep it in their kit. (Download it here.)

Making babysitting fun:

Here is a great list of ways to keep kids busy. Take some time to teach the girls a few games or songs. (Download the list here.)

*Thanks to Emma from Emma's Place to Be for sharing her handout with us! Check her site out for lots of ideas and handouts!

What's in a name?

Have the girls come prepared with what their name means and why their parent's gave them their name. You could also talk about last names. Talk about the importance of being true to your name and honoring your ancestors by living right.

What about nicknames? Ask how they got their nicknames and get the story behind it. Have the girls document their own naming stories in their journals.

Bread in a Bag

Click here for insturctions on how to make bread in a bag. Super easy!

Learning to Budget

In order to teach the girls how to budget money we made a budget form that gave their monthly allotment (I think we said about $1500 or so) with about 7 or 8 bills as well as their allotment in the form of Monopoly money.

Tithing was listed first and of course we had them figure out 10% of their allotment. Fast offerings was next and we explained that they could give as much as they felt they could afford, but that they should try and be generous. Some girls gave $10, other $50. As for the bills, some of the amounts were set, like rent and electricity and other amounts they filled in after they paid their bills, like grocery and spending. In the end all of their categories should have added up to equal their monthly allotment. It was surprising to hear some of the girls talk about how fast their money was going!

Gratitude Journals

During the month of November we made each of the girls their own Gratitude Journal. We also wrote a short note to each of them on the front page expressing our gratitude to them for all that they do and for who they are.

We then talked about things and people that we are thankful for. Each girl chose one person that they were thankful for and wrote them a letter. Suprisingly, some of the girls even wrote us letters!

Fun and Uniqueness..all in one

Our girls sang a song in front of the Adult Sunday School and did fantasitc! As a reward we had ice cream sundaes but were able to tie them into the lesson. We talked about being unique and that it is important that we are all different. We took them into the kitchen and gave each of them one thing from the sundae stuff, ie., bowls, caramel, cherries, ice cream, spoons. We told them to go ahead and enjoy! They laughed and said that it wasn't a sundae because they only had one part of it. Our point exactly! We told them that that was just like people. What good are we if we don't have a variety?

Then we played some games with them. We did the penny in the flour game (measure a cup of flour, put a penny in the middle and pack it all really tight. Turn the cup upside down onto a cake pan and pass it around with a butter knife. Each person cuts a slice of flour away until someone finds the penny. Once they do they have to get the penny our with their mouth. Kind of gross but it's a hoot!)
We also did the candy bar game. (Get a large Hershey bar, one or two butter knives, a pair of socks and a pair of dice. Everyone takes turns rolling the dice until someone rolls a 7 or 11. Once one of those numbers are rolled that person gets to put the socks on, grab the knife(ves) and start trying to eat the candy bar until someone else rolls a 7 or 11. It's really face paced!) It took the girls a minute to catch on but once they did they were unstoppable. The pictures don't do justice to either game.

Letters from Mom

This is one of my personal favorites. We took our girls had the girls wear a Sunday dress and took them to the Temple where we talked about what it means to be sealed as a family, how we should act when we are there and how we can feel when we are there. We had asked our girls' mom's to write their daughters a special letter ahead of time and to keep it a secret and then handed them to the girls at the Temple. They were each to go and find their own spot, away from everyone and take a while to read the letter and ponder on it. The girls loved it! Before we left each girl got their picture taken in front of the Temple as well as a picture with their leader and a group shot.

Later we gave them these pictures:

Email me and I can send you a PSD file of this picture.