In some respects, one of the toughest weekends for a Latter-day Saint family is general conference weekend in April and October. For young children it's often difficult to sit through one hour of sacrament meeting, let alone be reverent for eight hours in one weekend.
Incorporating some of these general conference activity ideas involves kids and lets them associate fun and games with the proceedings of conference.
General Conference Activity - Christian Printable Coloring Pages
The internet is a great resource for finding Christian and LDS-themed printable coloring sheets. Pictures of the Savior or scenes illustrating Bible or Book of Mormon stories can keep young children occupied for quite some time, while also giving them the opportunity to think quietly about the gospel and to feel the spirit.
LDS General Conference Idea for Children - Create a Conference Report Picture Book
Using a notebook or several pages of blank paper stapled together, allow a child to create a book showing what happened at conference. They can draw and color pictures of the choir, the flowers at the podium, and the speakers. If children can write, encourage them to add captions to the pictures. Let the kids show off their books at dinnertime that evening and narrate their conference reports.
General Conference Games for Kids - Play "Things to Notice"
Before general conference begins, choose small treats such as marshmallows or Skittles and draw up a list of things that will probably be seen or heard during conference.
Some "things to notice" could be:
- Certain gospel words (tithing, repentance, faith, amen)
- Ties of a specific color
- Speakers with glasses
- Hymn sung by the choir
- A story is related by a speaker
- Picture of Jesus is shown on screen
- A Prayer is recited
Every time something on the list occurs, children get to eat one of the treats – but only if they noticed it!
LDS General Conference Activities - Paste the Prophets
Obtain thumbnail-sized pictures of the first presidency and apostles, and instruct kids to glue each one to a paper as he gives his talk. For where to find appropriate pictures and instructions for adapting the activity to various age levels, see "Apostle Naming Game for LDS Kids."
General Conference for Children - Standard Church Toys
The old familiar standbys of picture books, lacing cards, and finger puppets work just as well at general conference as they do keeping kids entertained in sacrament meeting. Even toys that aren't church-related can quietly occupy a young child, and kids usually surprise adults with how much they were absorbing when they appeared to be "just playing."
General conference is an uplifting event that members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints look forward to every six months. It's natural for parents to want their children to share in the LDS general conference experience, and these activities and games help them to be actively involved.
Jenny Evans - Jenny Evans is a freelance writer and editor specializing in parenting and the family. She is also the Mormonism Topic Editor for ...
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