“One in a Million” Music
By Marissa Widdison
February 22, 2013
Children in Primary will be spending Sharing Time this year learning about how they are each a child of God. This theme reminds me of a song that was printed in the February 2011 Friend called "One in a Million." You can download sheet music, lyrics, and mp3 files of this song on the Music Resources page of this site. Have fun sharing this song with the children in your life!
Snowy Scenes
By Tiffany Lewis
February 15, 2013
We like to use the materials at hand for our family home evening activities. During the long winter months, that means heaps and heaps of snow! Beyond the snowball fights and sledding, there are other fun things you can do as a family.
- Build a snow fort or snow cave. Make two forts facing each other and stage a snowball battle.
- Make snow sculptures of various shapes. Have a contest for biggest, smallest, and most creative.
- Make a snowy obstacle course, with tunnels to climb through and snow mounds to climb over. This is also great exercise for the entire family!
- Fill squirt bottles and spray bottles with various flavors of colorful drinks. Use the bright colors to make murals in the snow. You could pick a theme, like scenes from the scriptures or even write messages of kindness to one another. The best part is that you’ll have a colorful, rainbow-tinted yard… at least until the next snowfall.
Love One Another (and That Means Everyone!)
By Jessica Larsen
February 8, 2013
For many children, Valentine’s Day is an exciting time of class parties, pretty cards, and sweet treats. Unfortunately, for older children this holiday can be about excluding others and publicly picking favorite friends.
Take this opportunity to talk about loving one another and including everyone. You could read “Standing Up for Caleb” from the March 2009 Friend, a story about a boy who includes someone different.
If your child comes home feeling left out, focus on being a child of God! “Enough As You Are” from the January 2013 Friend talks about feeling Heavenly Father’s love and not comparing ourselves to others.
Make your own Valentine’s Day special by making a heart wreath, creating a heart craft from crayons and waxed paper, or whipping up this special Valentine’s Day dinner from the February 2007 Friend.
Understanding Those You Teach
By Mary Durham, Primary General Board
February 1, 2013
It’s the beginning of a new year, and perhaps that means you are starting to teach a new class of Primary children. It’s a time when I like to ask myself some important questions: What challenges do these children face? What questions do they have about the gospel? What experiences do they have in common?
Pages 33-34 of Teaching, No Greater Call remind us how important this understanding is:
“How much did you really know about the individuals you were teaching? … Although the people you teach have many common characteristics, they come from a wide variety of backgrounds and circumstances. No two are exactly alike. They have different abilities, likes, and dislikes. They have experienced different joys and opportunities, and challenges. … As you come to know and understand each person, you will be better prepared to teach lessons that speak to their individual situations.”
