2017
Family Night Fun: Pioneers
July 2017

“Family Night Fun: Pioneers,” Friend, July 2017

Family Night Fun

Here are some family home evening ideas from this month’s magazine. What other ideas can you come up with?

Family Night Fun

Special Pioneer Night

Read “Pioneer Night” on page 4 and have your own pioneer family night! Try one of these activities to help celebrate the pioneers.

  1. Churn butter! Fill a jar halfway with heavy cream, add a pinch of salt, screw on the lid, and start shaking. When the cream separates from the cloudy liquid, empty out the liquid. Keep shaking until the cream becomes a yellowish ball. Enjoy!

  2. Talk about pioneers in your family. Benjamin’s great-great-great grandpa crossed the plains and his grandmother joined the Church when she was young. Both were pioneers!

  3. Hold sack races! The pioneers used potato sacks, but you can use pillowcases. Put both feet in your pillowcase and hop to the finish line!

Marshmallow Covered Wagons

Many pioneers crossed the plains in covered wagons. They fit what they could in the wagon and left everything else behind!

graham crackers

frosting

large marshmallows

pretzel sticks

any hard candy with a hole in the middle

  1. Break one graham cracker into quarters.

  2. Use frosting to stick two marshmallows to the top of your graham cracker quarter.

  3. Use frosting to stick two pretzels to the bottom of the graham cracker. These are your wagon axles.

  4. Put a piece of candy on the ends of both pretzel sticks to make wheels. Use frosting to hold them in place. Enjoy your marshmallow covered wagon!

Challenging Changes

Do you ever feel worried when things change? The pioneers faced big changes but still found ways to be happy. You can too!

  • Focus on what won’t change, like Heavenly Father’s love for you.

  • You might have some feelings you don’t understand. That’s OK! Talk to a parent or write about your feelings in a journal.

  • Look for the good things that might come from a big change. For example, if you have to change schools, think about the chance to make new friends.

Bonus Treat

Try this tasty treat! Be sure to get an adult’s help.

Peel and chop 4 bananas. Put them in the freezer for several hours. Blend the frozen banana slices with 1 cup strawberries and 1/4 cup cream. Freeze the mixture for at least 3 hours. Enjoy your strawberry-banana ice cream!

More FHE Ideas

Look for these pictures in the magazine to find the stories and articles they go with! (Find the page numbers below.)

Idea 1: Read “Modesty Means …” and draw another cartoon about modesty together! Then make a family modesty goal for the next week.

Idea 2: Ask a parent about a time they fasted for special blessings. Read “Fasting for a Prophet” and “Question Corner.” What was it like when you fasted? Or talk with your family about when to start fasting.

Idea 3: Read “The Magic Wallet” and take turns acting out tough choices you might have to make. Then celebrate your good decisions with fruit pizza!

  • Idea 1: 8; Idea 2: 16, 18; Idea 3: 22, 35