YOUTH GOAL ACTIVITY. SOAR HIGH! Communication Balloon Bouquet. Youth can learn these eight ways to communicate with family and friends by discussing and roleplaying each. Watch as the relationships improve with each balloon strategy, e.g., “Be a good listener” can open the door to communication. Perhaps each youth could take one and present it to the group.
Use for COME FOLLOW ME Young Women, Young Men, Seminary, Primary and Home lessons, Family Home Evening, children & youth goals
LESSON LIFESAVERS Activity
Soar High! family communication balloon bouquet
OBJECTIVE: Help youth learn eight ways their “family will succeed” as they learn to communicate. Make and display a balloon bouquet in class. Have them make one extra to share with their family or display in their room.
Example Forgiveness Balloon: Accept other family members of the family as they are.
TO MAKE Print activity in color or black and white. Cut out balloons, eight 12-inch pieces of colored string, yarn, or ribbon for each youth. Tape a 12-inch string or ribbon to the back or tie to each balloon. Double-stick tape the Soar High! cloud and balloons to a poster, door, or wall. Gather all strings together and tie to make a bouquet.
THOUGHT TREAT: Big “C” Cookies or Bread*. Roll out sugar cookie dough into C-shapes (or form raised bread* into C-shapes). For cookies place cookies onto an oiled cookie sheet 1-inch apart. Then press eight chocolate chips or M&M candies onto each cookie before baking 8-9 minutes at 350 degrees. As youth enjoy the C-shaped treat, remind them of the eight ways they can improve communication with their family.
*NOTE: If baking bread you could just do rolls and place 8 cinnamon (whole) cloves into the bread before baking.
MUTUAL NIGHT OR ANYTIME ACTIVITIES:
COMPARE LASTING FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS WITH FADING FRIENDS: Talk about getting along with your family now because family relationships are those that last. Bring pictures from your childhood (e.g., you in kindergarten, grade school, junior high, high school, your best friend in high school, or college, your boyfriends). As you show them, you might say, “I’m not as close to them now as I once was. The people who really matter now are my family, but at the time I gave up spending time with them to be with these short-term relationships.” Give youth some time and stationery to write a long overdue note of appreciation to a family member.
EVENING OF SOAR HIGH! COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUES: Have training on proper introductions, etiquette, and appropriate behavior (e.g., when to speak and not to speak). Have quotes and scriptures on communication (see James 1:26 and 3:5-6). Finish by playing Charades with phrases that go along with the lesson or some other similar game. (For example, Brigham Young said, “You cannot hide the heart when the mouth is open”).
VIDEO: Mormonad: Rise above the Blues –
New Era Magazine
FAMILY COMMUNICATION SPEAKER(S): Have someone talk about family communication. Look for someone who has a large family or someone the Relief Society or bishopric recommends. Or find quotes from a family relations class that are appropriate and have the young women take turns sharing them. Or have a panel of two families and ask them questions.
LEARN TO WRITE: Learn the art of writing letters, thank-you notes, making cards or personalized note cards, and organizing correspondence. Ask youth to create a card for each month and to schedule birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, and other special days to remind them to send letters or cards.
THOUGHT TREAT: Big “C” Cookies. As youth enjoy their big “C” cookie, remind them of the eight ways they can improve communication with their family (found on the balloon bouquet activity).
To make: Make sugar cookie dough, then form 1/3-cup of dough into a ball then roll into a 1/2-inch thick snake-C-shape. Press C-shaped dough into colored sugar or decorator candies (optional). Place onto an oiled cookie sheet 1/2-inch apart and bake 8 minutes at 350 degrees.
VIDEO: True Christianity – Published on Jun 10, 2014 – When their best friend passes away, two men embark on an epic road trip to discover the meaning of “true Christianity.”
VIDEO: The Other Prodigal Son – Published on Feb 25, 2014 – Elder Jeffrey R. Holland shares the story of the older brother of the prodigal son and reminds us that “no one of us is less treasured or cherished of God than another. He loves each of us—insecurities, anxieties, self-image, and all.”
SEE VIDEO Establishing a Christ-Centered Home, By Richard J. Maynes, of the Seventy (share video below)
He said, “We understand and believe in the eternal nature of the family. This understanding and belief should inspire us to do everything in our power to establish a Christ-centered home.”
VIDEO: Cheering Section – A girl is surprised by a zealous cheering section at her violin recital. (see below)
Source YW2.8
