Don't Eat Pete: Spring Shapes

Don't Eat Pete is a favorite game in our house!  My kids love it and I've also used it during preschool and activity days...again they love it!  This time I decided to add an extra element of learning.  My little guy is working on shape recognition and how cute are these little 2d shape chicks!?!  If you've never played here's a quick how to:  Print off the board game...cardstock works best.  Place one piece of candy (skittles, jelly beans, Cheerios, or whatever you have) on each chick.  Send one person to out of the room and quietly decided which one is going to be Pete for that round.  Lets say you pick the one in the center.  Have the person come back into the room and eat one of the pieces of candy off each character UNTIL they pick up the one chosen as Pete (in this case the one in the center).  When they pick up this candy everyone yells "Don't eat Pete!" and their turn ends.  Add candy to the ones taken on the last turn and play as many times as you want picking a new Pete each time. With this board once Pete is discovered have them tell you the shape.  Super simple and so much fun!

Download Here

Come Follow Me: Easter Ideas (March 30-April 12)

I am sorry this post is so late.  I planned on using much of the same activities I used last year but as I read through the primary manual I knew I wanted to add a few more things.  

I loved how much the lesson focused on the theme Jesus Christ took upon Himself my sins, pains, and sicknesses.  I included a scripture coloring page...I love the part he will "take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people." It seemed so fitting this week and what a wonderful time to teach our children about atonement.

I also included a journal page.This goes with one of the ideas in the manual.  It might be a great way to introduce the topic and help them fully grasp all that our Savior suffered for us and how much he loves us. Kids love to tell stories about themselves haha.  Have them think of a time they were sick or hurt.   Then use these pages to write or draw their story.  After talk about the Atonement.

 The last one is a picture and scripture match.  These scriptures are a few things the prophets in the Book of Mormon taught about Christ before he came to Earth.  I am going to place the 4 pictures around the room.  Then we'll draw a scripture and read it.  Then put the scripture by the correct picture.

*Edit: I am sorry if you tried to download this document earlier and could only find the old one.  I have fixed the link and it will now take you to the new printables :)

Download Free Printables Here

Additional Ideas-I plan to use a lot of our Easter Activity from last year found here.

You can also use the search bar and find a lot of ideas to use for specific topics like the Resurrection, Atonement, Repentance,and many more.  Let me know if you need help finding some ideas on a topic and I'll link up a few ideas for you :)

Free Spring Roll & Cover Mats

Roll & Cover mats are one of my favorite ways to practice number recognition and counting.  They are super simple, low prep activities that your kids will love.  Each mat is made to use 1 or 2 dice. Pick the mat based on age and ability.
You will need dice, manipulative (pom pom, buttons, cereal, jelly beans, etc.), and mat of your choice.
To play roll the dice and cover that number on your mat with the manipulative.  Continue until all the numbers are covered.  That's it!  So simple and fun.

Download the Free Spring Mats Here

or in my TPT store here

General Conference Activities

I am so excited for General Conference this week end! Today I am sharing a few fun ideas to help keep your kids busy, quiet, and hopefully listening during General Conference.  You can find of the printables in one download at the end of this post.

The first page is a choice board.  It is full of quiet activities they can do during Conference.  You can even use it as a bingo and if they do 4 in a row they get a little prize :)  I know all of our families are different so I did include a blank board for you to fill in as well.  Some of the options like the sequence board can be found on my website or search past Come Follow me posts for tons of games, coloring pages, and other fun activities.

Find out who the mystery person using the pictures as clues.  Write down the first letter of each picture to reveal the person.  For example on the top card you would write O under the octopus, A under the apple, K under the kite, and S under the snake.  The person would be Oaks.  You can print and go OR cut the cards apart.  I was thinking I might laminate, cut, and put on a ring.  Then use a dry erase marker so they can be used over and over.

Book of Mormon Match game.  (I do have this posted on my website but included it for convenience).  Print on cardstock OR glue to colored paper so you can't see through the back.

I really like to encourage even the youngest to listen to Conference so I love these games.  The first page is a listen and color coloring page.  Once they hear the word they can color the picture.  The next two can be played with a dice and as you roll the number you cover the number with a pom pom (or something similar like cereal, buttons, etc) or you can color it.  Another option is to turn it into a listening game and use the next page as a key.  It has two different options so you can play more than once.  If you are using the tie board when you hear the word associated with the number one you would color a polka dot with the number 1.  Continue until all of the spots are covered.  Same idea with the spring bird page-for this one use dot markers, or x through the number.  You can also just cover them with pom poms and play multiple times.

Here's another listening game-this one I shared in October.  We used dot markers and filled in a circle each time we heard the word.  You can also use it as a race and see which word is said 4 times first!

Mini puzzles- cut out each box and along the lines down the center. 

 Mini Books for notes-There are 4 different covers options and you only need to print one of them. There is a box for the prophet and the apostles as well as some blank squares.  My daughter loves these and requests them each year.  She cuts them apart and staples it together to make a book.  You can always leave them as a full page and they are still awesome :)  When they are cut down it is easier to use the back side for additional notes.

 Last activity are spring play-dough mats.  Print and cut.  If you are going to use the play dough on the mat you will want to laminate them OR do not cut and place inside a sheet protector.  To use roll or smash  your dough on top of the mat to create the different designs.  Or use it as an example and create it next to your card. 

I hope some of these ideas help!  Also use the search bar and look for other general conference ideas I've shared in the past including our favorite conference bingo game. I like to set out a special basket with games, puzzles, and art supplies. We really keep it simple to be honest it is still a little crazy around here but we try haha.  If you have any questions or have some last minute requests please let me know!

Download Here

27 Fun and Unique Holidays to Celebrate with your Kids in April

We have loved using our March holiday calendar during our time at home. It breaks up our week and gives us something to look forward to and celebrate.  To be honest the past few weeks have been hard at times and we are still figuring out our new normal. It has also been a wonderful time to slow down and spend time together and I am so grateful to have this extra time with my kids.  I knew I needed to make a holiday calendar for April-also my kids have been asking for it.  This month has so many fun holidays that we are excited to celebrate.  We don't celebrate all of them and the ones we do are often a small craft, treat, or game.  It's just a small thing but it makes me pause from the daily to-do list and just be present.

This month I found 27 fun holidays to include on our April Calendar (most I didn't know existed).  Pick a few or all and have fun :)

Download a copy of the calendar, print, and display.  After that have fun creating some special memories with your little ones.

Download your copy here

I'll be posting ideas as I finalize my plans and also as we celebrate some of these holidays.  My hope is that this will be something fun for your family and a way to create some special memories.  I'd love to hear your ideas and see pictures of your celebrations! My Facebook page is a great place to share :)

Here are a few fun ideas we've done in the past that would work with some of these holidays.

For Easter: Match game

Preschool Crafts and Activities

Earth Day: Recycled Egg Carton Flower Craft

National Dandelion Day: Flower Stamping

World Penguin Day:

Letter Craft

Feed the Penguin Counting Mats

Penguin Number Hunt

Holiday's came from here and here. 

Come Follow Me: Preparing for General Conference (March 28-April 5th)

"Immerse yourself in the glorious light of the Restoration. As you do, general conference next April will be not only memorable; it will be unforgettable." 
-President Nelson

With General Conference next Sunday I decided to use this week to prepare for conference using the quote above as inspiration for our study and activities. This is from President Nelson's closing remarks last General Conference (found here) There are 5 days planned with the suggestion of watching one of the videos (found here), suggested scriptures, and an activity or two to go with the topic.  We are going to watch this movie (it's also on the church website but I can't get it to open) on Sunday and then start day 1 on Monday so we finish on Friday and are ready for Conference on Saturday.   I did not include specific clips because there are a few different options for some of the topics-pick the one that works best for your family :)

Here's what the schedule looks like.  I also included parts of President Nelson's talk that I plan to share with my family...I thought it may be useful to someone else :)

 Day 1-Story sequence.  There is also a black and white option included.  To use leave the page with the numbers as is.  Cut out the pictures and use them as you share the story of the first vision.  You can use cardstock and velcro or glue them to the board.

Day 2: Has 3 different game options.  You will need the 2 pages of cards for all three.

The first is an I spy game.  Hide the cards around the room and let your children find them.  Use the "I spy" mat to cross off as you find them.  As the cards are found use them to tell the story.

 Option #2 Print two sets of the cards on cardstock and use as a match game.

 Option #3-Bingo!

 Day 3-We are going to talk about some of the blessings of the priesthood and play a match game.  Print 2 on cardstock-if you do not have any you can glue it to some construction paper.

 Day 4-We are going to practice the 6th Article of Faith and then make cards for either the Bishop or our primary teachers.

 Day 5-Draw, paint, use play-dough, legos, blocks, etc to make your favorite temple.  I did include some pages that can be used if they are drawing or painting.  Even if they are building these pages are a great way to have them "plan" their build.  They also make great journal pages.

That's all I have for this week.  I did have a request for the videos I'm using and will link those below.  If you have any questions or trouble with the download please let me know :)

If you are looking for something else to study this week this is one of my favorite talks (found here)

 Click Here to Download the Free Printables

Video clips I'm planning on using

Day 1 First Vision

Day 2 Angel Moroni Appears

Day 3 Restoration of the Priesthood 

Day 4 Organization of the Church

Day 5 Temple 

Come Follow Me: Enos-Words of Mormon (March 23-29)

First I just want to know how all of you are doing?  It has been a crazy, unpredictable, and at time a little scary.   I hope you and your loved ones are doing well and are healthy. I have a few ideas to help you teach the next chapters/books this week.

We are going to watch one of the following video clips about enos

New Book of Mormon Videos here

Animated version here

Then we are going to talk about prayer.  We have done quite a few lessons on prayer and this time we are going to talk about making our prayers more meaningful by praying for specific things.  You can find more on this in the Ensign's Family Study Fun...this one is my idea I submitted :)

Next we are going to play a little game.  Pass out the paper below (or use a blank one) and a pencil to each family member.  Set a time for 1 minute.  Quickly write as many things as you can think of that you can thank or ask for during your prayers.  You can either share your anwers OR use them to play pictionary or charades.  Take turns picking something from your list and let your family guess what you are drawing or acting out.  Another option is to use these pages as a journal page-little ones can draw their answers.  Black and white options are included.

Next up is a match game for the younger members in your family.  I picked a few things that we pray about.  Once they find a match they can tell you if it is something we thank Heavenly Father for or ask him to bless.  Many can go in both categories.  *You will need to print two copies of this page preferably on cardstock or back with construction paper.

Ideas from the Friend:
Enos craft found here
Enos story and coloring page here

Another thing I wanted to talk about this week was being able to pray when we are scared.  My kids have been asking question and have some fears about things going on around us.  I went looking for some stories in the Friend and found some great ones.
prayers in the attic 

prayers at the market

elevator prayers & chicken coop
a prayer in the night
Just a prayer away
prayer in the storm I decided to focus on this one because it also shows that parents can be scared too.  I love the little girls example and how deciding to pray didn't just comfort her but also her dad.
I made some cute story cards to go along with this one that you can show as you tell the story.  *Print and cut.

For this activity you will print, cut, and hide the airplanes around the room.  Once the airplane is found have them fly it safely to the ground.  Read the phase and discuss a few things you may add to your prayers when you feel that way.

Finally we are going to make prayer rocks.

I can bless others when I listen to the Holy Ghost. (Words of Mormon 1:3–8)

I am going to share this cute story from the Friend.  It's about a little girl that listens to the promptings of the Holy Ghost and bless her family.  You can find it here

The we are going to read Word's of Mormon 1:3-8.  Then use the puppets below to tell the story of the lost 116 pages and how we are blessed because Mormon listened to the Holy Ghost.  (There is a great summary in the Individual and Family manual)

The primary manual suggests singing a song about the Holy ghost a few different ways like slow, loud, soft, etc.  When you sing it soft discuss how the Holy Ghost speaks to us in a soft voice.  I decided to use this song found here.  It may be a new one for you...it will be for a few in my family.  I made some visuals to help remember/learn the words.  We are going to sing it one time through.

Then we will use our song dice and sing the last couple of lines from the 2nd verse in different ways.  When we land on the quiet we will talk about ways the Holy Ghost speaks to us.

Alright that is all I have for this week.  If you have any questions or trouble with the download please let me know!  Also if you have any questions about sharing these files with primary classes or family members please let me know-I've received a few emails about this and know there may be others with questions regarding this :)

Download Free Printables Here