Here are some fun Conference Crafts and ideas with you!

I think Conference Weekend is such a wonderful time and I really hope my children will feel the same way about it!

And I am pretty sure that this will take some attentive and creative parenting – because I assume that most kids would hate it if they had to fold their arms and be quiet for four (or six) hours per day – and I definitely don’t want them to have those feelings towards General Conference!

So if you have some little hands that need to stay busy and excited, here are some ideas for you:

Here is a list of some of your… and some of my ideas.  Take a look and see which ones work for you.

1-  Quiet Crafts

Have some fun crafts for your kids to work on.  Like these paper dolls.  Here are the printouts for these!

Here are some detailed Plan of Salvation printables that your kids can color and cut out (and be ready for them to ask you LOTS of questions – these are great teaching aids!)

And here are some fun Church Magazine Mosaic Plates!

2-  Conference Traditional Meals

A LOT of you mentioned food (and food will appear on some of the other ideas), but I LOVED the ideas of having traditional Conference Meals that your family looks forward to!!!

Some of your great ideas were:

• Pizzafest (buy pizza on Saturday, and make it on Sunday)
• All your food has to start with “C” for “Conference”
• Whatever you eat, you throw out a blanket and have a picnic in front of the TV
• Gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches
• Enchilada Night with all of the extended family on Priesthood Night
• Italian Sandwiches that you just wrap up and keep in the fridge

3-  Big Conference Breakfasts

Lots and lots of you mentioned that you have a big breakfast (especially on Sunday morning).

Here are some things you mentioned you make:

• Every possible breakfast food is on the table.  Yum!
• Your kids get their favorite sugar cereal for breakfast
• Crepes
• Cinnamon Rolls
• German Pancakes

I also think it would be fun to make Spring or Fall themed Breakfasts.  Like Pumpkin Pancakes in the Fall and Rainbow Pancakes in the Spring.

Check out these rainbow pancakes from Chocolate on My Cranium

4-  Conference Packets

Here is my Conference Packet.

And the church posted several awesome ideas here

5-  Conference Bags

Give your kids a gift sack full of Conference goodies.  With things like:

• One of the packets above
• Pens/pencils/markers
• Fruit roll ups, candy necklaces, jolly ranchers…
• Quiet crafts
• Conference Bingo cards
• Etc…

6-  Sticky Notes

I loved this idea from Liz!

She put up pictures of all of the Apostles on the wall in the Family Room and then everyone gets a stack of sticky notes.  Everyone writes, or draws what that Apostle spoke about and then you put your sticky note on their picture.  As conference proceeds you get more and more sticky notes on the wall AND you can still see who hasn’t spoken yet.  Then after conference you can use the sticky notes as a review or a game.

7-  Conference Bingo Cards

Here is where you can get a printout for these fun bingo cards.

The picture you see above is not the actual card – those are the pictures your kids can choose to put on their card – so everyone’s cards can be different, or they can change it up as they go.  They could also add some of their own pictures, scriptures, words, etc. to it.

 8-  Tents

A lot of you mentioned that you put up tents or forts in your family rooms and have your kids climb in like King Benjamin’s people and point their doors toward the Prophets.   FUN!!!  I love that idea.  You could put up pictures of King Benjamin’s address inside of their tent (so they understand why they are in such a strange Family Room situation) and then fill it with quiet conference crafts.

9- Family Room Transformation/Quiet Zone

Liz also gave this idea…

My children range in age from 12 years down to 18 months and they look forward to General Conference almost as much as Christmas. They love waking up Saturday morning to see our family room transformed into a “Conference Room”. We move the couches and the coffee(“hot chocolate”) table to better point to the T.V. The entry to the room has a big sign that says, “Quiet Zone”. The table just beyond the Quiet Zone sign, outside of the “Conference Room” is ready for quiet crafts that I have planned knowing that they will be able to do the crafts quietly and without adult help.

10-  Conference Viewing Party

I have overheard a lot of my students talking about how they are going to get together and watch Conference.  I imagine that a lot of you make it a family occasion; however, I know that some of those I saw making plans do not come from homes where it is a priority and so Conference has not been a big deal for them in the past.  After doing this trivia game, and then giving them this packet andthese make your own trivia cards… they started making plans with each other to get together and watch Conference.  Hallelujia!!!

If you have teenagers at home, you may want to ask them if they have any friends that may want to come and experience a Conference Saturday or Sunday session with your family.  Show them some of your traditions and let them feel the Spirit in your home.  It could have huge impact! 

 11- Conference Treasure Hunt

This idea comes from Hailey.  Check out her blog here.

Have an empty treasure chest. Tell your family that your treasure chest is empty. Then tell them that we need to fill it up, but not with just normal treasure. We need to fill it up with ‘Spiritual Treasure’. Explain to your family as you listen to Conference we will be filled with the Spirit, we will hear the things that we need to do, we will hear from our Prophet, Pres. Monson, etc. And that is the treasure we are seeking! We learn many great and important things during Conference, so this year we are going to go on a ‘Conference Treasure Hunt’.

You could then talk about the different topics that might be discussed during Conference or you could talk about the First Presidency and the 12 Apostles. Tell your family that those are the ‘treasures’ that will fill up our treasure chest.

General Conference Treasure Hunt:
The treasure hunt will happen during General Conference.
For the treasure hunt you could have picture of jewels (just find some online and print them off), treats, boxes (with something inside), etc. On each item you could attach a picture of a topic that might be discussed during Conference, you could put a word (prayer, temples, etc.) or you could put a picture of someone (Pres. Monson, Pres. Eyering, etc.).During Conference have your children listen to each talk. At the end of the talk discuss with your family what was being taught. Then have your children find that treasure and place it in the treasure chest.

You could, ahead of time, hide the treasure and make a treasure map for your children telling them where each treasure is: example: ‘Prayer Treasure’-in Mom & Dad’s Bed; ‘Temple Treasure’- in the Laundry Room, etc.At the end of Conference, or each session, go through your treasure chest and discuss what was taught. Then enjoy your ‘Treasure!!’Read more: http://littleldsideas.blogspot.com/#ixzz1IIBvkwA1

12-  CTR Dollars

“We use CTR dollars that they earn during conference. They earn for completing pages, taking notes, being quiet and kind.”

And Don’t forget…

that you can go here to get this Famiy Fun Recip Cards so you can write down all of the ideas you want to keep on file.

Have a wonderful Conference weekend everyone!!!