Mid-Week Activities centered around
Choice & Accountability
 

Good News? by Jeanni Gould

Prison Walls

Building a Fortress by Heather Ingalls

My Footprints Poem and Activity Idea by Shel Eldredge

 Armor of God - One night we talked about the Armor of God and instead of just talking about what the armor of god means, we made our own armor of God. (out of tinfoil)   We choose one of the leaders to be our Knight and then one by one described each piece of armor.  After we did this we broke into small groups.  Each group was given an article of armor to make and put on our knight.  We split for 10 minutes or so and everyone made their pieces and attached them to our leader.  Then we called on each group to come up and describe their item and how it can protect us physically and spiritually.  The kids had great answers that I would have never come up with.  They each learned a lot that way. Then afterwards we took pictures (which are pretty funny) and I passed out bookmarks with a picture of a knight with a description of each piece of armor so they could always remember them.  That was one activity our girls still talk about! (Idea by Janelle Heath / ga04262007)
 

Alphabet Picnic - Using the first initial in her last name (or first name) have each girl choose a food item that begins with that letter to bring to a picnic in the mountains (or park).  For example, Sister Carter might bring chili or cookies or cantaloupe.  Have them bring enough for each girl in the class—making her accountable!  It’s surprising how well the menu fits together.

Progressive Backwards Dinner - Plan a menu with four courses and choose four homes in the same vicinity where the courses could be served.  The meal is served with dessert first, main course, salad, then appetizer as the last course.  Ride bikes to each home. At the last home play volleyball and have fun together.  The young women should also wear their clothes backward and as they get off their bikes at the different houses, they are to walk up to the house backward.  Do as much of the evening backward.

Choices Workshop - Four different workshops are prepared:  1)  cooking class, 2) charades, 3) Pictionary, 4) dictionary game or spoons.  These four workshops are given fun names like, “Keep ‘em Guessing”; “A.M.O.T.L.F.O.T.H.” (A moment on the lips, forever on the hips!); “Look It Up”; “Hi-Ho Silver!”  These titles are written on index card-size paper.  As the girls arrive they could choose two of the four classes (not knowing before-hand what they are choosing and not able to change once the classes start).  Each workshop lasts approximately 15-20 minutes.  The purpose of this activity is to help the young women realize as they make choices they are also accountable for those choices.

We had two speakers (a YM leader and the YW president) who spoke on virtue for about 10 minutes each. Then the last speaker (the YM president who was in charge of the activity) asked the kids what it meant to "wax strong". He demonstrated by having a kid come up and try and hold a string and have it stand up. Then he had a candle warmer with a jar of melted wax. Together he and the young man dipped the string in. Tested it a few times and still it wouldn't stand, but they kept at it and of course by the end it was coated enough that it would be able to stand on its own. He likened that to each choice we make making us a little bit stronger- it doesn't happen all at once.  Then he talked about one way to "wax strong" was by garnishing our thoughts. He had a table full of pizza toppings and talked about each topping, relating it to some virtue.  After all was said and done each of the youth got to come up and "garnish" their own mini pizza and we cooked them. (YM President was John Powell / shared by Heather Beck / ga04182007)

Law of the Land Game (Made in Microsoft Publisher) - My activity was last night and I think it went over pretty well!! My advisor had made this huge die of foam and covered it. It was a lot of fun!! The girls wanted to keep playing until everyone had reached the end.  I made slides of road signs in Power point and had our laptop there to ask the girls what the signs meant. I had also found a bunch of weird laws and the girls had to tell me why in the world someone thought that law was necessary. They really used their heads and came up with some good stuff!! (Game by Heather / ga08152007)

Sunday Choice and Accountability Lesson - As they young women arrive in the Young Women room for opening exercises they choose a stick which is then placed on a piece of colored cardstock.  There are 3 different stickers with 3 different colors of cardstock.  The girls don’t know whether they will be going by the sticker they chose or the color of the paper.  After opening exercises the girls are divided into classes by the sticker and go to that class.  The advisor or Young Women presidency member will then teach the lesson on Choice and Accountability to the group of young women who chose that particular sticker.  The young women are not allowed to change classes, but must stay with the sticker they chose as they came into Young Women.

Resistance to Peer Pressure—A Drug (Free) Party - An adult leader prepares on index card for each young woman.  Most cards will say “Welcome!  Eat as much as you would like!  Be sure to get anyone not eating to eat!”  Some cards will say:  “UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES ARE YOU TO EAT ANYTHING!”  Set up the room to simulate a party (music, low lights) and have plenty of healthful snacks or candy.  As the young women enter they are told:  “Welcome to my party, please follow the directions on the card carefully,” and they are encouraged to socialize but not to show their card to anyone.  The activity should continue for about 15 minutes.  Bring the young women together to evaluate what has happened.  The discussion should emphasize ways to avoid using drugs in similar situations.  After the group discussion led by a leader, play group party games and give each young woman instructions for several fun games they could play at parties.  The purpose is to encourage positive group fun as alternatives to videos or drugs and alcohol for having “fun”.  You may choose to have a special guest speaker on the topic.

Choice and Accountability Dinner - Several menu items are chosen.  Each young woman decides what type of dish she would like to prepare and share with the class.  Recipes are exchanged.  A discussion is held about nutritional choices and how they affect our body and emotional well being.  Demonstrations are held on how to make food presentable and nutritionally rewarding.

Mall scavenger hunt - Scriptures send you around the mall to look in different stores. Example: The article of faith about living the law of the land sends you to Mall Security where you ask the officer in charge for the short version of what happens to shoplifters. Girls were in teams with the scripture clues and leaders had the answers in case they couldn't figure them out. The final clue was about the land of milk and honey and it led us to an ice cream shop for a treat.

Temple Cans by Kathy Carbonneau

We decided to do "The Word of Wisdom and Smoothies" - we always hear about what "not to do" - so this time we decided to talk about the "do's".  We had 4 different types of smoothies (recipes came from the internet), veggie tray and wraps. While the girls munched on the "healthy" stuff we talked about how the word of wisdom came about, how it was "ahead of its time" - how people are just now catching up to what's good for them, etc... We talked about our health and why it is important to stay healthy, etc.. We did touch on the "do not's" - but our focus was more of what should we do. It was so much fun trying the different smoothies and just talking about all the fun things you can do to take care of our bodies while we have them! (Idea by Aislinn Barnes)

Temple Dice Activity

It's Life!

Preparing for Marriage activity by Linda King

Making wise decisions - played like Let's make a deal. Items under boxes or behind drapes and the girls were allowed to choose one. Each item had a thought on it like a small plunger said "Bad decisions can flush away your future." Lip gloss said "Things that are flashy and shiny are not always the best choice." You get the idea.

Visit the Temple - We go to the temple, have a tour of the Visitor's Center & watch a video the missionaries put on for us. Then we went outside and walked around the temple grounds. We had a member of the Temple Presidency come outside and talk to the girls for 15 minutes, answering their questions. I like to go in the spring so there are the possibility of brides walking around taking pictures. I want to girls to see this is where they should be married. I, also, like to take a picture of them all together and frame it and give it to all of them at the next activity. To be honest, we have done this for three years in a row and it is one of the girl's favorites!

Hold a "roast" for bad habits - Prior to the activity ask each girl to choose a bad habit they would like to get rid of and to establish a plan to do it.  On the activity night, take a trip to the canyon, build a big fire and roast hot dogs.  Then hold a special ceremony - each girl takes a piece of paper on which she has written her bag habit, and throws it into the fire.  Some of the girls may choose to share their experiences as they do so.

Temple Marriage Activity from Christy's Clipart

Choose to 'eat' the right -  Using masking tape, mark off an area on the floor in a large triangle. Then use the tape to mark off sections of the triangle to create the Food Guide Pyramid. You can find this in lots of places, including many cereal boxes. When the girls arrive, depending on what month you are going to do this activity, have a short lesson to begin. It can be on the Word of Wisdom or on general nutrition and why it is important, whatever will fit your theme. After the lesson, pass out things the girls can cut pictures of food from without telling them what you are going to do with them. You can use cooking magazines, grocery ads (those are excellent sources), whatever you don't mind them cutting up. Once they are finished, go around the circle several times having each girl put a food in its proper place on the pyramid. Be sure to discuss how many servings of each kind of food are recommended as well as how much of a certain food constitutes a serving. For example, a sandwich has two slices of bread but each slice counts as a serving. (Idea by Angie Rhodes)
 

The Iron Rod Experience by Gina Prisbrey 

Which road are you going to take?  - Divide the girls into teams.  (You need to decide before hand how many teams you will divide them into based on average attendance because you need a skein of yarn per team.)  Weave it in and around trees/bushes/cars/decks/pools/mailbox/other strings and let the girls unwind it. It doesn't take the girls long to unwind it, unless you make it extremely difficult, but they love it!  Have a simple prize (for example, the chocolate candy "Treasures") at the end of each string.  I was thinking you could show a clip from Alice in Wonderland when the rabbit asks Alice which road she is going to take.  She said she wasn't sure and he replies, well then it doesn't really matter.  Tie it all together by saying the yarn represents the iron rod.  Ultimately our choices are important and collectively will lead us back to our Heavenly Father.  Let them know that our Heavenly Father rewards us with many "treasures" when we choose to live His commandments.  As a possible prize or handout, you could give them a candy watch that says, "Now is the time to choose.  Which road are you on?" (Melanie Day)

Mock trial - If you have an attorney in your word to help you find an actual case, this can be both a learning experience and a lot of fun.  The group is divided into a jury, several witnesses and a prosecuting and defense attorney.  A recruited attorney could act as the judge.

A fun Choice and Accountability activity we have done in the past is to buy Harry Potter nasty flavored jelly beans and the similar colored ones from Jelly Belly (that taste good). Match them up and let the girls choose one each from six or seven pairs. If you want you can label the pairs with choices the girls face in their lives - Should I go to seminary? Should I buy that really cute 2 piece swim suit? - Then they can experience the results of their choice with a sweet reward or a nasty flavored one. It's not too time consuming or expensive and the look on their faces with a bad choice is pretty funny. Be sure and have "spit-out" tissues near by.  (Credit Unknown)