SHARING TIME IDEAS

Pick some parents to come in and present 3 minutes each of the sharetime you have prepared. Use the parents to:
1) dress up and tell a story from the friend (a grandma, a prophet, a scout master)
2) Tell a personal experience like their temple wedding (bring in pictures to share with the kids)
3) Tell a story/personal experience with pictures they have drawn with their child.

Salty/Sweet

Ahead of time, freeze two different trays of ice cubes. One tray has sweet ice cubes frozen, and the other tray has salty ice cubes frozen. Give a child a printed card with a bad situation and a good situation written on it. Have them taste an ice cube. If they get the ice cube with salt, they have to say what they can to do make the wrong situation right. If they get the sweet ice cube, they get to tell how the good experience made them a better person and helped those around them.

Object Box.
Pick objects and put in a box with a hole in each side. Have child stand in front of box and place hands in each side of box. Guess what object is inside. When they guess, take the object out and ask child how the object is like the Holy Ghost. Add your comments how the object applies to your lesson.

Example:
1. Flashlight - Holy Ghost Lights the way.
2. Blanket - Holy Ghost is a comforter
3. Book - Holy Ghost is a teacher
4. Caution tape - Holy Ghost warns us of danger.

Memory:
Print sets of pictures in pairs. Place on board upside down. When the child picks the matching pair, the story is read, the scripture is read, the message is taught... however you want to play your game.

Example: (The lesson could be for instance: "I grow closer to Heavenly Father as I follow His teachings.")
Pictures of Church
Pictures of Scriptures
Pictures of sacrament
Pictures of Temple
Pictures of children praying
Pictures of hearts
Pictures of children doing chores together

After each match is found, share the message like: How does going to church help us come closer to Heavenly Father? Do you have a friend you could invite to church?... and so forth.

Variations:
1. As they match a scripture, they can read it and you could discuss it.
2. As they match pictures of scripture stores, the story could be told.
3. As they match pictures of prophets, a story could be told about that prophet.
4. As they match pictures of temples, a story could be told about that temple.
5. As they match pictures of bishopric members or their wives, and Primary Presidency members, the matched person in the picture could come up and tell a story of how HF was there for them when they prayed.

Mystery Balloons.
Put a folded up piece of paper in a balloon and have a child come up and pop the balloon to reveal the paper inside.

Example:
Put different scriptures on paper, fold and place in balloon, then blow-up and tie.
Put different pictures, numbers, or clues on paper, fold and place in balloon. The pictures, numbers, or clues could relate to different stories, song book pages, clues to find a prize somewhere in the room. With each balloon, a story or lesson is taught, getting the children closer to the prize or answer to your game.