Primary quarterly activities are a great way to encourage spirituality and to allow the children to build friendships with each other. There needs to be a good balance that allows the children to interact with each other in a fun and positive way that is different from church each Sunday.
The activities should take place once a quarter and should focus on the year’s theme. It is a good idea to have at least one activity focus on service each year. Many wards often have one of the activities focus on the pioneers in the summer, but that is optional. These activities are a great way to show kids how to apply gospel teaching in their lives.
Primary quarterly activities take a lot of planning by the presidency. It takes time to coordinate activities, refreshments and supervision for these activities. A good formula for each activity is to have a series of stations that groups of children rotate through. This helps to break up the activity and allows you to accomplish more things with smaller groups. One activity may be a game, another a craft and a third the place for refreshments. You could choose to have one or two more groups, but you should keep the time limit in mind.
One difficulty in having these activities is having participation. Most parents are willing for their children to come, but may have a difficult time remembering the activity. Since they are once a quarter, it is difficult for parents who have a regular Saturday schedule to remember. It is important to advertise your activities well. Announce them in Relief Society and Priesthood. Create a poster or flyer to post on the church doors. You can also have it mentioned in the ward bulletin. You may also consider having the teachers call their students to remind them to come.
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Primary Time: Quarterly Activities