Sunday centers

I didn't come up with this concept, but I've loved organizing it for my family during the past several weeks. It has been a winner! Every Sunday afternoon around 4 p.m., we meet to split into four teams. There are four centers in different rooms set up with instruction sheets and all the needed supplies. The teams rotate between them at 12-minute intervals, signaled by a bell-ringer (a coveted responsibility). By the time we're done, everyone has spent about an hour of quality, Sunday-appropriate activities as a family. Here are some examples of successful center ideas:

1. The scripture center

Some of the ideas for this center come from Duty to God or Personal Progress goals: you read a scriptural passage, then write something about it. Last week we had each team read a portion of Lehi's Dream in the Book of Mormon and then draw the images of those verses as part of a mural. Other times I've pulled up a conference talk or Mormon Messages video that the team can watch and then talk about. Oh, and we have the quiz game "Seek" (the 1958 original!) at this center in case a team finishes the task quickly.

2. The service center

For the past couple weeks we've been working on preparing these flannel board pieces for my sister, Sandra, and her family. Other fun ideas have been decorating sugar cookies for a neighbor; writing letters to my missionary brother, James; and tying a simple baby quilt.

3. The art center

One Sunday I set out a dozen temple pictures on the table, plus a few pounds of homemade white play dough and some embellishments. Then everyone created temple models. (Eric said that his is a "future European temple" because he wanted to create his own design.)

On Father's Day I glued head-shot photos of my dad and Eric on poster board body cut-outs, and then we pasted pictures and words from magazines on them. Everyone loves the art activities.

4. The journaling center

Sometimes I set out a prompt for journal-writing ("Record 5 fun things you did this week, your favorite memory of a grandparent, and a summer goal.")

We also try to fulfill some Duty to God/Personal Progress goals at this center. One time we all wrote poems (haiku, acrostics, and short ballads) about gospel subjects:

Alma the Younger

overcoming deepest sin

began to teach truth.

The Word of Wisdom is so great.

It puts the right things on my plate.

Lehi's family

Set up wilderness tent-homes:

Sandy, hot, alone.

Earth is

A

Real

Treasure from

Heavenly Father.

Nephi was tied up.

Chafe! Burn! Sea-sick churn! He stood.

Finally, released.

4. The treat center

Everyone's favorite! One time we took turns (over-)decorating this cake:

Another time I wrote the instructions for popcorn balls in four stages (uh, group four must have been on the back of this instruction sheet), and each team completed a part of the recipe.

And they actually turned out well!
Sunday centers take a bit of preparation, but they have been a highlight of our family activities while we've been in Maryland. This is a tradition that we'll continue for years to come!