General Conference Bags

This year Chopper and I got to watch a little bit more of General Conference thanks to to General Conference bags.  I found the idea on Pinterest and it turned out generally well for Megan and Abby to stay occupied and somewhat interested.

All I did was take 15 paper bags and glue the pictures of the prophet and apostles on the front.  Each one had an activity or a treat inside.  When that person spoke, we matched up the pictures and then opened the bag and did the activity.  Some activities were quieter than others and more successful of course but this is what we had in our bags (so I remember for October):

Treats or snacks in 4 bags

Coloring pages in 2 bags

church puzzles (pictures from the friend glued onto cardstock and cut up)

beads and elastic (the girls love playing with beads)

Easter shapes with foam stickers (also a big hit)

Ice cream cone cutouts

growing sponge bugs (the capsules you put in warm water -- the girls loved them but we also didn't hear any of that talk because they kept yelling "look, they're growing!!!")

We glued popcorn onto trees (popcorn popping)

A matching game (2 conference bingo boards cut up)

Playdough

Is that it?  I'm missing some but I already can't remember!!  Anyway, it was a great idea and I will be using it for a few years yet I'm pretty sure.  I'll probably mix up the ideas too -- I tried to get activities that I know they enjoy but are things they don't do often so it would keep their attention.  And since it worked well, I'll probably spend the next 6 months collecting cheap, fun things to use in the bags as well.  And it also got Megan learning the apostles.  She asked about every speaker and then wanted to know their names, etc.  And since they stayed in the living room with us for the activities, they did listen some.  Megan repeated a few things that were said.  Abby was fascinated by the round light thing at the top of the organ -- she thinks it's the moon.  No I take that back -- she thinks it's "Abby's moon."  But it was good.

 I made these nests as one of the treats.  The girls thought they were great but the chow mien marshmallow treats were a little hard to eat, more than regular Rice Krispie treats.

The girls building their popcorn trees and yes, we managed to keep Abby from eating any popcorn coated in white glue!!