"Halloween-Themed" Family Home Evening Ideas (4 Ideas)

Don't Be Tricked (Family Home Evening Idea#1)

Use 2 Nephi 9 for a Family Night Discussion before Halloween.  Discuss that Christ is the source of all true treats and Satan uses tricks to keep us from those treats.

Read 2 Nephi 9:8-12.

What are the monsters in verse 10? (Death and hell)  For further discussion read Alma 12:16-18 and Helaman 14:18-19. 

How did Jesus overcome those monsters? (2 Nephi 9:4-7)  Talk about how awful it would have been if Christ had not come.

What does verse 9 say that Devil is the father? (All lies)

What does beguiled mean? (Tricked, deceived, cheat, win by presenting falsehoods and half truths)  Read vs. 17-19  Notice that Christ delivered the saints from the monsters. In verse 18 what emotion do the saints experience?

What are the treats that Christ has to offer? (2 Nephi 9:11-22)

What must we do to experience Christ’s treats? Verse 23

What happens to those who haven’t heard about the gospel? Verse 25-26

Read verses 28 through 39

What are some of Satan’s tricks?

More of Satan’s tricks can be found in 2 Nephi 28

How can we find the way to Christ? (2 Nephi 9:41)

What is the gate that we have to go through to get to Christ?(2 Nephi 31:17-19)

When we knock on Christ’s door who will answer? (2 Nephi 9: 42) does Christ refuse to open the door to anyone? Why? How can we be sure that Christ will open the door for us? If needed read 1 Cor 3:18-21 to discuss who the "fools" are.

So as we are looking for treats this Halloween, what should we spend our money on? (2 Nephi 9:50-51) What do we do when we receive the treats? (we feast upon them) 

End the lesson by reading 2 Nephi 9:52.


Lesson on Halloween Safety (Family Home Evening Idea #2)

Opening song: Quickly I’ll Obey (CS 197)

Opening Prayer: Assign

Scripture: Alma 57:21

Preparation: Print off six copies of this ghost or draw your own.

Lesson: Tell "Ghost" story as follows: (Tape ghosts on wall or large display area while telling story.)

One Halloween, in the dark of night, six little ghosts "booed" in fright. This family of ghosts had the Halloween spirit; they learned the "Halloween safety rules" and practiced them all year. Now all six were excited because the night they practiced for would soon be here. What were the safety rules? They all said together, "We’ll practice them tonight no matter what the weather!" (Show white ghosts 1-6 as you say each rule.)

Rule #1 Go with a friend, someone who stays with you until the very end.

Rule #2 Never talk to a stranger; you’ll never know just what is the danger.

Rule #3 With this rule I can’t be more graphic, when you go trick or treating, watch the traffic.

Rule #4 Go trick or treating like a pro, only go to the houses of people you know.

Rule #5 Be at your ease, don’t forget your manners – thank you and please.

Rule #6 Is a rule that can’t be beat. Look at your treats before you eat.

This family of ghosts was all white and bright. They stayed this color because they ate just right. Things like milk, vanilla ice cream and cottage cheese. Anything else would make them wheeze. Two things these ghosts really feared as Halloween night neared. What would happen if they forgot the rule? They knew they would feel the ridicule. And what would happen if they ate something they shouldn’t? They knew what would happen and the really just couldn’t.

Ghost #1 thought everyone was his friend and he knew rule #2 he just couldn’t bend. He mustn’t talk to strangers because he’d know a real torment, when he turned red with embarrassment! (Show red ghost)

Ghost #2 knew it would just be rude, to not use his manners would just mean he’s crude. He knew what would happen – yes, he really knew. For heaven’s sakes, he’d just turn blue. (Show blue ghost.)

Ghost #3 wanted to stay white all night, so he looked at the traffic and watched the scene, because the last thing he wanted was to turn bright green. (Show green ghost.)

Ghost #4 was on his best behavior and of that you’ll have to agree. Because he knew if he walked in traffic he would make a fine yellow Frisbee. (Show yellow ghost.)

A real loner was Ghost #5. So all evening he would have to strive to stay with the crowd. If from his friends he decided to shrink then he knew all night long he would surely be pink. (Show pink ghost).

Ghost #6 knew the rules by heart and he knew he’d do his part. But it was his diet that would make him slip, if he ate a chocolate chip cookie he’d do a double back flip. (Show chocolate chip ghost.)

But the ghosts shouldn’t have worried at all. The night soon ended and they all had a ball. They obeyed all the rules and did what they should and all the wrong goodies they bravely withstood. They all were happy and you could tell they were glad because this was the best night they ever had!!

Play the Halloween Game to practice the Rules. (You will need enough game pieces for every family member e.g. pennies. Fill little treat sacks with goodies and set at the end of the game.) You do not need dice to play the game, just pick up game card and follow directions.

Have little children take turns saying all the Halloween Safety rules in front of the family. (Help little children!) Give everyone a Certificate for Safe Trick or Treating with their name on it after successfully saying the rules and of coarse with a loud applause!!

Activity: Carve Jack-o-Lanterns as a family and/or decorate house for Halloween with ghosts and spiders the kids color or cut out.

Closing Song: Dare to do Right (CS 158)

Closing Prayer: Assign

Treats: Cat Cookies (See below)

CAT COOKIES—Frost Oreo cookies with white frosting. Add M&M’s for the eyes and nose, black licorice string for the whiskers and upside down candy corns for the ears.

Spookely The Square Pumpkin (Family Home Evening Idea #3)

The Spookely DVD is a cute movie with a good message. In fact, I DVR'ed this movie off of Disney Channel, so I didn't even purchase it. Here's the website which has the movie: CLICK HERE to visit the site.  From this website, I printed off the Spookley Coloring book, which I used in the lesson. It turned out really fun and memorable for my children: ages 2, 5 and 8.

Additional note: I did a google search for the movie and found it on Amazon between eight and twelve dollars depending if you wanted a new or used copy.  Or you could check your TV schedule around Halloween and see if Disney or another channel is planning to air it, like Ivy did.

FHE TOPICS: Halloween, Standing as a Witness, Choosing the Right

MATERIALS: Spookley the Square Pumpkin movie, Spookley coloring page and crayons, Gospel Art Kit pictures of Lehi's vision of the Tree of Life

OPENING SONG: "I'm Trying to Be Like Jesus" or "Choose the Right"

CLOSING SONG: "The Iron Rod" or "The Wise Man Built His House upon the Rock"

LESSON: Watch the video (approx. 50 minutes), then have discussion using these questions or your own.

1. Why was Spookley different from the other pumpkins? (He was a square pumpkin, the others were round.)

- How are we different from other people at work/school? (We are members of the church, and don't believe or act the same way others do.

2. Why did the other pumpkins make fun of Spookley? (He was different from them.)

-How do other people make fun of us? (Sometimes people might laugh at you because you don't do the same things as them, like smoking, drinking beer, or wearing not modest clothing.)

3. What did Spookley do even when people laughed at him? (He still participated in the Jack-a-lympic games and then later saved his friend's life.)

- How can we be brave like Spookley, even when people are laughing or making fun of us? (We can remember to choose the right, no matter what.) 

- Can you think of a time when you chose the right no matter what?

4. What happened to all the pumpkins when the storm came? (The round pumpkins who made fun of Spookley rolled away. Spookley didn't blow away, because he was square.)

- We don't have to worry about blowing away in real storms, but what kinds of storms do we have to fight when we are at school or work? (People trying to get us to do drugs, or lie, cheat, or join them in making fun of others.)

5. Is there a scripture story about people who were laughed at? (Lehi's vision of the Tree of Life, show GAK picture. Talk about how Nephi and his family were being laughed at for following the iron rod, but they were strong and didn't listen to the people laughing at them, just like Spookley did.)

6. Talk about the song of the Wise Man who Built His House upon a Rock. There was a storm in that song, too, but the Wise Man who was on a rock "stood still" just like Spookley did during the storm. The Foolish Man who didn't make good choices, just like the other pumpkins, got blown away in the storm.

7. At the end, what reward did Spookley get? (A glowing light from within when he was turned into a jack-o-lantern.)

- Was this reward better than the candy corn crown? Why? (Candy corn would get all mushy or soggy during the storm, and wouldn't last long. The "glowing" would last much longer and gave everyone else a good feeling too.)

- Which reward lasts longer, the candy corn crown or the "glowing from within"? (The "glowing" was a real reward, because you get a good feeling inside. The candy corn crown would go away as soon as you ate it, or maybe get soggy or lost and not last long.)

- What rewards that we get are like the candy crown? (Worldly things that don't last long like new clothes, candy or toys. Things that we can't take with us when we go to heaven.)

- What rewards are like Spookley's "glowing light"? (The good feeling that we get when we choose the right and get that glowing feeling inside. We can share this light with others AND take it with us to heaven.)

8. Was it good that Spookley was square? How can we be different or "square" like Spookley? (Standing for the right no matter what.)  Have you ever heard someone say, "Dare to be Square"? What does that mean? (Dare to be different. It means that we should be different from others.)

COLORING ACTIVITY: We should be different and not follow others when they are making fun of someone else. The prophet says that we're different from others, and we should be.  We should "Dare to be Square" like Spookley. I have a picture of Spookley so that you can remember to be different like Spookley and choose the right no matter what. On the top, let's write "Dare to be Square" so you can remember.

MORE DISCUSSION TIPS:  There are a lot of other things to discuss with this movie. My 8 year old daughter noted that the candy crown was like the people that recently died in the San Diego fires because they wouldn't leave their home or personal items behind to evacuate. After watching this movie, my husband had a completely different take on the "moral" of this movie. He said that Spookley didn't get to choose being different, he was born that way. But even though he was different, he still used his differences to help others! He also said that we can't "judge a book by its cover" (which is the moral stated at the end of the movie) and know what a person is like just by judging what they look like on the outside. It's how a person acts and helps others that tells us what they're really like.


Three Naughty Ghosts--FHE Idea for Young Kids (Family Home Evening Idea #4)

Using the flannel board story at the bottom of this page, this would be a great story for a Halloween-themed Family Home Evening.

STORY:  THREE NAUGHTY GHOSTS

Three naughty ghosts were home all alone.  Their mama told them, "You leave the food alone!" (Mama ghost flies away)

"My tummy is hungry," the first ghost said.  He ate a juicy apple and turned bright red. (add red ghost)

The second ghost said, "I want a banana.  He slurped down the banana and turned yellow (add yellow ghost)

The third ghost whined "I'm running out of steam.  He ate some peas and turned bright green. (add green ghost)

In through the window, Mama flew home.  "I thought I told you to leave the food alone!"

She sent them to their bedrooms for the rest of the night.  They each drank a glass of milk and turned creamy white (bring back white ghosts)

QUESTIONS:

- What did the Mama ghost tell the little ghosts about the food?  (To leave the food alone)

- What did the little ghosts do? (Ate the food)

- How could the Mama ghost tell that the little ghosts had disobeyed her?  (Because they turned the color of the food they had eaten.)

- What did the Mama ghost do to the little ghosts?  (Send them to their rooms and gave them a glass of milk to drink.)

SUMMARY:
- Just like the Mama ghost in the story, your parents and Heavenly Father love you very much and are always there to help you when you are in trouble or you need guidance.  Just like the ghosts were able to change back to their original color, we too are able to change (repent) and become clean again.

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ANOTHER VERSION:

Once there was a family of ghosts--a mother and 8 children.  One day, when the mother was in the kitchen, she discovered there was nothing to eat, so she gathered her children together and told them she needed to go to the store.  She said to them, "Remember, don't eat or drink anything.  Ghosts should only eat cottage cheese, ice cream and drink only milk. (I say "ghosts should only eat foods that are white" and then have the children  name some white foods) I don't have any of these things."  So the mother said good-bye and went to the store. Well, while she was gone, the first little ghost got hungry and went looking for food.  He  opened the cupboard and found some bananas.  He ate them and the next thing he knew he had turned yellow!  The second little ghost found some lettuce and when he ate it he turned green! The third little ghost found some strawberries outside and ate a whole basket full. Then he looked at himself and, yes, he had turned red!  Well, the fourth little ghost found some pink lemonade--after he drank it  all he found that he had turned pink! The fifth little ghost found a fruit bowl filled with plums.  He ate all the plums and turned very purple.  The sixth little ghost picked some oranges from the tree and ate them.  He turned orange!  The seventh little ghost ate a whole plate of blueberry muffins and turned blue!  The eighth little ghost didn't want anything to happen to him, so he searched everywhere to find something that a ghost should eat, like milk, cottage cheese, whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.  When he looked in the freezer he saw some ice cream.  He took it and ate it all.  Then he looked at himself.  OH NO!  He turned polka dot.  It was chocolate chip ice cream!  When the mother came home, she cried, "OH MY GOODNESS!  LOOK AT ALL OF YOU."  She called the doctor.  He came and looked at all the little ghosts and shook his head.  Then he took some medicine out of his bag.  He gave each little ghost a spoonful, except the chocolate chip ghost.  He had 2 spoonfuls because dots are very hard to make go away.