Web site features attractions to help engage young folks
By R. Scott Lloyd
LDS Church News staff writer
General conference is, or should be, a high point in the year for young and old, but as most any Latter-day Saint parent can attest, it can be a challenge at times to keep the very young engaged, especially while they are listening to or viewing the conference broadcasts at home.
The activities can be accessed at www.ConferenceGames.lds.org. Going there, parents and their children can expect to find such items as these:
• A “General Conference Notebook” that can be printed out and bound or stapled together. It includes a cover page that can be colored, a page of ideas to help a young user listen to and learn from general conference, a page of things to do after conference to help remember and apply the things learned therefrom, a page or half-page for writing down thoughts or drawing a picture based on the things said by each member of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve, and additional pages for recording thoughts and drawing pictures from the talks given by other conference speakers.
• A “Conference Squares” game similar to bingo. Elements of this game may also be printed out. Players listen carefully to the conference, and when a speaker talks about a topic represented by a word or phrase and drawing in a square on a page, they cover that square with a marker, such as a bean, button or piece of candy. The object of the game, of course is to cover five squares in a row, then, possibly, all of the squares. There are seven different pages available, so several family members or other players can have a friendly competition.
• “Conference Color-by-Number” pages that can be printed out. While hearing conference, young listeners can note when a speaker talks about a particular topic and then color in a numbered square on the page corresponding to the topic.
• On-line matching games pertaining to temples, scripture stories, apostles and prophets, and latter-day prophets. This is ideal for helping children prepare for conference by learning the names of the prophets and apostles. Players uncover a picture by removing matching tiles having the images of Church leaders.
The Web pages may be shared or e-mailed, and the General Conference Notebook is available in other languages in addition to English.
Sister Cheryl Lant, Primary general president, said the new Web site “is just a great addition for parents and families to use.”
“Our goal is to teach children the gospel and to engage them in that process so that they really are interested and involved in learning and doing things,” she said of the Web site.
“One of the emphases in our teaching children with the Spirit is to ask ourselves the question, ‘What can the children do to learn?’ I think we see that really nicely reflected in this new Web site, because there are a lot of activities that keep the children’s attention and focus.”
A bingo-like game, challenges youngsters to listen for specific topics as they hear conference talks. Sister Lant expressed confidence that the Web site activities “can be very helpful in creating a reverent atmosphere and having the children engaged in things that are meaningful during that time and be together as a family while they’re doing it. They’re doing those things, they’re watching conference, and they’re feeling the Spirit together.”
The new Conference Games Web site is part of an initiative to refresh and improve all the sites associated with the main Church Web site, www.lds.org. A new Web site directed to youth in the Church was introduced late last year, and there is more to come.
Church’s 180th Annual General Conference to be held April 3-4
More than 100,000 Church members, friends and invited guests are expected to attend the 180th Annual General Conference held April 3-4. Millions more will watch or listen to conference proceedings via television, radio, satellite and Internet broadcasts. Five sessions of the conference will be held Saturday and Sunday in the Conference Center in Salt Lake City.
Tickets are required to enter the Conference Center, where attendees will be required to pass through a security check. Cameras, recording devices, weapons, food, backpacks, packages and large bags will not be allowed.
Overflow seating will be available in the Tabernacle, the North Visitors’ Center on Temple Square, and the Joseph Smith Memorial Building for all sessions. Overflow seating will also be available in the Conference Center Theater for priesthood and Sunday sessions only. Overflow seating for Spanish speakers will be provided in the Assembly Hall for all five sessions. Tickets are not required for admission to overflow facilities.
Conference attendees are invited to carpool or use public transportation to relieve downtown traffic congestion. Limited public parking is available at Regent Street Parking — 119 South Regent Street (50 East), at the Energy Solutions Arena Lot — between 200 West and 300 West and at the West Office Building — off 200 West just north of North Temple. Disability parking is located at the West Temple Overflow at 134 West North Temple. Conference attendees should avoid parking in front of homes in downtown residential areas. Cars parked on neighborhood streets may be ticketed or towed at the owners’ expense.
A detailed broadcast schedule of general conference can be found at www.bonneville.info. Information regarding audio and video streams via the Internet can be found at www.lds.org/broadcast/. General conference, with the exception of the priesthood session, will be broadcast live on BYU Television. For additional information on availability in your area, rebroadcasts and live Internet streaming visit www.byutv.org.
