ACHIEVEMENT DAY IDEAS

(since this has changed to Activity Days, I will make adjustments soon)

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Arts and Crafts
Education and Scholarship
Family History
Family Skills
Health and Personal Grooming
Hospitality
Outdoor Fun and Skills
Personal Preparedness
Safety & Emergency Preparedness
Service and Citizenship
Spirituality
Sports and Physical Fitness
Your Ideas

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50 Ways to Serve Your Brother
YW Personal Progress Ideas

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Spirituality

• Earn Gospel in Action Award (in some stakes this is a prerequisite to earning anything else in Spirituality).
• Repeat from memory 6 scriptures including references.
• Listen to or read 4 General Conference talks and discuss them with your Primary class, family, or parents.
• Read the scriptures daily for a given period of time.
• Read about the life of a past or present church leader
• Read a scripture story and tell it to your Primary class, your family, or a friend. Explain how you can live the principles taught in the story.
• Visit the temple grounds or Visitor's Center, or a Church historical site and share your feelings with your class.
• Act out a favorite scripture story or play scripture charades, and make scripture cookies.
• Have an Articles of Faith sing-along
• Give an opening and closing prayer in a Primary meeting. Discuss with your parents or leader the importance of prayer.
• Complete a missionary experience such as: share a Book of Mormon, bring a friend to Primary, share your testimony with a nonmember.
• Plan to give a well-prepared talk in Primary.
• Bear your testimony in Fast and Testimony Meeting.
• Read a church book.
• Participate in a family or personal scripture reading program for at least one month.
• Attend Stake Conference and discuss highlights with your family.
• Read three issues of "The Friend" all the way through.
• Write, using fifty words or more, what being a daughter of God means to  you.
• Plan a missionary program as a  group and invite your friends to attend
• Read scripture stories, have charades/group
• Prepare a scripture story for FHE
• Have a spiritual meeting/testimony meeting
• Read the account of Jesus' birth in Luke
• Do a secret good deed for 12 days/Christmas
• Memorize a favorite scripture about Jesus
• Learn a religious Christmas Carol
• Read at least ten references in the Topical Guide under "Jesus Christ, birth of"

Hospitality

• Plan a Theme Party
• Have a progressive dinner.
• Learn how to make 5 exotic drinks and enjoy them.
• Mom and Miss Party - themes are fun such as : A Victorian party, Spring Shower, Sweets for the sweet ( Valentines  theme maybe?)
• Christmas party for moms and daughters - could be combined for all age girls or keep to a small group. In advance they let the girls and moms know they would have a homemade ornament exchange party. So all of the girls each made an ornament to bring. At the party they played a couple of Christmas games, exchanged ornaments, took mom/daughter pictures, and had refreshments !
• Daddy Daughter Party - such as Sports Night, My Dad The Hero, Sweetheart dinner and dance w/dad, Tool Time (building something w/dads along w/ a stronger relationship)
• Etiquette Seminar - table manners and telephone manners. Make a list of do's and don'ts for table manners and etiquette.
• Learn how to show respect and courtesy for: each other, parents, those in authority, the elderly.
• Learn and practice proper ways to: greet guests, introduce one guest to another, start a conversation, seat guests at a table
• Learn how to express appreciation in: a thank-you note and make stationary, a telephone call, a conversation.
• Plan a brunch including table set up and practice table manners
• Plan an activity and invite a  friend
• Invite a nonmember to achievement day
• Plan/carry out a  Mother/Daughter dinner (Mother Daughter Activity)
• Visit ward shut ins taking  flowers & visiting
• Learn how to fold napkins in many ways
• Have the missionaries over for dinner and set the table completely & appropriately

Arts and Crafts

• Make hair bows or scrunchies.
• Paint T-shirts, hats, or tennis shoes.
• Consider learning about and making some of the following crafts: embroidery, crocheting, knitting, needlepoint, rug making, cross- stitch, weaving, woodwork, leather work, any other craft you find an interest in.
• Create a collage and explain its meaning to your class.
• Make a mobile, being as creative as possible.
• Make a collection of items that interest you.  Organize, preserve, and label items for display.  Share it with your class.
• Write and direct you own skit, Reader's Theatre, puppet show or play.  This can be done alone or with friends or family. (Skit Links)
• Participate in a drama event such as a play or Reader's Theatre.
• Paint, color, or draw a picture.  Frame it and display your work of art.
• Create a work of art using any of the following forms: sculpting, print making, using carved potatoes, wood blocks, pottery.
• Write an original song or piece of music.
• Attend a cultural Art Event.
• Invite someone skilled in an artistic area to teach the girls a basic lesson in one of the art forms.
• Make bookmarks for their Books of Mormon.  I cut out construction paper in  the size of a bookmark, then printed out the Books of the Book of Mormon and put a  fancy border on it and cut them out with scalloped scissors.  They glued this to one side. On the other side, I printed a place for them to write their name, and the following question for them to answer.  What is their favorite Book of  Mormon Story, Who is their favorite Book of Mormon Person, What is their favorite Book of Mormon Scripture. They glued this to the bookmark. I had them punch a whole in the top and we put three pieces of yarn and I had them braid it as a tassel. (Book of Mormon Bookmarks)
• Another bookmark idea -  Someone had used a Poloroid camera & taken pix of each young lady, trimmed it, then they had chosen a scripture and someone quickly typed it up along with a fresh (very small) flower (or flower petals), some ribbon.  Placed all of the above on the sticky side of some clear contact paper and then put another contact on the back.
• Write a skit and perform it
• Participate in a class presentation
• Give a well-prepared talk in primary
• Attend homemaking night &  learn a craft
• Make oven jewelry
• Learn to crochet, knit, needlepoint, etc
• Make a cross-stitch poster "about me"
• Make puppets and put on a show
• Take a trip to an art museum
• Do woodburning or leatherwork

Sports & Physical Fitness

• Carry out your own personal exercise program for 2 weeks.  Keep a chart of your program.  Include some of the following: heel cord stretch, hamstring  stretch, sitting stretch, modified sit-ups, back stretch, ball dribble, jumping  rope, swimming, cycling, pushups, jumping jacks, jogging or running in place, endurance activities with music (aerobics).
• Discuss with a parent or leader what good sportsmanship is and why it is important.
• List good sportsmanship manners
• Help plan a Mini-Olympics for Family Home Evening or Achievement Day.  Suggested events could be the hundred  yard  dash, discus throw, high jump,  javelin throw, broad jump, shot put, relay races.
• Participate in an organized sporting event such as: volleyball, basketball, softball, soccer, track.
• Know and understand the safety rules of swimming and the "buddy system." Swim 100 feet; half of this with the elementary backstroke
• Learn how to play any of the following: marbles, jacks, checkers, chess.
• Participate in a community- or school-sponsored fitness program.
• Learn the rules to a game like football, basketball, golf, etc.
• Have someone (preferably one of the girls)  teach some sort of lesson - ballet, hula, etc.
• Play a game as a group - volleyball, basketball, kickball, soccer, etc. (See the GAMES section!)
• As a group, participate in an exercise video (aerobics)
• Go swimming at the Y.
• Learn a new sport & practice 3 times.
• Go out for a sport at school/community
• Once a week for 4 weeks play a sport
• Teach your family a new game for FHE (See the FHE Section!)
• Go on a walk every day for a week
• Go cross country skiing or hiking
• Organize a sport-a-thon for younger children
• Go bowling and learn how to score
• Go on a hike for at least l mile
• Support your school team and attend an athletic event of your choice
• Help coach younger children in game

Health & Personal Grooming

• Make the "Express Yourself Frame!"
• Participate in a Good Grooming and Personal Appearance Achievement Day.
• Discuss with your parents or leader the importance of dressing modestly and looking neat.
• Learn what clothing styles look best on you.
• Learn what colors look best on you.
• Learn proper clothing care, such as laundering, ironing, and storing.  Do all of these for two weeks.
• Learn about cleanliness and why it is important.  Find out how it affects others.  Make a plan for practicing good grooming and follow it faithfully for  one month.
• Participate in a Proper Diet and Good Health Achievement Day.
• Learn the importance of proper nutrition, including the pyramid chart. Keep a record by food groups of what you eat daily for one week. Evaluate your  record.
• Read the Word of Wisdom.  Discuss its meaning and promise with your family or leader.  List ways that you can live the Word of Wisdom more fully.
• Discuss with a health-care person the importance of proper health care  which includes regular checkups at the dentist, doctor, eye-doctor, etc.
• "Especially for Youth" seminar -- modest dress, movies, language we use, word of wisdom etc.
• Plan and make a nutritious dinner.
• Learn how to make nutritious snacks
• Have hairdresser come & discuss hairstyles & hair care
• Have a class on "color draping"
• Discuss nail & skin care
• Model favorite outfits in fashion show
• Keep track of what you eat for a week and plan improvements if needed
• Learn how to braid hair, try new types
• Make hair scrunchies
• Learn basic clothing repair: mending, replacing buttons, hemming, etc.

Outdoor Fun & Skills

• Learn the basic outdoor fire safety rules.(See the YW Camp Section!)
• Demonstrate how to build the following: lean-to fire, stick fire, pointer fire. (See the YW Camp Section!)
• Learn some different types of outdoor cooking methods. (See the YW Camp Section!)
• Learn how to read a topographic map and how to use a compass.  Take a hike using both.
• Learn how to tell North by the stars.(See the YW Camp Section!)
• Learn about proper hiking clothes and gear and why they are important.  Use what you have learned on a hike.
• Learn knife and ax safety and proper care. (See Knife Care Handout in the YW Camp Section!)
• Learn how to tie and know the uses for the following knots: sheet bend, clove hitch, square knot, bowline, two half-hitches, taut-line hitch. (See Knot Handout in the YW Camp Section!)
• Plan and carry out a simple conservation project, such as: planting a tree, planting grass, picking up litter.
• Make a simple barometer.
• Learn how to recognize and locate various planets, stars, and galaxies in the sky. (See the YW Camp Section!)
• Participate in a Class outdoor activity such as: swimming, skating, nature walk Visit a zoo, botanical garden, etc.  Write a short report with illustrations about what you saw.
• Spend the night in a backyard tent.
• Take a listening walk early in the morning.  Bring 2 fruits and have breakfast together.
• Outdoor Fun with Science. -  We first taught the girls a little about Engineering with an Airplane making activity.  The team whose paper plane could  fly the farthest and was also the cheapest (a piece of paper added $ 1 000 to  the cost of a plane, each fold added $500, etc.), won a small prize.
• Studying BUBBLES.  There is an excellent book, 'Bubble Magic' by Tom Noddy that is full of suggestions for different ways to blow bubbles.  This a cheap and really fun activity.  It requires 2 to 3 straws and a 3 foot piece of cotton string for each girl and a bottle of Dawn dish detergent (the blue kind supposedly worked  best).  Mixture: 1 TBSP Dawn to 1 cup water, or 1 cup Dawn to 1 gallon water.   The girls really enjoyed experimenting with blowing bubble structures on the ground (bubbles won't break if the area where the bubble will sit is wet first). They also loved making large bubbles by creating a frame using two straws and  the string."
• In July teach  them how to LEAD MUSIC USING SPARKLERS and see the patterns in the air as they practice.  We practiced hymns, then I showed them  how they could even lead their favorite songs they hear on the radio.  I  made  arrangements with the Primary chorister  to have them help her lead occasionally for practice.

Service & Citizenship

• Plan a simple, inspiring flag ceremony for a national holiday or patriotic event. (Handout)
• Write an essay of 100 words or more.  Choose a patriotic theme such as: "Our Country's Flag and what it Means To Me."
• Create an individual or class flag or banner.  Decide on a symbol or idea that will represent .  Explain its meaning or significance and display it in  Primary or during a Primary Activity day.
• Participate in a Service Achievement Day or Primary Service Activity Day.
• As an individual or a class, volunteer to assist an elderly, sick, or handicapped person by cleaning their home, yard, or garden.  You could also choose to plant or weed their vegetables in the spring.
• Help prepare a meal for someone who is in need.
• Perform an act of service for someone in your family every day for one week.
• Take time to read the Scriptures, The Friend, or Scripture Stories to a younger child on three occasions.
• Give service baby-sitting hours to your parents, another couple, or a single parent, while they attend a Church-sponsored activity, the Temple, leadership meetings, firesides, etc.
• Secretly perform an act of love or gratitude to someone who is not in your family.  Record how you felt about it in your journal.
• Write to a "Pen Pal" for three months. (A minimum of 3 letters)
• Participate in a Friendship Achievement Day. As a class, select a "secret friend" for each member and do something special for them. (Secret Sister Ideas)
• Have the kids make quilt blocks for a local shelter or hospital. I made 12 squares 12x12 and traced Noah’s Ark story from a coloring book with a crayon, then the kids colored the blocks with crayons. Later I ironed them to heat set it and finished the quilt. (Also good for a  quarterly activity).
• Make beanbags or some other simple toy for a children's hospital/shelter.
• Make Christmas care packages for missionaries - include items such as : stamps, stationary, breathmints, pens, cushioned innersoles for their shoes, coupons  w/ a coupon holder,  and treats. ( this care package could be adapted  for any person in any other kind of situation).
• Make stationary and bookmarks to give to an elderly hospital.  10-11 year old class brought books for children.  We furnished an audio tape.  The girls read and taped the book, and then we packaged them (the book and tape) and gave them to the Women's shelter.
• Make cookies or other treats to deliver to Fire and Police Stations as a "Thank You" for the services they offer our community.
• Attend a Neighborhood Watch meeting.
• Visit the local 911 dispatch office to see how it works.
• Do a service project for someone-wash windows,weed,etc.
• Ask nursery leaders for ideas for nursery projects
• Participate in Veteran's Day Parade or visit the veterans at the hospital
• Learn about the voting process & importance
• Go on a "cookie monster" ditching spree (Cookie Recipes) (Cookie Monster Handout for Cookies)
• Rake leaves for someone as a group with hot chocolate/donuts after
• Have a Fall party for younger children
• Visit a school board meeting
• Do a week's worth of secret deeds/family
• Talk to younger children about pledge of allegiance
• Memorize the Preamble (I learned it from the "Schoolhouse Rock" videos) ("Schoolhouse Rock" Website)
• 50 Ways to Serve Your Brother

Family Skills

• Participate in a Child-Care Achievement Day. Learn some activities to use when tending children such as: singing games, favorite stories, finger plays.  Make a baby sitting or "Kiddie Kare" kit.
• Discuss with your parents, leader, or another adult how to repair the following and repair at least one item: electrical cord, electrical plug, faucet washer, flat bicycle tire, garden or flower bed fence, leaky garden hose.
• Plan a nutritious menu for three meals and help shop, prepare, serve, and clean up. (OAMC Recipes)
• Learn how to plan, prepare for, plant and care for a garden.
• Obtain a houseplant for your room.  Learn good lighting, watering, and fertilizing techniques and keep it growing for two months.
• Learn to mend and repair your own clothes and repair three different items, using a different method for each.
• Learn how to quilt using different quilting methods.  Participate in making a quilt. (My Quilt Activity)
• Help prepare an item for food storage using one of the following methods: canning, freezing, drying. (OAMC Recipes)
• Help in pattern and fabric selection for an item of clothing and sew a simple item of clothing for yourself or someone else.
• Make a filing system with a box to file your important papers, etc.
• Participate in a Homemaking Skills Achievement Day to learn about organizing and cleaning techniques.

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Safety & Emergency Preparedness

Check out the First Aid Handouts in the YW Camp Section!

• Participate in a First-Aid Achievement Day.
• Explain what first-aid is and learn the "hurry cases" of first-aid and treatment for each.  Know what shock is and its relationship to the "hurry cases".  Know what to do for it. (See Boy Scout Handbook).  Under qualified teachers, learn  about and practice CPR
• Prepare a basic first-aid kit.
• Help make a family emergency preparedness kit.
• Learn how to identify edible plants and poisonous plants.
• Discuss how to avoid getting lost and what to do when you are lost in the outdoors.  Remember the importance of prayer.  Include wilderness survival specifics.
• Make a list of emergency phone numbers and place a list by each telephone in your home.
• Participate in a Personal Safety Achievement Day. Learn and explain what to do in case of a grease fire, clothing fire, electrical fire, etc.
• Learn where the electrical, water, and gas turn-offs are for your house. Learn how to turn them on or off in case of an emergency.
• Prepare a family home evening including the lesson, visual aids, and refreshments (FHE Kits)
• Have a service scavenger hunt -- earn points for family chores & report back
• Learn how to make bread - rolls, biscuits with your mother or Grandmother or other relative
• Learn how to iron a shirt/dress
• Make a "babysitting" kit
• Learn simple electrical repairs
• Help with a garden
• With your parents, prepare a family fire escape plan and rendezvous place.  Present and practice it with your family.
• Attend a Neighborhood Watch meeting.
• Visit the local 911 dispatch office to see how it works.

Family History

Check out the Family History Activity section!
Geneology Links
Quotes from Church Leaders about Family History
YW Journal Jar

• Complete your "family tree".  Bring your genealogy and share information and pictures with your class.
• Write your personal history. Make a collage of special things about you and your history.
• Interview your grandparents and record it.
• Begin a personal scrapbook.
• Complete Genealogy Sheets for your immediate family.
• Read from an ancestor's journal.
• Visit Family History Center - use  computers
• Mount pictures in a scrapbook
• Use color pencils to make a house chart, including four generation information
• Prepare and share a story around a campfire about ancestor
• Make a scrapbook and learn about keeping it up
• Visit and nursing home and talk with the residents about the  “good old days".  Find out what events stick out in their minds, who their favorite singers were, the types of danced they did, etc.  Research these events and people, and find as many prictures as you can of them.
• Cover a simple notebook to create a journal (Keeping a Journal)
• Interview grandparents, great aunts, etc.

Education & Scholarship

• Develop good study habits.  Reserve and use a specific time each day for homework.
• Participate in school-sponsored activities.
• Study about other cultures. (I am a Child of God - Multiple Languages)
• Attend specialized classes during summer vacation.
• Read newspapers and news magazines regularly or listen to television and radio newscasts to become acquainted with current events.
• Make a list of enjoyable books; then read them.
• Read a book and give a review of it.
• Read from a good book every day.
• Participate in a Current Events Achievement Day.
• Visit City Library
• Learn a new skill such as leading music
• Read a book to a younger child
• Have guest speakers come & talk about their professions
• Improve grades in one subject
• Go to work with a parent for a few hours
• Get a book at the library that everyone reads and discusses together
• Research a topic of your choice & report

Personal Preparedness

Fence or Ambulance - Poem about preparedness

• Plan and save money for post-high school education.
• Visit your local library and look up information on careers.
• Invite a special guest speaker to share their career such as: beautician, nurse, teacher, accountant, secretary, etc.
• Plan out your goals for your future education.
• Have a career day and have class members share information on what they want to be.
• Make a Personal Kit to be carried in your backpack or purse.  Fill a Ziploc bag with the following: Band-Aids, 2 or 3 quarters, emergency phone numbers, needle and thread, tissues, shoelaces, nail clippers, small pair of scissors, etc.
• Have someone speak to girls about time management skills - their level!
• Talk about money/monthly budgeting
• Help draw up a savings plan for 6-8 yrs
• Help with canning/freezing/drying any kind of fruit or vegetable
• Do career research & visits to interests
• Learn about food storage & help rotate
• Visit a bank and learn about savings plans
• Keep track of your money for 1 month
• Work as a babysitter, housecleaner,  yard mower, or other job & learn a skill
• Make jam, pickles, saurkraut, etc.
• Learn more about wheat - grinding, cooking, storing, baking, etc. (Wheat 101)

For an Achievement day activity, I made a long jump rope from the handles of a dollar store jump rope and cotton clothes line rope. I made a hop scotch board on our cultural hall floor from masking tape. Instead of using rocks for the hop scotch game, our leader made small beanbags from sturdy bright cloth and gave the girls a marker to put their names on and to decorate them. I purchased a skein of yarn for cats cradle. One corner of the cultural hall was designated to teach the girls the jump rope games like "School" and "Teddy Bear." The other was where we taught them hop scotch. Another part was for the cats cradle . The girls were split up into 3 groups and about every 20 minutes or so the groups switched corners so all would learn the rules of these almost forgotten games.

I think this could be considered a "pioneer" day activity, too. Remind the girls to wear their athletic clothes and shoes.

For a take home handout they can keep their cats cradle yarn, and give them a piece of that large size sidewalk chalk, and copies of the jump rope verses and maybe a jump rope each if your budget allows.

To update the activity make two jump ropes and teach double dutch jumping.

--CES Deltona, Fl Ward