BEEHIVES

FUN KIDNAPPING IDEA: -  - In our ward we have a very young presiidency and we all have small cars so to kidnap the new Beehives and all go togethere would not work. We came up with a really fun idea that the girls loved! Two girls show up at the new bee's house with a sign saying I am a new Bee that they put around her neck and put a blindfold on (make sure a leader is there to supervise, they can get carried away with excitment), then walk to the next girls house where two more Beehives are waiting and they will put on the NewBee some ridiculouse clothes. Keep going doing hair, makeup, shoes, etc. until you end up at the leaders house where you put the girl in front of a mirror and take the blind fold off. Make sure you have a camera ready! NEW BEEHIVES: -  - I'm the beehive advisor for our ward. This year we have about 10 new girls coming in and we have decided to do something special for them. We are kidnapping each girl as she comes in and take her out to ice cream. We have done it once already and we are going to be doing it 8 more times before December. We are very excited about it and want to share this idea with others.  LITTLE GIRLS NIGHT: -  We had a really fun activity that the girls loved.  We called it "Little Girls Night."  The girls all brought a baby picture, a favorite doll or stuffed animal, and a favorite storybook from her childhood.  We guessed who was who from our baby pictures, then oohed and ahhd over them.  Then we shared memories from our childhoods, about our dolls or animals. Then each girl read her story to the others...they were so cute, they read with such animation in their voices!  As they listened to and read stories, we ate animal cookies and drank milk. Our value focus that month was integrity and we talked about how little children are so loving and forgiving and stand up for what they believe.  We read the scripture about becoming as a little child and I challenged them to not be childish but childlike.  Then we went outside and played tag.  The girls just had such a fun time being "little" again, they giggled the whole evening. Vicki NEW BEEHIVE GIRLS: -  How about a beehive made of paper mache.  Paint it gold/yellow with wire attached to fun foam bees. On the hive print  "Bee all that you can Bee"  or "Welcome to the Buzzy Hive"  Put the girls name and the date she joined.  You can make it like a piggy bank.  Patti Domingo  Beehive Advisor :  -  Ideas on duties of the Beehive Advisor BEEHIVE CONFERENCES: -  Our stake has done a terrific job with the Beehive conferences each year.   There is always a cute theme - one year it was "Angels Among Us"... the invitations had angels ("be an angel and come to the Beehive Conference"), one of the mini-workshops was a craft to make an adorable angel pin (we painted wooden bodies, glued on hair, etc.)  There is always a keynote introductory speaker, then 3 mini-workshops that the girls rotate between, then the traditional 15-foot long subway sandwich cut into chunks for all participants (and fruit & chips & drinks) for lunch.  The workshops have ranged from spiritual/inspirational to memory-book making to journal-writing classes (lots of hand-outs).  One year they had a line-dancing/aerobic class...another year was the angel-making craft.  I remember one class called "honor the name that you bear" - adorable cards decorated with teddy bears were handed out, and everyone looked up their names in books that told what different names mean.  In that class pictures of several of the recent prophets were displayed, and we had to match names with their pictures.    More recently, I understand that the conference has been set up so that the girls can get a whole bunch of personal progress goals signed off as they participate in the day. SOCIALIZATION BETWEEN DEACONS/BEEHIVES: -  The guidelines are very specific that the socialization should be minimal.  I have been a beehive leader for six years and always hurt for the left out time for my girls.  It took a long time to realize that the youth label things as 'Been There, Done That'.  I feel a real concern that we let them grow up too fast, then nothing new seems to be there so the desire for attendance lessens.  I would prayerfully consider the long term value of these types of activities, and remember there is a reason guidelines do not allow them in on the other youth conferences.