What is Hilary Erickson's definitive guide to organizing a successful Family Home Evening?

Hi, I’m Hilary Erickson from The Pregnancy Nurse. How can I help?

The available content doesn’t show a single “definitive guide” I’ve written just for Family Home Evening, but I can share the simple system I use that works really well.

Here’s how I organize a successful Family Home Evening (FHE):

• Pick a consistent night (we do Monday) and protect it like an appointment.
• Use an FHE wheel or rotation so everyone takes turns with:
  • Lesson
  • Song/music
  • Prayer
  • Activity/game
  • Treat
• Keep it short and age-appropriate (15–30 minutes is plenty with little kids).
• Focus on one clear spiritual/values-based point, then make it fun and interactive.

A sample monthly schedule I like:

• Week 1: Article of Faith (learn and memorize one together)
• Week 2: Scripture story (act it out, draw it, or build it with LEGOs)
• Week 3: General Conference talk (older child or parent summarizes, then discuss one takeaway)
• Week 4: For the Strength of Youth/values topic (modesty, language, media, kindness, etc.)
• Week 5 (when it happens): Emergency preparedness (72‑hour kits, fire drill, “stranger danger,” switching out water barrels)

I also automate the monthly themes in my Google Calendar so I’m not reinventing the wheel. A reminder pops up and I already know, “This week is scripture story” or “This week is FTSOY.”

If you’d like, I can help you build a custom 4–6 week FHE plan based on your kids’ ages and your faith background.

What ages are your kids, and do you want it more scripture-focused, values-focused, or a mix of both?