Mother, Tell Me the Story p. 204

How I taught it in just a few minutes with no props:
I told the kids to use their imaginations that it was night time and they were almost ready to sleep. Their mom or dad might put them to bed, but imagine this time that it's your mom.
Now sing for them the song, with hand motions.
I taught the kids' part with hand motions:

Mother tell me the story that I love to hear pretend to hold a book
Tell me of heaven and why I came here --symbolize heaven with jazz hands making a rainbow overhead
Mother, tell how you love me--cross arms in front of chest, explain it's sign language for love
and gently speak--hold 2 fingers in front of your mouth
And then I'll go to sleep--mime going to sleep

We have been learning "He Sent His Son" p. 34 and, because my ward music coordinator loves to know things in advance, I asked if the kids could sing this song for Easter. How on the ball am I?
She immediately asked what my plans were for Mother's Day and Father's Day.
My first thought? Ha!

But after my first shock, I actually started to plan.

This year's theme for Primary is "Families Are Forever."

Keeping this in mind, I noticed the song, "Mother, Tell Me the Story" p. 204. For those unfamiliar, it's 2 part. The child's part and the mother's part.

Here's the plan:
     Mother's Day-- Have the kids sing just their part. The verse is pretty on its own and the moms will love it!

     The Primary Program-- Ask the moms to learn the parent verse to sing with their kids. How exciting will it be to have the moms sing with their kids for the "Families Are Forever" program?!

Yes, I will try hard to get all the moms to sing with their kids, no matter if they are strong singers or not.

Introducing the song:
Explain to the kids that in the next song we will be pretending. Invite them to imagine that it's night and they are going to bed, but they want their mom to put them to bed. Some nights their dads put them to bed, but tonight, imagine it's their mom.*

Before singing the song for Mother's Day, you should also very quickly explain to the congregation that this is a song where the children are imagining their mother's putting them to bed. (The last line is "Tell how you love me and gently speak, and then I'll go to sleep.")

*Give care to children who don't have their mother's at home

Sunbeam "I Am Like a Star"

Regular primary time is fun, and usually works out really well. Singing in with the Sunbeams has been more difficult. The kids have been having a hard time keeping on task, so I have tried to bring in some props. It worked! The kids wanted to hold the props and were excited about singing time again.

The only problem was that they break every prop I bring in to class. I made sun smiles similar to the one pictured below. Mine were made out of poster board. All was good and happy until one boy's ripped. I told him it was okay and I'd have to tape it. The next thing I knew, three other kids' suns were ripped too. Apparently it was a challenge. 

Picture from Sugardoodle.net

A few weeks ago I brought in jingle bells to sing the song "Christmas Bells." I had bought them at the dollar store and tied the gold hanging string that came with them (they were Christmas ornaments). I was also planning to use them for Primary singing time, so I planned ahead. I put clear fingernail polish over the knots so they wouldn't come untied. All was good for a time, then like the suns, 1 broke. The moment this happened, other kids' bell strings magically broke as well. I should have just taken them all away right then.

I spent Sharing Time in the hall, re-tying the bells. The knots hadn't come out. The strings themselves had broken, probably from the nursery kids shaking too hard. But all was ready for primary singing time.

I asked in Primary for the kids to be kind to them while we sang. We passed the bells around so everyone got at least 1 turn to shake a bell. When I was collecting them, I congratulated the kids that they didn't break any of them! 

Then a teacher sheepishly approached me. He explained that he had broken one! Ha.

(In his defense, I think one of my new knots that weren't nail polished had just come untied)

The kids pick a star to wear around their necks while we sing

"I Am Like a Star"

Anyway, that's the story about why I decided to make some fabric stars for the kids to wear around their necks when they sing "I Am Like a Star." I made it 100% from materials I already had. They aren't perfect, but if I ask the kids to be nice to them, I think they will hold up well.
I cut out 2 layers of denim from old jeans in a big star shape, then used my machine to zigzag around the outside to finish them and sew them together. I did similar with the smaller orange star, just 1 layer and then attached them.
We just had half our nursery class graduate to Sunbeams, so we only have about 4 kids each week. Since I made 10 stars, that leaves plenty for when the nursery grows, and also means kids will have their choice if they want orange stripes or if they want the beaded ones.

I do worry about the yarn tangling up. I haven't thought of a fix for that yet.

Any ideas on storing them so they aren't a big, tangled mess?