Pictionary/Charades

Materials: Chalk

The day of the primary program I knew the kids would be tired. They had already done all their parts, sung all their songs, and got congratulated by a million people. Well, that would either make them tired or hyper.

Anyway, I decided to keep singing time really simple: I asked the kids to either draw or act out their favorite primary song. Then the kids would guess, and we would sing the song. After that the child who guessed got to draw or act out the next song.

The kids basically all wanted to draw rather than act, but they loved it. It took no prep and everyone had fun.

Below I recreated a  Sunbeam's drawing of "I Love to See the Temple." I was super impressed by how well she did. She's a sharp one.

Father's Day

I'm pretty excited about doing this with the kids!
Game involving a tie and a blindfold to pick the songs.
Materials: A Poster with spots for 6 letters, the letters to the word father, a tie, a blindfold, Pick'em sticks to choose kids at random.
Instructions:
Explain that dads guide us and today 1 child will get to wear a tie and guide another child who is blindfolded to put the letters on the poster. Show that the letters will go in order. Choose 1 child to be the dad and 1 to be the child. Take out your first letter--F--and tell the kids the "father" is going to tell the blindfolded child where to put the letter.
After 1 child directs the other, say that it's time to sing the song on the back of the letter.
Repeat with new kids until all the letters to father are up.
If you use songs listed below, explain what each of them has to do with fathers.

F--He Sent His Son p. 34 (Song about Heavenly Father)
A--Once There Was a Snowman p. 249 (Try this: replace the word "tall" with "dad." Tell them dads are tall.)
T--I Will Follow God's Plan p. 164 (Song about families)
H--Father (Mother) Tell Me the Story p. 204 (replace the word "mother" with "father")
E-- Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes p. 275 (replace 1 word with "Dad"--for example sing "Head, shoulders, knees and Dad, knees and Dad, knees and Dad."
R-- The Family is of God v. 2 (sheet music) (this is the dad verse)

(If time, sing favorite songs picked by the kids)

Lip Syncing--a fun way to practice for memorization

Yesterday we worked on memorizing I Stand All Amazed. Here's what I told them:
Materials: Nothing. That's so easy :)

"Do you know what lip syncing is?"
An older boy explained that it's when you pretend to sing, but actually no voice is coming out.
"Today we're going to take some turns lip syncing. I want you to mouth the words 'I Stand All Amazed' really clearly, but not to make any sound."
I mouthed the words by myself and then told them to try it with me, using my hand to conduct just like we were singing.
Then I had a kid choose a picture from the "flip chart" to take down--telling them they'd need to remember the words without the prompt. I told all the boys to lip sync while the girls sang and I told them that I wanted them to mouth the words so well that I would think they were really singing.
After the boys did it, I had them sing while the girls were able to lip sync. The girls made pretty cute lip sync-ers too.

Pros: This was so funny, especially for the older boys. A few of them were so good at it. In fact, they looked more into the music than they usually do even when they're singing.
I also like that even though they kids aren't singing half the time, they are thinking about the words and notes, so they are still practicing. You'd be amazed at what you can learn just by putting mental effort into something.
Also, the kids thought it was funny, but they still kept the song reverent. They were actually pretty still because they were focusing on lip syncing.

Cons: I didn't have any overt problems.
This activity was less fun for the Sunbeams, though I let them pick some of the pictures to take down. But that's the only thing I can think of that didn't go as well, and honestly, singing time for the Sunbeams this early in the year is so often them listening while the other kids sing.

Sing-O-Meter

Honestly, after making it I wished I hadn't written "Poor" and just left it blank. Or maybe used stars...
I also think "better" is a bit confusing. Ha.

This is an activity to help your kids focus on singing well.

Materials to make your poster: 1 piece of white posterboard, folded in half to make it sturdier; 6 rectangles of colored construction paper, each 3 inches x 1 inch, 30 inches of yarn (or ribbon); the top of a juice concentrate can; hot glue gun; black Sharpie; scotch tape to "laminate" the holes the yarn goes through

The juice can lid is on a pulley system--when you pull the knot down in back, the lid rises.

Directions: Explain to the kids that as they sing well, the judge will rate how they are doing. I let kids be the judges, but you could easily do it yourself or get another adult do it. Tell the kids that they only get a "Wow" if they are singing their very best. Singing well means you sing pretty, you listen to the introduction, you watch the director, and you think about the words and try to put in some emotion. If the song has motions, do the motions, if not sit up straight.

Pros: The kids really sang well for this. The best thing is the reverence during the introduction. The kids in my primary have a really hard time listening to introductions, so the fact that all the kids were quiet was just amazing to me. Also, I did let kids judge (I drew names or let teachers pick kids in their classes who were singing well) and they enjoyed that too.

Cons: Although it worked well and the kids thought it was cool, I don't actually like to judge them all the time. I would only do this on occasions. Also, I wonder if I shouldn't have written "Poor." I know some Sing-O-Meters don't have comparisons written, but are things like a balloon that moves to the top of a pole.
But that was my concern. The kids seemed unfazed by it.
Perhaps I'll bring in another Sing-O-Meter in the future with pictures.

Any suggestions for a better word than "better"?

A Singing 4 Corners Game

Last Sunday most of the kids were less than enthusiastic about singing time. It was partially my fault--my plans were not as good as they could have been--I tried to teach them too much new.
So this week I came prepared with the help of Sunbeam Singing Time's Post I had a new idea.

Materials: Numbers 1-4 written on construction paper, a blindfold

Set-up: Tape or push pin one number in each corner of the room.

Directions:

Tell the kids that you have something fun to play, but they have to be really reverent or you can't play (I'm not great at being stern, but I made them listen today).

First we discussed what pretty singing is--I said it was loud enough to hear, but not shouting. Sing prettily. Also, make sure we can understand the words--I gave an example of mumbling while singing the kids thought was funny.

Next I explained I would pick a name from my Pick'em Sticks of a child to be a judge of pretty singing. While I put a blindfold on the child, everyone else would walk really reverently with their arms folded into a corner. I helped the judge child into the center of the room.

After that we sang our song and the judge picked the prettiest corner. "Don't just pick the corner you think your friend is in. Pick the prettiest one!"
Those not in the prettiest corner sit down, while those who were in the prettiest corner got to walk around for another round. I picked a new judge, and the kids in the winning corner got to stay in.

New Rule this round: The judge may pick the sitting group if they are prettier than the corners!

We sang each song for 2-3 rounds. At a new song, we reset and everyone was back in again.

Pros: 

This worked really well in my small primary of about 20 kids. Even a girl who hadn't come to church in over a year who came today was singing the song we learned today!

Cons:

It did take awhile to explain this game and ate up some of our time. 

Tips:

I told the Sunbeams to stick with their teachers.

Funnies

Today in singing time I had to laugh at a few points.

I introduced I Will Follow God's Plan by telling the story of the war in heaven. On a spiritual note, it's amazing to tell true stories to kids who may not have ever listened to them before! We even have some kids whose family is investigating the church. I was struck by how important it is to explain scripture truths simply and clearly.

When I got to the point where God presented a plan and Satan presented one, and what they suggested, I asked the kids whose plan they chose. Many kids said they chose God's plan. Then a new child, just old enough for primary, told me, "I chose cars!"

We also sang Follow The Prophet. After singing about Adam "we are his descendants in the latter days" I asked what descendants means.
One boy guessed it meant servants. I got a mental image of all the people in the world serving Adam.

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?

Singing is Contagious!

Today to help the kids practice the songs we're singing for Christmas really well, I let them give me the Singing Measles!

Image from here
I didn't redecorate myself at home to get a picture of it.

Materials: Round label stickers

Instructions: Tell the kids that good singing is contagious! Ask what the chicken pox looks like (lots of spots) and say we're going to play a game: If they are singing really well, they will become contagious. Their teachers will give the good singers each a sticker that they can use to decorate/infect me. After each song, tell the teachers to give stickers only to kids who were really singing. Then give them a chance to cover you with stickers :)

Pros: I got some very nice, loud singing out of them, the best I've heard in a month :)

Cons: It wasn't until I was sitting on a chair, letting myself be decorated by swarms of kids that I began to think about other contagions this time of year, ones that could really make me ill. When I got home, I immediately showered and dropped all my clothes in the wash.
No, this con won't stop me from doing it again, but maybe next time I'll bring hand sanitizer for everyone to use prior to starting :)

How well do you know your FAVORITE song?!

How well do you know your FAVORITE song?!

That's a challenge for the kids. After we did this activity I said to myself, "This is their favorite game to play." Then I realized that was wrong. What I should have said was, "This is my favorite game to play with them."

For some reason, whenever I pull out fancy props from the closet, the kids don't seem to like it quite as well as the really simple games we play.

Materials: masking tape, paper strips, Sharpie

Instructions: Tell the kids you want to challenge a person who things that they know their favorite song really well. Tell them that we will sing their favorite song for them, but leave out a word, and when we're done, they'll have to tell us what the word is.
Get a volunteer who is up to the challenge and find out what the favorite song is. Write a common word on a wordstrip, big enough to read, and tape it to their forehead. Then get them to show the pianist so he can not play the note for that word, too.
Then sing it, and then ask the kid what word it was.
Most of the kids are so proud, they keep their wordstrips on their forehead for the rest of singing time.

Samuel the Lamanite

Today I decided, very shortly before primary started, that I wanted to teach the Samuel the Lamanite verse of Book of Mormon Stories (p. 118) in conjunction with Samuel Tells of the Baby Jesus (p. 36). We've already been learning Samuel Tells of the Baby Jesus.

Arrows could not hit him for a man of God was he.
Get the whole cut out from LDS.org here

I thought this was great to remind the kids of more of the story of Samuel. The Christmas song tells about how he prophesied of baby Jesus's birth in 5 years and that a night will be as day. We discussed that this meant that the sun would go down, but it would still be light out. Note: we did this a week ago when we first learned the song.
The verse of Book of Mormon Stories tells another part of the story: Samuel taught from the city wall and people shot arrows at him and couldn't hit him. Also, he was a Lamanite teaching repentance to the wicked Nephites.

I taught it with hand motions, call and repeat:

Samuel the Lamanite, high on the city wall (form a wall with your hands)
Came to warn the people, and repentance was his call, (pretend you're Samuel, waving a hand from left to right, like you're looking at a crowd below you)
Arrows could not hit him for a man of God was he. (pretend to shoot arrows)
And he taught in the land righteously. (right hand out, left hand out [positioned similar to the "I don't know" pose], right hand in, left hand in, head down [end with your arms folded].
I never knew describing those actions would be confusing. These are the same actions I use for the end of the first 2 verses as well)

The kids really enjoyed this song, and I felt it helped the younger ones learn more about the story of Samuel the Lamanite.Still, I don't think we'll perform this song before "Samuel Tells of the Baby Jesus" during Sacrament :)

Some of you get to be turkeys... A November singing time

On my hand turkey, I had actually written a clue for each song on each feather and the head. Before each song I let the kids guess what each clue meant.
ex. BoM was Book of Mormon Stories
ex. Head was Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes

Materials: a turkey picture (I just drew a hand turkey on the board with chalk), a bag/envelope with the following papers inside

--wearing red

--wearing blue

--wearing black

--boys

--girls

--blue eyes

--brown eyes
--green eyes

--freckles

Instructions: I told the kids that today I would pick some kids to be turkeys. Now turkeys don't really know the words to the songs: they only know one word. Everyone who is not a turkey sings all the song, but the turkeys sit quietly and then sing only the one word. (at this point all the kids were raising their hands, hoping to be turkeys).

Then I told them my envelope would tell me who the turkeys would be. I drew a slip from the envelope

(If I picked the blue eyes one, the children with blue eyes are turkeys).

Then I picked a word from the song, example "asleep" in "Away in a Manger," and that is the only word the turkeys sing. I also had them put their hands up on their chins when they sang the word, to look like the... thing that hangs off a turkey's neck. 

We sang each song through a few times, picking new turkeys and words each time.

Pros: The kids loved being declared turkeys. How surprising is that?! Also, this was a good activity to review a set of songs each a few times.

Primary CDs 2013

I just thought I'd share where I got mp3s for the primary song CDs (don't worry, nothing illegal).
The LDS website has suggested mp3s here, but I was so excited to find some other options too.

1) If the Savior Stood Beside Me--here is a free mp3 that's gorgeous from  Sally Deford's Website. I use the one from Angie Jack. Just a note on the church website version: the kids sing the wrong word on the 2nd verse. Just another reason to use the Angie Jack version.

2) Audio from General Conference children choirs!
I was thrilled to find these. Just search for whatever song you want. "My Heavenly Father Loves Me"  is under the name Primary Song Medley (yes, with I Know My Father Lives)
I like the children choir versions better than the ones suggested in the primary program links.

3) You can beg people from Youtube for the right to use their audio. I had little luck with this route, but I found lots of versions of songs I'd love to use if I had permission.

We Thank Thee, O God, for a Prophet

We started by doing what was suggested in the 2013 Primary Program book: I made word strips in different colors with each half of a line and then put the second halves of lines around the room. The first halves of lines (on the left) I put in order, taped on the board (because I hadn't figured out the yarn trick at that point).
Then I had the kids try to pick out the second half of each line. Some kids picked up immediately that the colors corresponded, the first half of line to the second half, but most kids really struggled to think which of the word strips came next.
After we had a line put together we sang it. That got boring, so I had 1/2 the kids stand up and sing the first part of the line and then sit down while the other half of the kids stood and finished each line for them. That was fun. Most of my directing was getting the kids up and down. With the teachers' help in the classes, the kids got the words.
The words are hard for kids and we did discuss them some.
I also brought in props to go with each:
Lines 1-2) The conference ensign with our prophet's picture on it
Line 3) A picture of the golden plates
Line 4) I drew a picture of the sun in chalk and talked about how the gospel makes us feel good, just like rays of the sun make us warm (very hard concept, yes)
Line 5) An apple, since food is a blessing (which the kids wanted to eat. Don't eat my prop!)
Line 6) A picture of a hand
Line 7) Work gloves for service
Line 8) A heart for love

Now I found that many word strips really cumbersome to magnet up or take up, so I bought a hot glue gun (just $3) and glued it to yarn. These fold up, and you can just hang them up.
You can also turn individual pages backwards when you're memorizing.

I also had the music coordinator in Sacrament have the congregation sing this as a hymn about a month after the kids started learning it.

Review-- If the Savior Stood Beside Me

So the kids are losing the words to "It the Savior Stood Beside Me," and with as many verbs are in the song, who can blame them?
Would I THINK of his commandments and TRY harder to be true?
Would I FOLLOW his example? Would I live more RIGHTEOUSLY? (okay, that's an adverb)

Verse 2 hard part:
Would my words be TRUE and KIND if he were never far away? (Yeah, I know. These are pronouns.)
Would I try to SHARE the gospel? Would I speak more REVERENTLY?

I narrowed it down a bit and decided to make scratch off surprises for the key words.
Directions below, idea came from here, though.
Materials:

Clear Contact paper
Acrylic paint
Regular dish soap
A disposable bowl to mix, scissors, a spoon, sturdy paper, a pencil

1) Make your papers to scratch off by writing the lyrics, leaving space for "think," follow," etc. to be covered.
2) Cut out an oval shape that will fit over each hidden word.
3) On the paper side of clear contact paper, trace the 6 ovals (approximate is fine)
4) To make the scratch off paint, combine 2 parts acrylic paint and 1 part dish soap. You will need 3-4 layers of it. Paint it on the plastic side of the clear contact paper.
5) After the layers are all dry, cut them out (using your tracing on the back) and hide your lyrics with them.

When running this I put them with the corresponding picture hints and explained what we were trying to find. Then I had them sing the first verse and try to remember what words filled in the blanks (this part worked well. I did motions for think and follow to get the kids connecting the dots).
Then I asked who thought they knew what went in the first blank. After the guess, I let them scratch it off and see how it went.

Pros: This was fun. I was a bit nervous that the kids would be so excited about scratching with coins that they wouldn't know the words, but each kid I asked had paid attention and knew what was under that paint.

Cons: I actually tweaked the ratio of paint to dish soap. Don't do that. It made it hard to scratch off.

We only got through the first verse last time. I think I'm going to redo the scratchers on some more first verse cards and see if the kids remembered (quickly) before moving onto the second verse.

Back to School week

The older kids were looking a little bored last week, so I decided to change it up a bit.
This week I wrote Aa Bb Cc on the board and brought some things in for a back to school theme.
After the welcome song, I told them that this week was school themed and that I needed to look more like a teacher. Right then and there I put my hair up in a silly, loose bun, stuffed it with pencils, and donned little framed glasses which I wore WAY down on my nose. I wish I had brought a shawl.

Me as a "teacher," getting them ready for school to start.

I asked the a volunteer to pick out of my school objects the one that represented recess, because they'd been working hard at church so far and deserved some recess!
He picked a ball and then we sang a wiggle song as recess.
Next I said that we had to do some cutting, just like we do in school, and could someone pick out the correct school object?
She picked the scissors. I told the "students" that we were going to cut, not paper, but that the scissors were a symbol. I told the kids that we were all going to stand and sing and my helped was going to find the very very best singer and CUT them from singing--that means that they have to sit down and the rest of us will have to finish without our best singers. (I sent her 4 times in the song to cut someone).
After that, running out of time since we started singing time by going into RS and singing I Like to Look for Rainbows for them, we only had time for 1 more.
I asked a volunteer to pick our class pet. It was the frog and we played Find the Frog (directions here) together.

I also had an eraser that we could have used to "erase" words from one of our songs. We didn't get that far.

Pros: The kids thought it was funny when I dressed up. The teachers may have thought it was funnier. Also, they were interested in practicing the same songs for the program, that we really need to learn.

Cons: Maybe just that I did have volunteers so some kids wanted a turn and didn't get them. But I really didn't have any problems today.

When I Am Baptized p. 102

Most of the kids really know this one already, I discovered when I taught it. But I had been tricky and used it as the closing song the week before to test the waters, and only about half the kids sang it then.
Here's what I did.

Materials: several pieces of chalk, chalkboard that rolls

Instructions: I wrote the first letter of each word to the song on the rolling chalk board down low, EXCEPT a key word from each line. Then I left a big box there. and wrote that word at the bottom.
The first line looked like this:

ILTLF (box with "rainbows" written in the bottom).

Then I asked for artists to come up and draw the key words (Rainbows, Rain, Ponder, Earth--that was for verse 1). I showed them how to read the first letters, and then we sang it through.

The Pros: This was easy and the kids liked to come up and draw on the board. Because they are chalk drawings, it encouraged kids to go fast.

The Cons: It was a "I'm going to choose a few people to participate while everyone else gets to watch" activity. Also, the first week I tried this I put it on the chalk board in the back and some of the boxes were too high for the kids to reach even on chairs. But putting it on the rolling chalkboard helps it be close enough to the kids that they can see the pictures even down low.

Another idea that I wish I did, but never found the materials:
I wanted to make a rain stick for this song! How cool would that have been? But I couldn't find a round heavy cardboard tube. But I keep my eyes peeled for one and I can always add it in later.
And, yes, the post office didn't have one. There's are all square. But thinking now, maybe a square rain stick would be cool too.
Directions to make one:
http://theimaginationtree.com/2011/02/diy-rain-stick.html
And while the directions look good, I probably would decorate it differently :) This woman let her 2 year old do it.

Families Can Be Together Forever, week 2

Materials: Flip chart for this song (found here.) Ziplock bag of toys (I used props that I had just used for another activity), bean bag, picture of a temple

Object Lesson (no credit should go to me. I borrowed this)
Instructions: show that the Ziplock bag is open.
"If I turn this bag of (props) over, what will happen to them?"
(They'll fall on the floor)
"How can I make sure they stay together? Yes, I need to zip it up and SEAL the zipper."
Now turn the bag over and shake.
"Can you unseal the zipper? Yes, but I know a different kind of sealing that works to keep families together forever. Were does this SEALING happen? Yes, the temple. (Point to temple picture) And whose power is it that seals families together? (The priesthood power, God's power)

I am thankful for my family because:
After reviewing the words, tell the kids that as they sing, they have to watch me. As they sing the song, they are going to be passing a bean bag around, making sure it gets to everyone. Whenever I hold up the picture of the temple, they need to stop singing (make sure the pianist can see you so they can stop too). Then whoever is holding the bean bag gets to share 1 reason why they are thankful for their family.

25 minutes and NO helpers

Today in primary singing time we did a lot. We sang the Pioneer Children Sang As They Walked, then we learned (went over, many kids know this song) "Families Can Be Together Forever." After that we sang a wiggle song.

The kids were involved, and yet after I sat down I realized that I didn't use any kids as helpers at ALL.
I kind of liked that since then no kids felt like they were dying for a turn. I'll tell you a bit about what I did.
For "Pioneer Children" I introduced it with the theme of pioneers, who they were, etc. I asked the kids what they knew about pioneers, and then we sang the song with a flip chart that I found in the closet which had all the words.

Just a side note, I usually don't like flip charts to have all the words. This makes kids rely on them too much. On the other hand, since I don't actually care if the kids get this one memorized, and the chart was already made up that way, I went with it. But normally, no way. Or I detach the words after the first few weeks.
We sang it through while walking in place. I had the boys and girls switch off singing every other line. We sang it twice.

Families Can Be Together Forever p. 188
 
After this I got out this month's July 2013 Ensign and showed them the picture of the Nauvoo saints leaving, heading West, and tragically leaving the temple behind. I got close to them,walking around, asking kids to tell me what they saw. It let all the kids participate a little. Then I asked about the building in the background. One boy identified it as the temple. I explained how the Saints worked to build it. I told them about how the saints were almost done when the Lord told them they needed to leave because people were being mean to them. I asked them why they finished the temple, when they knew they would have to leave it behind. (This got some really good answers. I love how thoughtful kids can be.) Then I asked what covenants and ordinances occur in the temple. We discussed how you can be with your family forever.
Yes, this was a lead in for Families Can Be Together Forever.
This song we just sang twice because they really seemed to know it. I'll show you the flip chart I made.

example of the pages when colored

And then I colored them with colored pencils and put them in page protectors. At first I put clear contact paper over all my flip books, but that takes a long time. Then I found a pack of 15 page protectors at the dollar store. Also, I know lots of people print them off in color. I dislike this because ink can be expensive and coloring isn't hard.

I sometimes wonder if flip charts or these other methods are as necessary for the songs the kids are already familiar with, but then I realize that the younger kids really do need the confidence of being taught every word. It's the first time really learning these songs for them. Also, the very young sometimes don't sing in church, but their parents report that at home they know a lot of the words.

Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes p. 275
After this we did Head Shoulders, Knees and Toes, but with a twist. I had body part cards in a bag and picked 4 new body parts to sing instead of H, S, K, T. Then we sang it. Because we were a little in a hurry because my time was running short, I just picked them and posted them on the board. The kids were excited and one boy said we should do 8 new body parts (instead of doing the traditional eyes ears mouth and nose) I promised that for next week.

I realized after making the below pictures that no one could read them, so I wrote the body parts big on the back and used a magnet to attach to the board. Yes, that's a fail on my part.

I got the great page to color here.

That was my singing time with no special volunteers, and it really worked well. Perhaps I would choose special volunteers to help me do the actions for the new Head Shoulders Knees and Toes song. But I think today's plans worked well because I got the kids up for the first song, told them a story for the lead in to the second, and then really got them moving and thinking for the third. It seems like the more involved I can get the entire group, the better.
No, I'm not against ever choosing volunteers. But it was a relief from last week. I had 2 volunteers each time we sang a song through last week and everyone wanted a turn.

All Find the Frog Singing Time, a reflection

We had a fifth Sunday and so the presidency generously gave to me all 45 minutes for singing time. We hadn't played their favorite game, hot and cold called Find the Frog, in a little while. I figured this would be a good thing to do to review all the songs we've learned so far for the program. Plus they love it.
I posted picture reminders for all the songs (that really took awhile to set up before primary), and then we dived right in.
The Pros: We covered most of our songs, even stopping to work on timing on the last line to If the Savior Stood Beside Me. The kids would sing out in hopes of being chosen next to either find or hide the frog next game. I could tell there were some words the kids really knew. Also, despite some rowdiness, I think the kids had a really good time.

The Cons: The kids got somewhat rowdy. Part of this was that there was a special 5th Sunday combined meeting for the adults, so we only had 3 adults in primary, since the bishop wanted all the adults possible to attend that meeting. Also, whenever I stopped to do something else not involving the frog, the kids got impatient. I did threaten to take away the game if the kids didn't shape up, and that got them really focused.

Next Time: I think I will start everything else, and then bring out the frog game, instead of  bringing it out first. Also, I may want to use choosing sticks with the kids' names on them to pick to make it fair. I say "may" because at the beginning just choosing the good singers worked really well. But by the end I ended up having to ask, "Who hasn't gotten a turn with the frog yet?" And it's not like the younger ones could even remember correctly. Also, I would like to do some wiggle songs/activities before starting to make kids more tired since hot and cold actually requires little movement from the group.

So any ideas from your own experiences?