Sing to the Sky!

Here is an activity to cut through the norm in singing time.  Plan a review of the songs that you will be singing for any program.

• Have children stand up
• Sing to the wall
• Sing to the back wall
• Sing to the door
• Sing to the Primary President
• Sing to the piano
• Sing to the cieling
• Sing to chair in front of you
• Sing to the floor
• Sing to your neighbor
• Stand in the center o the room and have the children sing to you
• Sing with your eyes shut
• Sing standing on one foot
• Sing with your ears covered
• Hold your nose and sing (they will all laugh at this sound)
• Clap each word/syllable as you sing

The list can go on and on.  The children will never know that they are reviewing songs over and over again.
You can put these ideas on strips of paper and have the children draw one at a time out of a hat or container.

Smile!

A smile is worth a a million!  When you are teaching a song or any time you are in front of children, your smile should radiate your love for them.  A smile is also contagious -- so spread it generously! 

When practicing for the Sacrament Meeting Program, encourage the children to smile.  They will sing better and engage the congregation, as well.  If you  need a little help here is an idea:

• cut 2 circles out of heavy paper or cardboard
• draw a happy face on one (keep it simple)
• draw a frowny face on the other
• tape each one to a stick (paint stirring stick, large tongue depressor, etc.)

During singing time, when you see few children smiling, hold up the frowny face.  Most children will immediately smile.  Trade off  "faces"  as they sing.  This will also help them watch you.

I also use a circle or large cut out of an ear.  I hold it up when I need a little more volume as they sing - NOT YELLING.  Make sure the children know the difference.

1 though 10 - How well do you know your songs?

As we continue to review and prepare for the Sacrament Meeting Program, I like to see how the children judge their knowledge of the songs. 

• Make 10 cards (quarter sheets of paper or card stock)
• Number them 1 through 10 - one number on each card

I made 5 sets of ten cards.  Choose 5 children to be "judges."  I like to have one or two teachers judge, too.
Sing one of the songs for the program.  Ask the judges to hold up one card to "grade" how well the primary sang the song.
Ten - awesome
Five - ok
One - needs a lot of work
The rest of the numbers fit in between.

Continue singing the songs and grading them.  Choose different judges for each song.
This also helps you know which songs need a little extra work

Spot the Dot

We are in the "review" mode as we draw closer to "Program" time.  There are many "review" posts on this blog that might be helpful.  Check them out and remember that it's okay to reuse your ideas and visuals.

Spot the Dot is perfect for review.

• Choose short phrases or one or two words from each song.  
• Print each of them on 11" x 8 1/2" paper  
• Cut large circles of colored paper - enough circles to equal the phrases or words that you have chosen.  (My circles are 8 1/2" in diameter. I also laminate the circles so I can use them for other activities.)
• Place the dots on the board (any pattern)
• Put the words or phrase on top of the dots
• Sing one of the songs
• Ask the children to "Spot the Dot" when they sing the words or phrase from the song.
• Move the dot with the words to the perimeter of the board (Non-readers can help with this)
• The goal is to move all the dots to the perimeter.
• Continue singing the songs and spotting the dot

Performance Tips

As Primary Sacrament Meeting Programs draw closer, here are a few "performance" tips that will help the children focus and look good.

• smile - make an 6 to 8 inch yellow circle and draw a smiley face on it.  Hold it up when you see only a few smiles.
• Show the children a "perfect" stance - shoulders back, hands to your side, head up just like a soldier.  You can make a soldier figure and hold it up during practices to help children remember.
• Eyes on you - don't begin a song until eyes are on you.  During practice take the time to wait for their eyes.
• Practice sitting and standing quietly.
• Remind the children that each of them are helping to invite Heavenly Father's spirit to be in the meeting.  Reverence is critical!

Pioneer Trek

Pioneer history helps all of us to understand hardships and sacrifice.  This is a great activity for choosing/reviewing songs, as well as sharing a little pioneer history.

You will need:

• a cutout of a covered wagon or handcart that you can move across the board
• a long piece of string or yarn to represent the trail from Nauvoo to Salt Lake  (you can draw a path on the board with chalk instead)
• 10 - 12 campfire cutouts (pattern below) to tape on the path along the way

Prepare the board with the trail (draw the trail or tape the yarn up and down on the board to represent the trail the pioneers traveled - much like what you see on a map - preferably not a straight line.)  Write the names of the songs you would like to review on stripes of paper and tape them to the back of the campfires.  On the remaining fires write the word "sacrifice."   Tape the campfires along the trail spaced out from beginning to end. 

Explain to the children that pioneers sacrificed many things to come to the Salt Lake Valley.  Ask a child to move the wagon or handcart to the first campfire.  Ask another child to read what is on the back of the fire.  Sing the song.  If it says "sacrifice," ask the child to tell one thing that the pioneers may have had to sacrifice to walk across the plains.  Answers could include: homes, clothes, certain foods, toys, friends, sleep, etc. Continue in this pattern until you reach the Salt Lake Valley.

What are we being taught?

Each song that we learn in Primary teaches us something that Jesus would like us to learn.  As you review the program songs, ask the children what we are being taught in each song.  There may be several things that they come up with.  Allow several children to share their thoughts as time permits.  Make sure you manage your time so all the songs are sung.  This activity can be tied into the coming General Conference.  Everyone who speaks will give us a message that Jesus would like us to learn.

Choosing the Right through the Scriptures

Our theme this year is "Choose the Right."  A great way to keep that theme in the children's minds -- and the program songs, is to find ways people in the scriptures chose the right - or didn't.  Choose 7 or 8 pictures (from the ward library or your own) of people in the scriptures that depict them choosing the right.

• Lehi and the liahona
• Nephi building the ship
• Moroni and the Standard of Liberty
• 2000 Stripling Warriors
• Abraham sacrificing Issac
• Judas betraying Christ (poor choice)
• Peter denying Christ (poor choice)
• Adam and Eve leaving the Garden of Eden (poor choice)
• Joseph Smith praying in the grove
• Pioneers - crossing the plains, the crickets, building a temple, etc.

Choose your favorites or the children's favorites.  Sing one of the program songs then hold up a picture and ask the children to tell about the choice that is being made in it.  Continue singing a song and talking about one picture after the song as time permits.

Working on a Difficult Song

Sometimes in preparing for a program, we get lost in the "singing through the songs."  This week, determine which song is hard - hard to remember the words, hard to remember the melody, just plain hard, therefore it doesn't sound as good as all the rest of the songs.  Once at Primary, ask the children which one is "hard" for them.  Hopefully, it is the same one you have already determined.  Quickly tell them the story of Nephi and his brothers returning to get the plates from Laban.  Sing "Nephi's Courage."   Then explain that we have been asked to sing this hard song (which ever one you and the children have decided on).  With the Lord's help, we can do it just like Nephi did.  Sing the difficult song through.  Work on the words that are difficult to remember or go over the difficult part of the melody a few times.  Ask the children to remember to ask Heavenly Father to help them remember the words, etc. to this song and help them sing it well because "the Lord will prepare a way for them to remember and sing the song beautifully."

Choosing the Right

Our program this year is all about choosing the right.  After the children sing one of the program songs, ask them to tell you 3 things that they sang about the would help them choose the right - or how the song fits into the theme of "Choose the Right."  You may want to tell them what they are listening for before they sing each song.  This activity will help them understand what and why they are singing each song.