Primary Color Choir

A fun way to review songs is creating a "Primary Color Choir!"  Ask everyone who is wearing red to stand up. (You can determine if shades of a color are allowed.)  Have these children come to the front and sing a song, with their best voices.  (I use a song from this year's Program.)  Once they finish the song have them take their seats.  Ask everyone who is wearing blue to stand and repeat the process, however have them sing a different song.  After they are seated, ask those wearing yellow to come up and sing a different song.  There may be some children wearing all of the colors so they will be singing in all the choirs.  You can continue this activity using different colors as time permits.  This is a great activity because it mixes the children up.  Be sure to remind those listening to the choir to be polite and listen reverently.

Puzzling Singing Time

Puzzles are great for all ages!  Enlarge this picture to the size you would like (preferably a large enough size that the children can see).  Mine is poster board size and I put it on heavy paper.  I always suggest that you laminate for durability.  Carefully cut out the puzzle pieces.  I have put Mother's Day songs and some of the Sacrament Meeting Program songs on the back of each puzzle piece.  We will sing the song and put the puzzle piece up on the board.  There are 12 puzzle pieces.  If you don't have time for 12 songs, put a few songs on the backs then on the rest have the child tell how he can help his mother or ways he shows his love and appreciation for her.  You could also have the children tell ways to choose the right.

This picture is the cover of the May issue of The Friend.  It can be used for all sorts of singing times.  Family songs, Father's Day, serving, caring for others, etc.

The Memory Game

I have shared the memory game last year but when you use different songs, you need to make different matches.  The challenge in primary is that you have readers and non-readers, so here are a couple of ways to make this activity work for everyone.

If you used pictures, drawings or word prompts to teach any of the songs that you would like to review in the memory game, gather them.  Make sure you label what song they come from.  Write the titles of all the songs to be reviewed on a piece of paper (8 1/2 x 11 preferably), one title per page.  I make 2 matches for each song (you can make more).  Then tape or glue the paper with titles and pictures or words on the same colored paper so the words and picture won't show through.  I like to use a pin board because it's easy to turn them back and forth.  Pin all the pictures and words to the board in a square or rectangle face to the board so only the colored paper is showing (or try a different shape - circles are fun).  Let a young child choose the first paper to turn and let an older child choose the second paper.  If they are a match, sing the song.  Continue until all the papers have been matched.  This can be a longer activity.

Shortened version:
Have all the titles pinned on the board so they can be read.  Pin the pictures and/or words facing the board so only the colored paper shows.  Have children turn the papers and match them to the song.  Sing the song.

Examples:
a picture of blue flowers    matches
     "I Often Go Walking"
a picture of children at Jesus' feet     matches
     "As a Child of God"
a picture of Nephi getting the plates from Laban     matches
     "Nephi's Courage" (1st verse)
a picture of Nephi building a ship     matches
     "Nephi's Courage" (2nd verse)
words "when I'm discouraged"     matches
     "Nephi's Courage" (3rd verse)
a picture of a rock or a house on a rock     matches
     "The Wise Man"
a picture of some sand or a house on sand     matches
     "The Wise Man"
a picture of a child helping a neighbor     matches
     "I'm Trying to Be Like Jesus"

p.s. You are welcome to request help with a song, etc.

Popcorn Popping!

Begin singing time with "Popcorn Popping,"  p. 242.  Prepare the board with a large branch from a tree - drawn on the board or tape one that is cut out of brown paper.  Make sure there are a few branches.  Cut out about 40 blossoms from pink, dark pink, purple and white colored paper.  The blossoms can be as simple as a 2 to 3 inch circles or elaborate with petals.  On the back of 5 to 7 blossoms write the names of songs that you would like to review.  If you would like, write "choose your favorite" on a couple blossoms.  Explain to the children that Spring is popping out everywhere.  Sprinkle the blossoms on the floor or put them in a basket.  Tell the children that you will choose 4 or 5 children to put a blossom on the tree branch after each song.  If they choose a blossom with a song on it, sing that song or the child's favorite.  If more songs are chosen from the 4 or 5 children, sing each song but continue to choose super singers after each song to help get all the blossoms on the branch by the end of singing time.  If time permits, sing "Popcorn Popping,"  p. 242 at the end.

Umbrella Singing Time

How about "Singing in the Rain" under an umbrella!  Print as many umbrellas as you have songs or phrases to sing and teach.  Print them on colored paper or color them yourself.  On the pack tape the song title or phrase of a new song to learn.  Put the umbrellas in a basket or other container.  Choose super singers to pick an umbrella and tape it to the board where you have drawn a number of raindrops.  If you have time, you can draw or cut out stick-figure children to place on the bottom of the board and have the children place the umbrellas above them so they don't get wet.  This is a great way to review songs!

Songs about Jesus

This month's song is your choice - a song about Jesus.  In the Sacrament Meeting Outline, page 9, there are some suggestions on teaching "He Sent His Son" CS p. 34 - 35.  This is a great song that teaches the children some of the things Jesus taught us.  Counting how many times we sing "His son" is a good way to keep the children focused.

Another song about Jesus is "Tell Me the Stories of Jesus," CS p. 57.  Use pictures that illustrate the phrases of the song such as:

• Children gathered around Jesus
• Healing the lepers or the good Samaritan
• Christ by the seashore or walking on water

Make sure the you repeat the phrases several times if the children are not familiar with the song.

Easter Week

Write the follow events on a paper then fold it and put it in a plastic Easter Egg.

• Christ's triumphal entry into Jerusalem
•  The Last Supper  (washing the apostles' feet)
• Jesus praying in Gethsemane
• Peter's denial
• The crucifixion
• Burial of Jesus
• Mary and the Resurrected Lord

Obtain the pictures of each of these events -- it is a good visual for the children.

Choose 7 songs that go along with the Easter theme or about Jesus.  Place the eggs in a basket.  Write the numbers 1 - 7 on the board.  Place the pictures on the floor or on the board in a scrambled order. Explain to the children that they will be putting the pictures in order of when each event happened the last week of Christ's life.  Choose a child from each class or pick names from a jar with all the children's names in it.  Let the child choose an egg and read what the event was.  Sing a song.  While you are singing have the children decide where that event (and picture) goes in order of when it happened.  Repeat until all the pictures are up in order.  Always share your testimony -- it will have great impact on the children as they remember their Primary experiences.