Pick-a-Prophet

Determine how many phrases of a song you need to review ("We Thank Thee, O God, For a Prophet" or another one you may have taught this month) or how many songs you would like to review.  Choose several pictures of prophets throughout history to equal how many phrases or songs you will be singing.  If possible have 3 to 5 extra pictures of prophets.  On strips of paper, write the phrases of your review song or the titles of the songs you will be reviewing.  Tape them behind the pictures on the board.  Have the children choose a picture and tell who it is or a quick story about him.  Then sing the phrase or song.  Continue choosing pictures.  If nothing is behind the picture, ask the child to tell why it is important to follow the prophet.

Review With Word Strips

If you used the idea from last week's post, this week will be easy.  Place the word strips from "We Thank Thee, O God, for a Prophet" in a scrambled order on one side of the board.  If you have a wall or door close to the board, that would be a great place to put the scrambled word strips.  Ask the children to listen to the music as the pianist plays through the hymn.  After, ask one or two children to find the first phrase of the hymn and put it on the board leaving room for the rest of the phrases.  Now sing  the hymn with the children and continue having them put the phrases in order.

This is a great activity to "cement" the words into the the minds of the children.

Mother's Day Heart Tree

Cut out several hearts - I like to use a rainbow of colors.  On the back, write songs you wish to review or sing for Mother's Day.  Leave several blank.  Place all the hearts in a basket.  Draw a tree on the board - no leaves, branches only.  Start by singing "I Am a Child of God."  Place a heart on a branch of the tree and tell the children why you love your mom or a quick story about how she took care of you as a child.  Have the children take turns picking a heart and placing it on the tree on the board.  If the heart has a song on it, sing it.  If it is blank, ask the child to tell why they love their mom.  The goal is to cover the tree with hearts.

We Thanks Thee, O God, for a Prophet

The theme for primary this month, May, is "Prophets Teach Us to Live the Restored Gospel."  There is no suggested song for the month.  If you choose to learn hymn # 19, "We Thank Thee, O God, for a Prophet," there is a great idea in the 2013 Sharing Time Outline on page 11.  (You can access the outline on the Church website.)  Using the colored paper helps the non-readers as well as the rest of us.  We learned this hymn for the 2008 Sacrament Meeting Program, so hopefully a few of the older classes will remember it or at least pick it up quickly.

Remember to review songs learned in previous months by singing them for opening or closing songs in primary.

Blossom Tree

This is a great "Spring" choosing time.  Cut out several flowers - all different colors.  Draw a large tree on the board (you can cut one out of brown paper if you choose).  In a basket, place all the flowers with songs on the back.  On some of the flowers put a question mark.  Have children choose a blossom to put on the tree.  If it has a song on it, sing it.  If it has a question mark, ask them to tell what Heavenly Father blesses us with, particularly in the Spring.  You can also have some blossoms to give to reverent children to place on the tree.  Try to cover the tree with flowers by the end of singing time.

Mother, Tell Me a Story

"Mother, Tell Me a Story," p. 204, is perfect in adding a variety if you are planning a little Mother's Day program.  Teaching children this song can be quite easy by using your hands and arms as you sing.  Every time you sing "love," put both hands over your heart.

• Mother, tell me a story - act like you are holding a book with your hands
• that I love (hands over your heart) to hear - point to ear
• Tell me of heaven - point up
• and why I came here - both hands point to the children
• Mother, tell how you love me - hands over your heart then point to yourself
• and gently speak - put one finger to your lips as if to say "shhhhhh"
• and then I will go to sleep - put both hands to the side of your face as if a pillow and shut your eyes

Ask all the female teachers to learn the "Mother" part or ask a soloist to sing the second part with the children.  I have the children sing first by themselves then sing it again with the second part (Mother part).  A flutist  or violinist could also play the second part as the children sing.

I Often Go Walking

Mother's Day is a month away.  If you need to teach or review some Mother's day songs, now is the time.  One of my favorites is "I Often Go Walking" on p.202.  I have several "prompts" for phrases that help the children.
First verse:
  1st line - cut-out of a green clover 
  2nd line - several stems of artificial or paper blue flowers
  3rd line - act like you are picking flowers
  4th line - point to flowers and then point to the children

Second verse:
  1st line - cut out a few hearts with love written on them and put them on a stick to look like a flower
  2nd line - a bottle of perfume or smell a flower
  3rd line - use a picture of a field of flowers
  4th line - show a picture of a mother

The first verse is beautiful but the second verse tells about the heart and soul of loving a mother.  There is also a post on this same song last year.  You may choose to use those ideas, as well.