Saturday, July 31, 2010

SINGO: Bingo for Primary

This is a great game for anything -- especially review. Here are two different cards (poster board size). Because I don't like to promote competition in Primary, I use only one card and we all work together to get a "Singo!" I have just the numbers on the card on small pieces of paper which the children take turns drawing. We then cover the number with a big circle cut and laminated. If you use both cards, you need all the numbers from both cards and two different colors of circles to cover the numbers -- blue for one card and red for the other card. We have to sing a song or verse of a song before we draw a number. If they remember all the words they can draw two numbers. This game can take up to 30 minutes to play. It is perfect if you can use all of sharing time. It can go faster if you draw more numbers at a time.

I simply used a ruler to draw the lines then I drew the letters and numbers. You can decorate with die cuts or large stickers. I laminated both posters, 50 circles - 25 of each color, and the small numbers that the children draw from a hat, basket or sack. My boards have lasted for over 20 years! It is well worth the time and money.

You can also use this game to teach a new song. Sing a phrase 3 times then choose 3 numbers.
Sing the next phrase and draw 3 more numbers. If the children know all the Articles of Faith songs, you can draw one number every time they sing an Article of Faith. There are 13 of them and it's fun to see if they can get a "Singo" in 13 draws.




Thursday, July 22, 2010

Review Trek

In commemoration of the Pioneers, we are doing a "review" trek. I cut out several mountain shapes out of 12" by 15" construction paper - gray, brown, green and purple ("for purple mountain majesties"). I also cut out a few rocks and logs. I am not an artist so I often times have to tell the children what my pictures/cutouts are. They are very forgiving. I tape them along a chalkboard or wall so the children can see it creating a path to travel. Make of find a covered wagon that can travel this paper path. (You could also draw the path, mountains, rocks and logs on the board.) I make several signs that the wagon needs to stop and read. You can start in Nauvoo and end in Salt Lake or use any starting and stopping place that works for your location. Depending on the amount of time you have depends on how many signs/songs you can sing. Here are some suggestions for the signs along the way.
  • Crossed the river (Missouri river) and need to stop and dry the clothes. Let's sing a song while we wait. (Choose a song from the 2010 Sacrament Meeting Program)
  • We traveled extra miles today and are very tired. Let's sing one song before we go to sleep.
  • What a beautiful sunrise! Let's praise the Lord with singing.
  • Indians are all around tonight. Let's sing to calm our spirits and sooth the Indians.
  • We seem to have extra energy tonight. Let's sing "Fun to Do" and make up three verses that we can act out. (Feeding the oxen is fun to do, Finding firewood is fun to do, Clapping our hands is fun to do -- these are just suggestions.)
  • We have reached the top of the mountains and we are very tired. Let's sing a song to lift our spirits.
  • We can see the valley! We are so excited to almost be there! Let's sing!
  • We are very thankful to have arrived safely. Let's sing a song to show our thanks.
These are just suggestions to move the wagon along and enjoy reviewing the program songs.