Follow the Prophet - Samuel

Chances are that many promary children know this song - or at least a few verses.  The middle verses seem to be often over looked.  Verse number 6 is the least known.  Samuel chosen to be a prophet when he was only a boy is a great story.  Use a picture (from the ward library) to share the story.  Sing the first two lines and then have the children sing it with you.  Ask the boys to sing it then the girls.  Ask the teachers to sing it then everyone.  Now sing the last two lines then have everyone sing it twice.  Challenge them to sing the whole verse followed by the chorus.  Have one side of the room sing the verse and the other side sing the chorus then change sides and sing it. 

When you do different things as you are repeating and learning songs, the children (and teachers) are more engaged and learn the song without realizing that they have sung it several times.

Hymn Singing in Primary

Primary is the only place (besides choir practice) where a time is set aside to sing.  No wonder people don't sing as much in our meetings - they don't know the hymns.  The primary learns one hymn each year for the Sacrament Meeting Program.  That means by the time a child moves on to Young Men or Women's, they might learn 8 or 9 hymns (if they sing and review them throughout their time in primary) and there are well over 300 hymns.  Thankfully the children also know many primary songs.  With that in mind, make sure you are using your singing time wisely - singing more than talking or playing games.

Last year we learned "I Stand All Amazed." The year before we learned "Come Listen to a Prophet's Voice" and the year before it was "Choose the Right."  Are we singing these occasionally for closing, opening or during singing time just to review them?  Try adding these to the children's repertoire.  Maybe even sing one this week!

Fun Choosing Time

This week is a great time to sing some of those favorite songs that the children like to sing.  Choose 5 or 6 songs that your primary loves and add 1 or 2 review songs - "He Sent His Son" and "I know the My Savior Loves Me."  Put the titles on a slip of paper and put them in a basket, jar or bag.  Let the children choose a slip of paper then sing that song.  You can also give a slip of paper to 8 teachers/leaders and have the children guess if a teacher or leader has a song.  (Be sure to give one to your pianist - they never guess them!)  Then sing the song or have another child guess.

Heart Attack Review

This activity is perfect for Valentine's Day or a friendship singing time.

Cut out 8 to 10 large hearts out of red, pink, purple and/or white paper.
Write one of the following words or phrases. 

• love and tenderness
• pathway
• sacrifice
• faith, hope
• live like His son
• Adam
• Enoch
• Noah
• Abraham
• Moses
• Samuel
• Jonah
• Daniel

Tape the hearts on the board so the words do not show.
Have a child choose a heart.  Sing the song the word or phrase comes from. This will be a fun way to review "Follow the Prophet" and "He Sent His Son."