The games are a foot

So my husband's work always does this elaborately themed summer company picnic.  This year the theme was Sherlock Holmes and my children all got mini messenger bags filled with bizarre hats, mustaches, side burns (yes, I said sideburns) and a magnifying glass and so on.  I couldn't help but turn this into a MYSTERY SINGING TIME.  It's just too cute.  This stuff all came from Oriental Trading if any of you are interested in actually ordering...or perhaps you have a pipe and some mustaches laying around.  Of course you do.  HA HA.  But maybe in our eclectic dress up box (doesn't everyone have one) you may have something that would work as a detective or perhaps the party store would have something cheap to make up a cute disguise!???

This can be used a few different ways.  Like with the game of Hot and Cold, you pick someone to hide an envelope.  And then someone is Sherlock.  And Sherlock has to get dressed up to find it, singing hot and cold, Sherlock looks for the envelope.  When he finds it, he opens it up and it either leads to another clue or it can have a song inside that you have to sing. 

OR

You can create a mystery and in order to obtain each clue, they have to solve the song puzzle and sing it.  At the end of the hunt, they find something desirous...like a gum ball for each child or a Smarty or sucker.  I will leave the PRIZE up to you.

The clues to the songs will have to do with program songs.  EX:

This song has 3 verses, it was written by Naomi Randall.  It's our primary favorite program song.  It talks about our Heavenly Father.  It tells us how to get home to our Heavenly Father.  What song is it?  (finders clue- look under the on the side of the piano)

I AM A CHILD OF GOD -

This song has 3 verses.  It is about our Savior.  It tells us to be aware of what we are doing as if our Savoir was near us at all times.  It reminds us to be a good example and missionary.  What song is it?  (finders clue- look behind the pulpit)

IF THE SAVIOR STOOD BESIDE ME

Trees, birds, butterflies, flowers.  This song talks about nature and all of Heavenly Father's creations.  It's talks about the world we live in and how it is a gift from our Heavenly Father.  What song is it? 
(finder's clue - look behind under the 'scripture' chair.

And so on...you make up clues for all the program songs you want to review. You can make the clues as hard or simple as you want.  And you can call out one clue at a time so that it prolongs the MYSTERY.

MY HEAVENLY FATHER LOVES ME


Print these clues on slips on paper and have the first out to start and the subsequent one in their hiding spots as they lead to the final destination. 

OR

You could have envelopes filled with one puzzle piece at a time, and each piece has a song on the back, you can assemble the pieces one by one as you find them and see what the picture is at the end.  You can either make the puzzle up or use a simple child's puzzle with 5-10 pieces!

The funny part of any of these options will be of course getting the kids dressed up and having them look like Sherlock.  There were also mustaches on sticks which were pretty funny...those could be used as well.  And if you have a cape or anything would be fun.  Someone could play "Watson"...there is just a lot of possibilities with this. 

 

 

Spin on I Spy- review

Last week I did a review with the kids using my I-spy glass.  You can make an I-spy out of anything, a paper towel roll, you can use a magnifying glass or a toy telescope...whatever. I used what I have which is a toy kaleidoscope. 

Instead of spying for pictures around the room that match songs, I spied helpers.  And most of my helpers were teachers.  This was kinda fun.  I would put my scope to my eye and say:

I spy with my primary eye someone who has yellow hair...who is very caring...she knows most of the primary songs...she can be heard but rarely seen...she know what notes to follow...ect...who is she?

THE PRIMARY PIANIST

Then I described a few teachers and some of the presidency.  You can describe some of the children, too.  This just mixes up how we pick helpers.  Whomever guesses who we are 'spying' choses a card from my basket.  The cards just had a picture on it and what song.  They can rummage through the basket and pick which song it is rather than have it be a surprise...they way it is truly winner's choice. 

This was fun and simple!

Feather Dusting

I made this silly stick using a dowel and craft feathers.  I have seen this a few times on other blogs.  I used this last Sunday and the kids actually thought it was funny.  If they were singing well, I'd give them a little dusting or tickling by lightly brushing their cheek or tapping their head. 

Kinda fun to use while reviewing a song

March in Parades (something patriotic)

I was having this conversation with the primary secretary in my ward who was remembering when she was in primary long ago, she is 20 years older than me and so primary was run a tad differently for her than it was for me. When she attended primary is was held midweek and said they often had instruments and marched around the room while they sang songs...doing things we tend not to do on Sundays these days.  But it just got me thinking.  Very few of us get to march in parades anymore...as the song, OH WHAT DO YOU DO IN THE SUMMERTIME, suggests?  And parade season is about here (4th of July).

Target $1-Spot has a bunch of cool hats and patriotic accessories this year. I was looking for this stuff last year and had to fudge it a little because I couldn't find what I wanted for cheap.  But Target came to the rescue this year.  So I bought a few things and added to what I found last year. 

And so...we are going to march in a parade this year.  I think I will call up helpers to select from choices of accessories I have accumulated.  Once every item is picked, I will have the rest of the primary stand.  We will sing a patriotic song, there are a few in the primary book, but I think the more well known songs are in the hymn book.  And those with accessories will actually march the perimeter of the room (making a full circle) while the rest of us march in place.  We will get several different groups up to put on the accessories and sing a few of the great patriotic songs while doing this mini parade march. 

In my vast collecting of music (thanks mom, Kirstin, and the Internet), I have the sheet music to a few fun things that are not in the primary book...like God Bless America, This Land is You Land, As the Caissons Go Rolling Along, You're A Grand Old Flag, ect.  So I may be using those as well. 

I do think the song, THIS IS MY COUNTRY, in the primary children's song book is quite cute and has a good rhythm to it.  It's one worth teaching the kids!  It short and easily learned.  We will definitely be using that one.

Here's to marching in parades!

Lemonade Stand

 

 

So every little person likes to try their hand at a lemonade stand...at least once, right?  Why not in primary???  I made this posted, you can create any sign you want or think is easiest to do.  This design was my sister, Kirstin's...so it's a knock off of her original design.  I free handed it on just plain old white poster board. 

 

How does this singing time work?  Well... I am going to do a taste testing.  I will attach this sign to the front of one of the small tables that is in my primary room, giving it a lip so the top goes above the rim of the table.  Behind it, I will have 6 cups.  They will be filled with various things (not milk due to allergies).  I think I will chose lemon lime (sprite), orange, root beer, water, some kind of fruit punch (Capri Sun), of course LEMONADE. 

 

The drinks need to be in a Styrofoam cup or something that isn't transparent.  The goal is to guess the beverage by merely tasting it.  If they guess the flavor correctly, they get to choose the song they we sing or you can have a list of songs they can chose from.  Now...if they actually get the  LEMONADE (it's the prize of this activity), they get choose the song the teachers have to sing, and the teachers have to come up in the front and sing it to them.  Might be fun....!

Father's Day

I have been blog stalking and I found the new lyrics to Nephi's Courage about dad's. I just think this is hilarious and CUTE.  I am going to write these on a poster and sing it with the kids on Father's Day.  I of course cannot take credit for this clever ditty!  So thank you to the woman who wrote this!

I have an awesome father and I call him Dad.
And he always helps me when he knows I'm sad.
He smiles at me and tells me I am loved
He puts his arms around me and gives a great big hug. 

He's my dad. He's the best. I hope his hair will stay.
I know there's other Dads around but mines the best today.
He's my Dad. He's the best, his hair is turning grey.
With my love I'd like to wish you Happy Fathers Day!

 

So I have been thinking as to what to do on Father's Day aside from singing this cute little song, which will be at the end of singing time.  I think I will modify a little what I did last year with a who's who's game of the dad's in our lives.  So this is similar to what I did last year but without the poster.

 

I picked about 5 well known men/ fathers in our life/history and gathered a few fun facts about them.  So this would be like the Bishop, Heavenly Father, Joseph (Jesus Father), Adam (the father of the earth), Joseph Smith (father of the restoration), President Monson (current father of our church), and dad (describe in general a dad that might fit anyone's situation) and maybe Grandpa (again, a general description). 

 

So I will call out clues or details one at a time, making this easier for the juniors and harder for the seniors.  And whomever raises their hand first and guesses it correctly, they get to hang a picture on the board of that person and chose the song of their choice.  At the end, our board will be full of pictures of very important men in our lives.  Then we will conclude with the little song sung to the tune of Nephi's Courage. 

 

For example:

 

1)  This person had a curiosity about life and religion

2)  He was a hard worker

3)  He knew that prayer was important

4)  He was born in 1805

5)  He went to a grove of trees

6)  He saw a vision

7)  He restored the gospel and the priesthood

8)  He was martyred for his beliefs

9)  Praise To The Man was written about him...

who is he?  Joseph Smith (you could sing a song about him or have them pick a song)

 

The pictures you find of these people can be from gospel art or the internet.  The only one I know of our Heavenly Father is the one depicted with Christ in the Sacred Grove.  The pictures of Grandpa and Dad...well I just may use a picture of my dad and grandpa...OR I could use a drawing or clip art picture of that.  Just some ideas...

 

Let's all celebrate the dads of the world.  Oh how we love them!