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!

 

 

School is out for summer...

So here in Idaho, school ends this week.  The kids are excited to be FREE!  I like basing singing times off holidays and seasons as my mind immediately went to SUMMER VACATION when I was stewing about what to do this week for the primary children.  I have been thinking of some new and fun ways to celebrate summer (see future posts).  I thought this week we'd kick it off.  I have a lot to teach this month as I am attempting the We'll Bring The World His Truth medley.  I am super excited song for June, WHEN I AM BAPTIZED, is a repeat this year.  We will spend no time learning this song although last year I did a post on teaching this song if you are looking for ways to introduce that particular song.  My kids love the 'rainbow' song and we sing it so often, they still know both verses by heart.  WHEW. 

So this is a cup that could be used all summer long OR you can use it as one single singing time.  I copied a bunch of summer FREE clip art off the web.  I chose images that fit the songs I wanted.  You can pick your own songs. I chose songs we know and love.  I mounted them on orange and yellow construction paper, laminated them and stuck them on sticks (then put them in a orange cup).

The imagines on the sun sticks correspond to the song we are going to sing.  I am going to have the 'helper' pick a stick.  He/she tells my what the image is of.... is it something they find fun to do in the summer time and why?  Then the pianist is going to give the helper a few notes (name that tune) and they get to guess what song it is.  The fewer the notes the better because the image on the stick is a clue to the song.  Once they guess it, we sing it.  These songs are all about things we do in the summer.  So each week you could do a few of these and keep adding or you could do an entire singing time (if you have time) on this.  I did include a few songs from the program in here for review as well as I felt they sort of fit some of the summer activities. 

I will spend most of my time this Sunday teaching a new song and doing a little on Father's Days songs that we need to polish, so likely I will only do this as an brief activity at the end of all that. I always like to do something FUN after learning songs because they do get restless (me, too).

Oh What Do You Do In The Summer Time?  - image sun with the word SUMMER overlaid
Happy & You Know It - Big Smiley Face (if you're happy school is out, shout Hooray!)
Jesus Wants Me For a Sunbeam- image sun- (represents playing in the sun)
Give Said The Little Stream- picture of girl fishing in a stream -(does anyone fish in summertime?)
Leafy Treetops- image of a tree- (climbing trees anyone???)
Holding Hands- image of kids holding hands- (playing with friends anyone?)
Fun To Do- image of a pool (swimming in pools is fun to do)
I Hope They Call Me On A Mission - image of a suitcase (anyone going a trip this summer?)
When I Am Baptized- image of a rainbow (represents playing in nature)
Book Of Mormon Stories- image of a book (anyone do the summer library reading program or read for fun?)

Again you can do any image any song...

Time for Review- SING OR DARE

I do a lot of blog stalking.  Sometimes it's fun to go into the archives of these amazing blogs, blogs that are no longer active.  There are some GOOD things in there if you dig.  I am always looking for games to play for review that aren't killers to produce.  Sometimes the games I see are really involved and require a lot of props and prep.  I love to do fun things but not spend week preparing for it.  So I thought this was a super fun and easy idea and I made it my own by tailoring it to my primary.

It is a spoof off of TRUTH OR DARE rather SING OR DARE

So again, this involves cards.  The kids can choose a dare card of a sing card.  Disclaimer, I might warn the kids that if they choose a DARE card, to be prepared as they are silly and may entail embarrassment!  The SING cards have to do with all the songs we have learned so far and ways to sing them so we can review.

SING CARDS:
1)  Everyone Stand & Balance on one foot- if you put your foot down before the song is up, sit down.  Let's see who is the last person standing (this would be the helpers choice of song)
2)  Play STOP & GO - Sing Latter-day Prophets (insert a program song you want to review)
3)  Rub your belly & pat your head - Sing WHEN HE COMES AGAIN (insert a program song you want to review)
4)  Play LOUD & Soft (these are signs you rotate)- sing HOLDING HANDS (insert your choice of program song)
5)  Clap the rhythm of the song Golden Plates - insert songs of your choice
6)  Use rotating flash cards (ooo, buz, lulu, tweet)- sing If the Savior Stood Beside Me

DARE CARDS:

1)  Give the Primary Presidency 'high-5's'
2)  Name at least 6 Latter-Day Prophets
3)  Act out your favorite wiggle song & let the audience guess what it is
4)  Recite the 13th Article of Faith
5)  Stand on your chair and say, I LOVE PRIMARY
6)  Try to name everyone in your primary

Now you can make these sings/dares easier and harder depending on your group.  But overall, I felt this was a super easy yet FUN way to review.  You get a lot of variety in this singing time.  Have fun!