A Thankful Singing Time

Today I pulled out a Thanksgiving singing time where you put the pieces of food on the table. I've had it for a long time, and told the kids it was older than they were - so it's vintage. They thought that was funny. We sang mostly songs about gratitude, but they got to pick some fun songs to sing. It was a really fun singing time. I only just laminated it this morning, and I realized afterward that I had never colored the S on thanks. Just one of those funny things.
Next week: Christmas songs!!!!

Rent-A-Child

This morning we attended and participated in the program at my brothers ward. It was absolutely amazing! All these children from wards all over the valley, and some from farther away read parts and sang songs in the program. They did an amazing job! It is a real testament that the spirit really strengthens and shines through children. The Bishop stood up and thanked all the primaries who had prepared these children by teaching them songs and about our Eternal Families so that they would be prepared to come and provide a program for this mostly elderly ward. It was very touching to hear him thank the children for serving them. I know my testimony was strengthened from this experience, and I hope my children learned from this experience as well.

This week the kids in primary wrote their name and their favorite song on a piece of paper. We sang the song and then the kids had to guess who had written that as their favorite. A few clues had to be given but it was a lot of fun. When they discovered who the child was, that child could choose how to sing the next song - in a style, loud, soft, fast etc. It was really fun. I just can't say it enough - I love NOVEMBER!!!

Another Program

This week we'll be visiting my brother's ward. He lives in a high rise and his whole ward is comprised of the families in the building. There are two children in the primary. Every year the grandparents in the ward round up their grandchildren and bring them to church for the primary program. Almost all the kids come from a variety of wards around the city, and in our case much farther. Tomorrow morning we go to the program practice and then Sunday my kids will have speaking parts and be singing in their program. This will be our first time participating and I have no idea how it will go. Logistically it sounds like a nightmare, but apparently everyone in the ward loves it because their grandchildren come to them. We'll see.
At home we are enjoying a wonderful November of fun songs with the kids picking songs and reviewing fun things. I have found that my daughter LOVES singing My Heavenly Father Loves Me. I am so glad I taught it, it is delightful to hear her sing that song. November just makes me so happy and thankful! I'm thankful that the program is over, i'm thankful to sing fun songs, and i'm thankful we can start Christmas songs soon. I'm just thankful.

Keep singing those songs!!!

I got a call last night from a good friend of mine who is a Primary President, they had their review for their program yesterday. She said something that really surprised me . She wished that the kids could still sing Scripture Power. That was one of the songs not reviewed after the program a few years ago and so the kids can't sing it anymore. That was really sad to me, because my kids love that song.
I work really hard to review songs so that they aren't lost and forgotten. I do have two songs that were program songs that I wish the kids still knew - The Holy Ghost and Holding Hands Around the World. I really wish that they could still sing them. If the program had allowed for songs out of the songbook I would have re-taught Holding Hands. As it is, these are the two that haunt me, thankfully the Holy Ghost made another appearance this year!

The moral of the story is:
KEEP SINGING THOSE SONGS!!!
DON'T LET THEM FORGET!!!

A Sunday of Classics

This week I taught My Heavenly Father Loves Me (page 228). It was sung by the Tabernacle Choir during the last Conference and I got to thinking what a shame it was that the kids don't know that song, especially since it was a primary staple when I was growing up.
I made up some illustrations on a board, the song really lends itself to visual aids, then I made up some signs and I was ready to go. The Jr. Primary and Sr. ate the song up. They learned it so quickly. Nothing like signing to make the learning go faster.
We sang the song several times and then we turned to other classics - Give said the little stream, Wise man/foolish man, Primary Colors, Book of Mormon Stories, Once there was a snowman and Popcorn Popping. It was a lot of fun to sing a bunch of songs all at once that I loved as a child. The kids really got into it and were surprised how the teachers were suggesting songs that they loved as kids. I had never thought to have the teachers pick songs that they loved, I always ask the kids, but the kids were really excited about singing their teachers favorite songs. Wow! I struck accidentally upon a great new idea.
November is such a great month! I am thankful for November every year, when we can learn a song for fun, have singing times that are fun with no rigorous practicing and just enjoy the love of singing. Hooray for November!