Not just a small primary, a tiny one.

While visiting my brother's ward this week, I was asked to substitute in singing time.  No problem, thought I, a piece of cake.  I knew the primary was small and because it's cold here and the kids all wanted snow to go sledding I decided to do the snowball activity.  I got white paper and some pens and I was ready to go.  I walked into the primary room and stopped short.  I had to take a picture because I really didn't believe.  There were a total of 12 chairs set up.  I was told this was a really optimistic number and that we probably wouldn't have more than 2 or 3.  As it turned out they had 3 children, plus my 3 for a total of 6. 
There is a real challenge in preparing for a primary that is large, and I have even worked in a small primary (10-15 kids) but this was really small.  Knowing that every week each child would have multiple "turns" presents itself a new challenge, making it fun every week, knowing that the anticipation of whether or not the child will get chosen is gone.  I had each child fill out two papers and make two snowballs, but it still wasn't enough songs.  We had extra time so I taught Stand for the Right to them.  It's a quick song and it was fun to do.
It's a lesson learned for me, I need to prepare some ideas for really small primaries, I have a feeling this isn't the only time I'll be substituting in their primary.

2011 Preliminary Schedule

January
2 Nursery Song Sunday
9 If I listen
16  review (Sing in Sacrament meeting - Love is Spoken Here)
23 review
30 review

February
6  I will Follow God's Plan for Me
13
20
27

March
6 Stand for Right
13
20 Praise to the Man (vs. 1+3)

27

April
 3 General Conference
10
17
24 (Mother Dear 206, Grandmother 200 all verses)

May
1 review mother's day songs
8 Faith 96 - Sing in Sacrament meeting, Mother's Day
15
22
29 I Pray in Faith pg. 4

June
5 My Dad 211,
12
19 The Lord Gave me a Temple pg. 153 - Sing in Sacrament meeting for Father's Day
26

July
3 Sing Patriotic Songs/Pioneer Songs
10 The Oxcart 219 and The Handcart Song 220
17
24 Sing in Sacrament meeting
31

August
7 Spirit of God 1 verse
14
21
28  Program Review

September
4 Program Review
11 PROGRAM

Christmas Songs

It's time for a new post.  How could it have been this long?  I missed the posting about the last few months!
I taught Stars Were Gleaming for sacrament meeting this year.  I wrote out the words nice and simple on posterboard and taught the words to the kids 3 weeks ago.  I know that seems early but we are scheduled to sing December 12 in Sacrament Meeting so we really had to get going on the Christmas songs.
We also worked on Christmas bells, and I had a set of pipes for the kids to ring as we sang the song.  That has been really fun.  Oh, this is a sad, sad, post.  I need to get back in the habit!