Teaching Come Follow Me

This week I worked with the Primary President to put together a sharing time/singing time centered around the hymn "Come Follow Me".
She introduced the first verse by doing a little "Simon Says" game.  Teaching them about following Christ.  Then we learned the first verse.  I laminated the pictures with the words laminated separately.  This way I can take the words off as they get better at the song.

She introduced the second verse by talking about how following Christ is simple, it isn't difficult.  She had two identical pictures of Jesus and cut one into just a few pieces and the other into lots of pieces.  She invited children to come up and put them together.  It didn't take long for the kids to discover that the puzzle with fewer pieces got them the same result as the other puzzle but was simpler.

We sang the second verse several times and then went on to the last verse.  We are having two girls sing the 3rd, 4th and 5th verses in the program and having the primary hum in the background.  The entire group will come in on the last verse.  We talked about the rewards that come from living the gospel and following Jesus Christ.  We sang the third verse several times and then made crowns for each child that said "Come follow me".  We also had footprints to glue onto their crowns.

The younger children had help from their teachers but the older ones made some pretty creative crowns.  It was a really fun activity for the kids.  This song is meant for August but the timing just seemed right this close to Easter.

New Bishop, New Rules

With our ward change came a new Bishop.  He is really great!  Last week I asked the Primary President if she would please inquire if the primary would be singing in Sacrament meeting this year.  That way I can get songs and teaching of songs scheduled.  Our last Bishop only let us sing for Mother's and Father's Day, so I was trying to be prepared for anything.  She came back with Easter, Mothers, Fathers, Pioneer day and Christmas!!!!  I am so excited!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Today's March Madness went really well.  My husband was a little worried that the boys would get rowdy, but actually I was surprised at how reverent they can be when they REALLY want to do something.  It was a really nice singing time.  

We've now been singing I Know that My Savior Loves Me since January.  Today I finally felt comfortable with the sign language.  And, today my 4 year old daughter was singing it in the backyard.  Sometimes it takes a while, but this is why patience is a virtue. 

March Madness

I borrowed a small basketball standard from a friend.  We are going to celebrate some March Madness in singing time this week.  I'll put strips of masking tape on the floor, if they shoot from the closest line we will sing a program song, if they shoot from the second line then they can sing a fun song and from the last line they can sing a wiggle song or choose a song.  It's something new, so I hope it goes well.

Bean Bags

My sister in law asked me for bean bags to use at the stake leadership meeting.  She plans to give one to every Primary President.  As I was making them I realized that this would be really fun for singing time.  I could use eight and have each one represent a song.  Or, I could use one as a "hide the object" while we sing loud and soft to find it.  Actually, I could use them for lots of different things.  It was a good idea.

Latter Day Prophets

I got the pictures from the 12 and 13 year old Sunday School Manual.  I couldn't find another picture pack, but the manual had exactly what I wanted.  I put some of the cues on the pictures and backed them with cardstock.  The kids picked this one up super quick, especially the older ones because this was a program song several years ago. 

My Bag

This morning I was sitting in the chapel with my bag and my plinko board.  The new RS president strolls up and say's "look what I thought of!", so I looked and she had put all of her materials in a rolling carry on suitcase.  Hmmmm, I thought to myself.  How much does my bag weigh?  43 pounds it turns out!  Between stuff for my own kids, props for singing time, my songbook, my binder with the "other" music like Scripture Power it was super heavy.  No wonder I make my husband carry it, and I didn't even weigh the plinko board.  This is why my mother used a wagon.
I have pictures to put up about Latter Day Prophets which I taught last week and reviewed this week.  Hopefully once the kids go back to school tomorrow (hooray - after a long track break) I can get things up again.

A split in the Ward, and a Choose and Review

Today's activity was using my poster with the musical staff on it.  I put songs on the back of 8 notes and put the notes on the piano.  A reverent child was chosen and they picked a note and put it on the staff.  Then we sang the song.  When we had sung all 8 songs we had the pianist play the song they had "written". 

This last week our ward split.  We have had the most enormous ward, and while it was wonderful to be with so many great people, a split was not a surprise.  Our ward and another were split from two to three wards.  Our primary now consists of a small group from my ward and a larger group from the other ward.  I got a list of songs from their singing leader and most of them were thankfully the same.  I tried to incorporate some of their favorites in with ours and it went really well.  One of my frustrations is having spent two months on the signing for IKTMSLM and now I need to spend a week at least teaching the signs to the new children.  I also want to do activities to bring the kids together and help them feel comfortable together. Change can be just as difficult for the kids as the adults.  There are now about 20 kids in Jr. and about 20 in Sr. Primary, less than half of what we had before.  This also means that the kids in Jr. Primary go all the way up to 7 year olds and that makes me want to leap in the air with joy.  We have readers in Jr. Primary!!!!!    Lots to think about this week.