Getting Blown Away

I have to admit this wasn't my idea but I just loved it!  A friend in another ward was directing a stake primary choir.  She was trying to inspire them to sing loud enough to fill the chapel.  She told them she wanted them to blow her away.  So when the kids began to sing she acted like she felt a breeze, and as they sang louder she acted like she was being blown by a very strong wind.  The wind blew her down the aisle and out the back door.  She was very theatrical how she did it and the kids sang their hearts out for her.  I wish I had pictures!!!!!  You could definitely do this in the primary room too!

The trouble with only singing program songs.....is that you don't know any songs.

Today I was going through my files looking through old things and organizing visual aids.  I didn't realize how much I had, but after 4 years it kind of makes sense.  I found a list of songs from 2008 when I was first put in.  There were about 15 songs on it that the kids in primary knew.  Mostly they were program songs, but there was also the snowman song, a birthday song and Hello!  They really didn't know any songs!  They had had four leaders over the previous year who spent the whole 15-20 minutes every Sunday only teaching and reviewing program songs.  There was no continuity.  These children didn't know core songs, or even the program songs from the previous year!  I went through the list today and highlighted all the songs they knew. 

THEY KNOW 71 SONGS!!!!!!

These are songs that they can sing well, without visual aids, at anytime.  This is probably about what a primary should be able to sing, but for this primary it's a huge step!  I am so proud of these children and all their hard work learning songs!

The trouble with only singing program songs is that ultimately the kids don't know any songs.  In order for them to truly learn a song, you have to sing it well beyond the program and keep singing them into the next year.  I know it's hard.  It takes a lot of planning, and even with good planning sometimes songs fall through the cracks.  But consider this, a song taught once, and reviewed periodically, doesn't have to be retaught.  The younger kids learn it by hearing the older ones sing it.  And that's how favorites and classics are made, and gospel principles are retained.

Stump the Chorister

It's been a while since I thought of a new game.  I've been doing this a long time.  I had an idea that since I have been chorister multiple times and spent my childhood in primary I know a lot of songs.  I decided to make a game of it.
After choosing a child, they could come up to the front and look through the songbook.  They had 10 seconds to choose a song.  They read me the title.  If I could sing the song on the spot with just the title I got to pick the song (in this case we reviewed As a Child of God).  If I didn't know the song, they could pick what we sang. 
It turned out to be lots of fun.  The kids all wanted to see if they could stump me, and sometimes they did.  I couldn't sing "The World is so Lovely" or "We are Different", but I knew "Hum your favorite Hymn" and "Family History, I am doing it".  It was fun for me and for them.

2012 Theme "Choose the Right" and some random thoughts.

As outlined:

January - As a Child of God
February - Choose the Right (Hymn 239)
March - Stand for the Right
April - Choice (Jesus Christ teaches me to choose the right)
May - When I am Baptized
June - Nephi's Courage
July - The Wise Man or a song of your choice (I choose the right by living Gospel Principles)
August - I'm trying to be like Jesus

I am really excited about this year's songs! 
We already know Stand for the Right, The Wise Man, I'm trying to be like Jesus and Nephi's Courage.  This really simplifies things and gives more time to teach the other songs. 
Think ahead to the program.  You have at least 9 months to get ready but it's not too soon to be thinking about it! 

Some ideas to think about:

You can have a solo in the program, a class or a handpicked group of children to sing one of the songs.  This adds variety to the program and is really nice.  You can think now of which song you could do this with, or you could save the selection for a song that your primary is struggling to learn.  Sometimes, for whatever reason, a group of children just aren't learning the song - despite all your efforts.  Don't keep struggling with it, let it go.  It will still be in the program, and still be beautiful, but you don't have to beat yourself up about it, assign it to a group or as a solo.

You can also add in musical accompaniment.  Include a violin, oboe or another approved instrument in one of the songs.  Every ward has musical talent!  You can ask a child who plays the piano to accompany or to play a verse of a song before the primary begins to sing.   (Be sure to give them plenty of time to practice!)

Ask a family to sing one of the songs.  I have often thought how beautiful it would be to have a family sing.  Parents and children together. 

In the months where you choose the songs, look through the sharing time ideas.  There are often suggested songs to use during sharing time that work perfectly for the theme.  You can also look in the topical index in the back of the songbook and hymnal for songs that work with that theme.

Check out pages 26-29 in this year's Sharing Time Outline.  There are instructions for how to use music in primary and ideas to help teach songs, and teach the gospel through music. 

I bought the Clive Romney CD at Deseret Book of this year's songs.  I was surprised to find a snare drum in the chorus of Choose the Right.  I know it would never work in Sacrament Meeting, but it would be really fun one Sunday in singing time!  (with permission of course)

Singing in Sacrament Meeting

We sang our three songs, and as so often happens there are some kids that really stand out from the rest.  There are the cute sunbeams who smile and wave to their parents.  There are the older kids who stand sullenly in the back and then there is the one girl or boy who sings out with all their heart and as joyfully as they can (without regard for volume and in some cases tempo).
This time my standout singer was Hannah.  An 8 year old girl with a smile a mile wide and heart that's twice as big as she is.  She sang out beautifully and made me grin from ear to ear with happiness.  She carried the whole primary.  Because of her the others sang better, and louder.  Because of her the older boys took notice and actually sang.  Because of her the ward paid attention and showered her parents with praise for her efforts.  Because of her we played the musical measles in primary, and she was covered in stickers from the very start.  (please see the musical measles post for instructions)
Thank you Hannah!  You made my Christmas merry!!!!

Stars Were Gleaming

I love this song so much, so when it's finally the right year to teach it I get really excited.  This year (after approval) I started teaching the song with two extra verses that were written by Elder Spencer J. Condie (emeritus and currently serving as the Nauvoo Temple President).  I am not sure exactly when he wrote them, I have had them since about 1991, I remember that he told me that he felt like there should be additional words about Christ.  I wish I were half as eloquent as he was when he told me.  Here they are (don't judge me for my punctuation errors!):

In the stable we are able,
to behold the infant there.
Baby Jesus, Mary sees us
as she give him tender care.
Every nation hears salvation,
in sublimest contemplation
for he is the Son of God!

He will heal us and reveal us
all his Heavenly Father's light.
He will know us, he will show us,
he will lead us through the night.
Always blessing, sins redressing,
every tongue will be confessing,
that he is the Son of God!

With this song, all four verses, There was Starlight on the Hillside, and Shine On, we are ready to sing in Sacrament meeting, all songs about light. The light that leads to Christ, the light of Christ, and the light we can share with others.  Merry Christmas!

Jan. 8, 2015
I had a question last Christmas asking for authenticity to confirm that Spencer J. Condie wrote the two verses above.  If your bishop or primary presidency needs authentication send me an email and I will make sure that you can get that.  Sadly, it doesn't seem like enough to take my word for it.  Elder Condie and family lived on Tannenweg at the same time we did.  They lived on the same side of the street as we did and were two houses down.

A Primary Theme Song

I think every primary has a theme song, and as soon as I explain you will know exactly which one is yours.
When I was in our previous ward (before the split) the kids requested "Once there was a Snowman" every Sunday.  Sometimes two or three times a Sunday.  It was their theme song.  I got really tired of singing that song every single week.  Anytime the kids could request songs, it was always that song!
When the ward split I tried not to sing that song very often.  Today I offered to sing it with the kids and they commented that we never sing anymore.  So I told them that was the theme song of the other ward.  Then I said I didn't know what our ward's theme song was and a bunch of kids at the same time said "Hie to Kolob".  That's true.  That's our song.  It's requested every week.  Sometimes multiple times, even though we have already sung it. 
I imagine every primary has a song like that.  What's yours?