Reverent Songs

Sometimes the kids need a little reverence so I made Reverence Cards. I put a picture of Jesus on one side and the names of some reverence songs on the back. I laminated them and cut them apart, and will bring them out when the kids have had just a little too much fun to get them calmed back down. I hold them out like a spread out deck of cards and let them "choose a card, any card." They really like it and I have included lots of their favorites.

Wiggle Worm Songs

As a backup plan, I've made several Wiggle Worm cards with a picture of a cute little worm on one side and the name of a wiggle song with the page number on the back and then laminated them. This helps in those times when they don't have anything else to do and they all look at you to pull something out of your sleeve.

January 25, 2009

Today we did a snowman Pick'n Choose. I used 12 pieces (for 12 songs) cut out of contruction paper and laminated the pieces. I used a labelmaker to write the following songs on the back of the pieces.

I Lived in Heaven vs. 1 (4)
I Lived in Heaven vs. 2 (4)
I Lived in Heaven vs. 3 (4)
Falling Snow (249)
Rain is Falling (241)
Falling Snow (249)
We Thank Thee, O God, For a Prophet (Hymns 19)
When We're Helping (198)
Follow the Prophet (110)
Give, Said the Little Stream (236)
Your Choice
Your Choice

We barely got through all 12 songs in Junior and 10 songs in Senior Primary.

When we sang Rain is Falling I brought out my squirt bottle full of water and squirted mist above them. The Senior Primary got a little more in their face but overall, everyone enjoyed it. Again, they all had a tough time choosing their favorite.

January 18, 2009

I used the cube idea once more. But I only used one cube this time. On each side of the cube, I put I Lived in Heaven vs 1, I Lived in Heaven vs 2, I Lived in Heaven vs 3, Your Choice, Your Choice, & Your Choice. It worked out well and we sung each verse at least once. I noticed though that the kids have a hard time choosing their favorite song. We had to ask the "audience" a few times but there were some that were more than willing to call out their favorites. I also brought "Singing Juice" and told the kids that the more they sang, the more they needed their vocal chords lubricated. When I first brought it out, no one wanted to be the first to try it. I thought that it was going to be a failure until one brave young man volunteered. (Thank you little boy that craves attention!) Then everyone wanted to be a part of it. It was a HUGE success. And the same thing happened in Senior Primary, too. But I was not caught off guard the second time around. I just offered it to each child and there was always one brave soul who volunteered. I made a label that said Singing Juice on it and now they ask every Sunday if I brought it. I don't bring it every time because it uses a lot of time to go around and squirt each child. But they love it!

January 11, 2009

The kids had a BALL today. I made three 4-inch cubes from styrofoam. There are 6 phrases in I Lived in Heaven and on block #1, I printed a phrase on each side of the cube. On block #2, I found pictures of different ways of singing. I used whisper, loud, baby, opera singer, hum, and march. On block #3, I printed the numbers 1 through 6. I called three children up to the front and they each received on cube. One at a time, they tossed the ball to see which verse we sang, how to sing it and how many times to sing it. It worked out well! I really loved how the older boys sang Opera. But they all sang! (in between giggles)

January 4, 2009

It is time to learn I Lived in Heaven for the 2009 Sacrament Program. I basically took the lesson plan straight out of A Children's Songbook Companion. It worked out pretty well but I think it was a little too boring. We sung each phrase several times as the lesson outlined and ended up singing the entire song once at the end. I think they understand the concept of the song though and I don't think it was a waste of time.