I Stand All Amazed - Senior Primary Activity

BIG hit in Senior Primary today!
I taught I Stand All Amazed last week to the Senior primary. They caught on so fast to the first verse, so today was a review/reinforcement activity.

Materials:
Poster
Paper
Cutting Tools (scissors, cricut, or big circle punch)
Glue
Ruler (optional)

How to make your code poster:-decide what words are important to color-code. Usually words referring to Heavenly Father, Jesus, I or Me, etc... In "I Stand All Amazed" I also chose words that meant Love (Love, Grace, and Care).
-cut out your circles
-glue them on!


This is how it all played out:
I asked the kids to look at the poster and tell me what was different, what was the same, what did they notice. I accepted all answers and then we sang the 1st verse (I didn't do anything except hold the poster as we sang the first time). I got a few more responses as to what the code would be. Then I sang the 1st line and I pointed to the dots as we sang (one dot per word). I had alot of responses after that! We sang it one-two lines at a time until we got to the end. **The best part:. I split the primary down the middle. 1/2 sang the black dots, 1/2 sang the colored dots. But I told them to STAND UP when it was their turn to sing. There is a section in middle where everyone was bouncing up and down in their chairs trying to keep up with the color changes. So fun and funny at the same time. For the most part it was very reverent. Only 1 time did i need to remind them that this is a sacred song, and we shouldn't sing it silly. They understood and it was A+ the rest of the time!


 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPGug1zPmsE&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Primary Music: Snowman Bowling Activity

This week in Primary we went bowling!
Here is our little "Olaf", so lovingly named by our Junior Primary.

First, I taught them about dynamics, and when to sing loud/soft during our song. Then, we reviewed "He Sent His Son" using dynamics. They sang beautifully. So much, in fact, that they earned a game!

(I found this idea via our wonderful LDS Primary Chorister facebook group. Best community ever!)

1- Wrap 10 toilet paper rolls in plastic wrap using a little tape (so you can use the tp later. hehe)
2- Add buttons, face, hat, gloves. I used tape to secure the buttons.
3- As children are signing, stack the TP. The better they sing, the taller your snowman will be.
4- After each song, I asked a teacher to choose a very reverent child who was signing really well to come knock down the snowman with the ball.

5- Repeat each song!

WOW - This was a GREAT motivator. I had every child (senior primary) sitting up straight, with arms folded, singing LOUD. Everyone wanted a turn. I wish they all had a chance to do it....I think some of them felt bad they didn't get picked, especially when they were all working so hard to be good. It was a bitter sweet feeling for me, actually. 

Tips:
**Use a big tote or bag to take to church. (I love my giant striped tote bag!)
**Have a teacher or member of the primary presidency do the "stacking" so you can still lead the music.
**I didn't use the gloves while playing the game...too difficult!
**Put 2-3 rolls as the base, otherwise it falls to quickly

** Use a ball that is heavy enough. I ended up needing a volleyball. The ball pictured was too lightweight to knock it down.

Primary Music Leader: First Sunday!

My First Day in my new calling!! 
Today was my FIRST Sunday as Primary Music Leader! I walked in for Singing Time in full-out ski clothes and said how excited I was for "skiing time". The kids giggled when the primary president clarified that it was "singing time". I made a huge deal about how embarrassing it was that I made a mistake on my FIRST DAY!!!. And that I needed HELP going from their Skiing Teacher to their Singing Teacher. I told them since I was in my snow clothes, I wanted to sing some "snow-y" songs. Of course they picked Once There Was A Snowman. As they sang, I tried to get off all the snow clothes! I didn't quite make it (on purpose!) So we sang a 2nd song: Do as I'm Doing, and they preteneded to throw snowballs while I continued taking off the snow clothes/hat/boots. By the last note of the song, I had all my snow clothes and snow boots off and my sunday clothes were underneath. They were so happy that they helped me become the "Singing Teacher" . Junior primary, Senior primary, and even the teachers were grinning from ear to ear at the charade. I had them eating out of the palm of my hand!

We had plenty of time to sing/learn He Sent His Son. The junior primary learned the first 3 questions and answers with hand motions (Not fully ASL...we did actions and a few ASL signs). They were engaged the entire time. We didn't need to do any other wiggle songs. The Senior Primary was SO familiar with the song so I just taught them the motions. We got through the whole song in Senior primary. They loved the actions, and I had them help decide what hand motions to do on "faith, hope, live like his son".

Nursery singing time also went well. we sang ABC's with ASL, Sunbeam with jumping, Eeensy Weensy Spider with props, I am a Child of God with sticks for them to 'lead' the music with me, the Monkey/Alligator song, AND If You Chance To Meet a Frown. 

**special thanks to my Aunt Debbie for the idea of "skiing teacher". She did the same thing many years ago when it was her first day as the primary music leader. :-) 

*I also had on snow boots - cant see them in the pic :-)