Primary Presentation Tips

Most of you are getting ready to do your Primary Presentation in September. I’ve probably done 7 or 8 presentations since I’ve had this calling 4 times in different wards with different primaries over the course of my life.  It is not too late to add a duet musical number if you find that you are not filling up the entire time. Some smaller primaries  sometimes have this problem.

Getting it all put together for the Primary Presentation can be stressful! 

 I have added songs where just a group of 4 kids sings the song together and they can practice outside of primary with you or after church for a few Sundays. Or if one of your numbers is not coming together, get a small group of older kids to sing the 2nd verse together at the microphone. It’s better than you singing a solo on verses they don’t know.

I picked these up for 1/2 price…great for having kids in a primary class come up and lead the song for you…

If you need a little more “ZIP” in what you have planned I have added musical instruments to my presentations. There are usually people in the ward who play violin or flute who would do an intro and an interlude for you and then play with the kids on the last verse and during the choruses. It always adds a lot to the meeting when there is something extra here.

My husband and I worked for 3 1/2 years as temple ordinance workers….I really do miss it. 

Another thing I have done is add resonator bells. These are like chimes but they are wooden blocks with the metal chime on top. Sometimes during a really repetitive song you can have 3 kids do chords and play to the beat during the chorus just playing the chords with the pianist. We did it last year during “Follow the Prophet” and it added a lot.

Here’s my granddaughter singing out of the wrong side of the play microphone…so cute!

Of course everybody adds some kind of audience participation maybe on the last song’s chorus. That really helps for everyone to feel a part of the spirit of the closing number by having the congregation participate in singing either the last verse or the last chorus of the last song.  I’ve probably done that in most of the presentations I’ve done.  Anyway, it’s not too late to add a duet, quartet, or musical instruments.

Some songs show the signing motions right in the Primary Songbook

Another thing I’ve done is add sign language on the chorus of a song.  This is always a very interesting thing for the congregation to watch and it is very tender to see young children signing. I have always love watching it and teaching it. And the children LOVE learning sign language.  Love one another is one you could add because the kids already know the words and if you are up there signing it with the pictures in front of you on your music easel, the kids can easily follow you. Just practice it 4 or 5 times a week for the next 3 weeks and they will have it down.

Good luck on your presentations!  Let me know how yours went!

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If You Really Love To Sing…Primary Singing Time

I love to sing Primary Singing Time songs….

I really love to sing. I always have since I was a little kid and joined my big sister’s Christmas Caroling Choir. We were all just little neighborhood kids and she made us practice (snicker….) the songs before she would direct us going from door to door. Isn’t that cute? She was Suzy perfectionist I must say. But I’d never sung in a group as a 6 year old, except at my private school, where we really didn’t do much more than academics all day. I missed out on some of the best parts of education.

So let’s rejoice to the Lord in singing. It always brings the spirit. And it helps young kids if they can have something to focus on…things they love to do…while they are singing and re-singing songs. Simply the associating of things they love to these beautiful songs will make them love the songs even more.

Sooooo……While they are singing…..have them add an action if they really LOVE to do that thing. Here are a few ideas to put up on the board inside hearts, cut up into strips and choose from a jar, or just call them out before the song starts…
1. If you really love riding a bike…..turn the wheels with your legs while we sing.
2. If you really love running up and down hills stand up and run in place while we sing.
3. If you really love hopping like a kangaroo, hop while we sing this song.
4. If you really love to swim….swim like an Olympic swimmer while we sing this song.
5. If you like playing the piano or a percussion instrument, drum or play while we sing this song.
6. If you want to drive a car when you turn 16, steer the wheel while we sing this song.
7.If you want to be a primary chorister when you are older, direct the singing of this song!
8. If you want to be a missionary NOW, knock on doors while we sing this song.

My son Devin’s mission reunion we held at our house in 2010.. Have you ever heard a group of missinoaries sing a song from their mission…..PRICELESS!  Here was four of his companions posing together at his homecoming talk. 



We had sister missionaries living with us for 1 1/2 years
The one on the right was from Tonga, Sister N stayed at our house
without a transfer for over a year! She was one fantastic young lady!


So sing your heart out! And you can use this list and of course add to it! But a word of caution…. I would only do the wilder ones during songs that don’t have a super spiritual tone. Because sometimes the kids will not be super reverent when they are swimming (as you have probably experienced) so I’d save the numbers 6, 7 and 8 ideas for those songs that need more reverence.

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