Primary Mother’s DAY Singing!

I always LOVED it when the primary kids would sing to us, their moms, on Mother’s Day. I still have memories of one of my kids picking their nose right up in front of everybody. I was just filled with pride!  snicker….

Thanksgiving Point Tulip Festival 2012

So I loved to plan the Mother’s Day singing so the children can get up in front of everyone and sing their hearts out. It is always so tender and memorable. And it brings the spirit into the meeting right away. And lots of sniffling too…..sniff….

I wish my garden looked anything like theirs….sooooo breathtakingly beautiful. 

Well, I truly was filled with pride last Friday attending the BYU  commencement ceremonies for one of my kiddos. Afterwards we had a family lunch at Texas Roadhouse and then me and the hubs stopped by Thanksgiving Point to see the Tulip Festival in full bloom.

Tulip Festival….Isn’t it something? So colorful! 

There were dozens of different gardens with different color combinations…

I loved this one a lot…I love Thanksgiving Point a lot too! 

A really easy one to teach is Mother I Love You, Mother I do….   It is sweet and easy and most of the kids can pick it up quickly.  Another one I love is I Often Go Walking in Meadows of Roses….both are my favorite Mother’s Day songs. But pick whichever one you like.

Then I saw this one….Purple and pinks 

Well, then I changed my mind and thought this one was the very favorite….. hmmm…..it’s all good. 

A cute activity to do for mother’s Day is Queen For a Day from THIS BLOG. She has many cute ideas.

She has a mom come up and sit in a chair (throne). And on her head she places a crown. Then she picks a child and has them come up and choose an item from a bag of things moms use all the time. And she explains why moms deserve to be Queen for a Day.  The list of items is from her website (Adventures of a Primary Chorister).

I still love being made QUEEN FOR A DAY!  



Have the child/teacher place the item on the “queen” and explain how the item relates to moms, then sing accordingly: 
• FRYING PAN-Moms cook and bake for us: sing like bacon- (sing staccato short and choppy, bob up and down on chairs as if they are a hot pan.
• BATH TOWEL-Mom’s do our laundry: do the twist while singing
• KEYS- Mom drives us wherever we need to go. Sometimes mom is in a hurry: Sing fast while driving
• BOOK-Mom reads us stories: sing through hand puppet
• JUMP ROPE- Moms tries to keep in shape: jogging or jumping invisible rope while singing
• POM-POMS- Mom goes to our games and cheers for us:clap hands to the beat
• COWBOY BOOT – Mom likes horses/helps on the farm:sing like a cowgirl/cowboy
• HEART PILLOW- Mom prays for us: sing reverently and softly with eyes closed
• SONG BOOK: Some moms play the piano, some don’t:sing without the piano
• BABY DOLL: Mom loves her children: sing like a baby
• CLOCK or WRISTWATCH- Mom stays up all night with sick children: Sing without blinking
• POWER DRILL-Mom helps solve problems and she can fix anything: pat head and rub tummy
• IPOD-Mom likes good music: sing with ears covered like headphones
• HANDKERCHIEF – Sometimes moms cry: cry sing
• SWIMMING GOGGLES- Mom takes us swimming: sing with nose plugged


You can sing all your program songs and fit in the Mother’s Day songs additionally. It should be a very fun activity leading up to Mother’s Day in a few weeks. Get on that because the time is short!  It’s a favorite performance for the Primary to do.  Everybody loves hearing them sing on Mom’s special day! 

I’ll always think of him this way…being silly…..He was such a sweet kid.

 I had a mom payback day  My 2nd son graduated from the Marriott Business School with his Masters Degree. Here he is in all his cap and gown glory.

Hard to believe he’s all grown up and starting his first job in Chicago….why do kids have to grow up and move away like that? Is that FAIR?  (no, it’s not!) 🙁


This Polynesian kid was really feelin’ the Family Love…wasn’t he?  I had to snap this pic. 

One of my favorite shots of the day…the 3 generations of men in my family….so cool.  



  It was such a great day.  Especially the part where they had the 500 plus grads stand if they had served a mission and literally almost all of those 500 kids stood in this big blue “whoosh!”. The whole sea of graduates then stood again when asked how many had learned a 2nd language.  It was breathtaking and very moving for anyone present.  

I did it mom!  Woo Hoo!  (I still remember him giving talks in primary and singing  a  primary song
duet with me in church.  Sniff…..sniff….)



  Love that boy!  Hope you all have a Happy Mothers Day coming up here real soon! One more thing….
It’s all worth it. 😀

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Primary Singing Time April “Which Class Sings Best?”

I would start working on a Mother’s Day Song this week. I usually chose “Mother Dear I Love You So” as it was so easy to learn for the kiddos. Then the other one would be a harder song. I have my favorites but whatever you choose will be heartfelt and darling, even if the kids don’t sing it perfectly. Moms will still be sobbing in the congregation, am I right? Yes I am.

Me and my littlest grandbaby on Easter Sunday….

One fun idea I had a while back was getting different classes to sing different lines of the songs. It is a good way to get them to learn fast because everyone will be listening to see if they get the words right. This will be so helpful as you lose so many kids that just can’t stay focused unless they are very involved in what’s going on.  So try this one of the weeks in April.

Each class sings a different line of the song.

After you introduce the new song and have sung it through a few times to your flipchart.  Then give each class one of the flipchart pages to practice as you sing the song for them along with the piano. When it gets to their part you can point to them and they will start to sing it along with you. Do this several times till you feel like each class is getting the song. And it is so fun to make a big deal of pointing to the class that is singing. They will crack up a little at first and then tentatively sing along.  Everybody gets into this fun activity.

Easter French Vanilla Cream Puffs I made….yummo….check them out  HERE.

The grandkids after the Easter egg hunting was over…..lotsa loot!  

Then have the kids classes do it by themselves while you go around and simply point to the class. They can read the words on the chart. It’s a lot of fun introducing things this way. And afterward you can decide which class sang the best and give them a little page of stickers to pass around and everybody put one on their shirt or dress. Kids LOVE stickers and will work hard for one.

The hubs and my oldest granddaughter…she LOVED all those Easter eggs….

Now a variation on this can be done next.  Have the first line people then sing along with the 2nd line people.  The best way to do this would be to have one person from each class come up in front holding the flipchart page. Then when it is their classe’s turn they hold it up high and sing along. Then they sing along with the one next to them going around till everyone is singing the last line.  Here is how it would look;

    Primary music is so much fun!
  • The first group to start singing on the first line of the song.
  • The second group joins in singing on the second line of the song.
  • The third group is to join in singing on the third line of the song.
  • The fourth group is to join in singing on the fourth line of the song.
  • If the song then has a chorus everyone will be singing together for the chorus.

Have fun this week!  Hopefully you have drafted out the program songs by now and made all the decisions.  I was released a while ago, but I would try to think at this point of musical instruments you could add, (flutes, violins, etc.) maybe a sign language addition to one of the songs, duets or trios you could have for 2nd verses, that adds a lot the the program. Spice it up a little bit now, while you have the time.  Good luck!

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Easter Primary Singing Time Resurrection Eggs

The Resurrection of Christ….the greatest event to ever take place for us….

I have SO loved this idea since getting it once in Relief Society in a lesson on the great sacrifice of our Savior and His Atonement. I have used this around the Easter dinner table in my family. I’ve used it teaching teenagers in Sunday School and in a Family Night. And I’ve reused it in primary.

Kids love object lessons. And this easter egg “signs of the Savior’s Sacrifice for us” is a great object lesson for kids and adults alike.  Every year, when I’ve taken out my little basket of eggs I’ve got a tear in my eye. I love the Savior. I believe in Him with all my heart. And I know in whom I have trusted.

If you want to hear a great talk check it out HERE.

In this chaotic life we are all a part of, it is a simple and clear walk through the steps to the Savior’s crucifiction and  resurrection, easily understood. I would try if I could to get the presidency to let you have a little extra time one of these upcoming weeks leading up to Easter.

I love this painting depicting the sacrifice our Savior made for us….

So many times we address just the “Next Lesson” in the yearly lessons at church. As a former Catholic, and a convert to the church,  I always have mixed feelings about this.  Why not recognize the greatest sacrifice ever made,  given by the greatest who ever lived among us on the National holiday of Easter?  I never did get that. Try to honor the Savior on Easter. That’s my simple and heartfelt message.

Another favorite painting of mine…I’m looking for a big copy of it to put in my greatroom remodel…it says to me….”I will look for you  when you  are lost…even though you are odd, different, ugly, damaged”  His love for us, evident.

The eggs can be put together using this easy tutorial HERE at Serving Pink Lemonade’s blog. . Use stuff around the house to fill your eggs. Another with a LIST is HERE at scribd.com. I actually like both of them. You could do a combination of both lists. I would skip the vinegar though, yucky :D.  A third lists is here copied from Yahoo Voices.

Egg #1: (palm) Jesus rode into Jerusalem and the people waved palm branches. Matthew 21:1-11
Egg #2: (cotton ball with cologne on it) Mary poured perfume on Jesus’ feet. John 12:3
Egg #3: (bread) Jesus shared the Last Supper with His disciples. Matthew 26:26
Egg #4: (coins) Judas betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. Matthew 26: 14-15
Egg #5: (a thorny stick) Soldiers placed a crown of thorns on Jesus’ head. John 19:2
Egg #6: (cross made from toothpicks) Jesus carried His own cross. John 19:17
Egg #7: (dice) Soldiers took Jesus’ clothes from him and cast lots for them. John 19:24
Egg #8: (nail) Jesus was nailed to the cross. John 19:18
Egg #9: (sponge) They gave Jesus vinegar mixed with gall to drink. Matthew 27:34
Egg #10: (whole cloves) Spices are used to prepare Jesus for burial. John 19:40
Egg #11: (rock) The stone covering to Jesus’ tomb was rolled away. Matthew 28:2
Egg #12: (empty) He is not here He has risen! Matthew 28:6

I would try to use the songs in the Easter section on one Sunday as well as going over your song for the month. Some links for flipcards on good Easter songs  are HERE at Precious Primary.  1. Jesus Has Risen 70, 2. Hosanna 66, Beautiful Savior 62 To Think About Jesus 71, etc. HERE  is a flipchart on He Sent His Son at Sugardoodle. Pick a child to come up and choose an egg. Read the scripture inside and show what object is inside and explain what part it played in the Easter story. It is usually a very quiet and reverent time, you will see. It may be your favorite thing you ever do in primary.

This picture is from another bogger Beyond Sippy Cups HERE.

I would also include the list of items in a copied off piece of paper to send home with the kids after primary and tell them they can make up their own dozen eggs with help from parents and redo it in their own family night. I loved getting this for my family and I would encourage any primary leaders to do the same. It has made a big difference in my life and my family’s too I believe.

sidewalk chalking  & egg dyeing
And don’t forget to color eggs and get some sidewalk chalk for Easter! One of life’s fun memory makers if you have kids or grandkids of any age! Happy Easter! 

PATTIE

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St. Patrick’s Day Primary Music

We have stake conference on Sunday. It is a day I always look forward to because you kind of have a day off, you know what I mean? Yeah! And we get to have an apostle at our meeting! Wa HOO!

Well if you are not as lucky as us…  Tomorrow is St. Patrick’s Day and I can tell you from teaching little kids for 18 years that they LOVE this holiday. They love leprechauns, and green clovers, and pots of gold and 3 wishes. You have  GOT to do something for Leprechaun, wearing of the green day.

March Primary Music ideas….

Maybe you could put on a green goofy hat and do an original Riverdance Irish Jig or something. I once made the elder’s quorum get up on stage for an Irish ward dinner I was in charge of. I made them all wear green headbands and told them we were looking for “The Lords of the Dance”. It was hysterical  watching all these big burly dudes trying to do some fancy dancing.  But if you want something a little more reverent…..

Do an Irish Jig for good singing!  I’m not saying you have
to dress UP like a leprechaun….just wear a lot of green…or a hat! 

Cut out some 3 leaf clover shamrocks and put songs behind each one. Then tape them to the white board.  Then call on kids to come up and say 3 things they love about _______. You fill in the blank. Or what 3 wishes could you give to people in your family. Or what 3 things could you do for service to somebody you know?

Shamrocks with songs on the back would be fun for kids to choose…

Or if you want to involve everybody and you can be given some extra 3 minutes of time, ALL the kids could have a green paper shamrock. And ALL of them could write 3 things to do for service, 1 on each of the 3 leaves of their clovers. (These are really easy to trace and cut out by the way).  Just use green paper and pass out pencils.  It is always good to get them to do something while we are singing away.

Sing till you find the pot of gold for March Primary singing time…
You could actually have some ROLO candies or Hersheys mini candy bars for the kiddos too! 

     

Another thing you could do is “Hide the Pot of Gold” and have them do the HOT and COLD game. Only you could say when the leprechaun (the primary child wearing a green hat) gets near the gold sing louder, and when he is now finding gold at all sing softer.  This is always a fun way to review the song over and over to get it memorized.

St. Patrick’s Day Singing Time fun…..

Another idea is to put riddles on the backs of your shamrocks on the board. A cute idea for riddles is HERE at Precious Primary. And they can be copied off onto paper and taped to the shamrocks. Cute Idea! Maybe read a riddle off in between singing the songs on the shamrocks? That could be fun!

I decorated up my house for St. Patty’s Day….since it IS my Irish background we are celebrating,
and….well my name IS Pattie!  It’s MY holiday! 

 Anyway…..HAPPY ST. PATRICK’S DAY TOMORROW!  Wear something green and don’t get pinched!

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March Primary Music Ideas


Skip a Letter is fun…… Have the child pick a letter from choices in a bowl. Skip whatever words in the song start with that letter. Be sure to have choices that have many words of the song starting with that letter. Then have kids try to be quiet on all the words with that letter during the song…. for Choose the Right for instance they might choose the C letter. It is fun to do and the kids become really attentive to the words so they don’t mess up!  Great for practicing over and over. 

You could bring foam letters from the Dollar Store or make some out of cardstock or scrapbook paper.





Heads or Tails – use a big pie pan. Draw a heads on one side and a tails on the inside.  Throw the pan up in the air and whichever side you have decided is going to be boys and which side is girls tells who will be singing the chorus of the song. Everybody can sing the verses.  Then do it again for the next song in your practice time. 

You could also just have a round sign that has the words “HEADS” on one side,
and “TAILS” on the other side.
You could also cover some large dice or a small box (cube shaped) with
pictures of all kinds of heads and tails….

You could also just use a small cube shaped box and cover each of the 6 sides with a word or picture of heads and tails of many different coins. That would give even more variety. Then choose a child to roll the
cube down the middle aisle of Primary to decide girls or boys, or even left side of the room and right side of the room sings the chorus of the song.  Sometimes this can get roudy, but it is a lot of fun too.

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March Primary Music Activities

  The song for MARCH, THIS month is STAND FOR THE RIGHT. A cute flipchart for this song can be found HERE at Rackcdn.com.  NEXT month is a Free Choice Song  . I like choosing one they know for one of the free choice songs. This is “Be True” The link for the flipchart is HERE

Be True, Be True, And Stand For the Right! 

Today I think I will do a very fun activity.  There is usually a time in your month when the Bishop or a member of the Bishopric is scheduled to come into your primary to give a message and visit with the kids.  Find out which week that is ahead of time and you can do something really fun, if he will agree to stick around for 10 minutes of your music time.  That’s usually all I will do this particular activity for. 

Find your husband’s oldest, ugliest tie to cute up! 

The next thing you need is a couple of your husband’s or dad’s or somebody’s old ties. Because you are going to cut them up and pretty much destroy them. So be sure they are ties with a spot or two on them. Then you call the bishop or the counselor up and you tell the kids you are going to cut his tie as they sing and do a really, really good job on the song.  If you have words to the songs, or a flipchart, unhook it and give a phrase to each class in the room.  Then get a really big pair of scissors, you are gonna have FUN WITH THIS! 


My husband donated lots of ties over the years….

So then start singing the song.  The kids know if they do a good job you are going to cut the bishop’s tie.  Do it however you want, you can wait till the verse is over and then have a funny little chat asking the bishop if he thinks it was good enough?  He can play along and say, no, not really, let’s hear it again.  Or he can say, “Well it was okay, maybe good enough for one little snip!” and then go ahead and cut one inch off the bottom of his tie. The kids will absolutely LOVE this.  It is so fun for them to see the bishop as a playful, loving guy, willing to come in and interact with them in a memorable way too.

A VERY fun singing game for the kids is Cut the Bishop’s Tie

Cut the Bishop’s Tie! 

Then go and do a few more tries on the most important song you are working on.  Then you can end his time with you with the song “He’s Our Bishop”, just run through it once and cut the tie all the way up to the top on that one.  It is a really fun activity to do once in awhile, maybe twice a year.  Be sure it is another member of the bishopric next time, so the same relationship can be developed with a different member of your ward’s leadership. It’s always a fun singing time activity to motivate kids to sing their best.

Bring in your Dr. Seuss Hat to Primary to choose songs from tomorrow! 
Aren’t our handprint Thing 1s sooooo cute? 

Now yesterday was Dr. Seuss Day in my classroom and I just HAD to share these cute Thing 1 and Thing 2 creations.  They were so cute.  Another idea is to bring your tall red and white, striped, Dr.Seuss HAT into primary and put the songs in the hat and have the kids pick them out. Or you could pin them on. Either way have “all the fun that is funnest!” Dr. Seuss Rocks.

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Presidents Day Primary Music

This weekend is President’s Day. Let’s celebrate by doing something patriotic!

I took this from the church website to be sure it is okay to sing patriotic songs during singing time in primary…

Music in Primary


Music in Primary includes singing during the elements of sharing time. Music is also important in Primary classes and activities.
Music in Primary should  invite reverence, teach the gospel, and help children feel the  influence of the Holy Ghost and the joy that comes through singing.  While the children sing some songs, music leaders give them opportunities to move physically and stretch appropriately.
The Children’s Songbook and the current sharing time outline are the basic resources for music in Primary. Hymns from the hymnbook and songs from the Friend and Liahona are also appropriate. Occasionally, children may sing patriotic or holiday songs that are suitable for Sunday and for the children’s ages. The use of any other music in Primary must be approved by the bishopric.
For information about teaching music to children, see “Teaching a Song to Children” on the Church Music Web site.


So I figured it is okay occasionally to do something different…..

HERE is a link to songs published in the FRIEND.  They are listed by category so you can easily find something church approved for primary if you want to do something a little different.

You could make a paper black tall hat like Lincoln’s and put the songs inside the hat numbered and on little hats.  That would be a fun way to keep up the President’s Day theme too.  I’d do that and it would be fun and easy. Maybe you already have a top hat laying around in your costume box?

Me stomping around doing singing time…..

You could wear the hat and pick kids to come choose from your hat as you sit down. Or you could pass the hat to a teacher and have her get one child from her class to pick a song out of the hat. (You could put a small paper bowl inside the hat and tape it so the songs don’t fall out if you make one from black paper.

I love this song MY FLAG, MY FLAG.  LINK HERE.   This could be a fun song to teach that is a snap to learn. Little kids can follow the words super easily too.  I’ve used this lots in primary and at school for 4th of July, Memorial Day and Flag Day, as well as President’s Day because it so easy to learn. It is in the Children’s Songbook.

I’ve used it in my classroom to teach kids about the symbols of America that we hold dear.
It’s super easy to learn if you have the music playing along with showing kids the words on
chart paper.   You can talk about how the scouts all put flags out on our front lawns in honor
of President’s Day on Monday and for them to look for the flags and what they mean.

We are so lucky to be Americans.  Happy President’s Day everybody!

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Valentines Primary Singing Time

Since yesterday was VALENTINES DAY, I would do some heart popping balloons for singing time! I would go over to Hobby Lobby or Michaels and look for some heart shaped balloons.  Or just 7 or 8  red balloons will do in the 9 or 10 inch size.  Then I would put  7 songs on little strips of paper and roll them up inside each of the balloons.

Then tape them to a wall or chalkboard before the kids all come in.  You could write a big number on the outside or just leave them blank.

Here’s my little Valentines with me at the Petting Zoo last Saturday…..
Ain’t she cute?  
Feeding the goats…..priceless! 

Then tell the kids for Valentines Day coming up you wanted to play “pop the balloon” with them.  Sing the assigned song and tell them you are going to be looking for the best singer to pick to come up and pop the balloon for the next song choice.

I’d try to get some heart shaped ones from Roberts Crafts, Micheals or Hobby Lobby….

Then they will undoubtedly sing their little hearts out for you.  It’s so cute how easy it is to motivate kids.
Then pick out your first “contestant”.  They can come up and get a big pin from you for popping.
 Make a big deal about maybe counting down from 5, to 4, to 3, 2, 1 Let er RIP!  Then watch the fun.

And you’ll have your next song to sing.  Tell them once again you will be looking for the best singer to pop the next balloon.  The balloons will cost you about 20 cents each depending on where you go.  I know Roberts Crafts has balloons too and you might find some cute Valentine ones to put in between the plain red ones for variety.
Balloon Pop Gift Wrap
Happy POPPING!  And Happy Valentines Day!

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Primary Music for February 2012

A fun game we used to play was
  WHAT’S THE MISSING WORD?
 I had a several funny knit hats with long ears, pigtails or horns.   I’d pin a word on a 3x 5 card to the front (or use tape) and I’d choose a prominent word from one of the songs on the hat.  The person couldn’t see the word.  Then we’d begin to sing the song but when we came to the word, the primary would skip it and not sing it.  The object is to see if the child can figure out the word.  The senior primary can do it a lot better than the junior primary can,  Especially if you are just learning the song.  But it is a great activity for the 2nd or 3rd week of a new song.  It would be good for the new February song.  Try it this week.

Primary Singing Time Fun….What’s the Missing Word? 
Find any old funny hat to use for the word….get several funny hats…..

  

Any of these hats would do….or go look for one at the DI
Primary Singing time for February….What’s the Missing Word?

       

If you don’t have any funny hats, you could use a baseball cap. It doesn’t really matter.  I used to use a jester hat with multiple horns of many colors coming out of it.  It was funny just to watch the child up there thinking while we were singing. It makes the kids forget they are singing they are so anticipating getting to the word to see if the child will “get it” or not.  It’s a fun activity to re-sing songs.

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Primary Singing Time February

Let’s do some Hot Potato with a twist!  I have this big, stuffed heart hanging from a doorknob in my house. It says “Be Mine” on it.  It is the perfect little pillow to throw around if you are playing keep away at your house. But it might just be perfect for a Primary ” Heart Potato” game we can do for singing time.

Valentines Game “Hot Heart Potato”

Pass the little heart pillow (or any heart you can find around the house…even a heart sucker) around primary while the kids are singing the songs and when the music stops that child can come up and hold a picture or a visual aid (or maybe keep time with a bell or a wood block or sticks). They love participating in any kind of percussion.

 I just got done doing all my Valentines Day Decorating.
Here’s my front entry table….so cute, right?  

I can’t believe how much stuff I’ve accumulated….. here is
an end table…..

Living Room Table decor…..

 I worked at Kohls while getting my Master’s Degree in Education….so I got great discounts
on lots of their fun decorations at holidays…..

It’s amazing how much stuff you can accumulate when you go shop
the after holiday sales for a few years……I got lots of cute stuff for just a dollar or two.
This is my coffee table…..I love this little stained glass heart box….
So anyway, here’s inside my front door……

My dining room picture wall….each season I change the black metal cone contents…..and
hang some new ribbons or a swag of some sort on the wrought iron bar…..

Kitchen table….I love placemats and runners…..and I change out the candle colors each season….

This little plate rack in my kitchen I’ve got plates for every holiday now….
Well….except for 4th of July…Maybe I can find some red, white and blue ones….hehe….

Picture Wall of my family and grandkids….

Outside on the front door I hung a heart ornament on a beaded wreath….I’m so crafty…hehe….

Front entry table….I love this light up LOVE lamp….it stays on all season long…..

My 3 sons and my darling first granddaughter….some of my fav peeps…..

My grandkids love all of my candy dishes…only thing is….these conversation
hearts are like a year old….I buy them after the season…they are for looks only! I actually think they might break your teeth if you chomped down on one of em……

I love this little cupid lamp…..

Hope you have some fun doing some HOT POTATO during singing time next Sunday!  

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