Hello Song

Each week we welcome visitors by singing the Hello Song.  To make it interesting and fun for the kids I do a couple of things.  I either have them sing Hello in another language, or I choose a color and if they are wearing it, they are the echo.  Here are some of the languages that we sing:
(These are written how you would say it)
Chinese:     Nee How
French:       Bon jour (Bon shore)
German:     Guten Tag
Greek:        Yah Soo
Hawaiian:    Aloha
Hebrew:      Shalom
Italian:         Chow
Japanese:     Kon nee chee wa
Russian:      Pree -vyet
Samoan:     Malo
Spanish:      hola
Sweedish:    hej (hey)
Taiwanese:   Li-ho
Vietnamese:  sin chow
ASL:            hand salut from the forehead (Sign language)
These are just a few that we have learned.  You can look up more, there are MANY ways to say hello!

Missionary Singing

Since the month of November focuses on missionary work, I thought of a fun singing time idea.  Most wards have several missionaries serving throughout the world.   Ask the parents of the missionaries to find out in advance their son's or daughter's favorite primary song.  You could then get a picture to show of the missionary and also a map showing where they are serving.  You could express your gratitude for that missionary and then sing their favorite song.  This could also be combined with sharing time and you could have the children write thank you letters that could be sent to the missionaries.  We LOVE our missionaries!

Christmas Handbells

This is one of my favorite things to do at Christmas for singing time.  I have a set of "Kids Play Hand Bells" that I let the children use to play some Christmas songs and primary songs.  I am excited because this year I have added an extension of the set so that we can now do other songs that weren't possible before because of the limited notes we were able to play.  Each hand bell is a different color and also has a number on it.I made posters with the song written by numbers and color.

 I teach the children how to hold the bells and how to ring them.  I emphasize that when they pick up a bell they are to see how quiet they can keep it.  I make sure that each child has a turn to play.  They usually get to do at least 2 songs each.  Last year I had the teachers all come up and take a turn, and the kids actually did a better job then they did! ha.  For the sunbeam age kids I have the presidency help by tapping them on the head when it is their turn.  They however caught on really fast and were ready to ring their bell when it was their turn.

Next year I plan to bring the bells out during the year and just do some primary songs.  These would be a fun addition to your singing supplies.  You can buy them on line from Kids Play.  I also pulled them out for our extended family Christmas party and the kids loved it.

We'll Bring The World His Truth

I am so excited for our Primary Program.  One of the songs that I chose for our program was We'll Bring The World His Truth.  This was so much fun to teach.  I taught them the story about the 2,000 stripling warriors.  I had a couple of children come up and be warriors and another be Helaman.  The Junior Primary children love to act out stories.  Use any kind of little props like a play sword or bow and arrow to help them feel like warriors.  Explain how much Helaman loved these young men and how they were taught by their mothers to be faithful and obedient.  Also explain the first part of the song which says, "We have been born as Nephi of old, to goodly parents who love the lord".  Have them turn to that scripture and read it. I really like to help the children understand the message of each song they learn.  They learned this song so fast and when they sing, it gives me goose bumps.  I love to talk to them about my son who is a missionary serving in Texas and how important missionary work is.  This is an exciting time we live in  and the Lord is counting on us to spread the gospel message to the world!  My son is the tall blonde missionary.  This was taken at the Houston Temple where he was able to enjoy being the escort for the man next to him who he baptized a year earlier.  What an amazing experience for him!

For our program I am going to have the children sing the first verse and when they hit the chorus I have asked the young men and young women in our ward to stand up and start singing with them.  I will then have the audience sing the second verse and the very last line of the song, where it repeats "To bring the world His truth", I will have the primary kids sing only.  I hope this will touch the hearts of all those who participate!

"Scripture Singing"

I love whenever we can use our scriptures in Primary.  I feel that it is so important for the children to learn to use these valuable tools as much as possible.  I thought it would be fun to do a scripture search with singing time.  I will tell them to find a certain scripture and they are to read it and try to figure out a song that would go with that scripture.  You will have to probably bring extras from your library so that there will be enough for the children to share.  Here are some of the scriptures and songs that I will use:

SCRIPTURE                SONG
1 Nephi 3:7                  Nephi's Courage
D&C 4:3                       Called To Serve
Proverbs 29:9              The Wise man and the Foolish man
Leviticus 2:14               Popcorn Popping
D&C 138:53                 Latter Day Prophets
D&C 33:13                   Scripture Power
D&C 115:4                   I Belong To The Church of Jesus Christ
1 John 4:9                    He Sent His Son
1 Kings 18:34              Do As I'm Doing
I will have for our Opening Song or Reverence Song "Search, Ponder and Pray"
For the Junior Primary, I will have the teachers help the children look up the scripture and work together to think of a song.
Have fun searching the scriptures with the children and singing some of their favorite songs!

"Fortune Cookie Singing"

I thought of this idea using fortune cookies.  Who doesn't like breaking open a fortune cookie and finding their fortune inside!  I thought is would be fun to put different ways to sing inside of the cookies.  Here is what I thought would be fun:
"You will sing amazing if you stand up" Have the children stand to sing, or use the stand and sit signs
""You will make someone happy today"  Sing If Your Happy and you Know It.
"You will be a good leader"  Have the child lead the song, or lead them in Do As I'm Doing
"If you Choose the Right you will be happy"  Sing Choose The Right
"Something sweet is coming your way!"  Have the children sing for a tootsie roll
"You were created in the image of God"  Sing I Am A Child of God
"If you seek, you will find what you are looking for"  Play Hide and Seek during the song
A mission could be in your future" Sing I Hope They Call Me on a Mission, or We'll Bring The World His Truth
Be creative and make up your own fortunes!
Buy the fortune cookies and find the ones that you can easily slip the fortunes out of and then replace them carefully back into the cookie. If you are real ambitious, you could even make your own!

"Thanksgiving Singing"

I made this poster several years ago.  I made the feathers so they could be pulled off.  I tell the children that we are going to pluck the feathers off our turkey for singing time today.  On the back of the feathers I put the name of the song to sing, or how to sing the song.  I also have written something that the children have to say they are thankful for.  For example, "I am thankful for____"
Or, it may say "tell someone in the room why you are thankful for them".  Then we sing the song.   I like to add an element of surprise and one of the feathers may say "sing for a sticker" or "sing for a candy" etc.  Easy and fun!

"Thankful Charades"
Another idea for Thanksgiving that I have done before is to play a game of charades.  In a jar I have different songs that also are things that you can be thankful for.  I choose a child to pick out of the jar and then have them act out the name of the song and the children try to guess what it is.  Whoever guesses gets to do it next after we sing the song. Here are some ideas of songs:
"Scriptures"  sing Scripture Power
"Family"      sing Families Can Be Together Forever
"Food"        sing For Health and Strength
"Earth"        sing My Heavenly Father Loves Me
"Prophets"   sing Follow the Prophet, or Latter Day Prophets
"Temples"   sing I Love To See The Temple
"Baptism"    sing any baptism song
"Prayer"      sing A Child's Prayer
I like to talk about why we should be grateful for these things.  This is a great activity when you need something quick and easy!