Dancing Flowers

I have these animated flowers that move when I push a button on the flower pot. I tell the kids that they have to sing well enough to make the flowers dance! Works like a charm. ;)

If you ever see a weird thing for a great price that just speaks to you, it probably means you'll find a use for it in Primary music!  ;)

(L) The dancing flowers my Mom used when I was in Primary!

(R) The flower I found for a great clearance price!! I just need to cut off it's hat and get it to stop signing
"I Feel Good", in the style of James Brown funk (not so much appropriate for Primary).

Four Corners

·        Mark 4 spots in the room.

·        Have a chair up front, close to the board, facing the board.

·        One child sits on the chair, covering eyes

·        I count back from 10 while all other children go to corners.

·        Sing the song.

·        Child in the chair listens to the song, then chooses which corner was singing best. Those children sit down and hum. Remaining standing children are still in the game.

·        Choose a sitting child to sit in the chair up front.

·        Repeat until all kids are sitting.

My WHO? Container

I have a container that I've cut strips of who can sing. I wrote "WHO" on it.  It's my WHO? can.  I use it to extend signing time and keep them singing. Since it's something I keep using it over and over, I thought I'd post about it.

For example, for the song  I Will Follow God's Plan I asked the Primary, "Who will follow God's plan?"  I invited a child to pick from the WHO? Container - and then I make a big deal about those kids ("Yes! people wearing blue will follow God's plan!!!") and only those kids sing. I first used the WHO? Container for the song I Lived in Heaven.  It's the same idea...(see it here!).

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Ideas for WHO paper strips:

• hair color
• hair length
• eye color
• clothing color
• age (older than/younger than)
• girls / boys
• missing teeth
• have had a birthday this year / birthday coming up

Posting Papers in the Hallway

image source

Have a paper item. Ask a Teacher to help you. Tell the children that the Teacher will walk down the hallway and when they can't hear the Primary anymore they will post the item on the wall.  The louder the kids sing, the farther down the hallway the item will be. Remind them to sing, not scream (or "no louder than lovely). The kids will feel accomplished when they see the items in the hall after Primary.

Item ideas:

• music note
• stars
• pictures of the Teachers
• pictures representing the Songs (for a review)

Super Singer Sunglasses

image source

Get a pair of silly sunglasses. Huge clown ones, silly shape ones - whatever you can find. First you wear them. While wearing them look really hard for a "super singer". The child you choose gets to be the next to look for a "super singer". Sing. Repeat. Sing. Repeat.


*I am not sure if I saw this idea on the Facebook LDS Chorister's Group or on a blog. If you know, please tell me so I can properly credit.

Singing Meter Board

The idea is that pictures are attached and as the children sing well the pictures go up. (Or down, or sideways, or however you are holding the board).

Here is my basic board. It's really easy to make:

• thick poster board
• string (I used yarn)
• scissors

1. Measure and mark where you want the holes for the string. If you want, leave more space at the top so you can put a title on it.
2. Poke the holes
3. Cut the string and thread it through
4. Tie it on the back side

*You want the strings tight, but not so tight that they won't move.  Too loose, though, and the items you attach to the front will droop and not stay close to the board.

5. Make the backing to which you'll attach items. Make sure the knot at the back is all the way up and the backing is all the way at the bottom. I used cardboard from a cereal box:

6. Attach items. I was making "fireworks" for the 4th of July, using gift wrap bows. I'm still working on putting the title on my board, but I was in a hurry to get this post up. When the kids sing well the fireworks will go up!

Item ideas are -

• flowers that grow up
• fireworks that go up
• cars that race (side-to-side, turn the board horizontally)
• thermometer
• snowmen that melt
• raindrops that fall down
• shooting stars (side-to-side)
• rocketships up to the moon
• tortoise and the hair (side-to-side)
• hearts for a "love o'meter"
• kites
• ... let me know your ideas! I want to know more ways to use this singing meter board so I can get lots of use out of it!

Here is the Pioneer Children (sang as they walked) version.

It's horizontal (which kind of causes the strings to sag if the pictures are too heavy).

I used sticks to put the sign on the side (it is on the top when the board is vertical):

Here is the "Build a Temple" version, used in THIS lesson:

Here is the "Family Vacation" version:

Here is the Valentine's Version:

Another Valentine's Version with "Conversation Hearts":

The March/windy weather version:

For all 3 verses of On a Golden Springtime

(more of just a visual aid than a singing meter)

two pics:

Meter Board for learning/reviewing more verses of the Sunbeam song:

"Tie Guys" Singing Meter Board for Father's Day

(Yes!,  They are the suns... repurposed!)

Split Primary

To keep them singing after they've learned a song, split your Primary in half. When you hold up a #1 on your finger, only the number one's sing. Same for number twos. Alternate who is singing as you continue with the song. Alternate fast and get them laughing. They'll pay attention and learn to follow the conductor.

Stop and Go String

Tie red and green string together. Put it in a can of some sort (used and washed out plastic frosting can, for example). Pull out the string as you sing. Green - sing! Yellow - hum!  Red - think the words in your head!

HERE is the idea on Music For Primary's Blog. Hers is cuter than mine. :)

**The problem with this is that you can't see the string in the back. In fact, you can barely see it on the front row. Solution: Hold up [or have a child do it] red, green and yellow paper (in sheet protectors) that is the same color as the string coming out so everyone in the room can see. (As seen in this post, Stop & Go Review)

Singing Pox

image source (Amazon.com)

Get small dot stickers. Put them on the kids who are trying to sing their best. This will encourage others to sing, too.

...I like the idea, but then I start thinking about the book You Are Special by Max Lucado...


*Idea attributed to Kailee A. on Facebook.