Review Game Ideas

Save those big hunks of cardboard you come across!

It might sound ridiculous, but I found myself saving tons of random stuff.  Shoe-boxes (you know, a box-in-a-box-in-a-box...)  But this particular piece of cardboard came up to about my shoulder.

For the first time I used it I cut out holes and put tissue paper behind it (wrapping paper would work) and they got to punch through it to get the song clue.  Punching is always a big hit with the boys.

Then 3 months later I revamped it and put some felt and buttons on it to look like a monster for a Halloween ward party (above) where the kids got to reach in and grab candy.  

Then a few months later I ripped off the felt teeth, added a few more openings, and put clues for the song that they had to reach in a grab. 

So the moral of this story is recycle your cute garbage!

~Kate

Review - Dress Me Up

This idea was a hit with the ladies in my tiny choir, but the boys didn't hate it either.  I came to church that day in my fanciest dress and brought different items for sale.  Each item had a price, which was a song they were to sing.  Like to buy me a tiara they had to sing If the Savior Stood Beside Me.  Then I got to put it on.  I had big clip on earrings, a veil (some tulle), elbow length gloves, a big ring, high heels... it was fun.

So at the beginning of music time I had my pianist, who was a male, come in with a trumpet that he tried to play a few notes on and announce me as "the princess".  So I came in and used my best disney princess voice and told them that I was invited to a ball and I need to get ready in time and that I needed their help to buy the items.  (In senior primary I chose the oldest girl and we dressed her up for the ball.)

They sang the songs so well!  I was very happy that they wanted me to get to the ball, even if I was 7 months pregnant...  I planned with my husband to come and get me (didn't plan on him having our son on his hip, but whatever).  So my pianist "announce him" as the prince.  He came in and asked if the princess was ready to go to the ball.  He complimented me on how lovely I was and we danced out of the room while I waved like a princess saying "goodbye peasants!  Thank you for helping me!"

It was super-funny.  Mostly because I was pregnant, my hubby had a kid on his hip, AND my hubby also really didn't want to dance out of the room with me (he doesn't dance.)  The girls in junior were so giggly when he came in.  So cheesy, but a lot of fun.

~Kate

Review - Science Experiment

The kids always have a fun time when I do science experiments, and so do I.

You'll need:

• a cookie sheet
• food coloring
• clear plastic cups
• plastic spoons
• water
• vinegar

So I had a list of songs printed out, each song in a different color matching my food colors.  I set up the cups with water in a row, except 1 of them had vinegar in it.  The spoons were laid out carefully in behind each cup.  I put a few drops of food coloring on each spoon, and then put baking soda on top of it so you couldn't tell what color it was.  When they stirred it in the water changed color.  And then we sang that song!  But one lucky kid gets to stir into the vinegar and watch it bubble over (hence needing the cookie sheet).    Then dump it all and set it up again for the next group!

But you could look up and do any number of science experiments to tie into primary.  It's all about getting their attention AND keeping it!

~Kate

Review - RUMBLE!

There are different types of rumbles, the kind I'm talking about here is obviously like that in West Side Story, where you settle your differences through song and dance.

So after explaining this to my puzzled children I had them move out all of the chairs while I put a line of tape down the center of the room.  Then I had them get in teams of 2, and then sent one person to each end of the room.  (That way they'd have a friend to look at and I wouldn't have to count off.)

I had my 2 teams then on opposite sides.  I had given my pianist a list of songs in the order I wanted him to play them (I put in a few silly songs too of course, nothing that needed to be sung too reverently because we don't want to mock Holy songs.)  Then I told them that whoever sang the best and had the best dance moves while moving toward the line would be the winner of the rumble. It was hilarious!  I wish I would have videoed their dance moves and their faces!!!

At first they moved to the line to quick and didn't really get into it.  So I told them that to get the point to you couldn't get to the line before the song ended.  And then they were crawling all over the floor, which isn't very appropriate for girls to do in dresses, so I had to make a rule against that.  But all in all, this was one that the kids kept talking about and I got lots of happy questions about it from parents.

~Kate

Review Video

So most kids I know love to watch tv.  See those dead looks in their eyes?

I prefer to think of my kids like this when they watch tv:

But either way I thought I'd change it up a bit and have them look at something other than me.  So I grabbed my little video camera (I like my flip) and roamed the halls for naughty parents who were hanging out there.  You know the ones.  And I caught quite a few!  So I wrote up a few poems like this:

What gives you power? 

I think you all know.  

To keep free from sin

you'll read this and grow.

Then they had to guess "Scripture Power".  And we sang it!  The kids were very excited to shout out who that person was.  "That's Tyson's dad!!!"  So I edited the video together, added the words to the poem at the end of the person saying it (so we could read over it when I paused the video so the adults could read the words over).  But this isn't a how-to on how to make video's.  Just something I did that was fun.  Have fun with it!

~Kate

I also had the idea to make a video of myself and script it out so I could talk to myself.  I really think the kids would think that is funny.

Oldie But A Goodie

I noticed that when you only learn one song a month, it gets a little old and tiring.  I have a monthly routine that kind of follow:

1st Sunday: Learn new song

2nd Sunday: Review new song

3rd Sunday: Oldie But A Goodie Week

4th Sunday: Review Game (All songs learned for the primary program so far)

Of course we don't only sing one song a day, I open with wiggle song, close with a reverent song, sometimes have a wiggle or quiet song in the middle depending on behavior..

But one of my favorite Sundays is the Oldie But A Goodie Week.  This is for all of those parents and teachers that have these great ideas like "Why don't you teach the song We'll Bring The World His Truth?" not realizing that you have a detailed plan of what songs you need to teach each Sunday that go along with the theme for the day and the outline that the General Presidency has given you listing the songs to teach.  (Sorry, rant over.)

But I do agree, there are songs that are some of my favorites that I want to teach.  And this is how I bring it in.  This song isn't for performing, so it doesn't have to be perfect.  But it is a good way to mix in some new songs for opening and closing.

So I found a record at Goodwill with some really old people on the cover.  (The kids love it.)  And then I pull out the record and we see what song it is that I have written on it!  And that's it!

~Kate

Mother's Day - Jail

One of the biggest hits in primary that I've had was one mother's day.  I decided that I would get some of the children's mothers and put them in jail.  (Ok, so one child in junior cried a little, but she was ok in the end.)

I our primary we have those accordion room dividers.  So I closed one half-way, and on the open half I hung black strips (that I made from cutting a plastic black tablecloth) to make it look like a jail.  I put the mother's behind it.

I had the mom's sneak in during sharing time.  Then I had my volunteer "Stinky Pete" come in.  A real fun dad that was up to play the part (his kids loved it).  So I started singing time with a wiggle song and then he came in.  He pulled back the divider half way (revealing the jail) and then the moms stood behind it fake crying and whimpering.  The kids faces were priceless.  He then cackled a bit and sat down on a chair in front of the chair.  I had him wear an old cowboy hat and chew a piece of straw.

Then I whispered to the kids a secret.  And they were so quiet and paying attention!  I told them that Stinky Pete had a weakness, if you sing really good and loud it actually puts him to sleep!  So we sang some review songs for the program, and I added in a few reverent lullaby-ish ones too, and they sang so well!  Every time they sang good he "fell asleep" and 1 mother would escape!  The kids were thrilled each time to say the least, even senior primary got really into it.

In the end all of the mothers escaped and Stinky Pete was sad he just wanted his own mother.  (The kids loved his fake cry.)  So we sang a mother's day song to him and it made him happy.  Then the kids all ran up and gave him a group hug.  This part was cute, but not so reverent.  Oh well, I learned that group hugs in church some times end up as a dog pile and that is NOT reverent for church!

~Kate