My Brilliant Idea

I've been perusing one of my LONG links that I have on my blog and I had an epiphany...why can't I let others know what I'm doing each Sunday for my church calling! DUH! I know others have the same job I have and they're probably wondering what other people do (maybe not...I know that I wonder...) So I decided to write down my plan for each Sunday, and then if someone has any help for me, then I can get some helpful advice. YAY! I can't wait! (Plus I figured it would be a good motivator for me in order to plan my schedule in advance. If I know I HAVE to post it somewhere then I'll be more likely to do it when I should! I'm the ultimate procrastinator!)
OH, before I start, I guess I should let you all know what I do!! I am our ward's Primary Chorister. So my job, in a nutshell, is to teach the children songs that will be performed periodically. It's really a fun job. I relate much better to kids than I do to adults, so I'm LOVING it. I asked for ideas in a previous post and came up with TONS!! Anyway...I will actually do what I've been eluding to this entire post! Just for your reference, CS is my shorthand for the Children's Songbook. If it's not in the Children's Songbook I'll TRY to remember to put where I found it. If I forget, forgive me...I'm quite forgetful!

Schedule for June 4:
Opening Song: Holding Hands Around the World (Friend, Jul. 2002)
Welcome Song: Hello, Friends (CS p. 254)
Baptism Song: When I am Baptized (CS p. 103)
Birthday Song: Feliz Cumpleanos (CS p. 282)
Wiggle Song: My Hands (CS p. 273)

Singing Time: My plan is to present the new song for the month (Dearest Children, God is Near You, Hymn book 96) using the pictures for the first verse from my Primary Partners book. Since it's from the adult hymn book and not the children's song book I'm going to tell them that the new song is from the hymn book. Then I'm going to hang the pictures on the bulletin board in the room and teach them the words (first by singing it to them, then having them repeat.) After learning the words I'm going to have the kids slowly take down the helps. That way, they'll have to use their memories! Hopefully, after singing it about 3 or 4 times they'll have the gist of it and will know the first verse.

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Just as a bit of a side note to my rant....for my pictures I copied and colored them and then I glued them to the same color paper. That way, when I go to grab my pictures later on...the pictures to the songs we're working on are on the same picture. I guess it's my OCD shining through! :)

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Since Father's Day is coming up this month as well, I'm going to review our FAVORITE Daddy songs! Daddy's Homecoming (CS p. 210) and The Dearest Names (CS p. 208). The Dearest Names is one we substitute a few words and we have a song for either mother or father, so they already know the melody and the words, it's just a matter of reviewing them. I do however, have the kids use some sign language and they sign the words "I love you." It's kinda fun and it gives them SOME sort of movement!
I definitely LOVE doing actions with songs. We'll definitely be doing the actions that go with Daddy's Homecoming:
I'm so glad when daddy comes home,
Glad as I can be;
Clap my hands (clap hands)
And Shout for Joy, (raise hand in the air in fist)
Then climb up on his knee. (pat knees)
Put my arms around his neck, (hug self)
Hug him tight like this. (sway while hugging)
Pat his cheeks, (pat cheeks)
Then give him what?
A great big kiss! (cover mouth with hand and blow kiss)
I ALWAYS have to remind the kids NOT to blow the kiss until AFTER they sing the words. The kiss has to be the last thing! Some of the older kids, of course, think it's funny to disobey me, and they usually are doing what I say NOT to do, but then I get after them (nicely) and they do it right!

Closing Song: Don't Ever Forget to Pray (Friend, Apr 2006)

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One other side note: I've just discovered the short-term memories of the kids in my ward. We've decided to sing the song of the month from the previous month as the opening song EVERY week for the next month, and then I figured, why not have ALL the songs the same for the month!? Brilliance at it's finest point! So, for the WHOLE month the opening, welcome, birthday and closing songs will be the SAME!! Why did it take me so long to think of this? Who knows!