Fun To Do- Fall Leaves Version

I put together a fun little rest activity for my JR this week.

It's another version of 'Fun To Do' only with the fall leaves.

The nursery kids would love it too.

Click HERE to download the file.

Happy Singing!!

If You Really Love Your Mom...

I saw a cute idea on the LDS Choristers Facebook page to change the words to "If You're Happy and You Know It" to a Mother's Day version. I'm a very visual person so I just had to make pictures to go with it.

This would be great for Nursery as well as Junior. Some Senior kids might think it's fun too.

Click HERE to download the pictures.

I've done a post about this song before with other pictures.

 If you're interested here is the link. Click HERE.

Happy Mother's Day everyone!

Primary Song Matching

Need a sub?

This is a GREAT activity to make and have on hand for that Sunday morning when you wake up and are too sick to go to Primary. It's great for a sub or just fun for a review.

I picked some of my Primary's favorite songs and made a matching game with scriptures.

It's a fun idea for the Nursery too but I'd minus the scriptures.

Very EASY and simple to prepare!

Click HERE to download the file.

More Family Stick Puppets

One thing my new little Sunbeams like to do is hold things while we sing. And one of their favorite songs is 'A Happy Family'. I had some cute family stick puppets HERE, but not enough for all my Sunbeams. So I made a few more to add to my collection.

These are also great for story telling in FHE or Primary lessons.

Click HERE to download More Family Stick Puppets.

ENJOY!!

If You're Happy

Here is a little visual especially for my new little Sunbeams for

 'If You're Happy and You Know It'.

This would also be great to have in the Nursery box.

Click HERE to download the file.

WINTER Wiggle Songs

I found some fun wiggle songs for winter on Facebook and on the Internet. So I made them up ready to go.

The first is to the tune of Popcorn Popping. There are several versions out there. This is the one I did. Even my Senior Primary liked singing this one. 

We also made up actions to go along with it.

Click HERE for a copy.

Next, we like to do a winter version of 'Fun To Do' on page 253 in the CS. I made up some cute cards that the kids picked. Then we made up an action and sang it.

Click HERE for a copy of the cards.

Then, we like to sing 'Falling Snow'. It's in the CS on page 248. But when I was growing up there was another part to the song about the icicles. I found the music in the old orange Primary book. Yes, I know that makes me old. Ha, ha!

The book was published in 1980 and there was no copyright, that I could find, on the song. So I made a copy for my pianist and taught the kids the extra phrases. We made up actions for this one too.

If you don't have access to this book, I took a picture of the music. Sorry it's not a great copy but I think you can see the words and notes.

Click HERE for a copy. 

All of these songs are a hit in Nursery too!

NURSERY SINGING TIME

"Nursery-age Children are ready and eager to learn about Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, and music can help them learn."

From the Nursery Manuel BEHOLD YOUR LITTLE ONES

Nursery is near and dear to my heart! I love doing music with them.
Here's how I put my Nursery music time together:

1. I chose 36 songs from the Children's Songbook that I thought the children needed to know and could handle at their age. I made a song card for each. 

Each Sunday I choose 8-10 songs. I try to have at least one for each child in Nursery so everyone gets a turn picking a song.

2. Whenever I sing with the Nursery kids, I like them to either be holding something (a prop) or doing an action to keep them engaged. 

I collected the props and placed them in various sized baggies with labels to identify them. I also printed the words to the songs so I had a little reminder if I needed it.

3. I place them in a large container that would fit in the Nursery closet. If you don't have a closet you can just keep it at home and place what you'll need in a bag each Sunday.

4. When it's time to sing, I place the song cards I've chosen on the board. Then the kids take turns picking a song. I hand out the props or show them the actions and we sing the song several times. Then we continue until everyone has had a turn picking a song. It's a great way to teach 'taking turns'.

5. When I introduce a new song, I sing it first and then have them sing with me. Most of the kids will give it a try but sometimes it takes a few weeks for them to start singing with me. Just keep singing even if you're singing a solo. Believe me they are getting it and will soon be singing with you.

If you would like a copy of my song cards and all I've talked about in this post, click HERE.

I have other posts on this blog for Nursery. Just check out LABELS on the sidebar under Nursery for them.

Happy Singing!!!

If You're THANKFUL

I saw a fun idea on LDS Chorister's Facebook page. But I can't find it now. I think that's a problem a lot of us have that use the sight. If you don't save the idea when you see it, you may never see it again. 

So I'd love to give credit for whomever thought of this. Let me know if it's you. THANKS!!

Anyhow, they suggested changing the words to 'If You're Happy and you know it' to If You're THANKFUL and you know'. They had some cute suggestion so I made up some card to go with it.

The kiddos take turns picking a card and everyone sings and does an action to it.

I'm going to use this for my wiggles song. I think it would be GREAT for Nursery too.

Click HERE if you'd like a copy.

GIVE THANKS!!

Book of Mormon Stories

I sometimes forget that there are more verses to Book of Mormon Stories.

So I made some great 11 x 17 charts with all the verses.

Here is how I use them:

 I love to pass out a chart/verse to each class. Then have the pianist play the verse over and over as each class gathers around their poster and practices singing their verse. After about 4-5 times we stop and have each class come forward and sing their verse for the group. This even works in Junior Primary and it gets the teachers involved. Senior Primary can even look up the story in the Book of Mormon or tell a story about their verse.

I created the charts to be printed on 11 x 17 inch paper so they will be good quality when enlarged. Just take the file on a jump drive to your copy center and ask them to print them on that sized paper. You'll want to laminate them for durability. If you'd rather not go to that expense or want to use as a flip chart you can print on regular sized paper.

My good friend, Collette, had another great idea to use a toy bow & arrow with suction cups (like a Nerf one). Draw a bull's eye on the board with verse numbers in the circles. Then have the child shoot at it like 'Nephi in the Wilderness'. Sing wherever the arrow hits.

Click HERE to download the file.

ENJOY!

Family Stick Puppets

What Primary child doesn't know the song: 'A Happy Family'? It's taught at home as well as in Nursery. I remember singing it as a lullaby when my kids were little.

Here is a really cute set of stick puppets. There are LOTS of uses for them. I use them in Jr. Primary and Nursery when we sing A Happy Family. I have also used them with other songs about the family. I've even used them when telling a story in a lesson.

If you'd like the file, just click HERE for a download.

I have another post with MORE family stick puppets HERE.

ENJOY!

Thankful Pictures

There is a great Facebook group for LDS Choristers. There are tons of ideas on there. I have posted on there before. So if you've seen my stuff on there then this will be a repeat. I'm going to post one here. It's my Thankful pictures. With Thanksgiving coming up these could be used for lots of things.

One way I use them is in the Nursery with the song: Family Prayer. I pick several pictures that the kids can relate to and put the pictures face down in the middle of our circle. We hold hands and walk in a circle as we sing. Then we kneel down. Next I pick 3-4 children to take turns picking a picture card. They turn it over and talk about why we are thankful for it. You could also do this with the Jr. Primary, just pick 6-7 children at a time to come up to the circle.

Another way is with the Sr. Primary but it could work with Jr. too. I pick several of the pictures and pick a Primary song to go with it. Then have a child pick a picture and play a form of 'Name That Tune' to try and guess the song. Then sing it and talk about why we are thankful for it.

If you'd like to download the pictures click HERE.

I've also included some of the songs I chose to go with some of the pictures.

Enjoy and happy singing!

3 Wiggle Songs

Another one of my all-time favorite callings is NURSERY!

I absolutely love spending time with the 'wee-little-ones'. They just can't help but make you smile!

And of course, the music portion of Nursery, I LOVE!
So along the way in this blog, you'll find helps for Nursery music too because I know many choristers go into Nursery and do the music.

One of my favorite song activities is singing: Rain Is Falling All Around.
I bring in a small spray bottle filled with water. Before we start to sing, I spray a few times above the kiddos heads and we talk about what rain feels like and how important it is in our lives. We also discuss who gives us the rain. Then I give every child 4-5 raindrops. As we sing the song, we gently drop our raindrops on the ground. And believe it or not their favorite part is running around picking up the raindrops. Then we do it all again.

Because they loved it so much, I made snowflakes and colored leaves to sing at other times of the year.
 With the snowflakes we sing: Falling Snow. And for the leaves we sing: It's Autumntime. 

All the songs are in the Children's Songbook.

If you'd like a copy of my leaves, raindrops, and snowflakes you can click HERE.

Happy Singing!