SINGING TIME IDEAS

"Were All Together Again" pg. 259

Place hands on lap while sitting. Every time you sing "Here" you stand and clap your hands, then place your hands back on your lap. Basically... every time you say "Here", you stand and clap (then sit back down quickly).  Every time you say "we're" you slap your lap sitting.

This is very fun!


Hide and seek is always fun.
Pick a "hider" and a "seeker". The "hider" hides an object somewhere in the primary room while the "seeker" stands outside the room. The "seeker" is called in as the children are singing a song. As the "seeker" gets close to the object they sing louder as the child gets closer to the object or softer if the child is getting father away from the object, helping the "seeker" to find the hidden object.


Chalk and Eraser.
If you are stuck with a lot of time and are learning a new song this works with some songs... Have children draw on the chalkboard pictures to help them sing a new song you are trying to teach them. You can say "Humm, what can we draw for gift...?" The children raise their hand and say "We can draw a present!" That child then takes the chalk and draws a present.

Example: "Picture of an eye" I always have a "picture of smile" happy feeling when I go to "picture of Church" church. The "picture of an organ" plays so "picture of a bunny" soft and sweet "picture of a candy" I "picture of feet" tip toe quiet to my seat "picture of chair".

Then you can start erasing pictures. You can say... "Do you think we can sing this song if I erase the Eye and the Chair? Let's try..." Do this until all pictures are gone. You can have children come up one by one and decide which pictures to erase.


SONG CHARADES... You can have children stand and act like what you are singing about. (This is not like playing charades) Ask child what they can do to represent a word in a song. (You use the children instead of pictures). See below for example.

Example: "Once within a Lowly Stable"

1. Have child pretend they are a stable. They can put their hands over their head like a roof top for: Once within a lowly "STABLE"
2. Then have two children pretend they are a sheep and an ox for: Where the "SHEEP" and "OXEN" lay."
3. Then have a mother pretend she is laying her baby in a manger for:
A loving mother laid her baby
4. Then have another child bend down like they are a manger and the mother pretends she is laying her baby in the manger for:
"In a manger filled with hay"
(Maybe the girl acting like the manger can fluff her hair when they say hay.)


Solo
Every once in a while... give the children an opportunity to sing a portion of the song solo from his chair or in front of the primary. Pick two children from a class. One child sings by their self: "Faith is knowing the sun will rise, lighting each new day". Then the next child sings: "Faith is knowing the Lord will hear, my prayers each time I pray. Then all the children finish the verse: "Faith is like a little seed, if planted, it will grow, Faith is a swelling within my hear, when I do right I know." (The children can be picked in a special way like a stick pull, or because they were super singers.)


Child can get up and lead a song. You can show them the timing in the book and quickly show them how to do their hand motions. The whole primary can practice with you, but only the leader can lead the song.


Bring a girl's hat and a boy's hat. Bring one child to the front of the room. Stand behind the child with both hats in your hand. As the children sing a fun song, place either the boy or girls hat on the child's head. When the girl's hat is on the child, sing in a "high" voice. When you place the boy's hat on the child, the children sing in a "low" voice.


Red sock, green sock!
Have a child stand at the front of the primary. Place a red sock on one hand and a green sock on the other hand. Tell the child that when they start singing, they can hold up the green sock which tells the children to keep singing, or switch to hold up the red sock to have the children stop singing. They control how many times the children stop and sing.


This room is bugged!
Hid plastic bugs around the room with numbers written on their belly. The numbers tell which song to sing next. You choose a children, one by one after each song is sung to find the next hidden bug in the room. Look for your super singers.


Play Simon Says. The winner picks the next song.


Do as I'm Doing.
Pick a child to come up and choose an action to do while singing song. Child leads ever one in action, then sits down and another child is picked.


Pictures held by children.
Each child holds a picture representing words to the song to help children remember the words to a new song. Pull pictures out of children's hands one by one until the song can be sung with no pictures. You can still point to the child standing that was holding the picture, even though they are no longer holding the picture in their hand.


A children's band with instruments. As the children are singing, give each child something to play with the beat. They can play their instruments when certain words are being sung, or at the end of phrases of certain fun songs.

Example: Song "We are Different" pg. 163

I know you "ching ching"
And you know me "ching ching"
We are as different as the sun and the sea "ching ching"
I know you "ching ching"
And you know me "ching ching"
And that's the way it is suppose to be "ching ching".

I have seen shakers be made out of very simple things. Fold a plate in half and fill with popcorn. Poke holes along folded sides of plate and weave with yarn to hold in popcorn. Or fill baby food jars with popcorn and replace lid. You can bring in pot and pans, spoons, whatever and have the children make up an instrument. You can even get two dowels and have children hit the two sticks together.


Sign Language
Have someone come in and teach the children a simple song in sign language. "I am a Child of God" is one that they will use the rest of their life.


ANIMALS
When song leader holds up different pictures, or point to pictures on board, children sing accordingly: (Use three animals below or more)

1. Bunny: Sing softly
2. Bee: Humm song
3. Lion: Sing Loud
4. Seal: Sing while clapping to the beat
5. Mouse: Stop singing
6. Flamingo: Sing whild standing on one leg

If you don't have pictures you can make at least 3 hand movement to represent the following animals:

1. Giraffe: Hold hand straight up with fingers together and pointed down. When you lower your hand, the children sit down.
2. Bunny: Make bunny hears
3. Lion: Make a Roaring face with claws next to face


Pioneer Songs: Bring in dress-up clothes, bonnet, hat, vests, aprons. Have children dress up and act out what you are singing about.

Example: Walking, picking berries, making fires, pulling a handcart, picking flowers, marching, show strong arms for courage.

Apron with pockets containing #ers 1-11. As child opens the number, follow the list below. A fun way to stir up a boaring singing time. (Some songs might be inappropriate to sing like suggestions below.)

1. Sing like an opera singer;
2. Boys only; Girls only
3. Standing up;
4. Sing with your mouth closed (very funny);
5. Sing staccato;
6. Sing with your eyes closed;
7. Sing like a wide-mouth frog;
8. Sing in a whisper;
9. Sing while you giggle your lower lip;
11. Sing like a monster (I let them make faces, sing in a gruff voice,