Stake Activity Day - "There's No Place Like Home"

I am currently serving as the secretary in our Stake Primary Presidency.  I loved this recent Stake Activity Day event! Feel free to copy anything you'd like from the activity. 

We had a committee of around 20 people working on it and it was incredible.  Everyone magnified their responsibilities and I have to say it turned out to be quite a memorable event for the girls.

This was our poster (I took our stake name off to make it generic).

Our invitation. We printed them as 4x6 pics at Costco.

We based the theme around the Wizard of Oz but adjusted it to fit our desired goal.  Our theme was "There's No Place Like Home with Our Father in Heaven and our Savior Jesus Christ."  Our focus was trying to prepare the girls to attend the temple someday and then eventually return to live with Heavenly Father.

Primary Music Leader Training

We had a fun Stake Primary Music Training in our stake recently.  All of our ward Primary Music Leaders came and shared their ideas.  I wanted to share the information from that night.

Sing Your Heart Out

Music Leader Training Get-together

“We care so much about you and about the children you are teaching. Prepare well to bless these little ones.  Give it your best effort.  Your influence will - quite literally - affect these children for eternity.  Enjoy the assignment that you have, and discharge it faithfully.  However much we love and admire children, I am certain we underestimate who and what a child is, and what in the hands of God he or she may become.  May God bless you always in your sacred opportunity to help save the children of this Church.”   

-Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, Leadership Training Library, “Supporting the Primary Music Leader”

“We are able to feel and learn very quickly through music...some spiritual things that we would otherwise learn very slowly.”  

-Boyd K. Packer, “The Arts and the Spirit of the Lord,” Ensign, Aug, 1976, 61

PLANNING MUSIC TIME

Know the Song

Before you can teach a song effectively, you must know the song yourself. Become familiar with the words and melody by playing the song on the piano or listening to the music on the Church music website.

·         Do I know the song well enough to make eye contact with the children?

Use the Scriptures

Study the song to learn what message the words convey. Use the scripture references at the end of the song in your preparation or in teaching the song.

·         Do I connect the doctrine to the words the children are singing?

Sing, Sing, Sing

Children learn to sing a song by hearing it sung and by singing it themselves. Spend more time singing than talking during music time.

·         Do we sing more than we talk or play games?

Capture the Children's Attention

Engage the children's attention with an object, a picture, a scripture, an experience, or simply a whisper.

·         Do the attention-getters that I use enhance the learning experience?

Include Different Learning Styles

Use a variety of approaches to involve as many of the senses as possible.  Seeing, speaking, moving, and doing, as well as hearing, will help children better understand and remember the songs.

·         Do I vary my teaching plan to include different learning styles?

Direct Children's Listening

Ask questions that will encourage children to listen to the song and help them understand the gospel message. For example, ask—What? Where? When? Why?—and state the question in such a way that children can discover the answer as you sing the song.

·         Do I ask questions that encourage thinking?

Involve the Children

Create opportunities for children to participate. For example, invite children to improvise actions, assign small groups to sing different sections, ask for ideas to vary the styles of singing, or give them a picture or object to hold to remind them of the words to a song.

·         Do I use activities that involve all of the children rather than a few?

Bear Testimony

Bear your personal testimony or read testimonies recorded in the scriptures. As children hear the testimonies of others, they will be strengthened.

·         Do I bear brief testimony of the doctrine taught in the song?

Reverence Ideas               

 Bubbles in cheeks (Junior Primary)

To fold arms with choices (jets or fish, in lap or on chest)

Stand up/Sit down

Proximity Control

“If you can hear me ______.”

“To Catch a Butterfly”

https://www.lds.org/friend/2001/05/to-catch-a-butterfly?lang=eng&query=butterfly+reverence

Positive Reinforcement - “I” statements    

• “I’m looking for…”
• beautiful eyes
• big smiles
• chins up
• mouths moving to sing
• “I noticed…”
• Include specifics
• Whole group, class, or individuals
• Use a variety
• Praise around

           

• “I give ______ to those who ______”  
• thumbs up, smile.
• winks, look at me.
• pats on the back, sit up straight.

• Silent cheers

Old Reliable! (Games for THOSE weeks)

From The Barefoot Chorister, Stacy Sanchez

http://barefootchorister.blogspot.com

1. Hide the Note/Hot and Cold

2. Name that Tune (Notes, humming, rhythm, etc)

3. Stump the Chorister

4. Pop the Balloon

5. Skittles Challenge

6. Who's Missing

7. Something's Different, Sister ________

8. Swat Team

9. 4 Corners

Choose and Review games

From Kathleen Mower

http://thechildrensing.blogspot.com

1. Everyone who…

2. Three in a Row

3. Scrambled Word Puzzle

4. People in the Scriptures Made Good Choices

5. I Spy With My Little Eye

http://www.twoladiesandablog.blogspot.com/2012/07/roll-and-blow.html

Roll ‘em and Blow “em

Cut the Bishop’s tie

Roll/Spin Mix ‘n’ Match - Fun Ways to Sing

http://afprimarysingingtime.blogspot.com/2010/09/fun-ways-to-sing.html

http://kamisprimarymusicideas.blogspot.com/2014/04/review-activity-ways-to-sing-cards-more.html

http://teachldschildren.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Fun-Ways-to-Sing.pdf

http://primarysingingtimewithmatilda.blogspot.com/2015/01/20-minutes-for-singing-time-what-should.html

Battleship

Children can put their arm into the elephant's trunk and practice leading the song.  A simpler version could be an apple with a worm sticking out of it (if you don't want to try drawing an elephant).

Candyland 

Wiggles and Giggles - Children can pick one of these cute things out of the jar and there is a fun song attached that they can sing.  Great idea to pull from when you see the kids need a little break and some movement.

 Roll the dice to see what style to use while singing the song.  Kids love that!  

Uno Game to learn a song. 

This was a fun idea.  One binder contained a copy of the Primary Children's Songbook that she had taken apart and put in sheet protectors.  The other binder had the plan for the month.  Great way to be organized and what a fun theme.

This was the treat table for our training.  Our theme was Sing Your Heart Out since we held it a few weeks before Valentine's Day.  Who doesn't love sugar cookies and chocolate?

This was the table of things we gave our music leaders. 

Here's a link to a folder which includes some documents such as fun ways to sings songs and our training documents.

Scripture Timers and Poem

I love to read the scriptures and want to encourage my son, nieces and nephews to feel the joy that I feel from reading them everyday.  I bought these three minute timers on Amazon Prime and wrote a poem to go with them so encourage them in their personal studies.  I hope they will enjoy using the timers.

Make TIME for Scripture Study

How many hours are in a day?

We can work, learn, sleep and play.

Make time for scriptures everyday!

You’ll learn from what the prophets say.

Ponderize, pray and be happy and strong,

And learn to choose between right and wrong.

Parables, lessons, lots to learn and know.

You’ll feel the spirit and testimonies will grow.

Remember to treasure all that you read.

Heavenly Father loves his children indeed.

He gave us scriptures because of His love,

So we can return to Heaven above.

Just like we brush our teeth every day

Reading scriptures should be treated that way.

We take care of our bodies and also our souls;

In both areas we set some important goals.

This reading timer shows you three little minutes,

So you’ll know when to start and when to end it.

Flip it again if you’d like to double your time,

And flip it once more to read for nine.

Whether you choose to read for nine, six or three,

You’ll be blessed for your efforts and very happy.

Nephi's Broken Bow - Visuals for Teaching Primary

I created these visuals to go with the lesson in the Primary 4: Book of Mormon manual, lesson #5, entitled "Lehi and His Family Are Led through the Wilderness."  

I used my own words and interpretation to choose the graphics.  The kids loved it and the visuals helped them pay attention to and understand the story.

Click HERE for the PDF files.

I designed it so there were two visuals on each page.  I printed on cardstock and then cut the pages in half.  For the lesson, have the kids read along (or listen) to 1 Nephi 16:17-32.  Lay out all the pictures on the floor and then have kids point to a picture when it fits with the story.  Put them up on the board using magnets.

Here are some links to supplementary material about Nephi's broken bow.  I personally like to study a lot about a topic before I teach it so that I can gain insights, even if I don't share all the info with the class.

Story from The Friend magazine called "Nephi's Bow" (and little boys).

"When Your Bow Breaks" Speech (more for adults)

The Book of Mormon Study Manual

Info about Nephi's Bows from the New Era

Sacrament Visuals (for teaching children)

I made these visuals when I was teaching a Primary lesson on the Sacrament.  Feel free to use them.  Click HERE for the PDF file.

To learn more about the Sacrament, visit this website.

Primary Talk - Family Prayer

In 3rd Nephi 18:21, it says, “Pray in your families unto the Father … that your [families] may be blessed.” When Jesus visited the Nephites, one of the important things he told them was to have family prayer.

We can pray for lots of things as a family.  Here are some ideas.  We can pray for safety, to have the spirit with us to make good decisions, for family harmony, for a desire to study the scriptures, to be patient with our brothers or sisters, to prepare for missions and temple marriages, and so forth.  In our family we pray for the missionaries every night and also pray to have missionary experiences too.

In an Ensign talk from February 2001, it says, "Wise parents will recognize the protective power of regular family prayer. President Kimball taught: "No mother would carelessly send her little children forth to school on a wintry morning without warm clothes to protect against the snow and rain and cold. But there are numerous fathers and mothers who send their children to school without the protective covering available to them through prayer--a protection against exposure to unknown hazards, evil people, and base temptations."

Every morning we pray before we go to school.  My mom says that remembering to pray is more important than remembering to bring your lunch or wear your shoes to school.  You wouldn’t skip lunch or go barefoot to school, so why would we not remember to pray?

3 Questions to Guide Your Lesson Preparation

Every month we give our Primary teachers at church a "Tip & Treat" to help them with teacher training.  This month I decided to focus on Chapter 31 in the manual "Teaching, No Greater Call."

These questions are great for general lesson planning, not just for teaching lessons at church.  They can be used at school, home, work, etc.

Click HERE to get the PDF on GoogleDocs (6 bookmarks per page).

PS For the treat, I am giving each teacher a few donut holes in a small plastic bag with this tag attached to them.  I would have made a treat but I was having a busy weekend and this seemed like an easy solution.  Why add craziness to my schedule if I can do something simple, right?

Click HERE to get the PDF on GoogleDocs for the Donut Holes (12 tags per page).

Baptism Talk with Kit Kat Reminder

This afternoon I am speaking at the baptism of a sweet nine-year old son who was just adopted into our friends' family.  They asked me to speak at his baptism this afternoon so I wrote this talk this morning.  Our main audience will be children so I know this object lesson will hold their attention and that they'll remember what is said.  Feel free to use this talk.  By the way, I didn't think of the concept of using the Kit Kat, it is "out there" on Pinterest.  I just made the graphics and wrote the talk which was inspired by the Pinterest pins.

There are links listed to access these graphics in PDF format.  PS My son with a sweet tooth will be thrilled with the handouts ;)

This poster can be placed by a basket of Kit Kat's as handouts for after the baptism.  Click HERE to get the PDF.

These signs can be used during the talk as visual reminders to hold the kids' attention.  Depending on your stake, you may or may not be allowed to use visual aids during your talk.  Click HERE to get these pages in PDF format.

These are little handouts that can be printed on a sheet of cardstock at home and then attached to Kit Kat bars.  Click HERE to get the PDF.

Here's the actual talk (feel free to cut, paste and edit if desired):

Do you know that you are just about to participate in your very first saving ordinance and make your very first official promise to Heavenly Father?

Today when you are baptized you will make some promises to your Heavenly Father.

See this Kit Kat bar?  It may look like an ordinary candy but it is a symbol that will help you remember your baptism covenants.

K is for KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS. 

When you are baptized, you promise to do your best to follow Jesus and keep all of His commandments.   When you make a mistake, you repent and try to do better.

Primary Airlines Activity

We did this fun "Primary Airlines" activity for our Primary Sharing Time for the children right after they finished doing the Primary Program at church.  We wanted to do something fun for them to show them how grateful we were for all of their hard work.  They memorized their lines, sang songs, and recited scriptures in front of a few hundred people (something many adults are afraid to do).  It was impressive!

Before the children arrived, we set up the Primary Room to look like an airplane.  A few printed airplane windows on the walls, chairs set up like airplane rows and aisles.  In the front of the room we had a big "Primary Airlines" sign.

We had the children line up in the hallway in front of a poster sized boarding sign and gave them each a boarding pass like this.

One of the gals and her family made a video that was projected on a screen in the room.  There were airplane sounds and the pilot spoke to the passengers throughout the movie.  They felt like they were on a flight.  There was even some turbulence and lightning along the way to add excitement.  We stopped at various countries and showed bits and pieces from this "One in a Million" page on the lds.org website.  For instance, for Australia, we would have the captain announce where we were landing and then we'd play a little show about a child from Australia.  It was a big hit!

Part way through our "flight," we served snacks and drinks on a cart, going up the aisles.

The theme of the month was missionary work, so we discussed that and as the children exited the flight, they received a "pass along card" to share with a friend.  They also received a pair of plastic airline wings with sticky tape on the back that were donated by SouthWest Airlines.

I'm sure the kids will remember this for a long time.  It could also work as part of a quarterly activity :)