Okay so for this post I went straight to the horse's mouth. I asked older kids what their thoughts on this were. I asked a wide variety of kids, ages 10 - 17 from those who really like to sing to those that proclaim that they don't like to sing. These children come from a variety of places as well. I also give their input into solutions.
Here are there thoughts in no particular order:
That doesn't mean that I won't get right in front of our rows of youngest students and "put on that younger version" while we are singing. I'm going to describe that version as over the top exaggerated actions - either super excited that we are going to clap on the word coming up, or really emphasizing that we are folding our arms. Yup super excited that clap is coming :) But when I stand back up straight to focus on the back again that exaggeration will tone down. (Not that we can't be excited, but there is a difference.)
What I have found is that if I do gear singing time to my OLDER children and have super simple actions for the younger ones to do, the younger ones stay with us. Great music and pictures can capture anyone's attention. The younger ones may not completely "learn" all of the words to some of our longer songs, but they ALWAYS get the chorus down and usually even more. And they will understand many of the main messages in the song, even if they don't understand every word. Line upon line. In fact, as a way to prep the very youngest, we started doing To Be His Child in nursery whenever we are doing it in the main Primary instead of I Am A Child Of God. I give them a mirror and point to the pictures of Jesus while we sing. It has been working. Throughout the year we will include a couple of other longer songs in nursery that we sing in the regular Primary. Most of my lesson plans are geared to the older kids, but my younger ones do great with them too. If I had a split Primary I would probably replace one song each week for Jr., but otherwise keep it similar. - richinshappenings.weebly.com/singing-time-lesson-plans
I have a separate post on this page where I talk more about my philosophies on posting words. I share both personal aha experiences as well as classroom.
We have found that by singing it with a recording for the first 2-3 times the following things happen as far as capturing the attention of the singers and non-singers right out of the gate:
Here is an example from teaching piano - I taught private lessons while my children were young and now I teach an after school group piano class at my school. There is a set of books that I really like, but there are a couple of songs in there that most of the boys don't like to play. So I have a different song that we play that teaches the SAME concept that the other song was meant to teach. If I sent the first song home they didn't practice it at all, or practiced it very minimally. If I sent the second song home, it came back memorized. Hmmmm . . . . which to choose, which to choose? I treat picking songs for Primary the same way, with the added benefit of being guided by The Spirit:
With that being said it's okay to throw in other songs here and there, but if I am looking at my line-up for the day and I see I need to up the "cool" factor I will make sure to add in an absolute favorite. Example on March 22nd. I really want to do "vinyard" songs so that it becomes an experience something like Lehi's Dream was for us. In looking at the songs I made sure to add in a couple of their favorites so that I can sing If I Planted A Garden, but go right into The Tree Of Life and not lose anything if they don't connect as well with If I Planted A Garden. See a list at the bottom for a list of many of the cool songs that the older kids I know like.
There was a fantastic Primary President a few years ago that I got to observe and she had Cheever's Challenges. It was trivia at the end, but you could apply this idea in other ways. My son did say that waving things around was not something he enjoyed and that he usually goofed off if that was what they were doing :(.
I took a games class at BYU - and yes it is a thing! Best class ever! The biggest take away was stop something while it is still fun. That is something that we always did for my children's parties. I do it at school. If we play a game we cut it off while we are still having fun. If we are singing we cut it off while we are still engaged - very little talking at the end. Let them leave with the feeling of the music. Here's an example: if a song went really well, I might drop a song from my line-up for that day and choose to repeat that song again that day. However, I probably won't do it a third time - unless it was in my teaching plan. (If I'm teaching usually it is singing it 3 times in a row, but usually not past 3 in that sitting.) There is a concern that singing a lot will not allow for learning the song. In fact last year when I was first called, the Primary Presidency voiced this concern to me and I said trust me it will work BUT it did take about 3 months to get everyone into the groove. By the end of the year they had WAY more songs that they knew than just the suggested list. As always this post is my musings and doesn't fit every style and that's okay. List Of The "Coolest" Songs From The Kids I Know - in no particular oder: I Am A Child Of God A Child's Prayer I Pray In Faith - the split parts Children All Over The World - the different languages For Health And Strength - a round He Sent His Son Samuel Tells Of The Baby Jesus Stars Were Gleaming When Joseph Went To Bethlehem The Shepherd's Carol Once Within A Lowly Stable Picture A Christmas The Nativity Song Christmas Bells - with bells :) Other Christmas Songs From The Regular Hymnbook Jesus Wants Me For A Sunbeam - with popcorn jumping (jump when you want) Beautiful Savior Did Jesus Really Live Again? Jesus Has Risen I Feel My Savior's Love The Church Of Jesus Christ I'm Trying To Be Like Jesus When He Comes Again The Golden Plates I Love To See The Temple Faith Baptism - but this is kind of hard to play for some pianists so it's not used as often When I Am Baptized Listen, Listen - a round Search, Ponder, and Pray Follow The Prophet All of the Books of Scriptures songs Nephi's Courage Latter-day Prophets Love One Another Where Love Is I'll Walk With You Dare To Do Right Stand For The Right Choose The Right Way I Will Be Valiant I Will Follow God's Plan I Want To Be A Missionary Now I Hope They Call Me On A Mission We'll Bring The World His Truth Families Can Be Together Forever Called To Serve Love Is Spoken Here To Be A Pioneer The Handcart Song Whenever I Think About Pioneers My Heavenly Father Loves Me Popcorn Popping - with popcorn jumping (jump when you want) Oh, What Do You Do In The Summertime? Once There Was A Snowman Sing A Song - with challenges and in a round If You're Happy Smiles Healthy, Wealthy, And Wise Songs From The Regular Hymnbook Patriotic Songs Come Come Ye Saints Joseph Smith's First Prayer We Thank Thee Oh God For A Prophet Praise To The Man Come Follow Me Many Of The Christmas Songs I Stand All Amazed True To The Faith The Iron Rod Other Songs On The Church's Website - ones we know right now, but there are others: Gethsemane The Miracle I Will Build An Ark Holding Hands Around The World Scripture Power I Know That My Savior Loves Me If The Savior Stood Beside Me Follow His Light Do You Have Room? That Night In The Stable I Will Walk With Jesus 1 Nephi 3:7 If I Listen With My Heart - on our list to get to sooner than later Peace In Christ This Is The Christ Other Cool Songs We Do That Needed Permission To Do and then we had to purchase the bundles: More Than Enough I See A Hero In My Father's Hands Their Mother's Knew Behold Their Little Ones Liken The Scriptures The Tree Of Life I Will Be What I Believe To Be His Child I Will Choose Him Again Risen Thankful Some Of MOST Successful Singing Times from the past year: Stump The Bishopric Free To Choose - Escape Room Journey Into The Wilderness The Lord's Army Boot Camp Lehi's Vision Singing Time With Nephi Book Of Mormon Kick-Off - uncovering the truths Top 10! Firm Hold On The Gospel Recording Two-Way Radios - how far can the person holding the radio go and still hear the primary Are You Smarter Than A Primary Child? Mighty In The Scriptures Pioneers Around The Campfire Summer Break! The Kids Take Over Parables It Is Finished - using hymnbooks Missionaries In The Last Days Defending Beliefs - Samuel On The Wall Coming Closer To Christ - Testimony My Sheep Hear My Voice - Come Listen To A Prophet's Voice Easter Singing Time - Or - Singing Time With Instruments What Song Would You Choose?
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Here are my tried and true tips/tricks based upon my past experience, CFM, Preach My Gospel, and also using my teaching strategies/philosophies that I also use in my day job.
Most are simple directed listening (Focused Attention) based for easy memorization and then also focusing in on topics for internalization of the Gospel messages. Lot's of my different ideas on a few pages :) Archives
March 2021
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