A lot of your sacrament programs are either over or soon to be over within the next few weeks. Congratulations! All of your kids' hard work has paid off! And now it's time for some fun...
And since it's been several months since we've had a giveaway, I though we could celebrate FALL with a little fun! To keep things fun, I'm going to choose 3...that's right 3 winners this time! The winners will each be able to choose from the following as their prize:
Prize Option 1: Set of 5 "Follow the Prophet" Signs, any 5 prophets you choose
Prize Option 2: Choosing Tree Poster Kit
Prize Option 3: Game Board Poster Kit
So, how to enter, you ask? It's easy...just respond with an answer to one of the following questions! Remember...this is your chance to share your wealth of knowledge! So if you have an answer to all of the questions, leave them as separate comments to increase your odds of winning! Good luck, and I look forward to hearing from you!
1. What does your primary do to celebrate the program being over? Is it a special sharing time? A special treat? A special guest?
2. What do you spend the rest of the year doing?
3. Do you have any traditions for Halloween, Thanksgiving, or Christmas?
4. Do you have any special songs that you sing for the holidays, or do you try to change it up every year?
5. Anything else that's fun for fall and/or winding down the year?
{this giveaway will close on Monday, October 24th}
Before the program, we hand out index cards to the congegration. We ask them to write down something they enjoyed about the program. Then for sharing time, we gather together as a primary and read all the comments. It sure does make the kids feel special!
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We will spend the rest of this year by holidays....Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas.
ReplyDeleteFor Christmas, our ward choir music leader is having us learn a few songs from O Night Divine music book. That should take up most of Nov/Dec! :)
ReplyDeletejessica.croshaw@gmail.com
I got this calling just a few weeks ago. I had one week with the kids, then conference, and two weeks of practice in the chapel before the program! I truthfully don't know what will happen the rest of the year or after the program because I haven't been in primary since I was IN primary 20 years ago! But that is why I am on this blog and why I am so GLAD you have it and why I would LOVE to win a prize... to help start the ideas for my new exciting journey:)
ReplyDeleteOn Program day, we have all the teachers teach the first hour and then we all come together for a church video and popcorn and juice and cookies.
ReplyDeleteFor the rest of the year we work on songs that are less familiar and kids favorites
ReplyDeleteWe love just doing as much holiday stuff as possible. Fun Christmas songs, lots of leaves and colors, pumpkins, etc. I love trying to get creative with trying to tie something churchy into my holiday activities.
ReplyDeleteWe spend the rest of the year after the program singing fun songs that sometimes we don't have time for, learning Christmas songs, and welcome and birthday songs we're not familiar with. I love the end of the year singing time! :)
ReplyDeleteI did this last year and it will definitely become a tradition for Christmas. On Christmas Sunday, I bring gifts (that I get from the dollar store). We choose a gift, put it in a gift bag and then a Primary child goes out into the hall and classes and finds someone to bring back to Primary. We tell them that we like getting gifts, but we love GIVING them more. We give them a gift, they open it in front of everyone, and then we sing them a Christmas Carol. I have never felt the Spirit so strong in Primary. Watching the children's eyes light up as that special person opens their gift is priceless!
ReplyDeleteWe LOVE to sing Christmas Bells in sign language and in around! Very Fun! :)
ReplyDeleteAfter the program, we try to make a BIG deal of how great everyone did. Many big thank yous and great jobs.
ReplyDeleteThis is a brand new calling- we haven't done our program yet- postponed it a little since I just got put in. I have been wondering what I would do after the program & am so grateful to have all of these comments so I can get ideas! Thanks for your blog!!
ReplyDeleteOur program is in three weeks (the day before Halloween... I hope they can contain themselves!). Our program practice "theme" has been "I sing, You sing, we all sing for ICE CREAM!" (I show my ice cream punch board on my Singing Time blog at primarilysinging.blogspot.com), so for Singing/Sharing Time the Sunday of the program the kids will watch a movie and have ice cream.
ReplyDeleteI plan to spend the rest of the year singing kids' favorites, and teaching a few new songs for Thanksgiving and Christmas. I would love to have them sing for Christmas, either in Sacrament Meeting or at a ward Christmas social... but I have my first child getting married in Dec, so we'll see how far my good intentions go :-)
ReplyDeleteI love Jaci's idea to have the Primary kids give gifts to random church members, then sing to them... I think I'll try it!
ReplyDeleteI was just put in this calling last spring so I can't say yet what I traditionally do after the program. BUT I am loving Jessica's idea above about handing out index cards to the congregation to leave comments on. I must admit, I did have this calling many years ago and I remember just jumping right into learning new Christmas songs after the program was over. Probably what I will do this year :) Your blog and creativity have been mucho helpful! A prize would be such a bonus...
ReplyDeleteThe kids are working toward a "treasure" which they will earn at the end of the program. They'll get a special treat to take home from church the day of the program. For singing time that day, we're going to do a Book of Mormon Stories Extravaganza. Not sure exactly what that's going to look like yet...but we're working on it! - Kimberly
ReplyDeleteFor the rest of the year, we'll do a singing time for Thanksgiving and then start working on songs for Christmas. We traditionally sing for the ward Christmas party and have 2 songs to learn for that! - Kim
ReplyDeleteOur wonderful Primary Presidency takes over for us showing a short spiritual film with goodies. (Guess they figure we needed a break!) We will keep learning songs we haven't been able to get to. Also we have a set of bells and chimes we will play around with. We play match-up Thanksgiving food - 2 pic. of mashed pot, etc, with the name of the song on the back. Christmas they have to dig into a container of fake snow and pull out a pic. and guess the song.
ReplyDeleteAfter the program we spend the rest of the year reviewing some fun, favorite songs that haven't been sung much due to excessive practicing of the program songs :) I also like to teach them a few new songs that go along with the Sharing Time Themes. Of course we also do some Thanksgiving and Christmas songs as well
ReplyDeleteI found a fun idea that I used for Halloween last year that I'm definitely using again this year. I can't remember where I found the idea - sorry! Anyway, I printed off about 5 cards that said "TRICK" on the front, and 5 cards that said "TREAT". I hung the cards on the chalkboard and the kids took turns picking them. On the back of the "TRICK" cards are things like, "Sing Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes backwards" or "Rub your tummy and pat your head while we sing _____." On the back of the "TREAT" cards I list things like "Receive a Super Singer Sticker" or "Pick a tootsie roll" as long as they do their best singing the song. The kids absolutely loved this last year, and I'm planning on doing it next week with them again.
ReplyDeleteTo celebrate the completion of the program we set up the primary room to look like a home with a big comfy chair, a side table and lamp. Spread out on the ground are several blankets for the kids to sit on while one of the primary leaders reads a book to them. They love it but then again it may also be the popcorn they get to eat while listening. After that we play a Jeopardy style game that has all sorts of fun facts about the leaders and teachers. Then we sing several of the leaders and teachers favorite songs that we just found out from the game.
ReplyDeleteThe rest of the year I end up teaching old songs that have been forgotten over the years. It seams that all year long we are so focused on the songs for the program that we hardly ever get the chance to learn anything outside of the program.
ReplyDeleteTo "celebrate" we read positive comments from the congregation, enjoy a special treat, & play a game for Sharing Time.
ReplyDeleteThe rest of the year we sing fun songs (like some oldies but goodies we don't get to during the year) and do holiday type activities when appropriate.
ReplyDeleteWe don't have any holiday traditions other than playing fun games & practicing to sing in Sacrament for Christmas. We are also singing with the RS in a few weeks in Sacrament (If I Listen With My Heart...they've been practicing it all year). I look forward to hearing some great ideas we can use to create holiday traditions!
ReplyDeleteWe sing different songs each year for the holidays. It gives us a chance to get good at more songs over the years. =)
ReplyDeleteAs a special treat for all the hard work on our program, we sang fun songs and I bopped (water noodle cut into pieces) the Primary Presidency on their heads, sitting front and center. They opened their mouths and the kids sang...so fun, then the kids wanted turns. They loved it!
ReplyDeleteOur primary celebrates with a special party during a weekday before the program. It's a party that they've been working for. The first year it was a Sundae Party, the next year it was a Pizza Party. This year it's going to be a cupcake party.
ReplyDeleteQuestion #1: Our bishop makes cookies and does a special sharing time after the program. Then we sing all the kid's favorite songs and program songs are not allowed! :-)
ReplyDeleteWe will be singing in the Christmas Program and at the Christmas dinner/party...Christmas songs, here we come!!
ReplyDeleteOur ward choir director has brought us a bunch of new arrangements she would like the kids to join in the choir singing. So we will be learning some more new songs and I will be throwing in some old favorites.
ReplyDeleteOur primary celebrates with a movie day in primary...complete with popcorn on blankets. And the video is a slideshow of pictures taken during the year in primary set to music. The kids LOVE to see their faces pop up. It's great.
ReplyDeleteThe rest of the year, we learn songs that go along with the monthly themes along with holiday and fun songs.
ReplyDeleteWe always sing in sacrament meeting every December...but a different Christmas song each year.
ReplyDeleteSomething we like to do for every season is make up our own verses to "Oh what do you do in the summertime...but change it up...autumntime, wintertime, springtime. The kids love writing their own verses.
ReplyDeleteWe celebrate with a pizza party or ice cream party that the kids have earned toppings to throughout the review.
ReplyDeleteFor the rest of the year we have lots of fun doing all the old favorites, holiday songs, and other fun activities. Christmas is especially fun as we bring in bells and decorations and have lots of fun.
ReplyDeleteWe will be having a visit from "Super Warm Fuzzy" (a superhero character that was introduced this year in primary that went along with President Monson's Warm Fuzzy idea). "Super Warm Fuzzy is incredibly dynamic and the kids LOVE him. Anyway, he will be delivering warm fuzzies (that I will make) for each of the kids, and a little treat to thank them for their incredible efforts with the music and program. The kids will then sing a few favorite songs to him to make him feel warm and fuzzy again all over. I plan on just letting them pick some of their favorite songs to sing that week as well, as it's been awhile since we've done much else other than the program music.
ReplyDeleteTo thank the kids for doing such a great job on the program. We choristers gave each teacher shiny gold star stickers for their class and as we (two choristers) sang this little song they put them on their classes shirts or dresses. I wrote new words to "I Am Like A Star" Here they are if interested.
ReplyDeleteYou were just like Stars shining brightly
Shining for the whole ward to see
You sang and did your parts and Listened With Your Hearts
You pleased your Heavenly Father that day!
(I included in one of the lines "Listened With Your Hearts" in this verse cuz it worked and was the first song that Primary learned this year for the program).
Love these great ideas.
Thanks, Judy
The Primary Presidency sure loved it and so did the kids. The stickers were real cheap so it was a great economical idea.
We have a pizza party the day before the program after our last practice. After the program has just been a normal sharing time so I'm going to suggest reading comments from the congregation. I love that idea!
ReplyDeleteI love singing time after the program is done. It is fun to sing all the songs that we haven't had time to sing. I've been saving up ideas from the yahoo group and blogs to do for the next few months.
ReplyDeleteI'm planning on doing a Teacher Appreciation singing time around Thanksgiving. I'll give clues about a teacher and have the kids guess who it is, we'll sing that teacher's favorite primary song and give them their favorite candy bar.
ReplyDeleteWe usually sing a song or two for the ward christmas party so we'll start practicing those soon too.
This is my second year as chorister but I haven't decided yet if I want to do brand new songs for Christmas or stick to the favorites. I have always loved "Picture a Christmas" and I taught them ASL for this one last year so I'm sure we'll sing that one again.
ReplyDeleteI've wanted to do a Top Ten Song Requests of the year at the end of each year but haven't done a great job of keeping track of requests. I'm thinking of having the kids write their favorite songs on a piece of paper, wad it them up, and then throw them up to the front of the room (like snowballs). I'll pick up random ones and we can sing them. I'll collect them all at the end and then I'll have a list of kids' favorite songs. We can either select them when there is extra time throughout the next year or I can tally the favs and do a Top Ten that way. Maybe even both! :)
ReplyDeleteI am new to this calling but as soon as our program is over we are going to have a little party for the kids. We will let the kids have some treats and choose some of their favorite songs to sing.
ReplyDeleteFor the holidays I love incorporating what makes each holiday so special. If it is the fall we use leaves and fall colors....same with Halloween, Thanksgiving and especially Christmas :)
ReplyDeleteI taught the 3rd verse of Praise to the Man very quickly by dividing the children into four corners of the room. Each group had the visual and words for their phrase. They quickly studied the phrase and music with a teacher assigned to their corner. Then I spun a child in a chair in the middle of the room like a human spin the bottle. Where ever the child's feet ended up pointing, that group sang their phrase. Repeat... If the feet ended between two groups, both groups sang their phrase. Then the kids rotated to the next corner, had 30 seconds to review that corners phrase (because they had already heard it several times from the previous times) and we played another "spin on Primary". They loved it and learned very easily because of the repeats.
ReplyDeleteI just got called today and the program is next Sunday, which happens to be the fifth Sunday, so at least for the last hour, the High Priests are taking care of Singing Time. For the other hour, we will be singing favorite songs, and have a longer singing time.
ReplyDeleteThe rest of the year I will be getting used to my new calling, and we will sing old and new favorites. We will also do songs of Thanks during November and Christmas songs in December.
ReplyDeleteTraditions for Halloween and Thanksgiving, no, but for Christmas, normal our Primary Children sing one song during the Christmas Sacrament Meeting Program
ReplyDeleteI am not sure if there are special songs. I will try to sing ones they already know as well as teach them a new song or two this year.
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