Using Colors

Using different colors is a great way to teach a song, divide into groups, and get lots of kids involved in what you're doing.  Here are a few ideas!

1.  Envelopes.  Get white envelopes and color them different colors.  To teach a new song, type or write the phrases in different colors, and cut into word strips.  Put them in the appropriate envelopes.  Divide your kids into groups, hand them each an envelope.  Give them 1 minute to memorize the phrase of the song, while the pianist quietly plays the song in the background.  Sing the song, with each group singing the phrase they learned.  Exchange envelopes.  Now they learn the next phrase, then sing the song with each group singing the new phrase they learned + the old one.  Keep switching until every group knows every phrase.

2.  Paper Strips.  Cut colored paper into small strips, about 1x3 or whatever - it doesn't have to be perfect.  Mix three or four different colors in a container, enough for each child to draw one.  Try to have even numbers, so groups are similar in size.  As children come into the primary room, have them choose a piece of paper.  Use this to divide them into groups.  You could also hold up different colored strips to indicate who should sing.  If you hold up green, only kids with green papers sing, etc.  Hold up multiple strips to make it interesting. 

3.  Actions.  Assign actions to certain colors - use paper strips to have different groups do different actions, or assign colors to words (see #3).  For example, if you have a red strip, stand up when you hear the word "I'm."  If you have a blue strip, sway back and forth.  Or clap on the orange words and snap on the purple words.

4.  White Board.  Write the lyrics on a white board, alternating colors with each word.  Roll a color dice (see #6) and erase all the words that match what you roll.  So if you roll an orange, erase the orange words. Sing the song and try to remember what the blanks are.  Continue until the board is erased.  This obviously works better for Senior Primary.  For a Junior Primary twist, assign 2 or 3 pictures to each phrase.  Mount the pictures on colored paper, alternating colors.  Roll the dice and remove all pictures that are mounted on that color.

5.  Popsicle Sticks.  To get lots of kids involved, give each child a colored popsicle stick.  Color the tips with markers, or to save time you can tape a piece of colored paper to one end.  I have sticks with blue on one side and red on the other, because I used them to have the kids choose from 2 options.  When teaching or reviewing a song, I would sing to a certain point then hold up a paper with two words on it.  The kids would hold up their sticks to show which word they thought was next.  For example:  If I was teaching I'm Trying to Be Like Jesus, I would sing I'm trying to {be/do} like Jesus, I'm {learning about/following in} his ways, I'm learning to {serve/love} as he did, in all that I do {today/and say}.  This is great for having the kids review the lyrics in their minds.

6.  Color Dice.  Take a square shaped box (the USPS has little flat rate shipping boxes that are perfect), and glue different colored paper to each face.  Cover with clear packing tape.  Use this to choose colors.

7.  Choosing Bag.  In a small drawstring bag (or other container), place a small item that represents a different color.  For example, a red matchbox car, a green army guy, a plastic banana from a food set, etc.  If you don't have anything like that, put beads or anything else you have.  Keep it simple, though!

What are some other ways you could use COLOR to teach or review a song?
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