A Brand New Batch...

The new year is exciting...new schedule, new songs, and new kids!!  Looking for a fun way to introduce the songs?  the kids?  the teachers?  Whip up a batch of delicious chocolate chip cookies (or other kind of cookie.  I personally can't make good chocolate chip cookies to save my life, so my go-to are peanut butter.  But then there's allergies.  Oreos?  Gluten-free oatmeal raisin?  Bah, you get the idea.) and then have fun with your brand new batch!

In Junior Primary, you have a brand new batch of Sunbeams.  Spend the day spotlighting each of them, sing their favorite primary songs, sing lots of wiggle songs and ones they learned in nursery.  Use props, dance, do whatever it takes for them to be comfortable in their new surroundings.

In Senior Primary, you have a brand new batch of Baptized Boys & Girls.  Sing baptism songs, talk about the baptismal covenant, have a mini-testimony meeting, you know - big kid stuff, the kind of stuff they didn't do in Junior Primary.

You may also have a brand new batch of Teachers.  Sing their favorite primary songs, interview them about when they were in primary, ask them what they are most excited about, or give a "New Teacher Orientation."  To do this, have a list of "rules" that you've come up with that are legit, but with a silly twist.  Such as teachers must sit in the big chair.  Then have a very tall teacher come to the front of the room and sit in a Sunbeam chair - doesn't Brother So-and-so look silly and uncomfortable?  Who sits in the big chair?  Brother So-and-so does!  Teehee!  Or, when the kids stand up the teachers should stand up too.  Then practice.  This will be very specific to your primary, so think very hard about what you expect from the teachers during singing time and use the fun activity to help them understand and break the ice at the same time.

Of course, you always have a brand new batch of Songs.  (I don't know how to color that one, when I think of music I think of black and white.  So there you go.)  See the post titled "Program Premier" for a fun idea on how to introduce this year's theme and songs.

At the end of primary, send each child home with a cookie (of any variety, as previously discussed).  Smile, gird your loins, and go home to eat the cookie dough you stashed in the back of the fridge.  If you forgot this step, well, sorry.  Happy New Year, anyway!

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New Sunbeams

One of the cutest and potentially the most frustrating tasks as a chorister (and presidency member, we don't want to overlook them), is orienting new sunbeams to the primary schedule and structure.

Many of you have been having them come in for a few weeks, which is great.
Many of you already do the singing time in nursery, so the kids are familiar with you and may know several songs already.
Many of you are worried about how you're going to start teaching new songs and be able to give attention to the little ones without them monopolizing your time.  Especially those of you with combined Jr/Sr.  Scary!

Here are a couple of ideas for you, if I think of more I'll post them.  I've tried the egg one, and just thought of the Sunbeam Airlines one, so it could be a disaster.  Of course, your circumstances will be different (anyone with 20 sunbeams coming in?  I know you're out there!) so adapt and use them as creative springboards.  And of course, as always, share with us what works for you!

Sunbeam Orientation Idea #1:  Keep the egg warm
This is an idea I saw (I think) on the I Sing U Sing blog.  Print and laminate these eggs, enough for each child plus a few extras.  Find a nest or something like that, and fill it with small treats (I used jelly beans).  As each sunbeam comes in, have them choose an egg and explain to them the following - you're going to tape the egg to their chair, they have to sit on the egg to keep it warm, if they keep their egg warm all during singing time they will get a treat out of the nest {show them the nest}.  If their egg gets cold, they don't get a treat but they can try again next week or during sharing time.  Add your own flourishes to get them excited, but dude.  They're 3.  Candy is cool, and eggs are cool.  During your 20 minutes, if the eggs are getting cold, grab the nest and wave it in front of them.  See if it works!

Sunbeam Orientation Idea #2:  Sunbeam Airlines
OK, this one can be fun, but you do have to have at least 1-2 weeks to dedicate to this theme.  The key here is two visual aids.  #1:  Flight wings.  You can print Sunbeam Airlines official pilot wings here.  #2:  Seatbelts.  I know, I know.  Seatbelts?  It can work, I assure you.  They're easy to assemble - long strips of fabric and velcro.  I don't have pictures, but I'll see if I can get some done for you.  As you begin singing time, address the primary as a flight attendant on Sunbeam Airlines.  Give them a spiel on exits, and play it up as much as you want.  Tell the sunbeams that they need to fasten their seatbelts, because you're going to go on a wild singing ride today!  Assist the teacher in "buckling" each child in, which entails looping the fabric underneath the chair and velcro-ing it on their lap.  They are clearly meant for effect and not to actually strap the child in.  That would be weird, and I'm pretty sure illegal.  So don't make them tight.  Or real.  The goal is for them to stay in their seats for the entire flight and earn their wings.  If they earn them, use tape, a clothespin, or a magnet to fasten the wings to each child's shirt/dress.  I would laminate them so you can use them week after week.  If you want to include the whole primary, print enough for each child.

That's all I got so far.  I'll keep thinking, though.  The purpose of these activities is to train the children to sit in their chairs.  It's a really long time to sit for these little ones, so have fun and be patient with them.

Also helpful for sunbeams:

• Make sure to incorporate a lot of actions, standing up, sitting down, stretching, wiggle songs and nursery songs.
• PLEASE don't overlook them, and by overlook them I literally mean don't always look to the back of the room or to the older kids who automatically grab your attention.  Make an effort to look each of them in the eye every few minutes.  
• Pick at least one of them as a helper each week, even if it means they get more turns for the first little while.  

Let us all know how the transition goes!
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