This activity is a fun, easy way to review the songs the children love.  (And it's especially good for substitutes while you're on Christmas vacation!)

As the children come in to primary,  give them each a piece of white paper and have them write the name of a favorite primary song on it.     Ask the children to keep the papers under their chairs.

When Singing Time begins, explain that you are going to have a snowball fight.  Ask the children to take their papers out from under their chairs and crumple them into a ball.  Count down from five and have the children all throw their snowballs at you at once.  

Choose a snowball at random and sing the song written on it.  Continue until you are out of time.

(For Junior Primary or primaries that have trouble with reverence, you might bring a large bucket or basket and ask the children to try to throw their snowballs into the basket.  Have an older child help you collect the snowballs before you begin singing.  This helps you avoid the noise and distraction of having Sunbeams constantly running out of their seats to pick up snowballs and throw at you while you're singing.)

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Every winter, I love to make Snowflakes with songs on the back for the children to choose from.  This year, I decided to design snowflakes that go with the theme of several songs.  I'll let a child choose a flake from the board and see if he or she can guess which song it might go with.  Here are the flakes I've come up with, along with my suggestions.  I'll be adding more soon, so check back before you do the activity!

Snowman and Snowflakes:  

Once There Was a Snowman #249

Stars

I am Like a Star  #163

Stars Were Gleaming  #37

Hearts:

Love One Another  #136

Jesus Said Love Everyone  #61

Reverence Is Love #31

Temple:

I Love to See the Temple  #95

Families Can Be Together Forever  #188

"CTR" Letters and Shield:

Choose the Right Way #160

Dare to Do Right #168

Choose the Right #239, Hymns

Sunshine:

Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam  #60

Rainbows, Clouds, 8 and Raindrop:

When I am Baptized  #103

10 Commandments:

Keep the Commandments #146

Children Holding Hands

Holding Hands Around the World

Children All Over the World #16

"Pray"

A Child's Prayer

Scriptures

Scripture Power

Flower

On a Golden Springtime

To make these snowflakes, download the document below.  Fold along the grey lines, first diagonally in half, then diagonally into fourths, and finally fold each fourth into thirds.  Be sure that the folds line up as closely as possible.  Precise folding is far more important than precise cutting.

Carefully cut out the shaded areas.  Unfold the snowflakes and either laminate them or glue them to dark paper for stability.  Write the name and page number of the song you've chosen on the back.

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Occasionally, when I am having a hard time getting excited about reviewing songs, I'll let Sister Crazypants substitute for me.  To prepare for the activity, gather silly things to wear.  I found inexpensive items from the Dollar Store, Thrift Store, or Halloween market.  These might include such things as:

a scarf, apron, tutu, lei, necklace, hat, shower cap, headband with bunny ears (or hearts, pumpkins, shamrocks, etc.), big buttons/pins, fuzzy slippers, bow tie, bracelets, handcuffs, gloves, large clip-on earrings, a clown nose, false teeth, leg warmers, ugly vest, wig, over-size glasses, a wand with which to direct the music, bright lipstick and so on

Place these items in a bag near the front of the room.  

Begin by telling the children that you have a guest who wants to sing with you today, but she is very shy and only likes to visit when the children are reverent.  Explain that you will be choosing good, reverent singers to help bring her in.  Choose a song to start with and as you sing, watch for one or two children to help.  When the song is over, ask those children to choose an object out of the bag to put on you.  Continue until you run out of time or run out of items to wear.  I often have Sister Crazypants sing a wiggle song with the kids before she leaves.  

You MAY have to work hard to maintain reverence during this activity.  I've had some classes with whom it worked well and some classes with whom I just couldn't do it.   Here are some variations on the activity which might better fit your primary:

-To keep the focus on the message of the songs, rather than choosing good singers, you may ask questions about the song and choose children who can give thoughtful answers

-If you don't have enough dress-up objects handy, you can try letting the children cover you in stickers, pins, hairbows, etc.  

-If your teachers are interested in participating, you may have the children choose a sticker/hairbow/object to place on his or her teacher.  The kids really enjoy this variation, but I wouldn't try it with a competitive group of children.

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Put together a nativity scene on the blackboard as you sing Christmas songs.  Print and cut out the document below.  Write a song name and page number on the back of each one (my suggestions are listed).  One by one, have the children choose a piece to place on the board.  Sing the songs as you go.

If your kids don't know enough songs, you can bring Hymnals in for the older children. Ask younger children to sing "ooooh," like an angel if they don't know the words. Many children will know the words from home and almost all of the children will recognize the melodies enough to sing along. 

The First Noel, Hymns 213

Away in a Manger 42

With Wondering Awe Hymns #210

Once Within a Lowly Stable #41

Stars Were Gleaming #37

Angels We Have Heard on High, Hymns #203

When Joseph Went to Bethlehem #38

Shepherd's Carol #40

Lamb

you choose

NOTE:  By request, I've added a male angel (I don't know why I didn't have any?).  Unfortunately, I didn't have time to add him to the document.  If you want to use him, just right click on the image above, copy and paste into a document, then size as necessary.  

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To prepare for this game, download and print several copies of the colored leaves document below.  Cut out the leaves.  Choose several songs to review and write the "opposite" of the titles on the backs of the red and orange leaves.  (Red are for Junior Primary and orange are for Senior Primary.)  Then choose several fun ways to sing the songs and write the "opposite" of those on the backs of the yellow and brown leaves.  (yellow=junior, brown=senior).  You can find some of my suggestions at the bottom of this post.  

Next, draw the basic outline of a tree trunk on the chalkboard or a large poster.  Tape the leaves around the base of the tree trunk.

Begin Singing Time by telling the children how much you love autumn.  It's the season when leaves change color and jump from the ground back onto the tree.  When the children protest that the leaves don't jump onto the tree, but fall, explain to them that it must be opposite day.

Ask two children to come up and choose a leaf.  For Junior, they'll need one red and one yellow.  For Senior, one orange and one brown.  See if they can figure out the opposite of the song title and way of singing which you've written on the backs of the leaves.  Discard those leaves by attaching them to the tree trunk.  Then sing the song in the silly way they've chosen.   

SILLY WAYS TO SING

• Stand on your left foot
• Stand on your RIGHT foot
• Face the back of the room
• Face the FRONT of the room
• Everyone Conduct
• NOBODY conduct
• Loudly
• SOFTLY
• Eyes Closed
• Eyes OPEN
• Nose Pinched
• DON'T pinch your nose
• Tongue Out
• Tongue IN your mouth
• Hum
• DON'T hum
• Only boys
• only GIRLS
• Only girls
• only BOYS
• No Piano
• WITH the piano
• Lights Off
• Lights ON
• Normally
• NOT normal
• Fingers in your ears
• NO fingers in your ears

SONG SUGGESTIONS  (Junior first, then Senior.  Opposite words are in CAPS)

• If the Savior Stood Beside Me
• If the Savior SAT Beside Me
• If the DEVIL SAT BEHIND YOU
• Holding Hands Around the World
• Holding Hands Around the SUN
• NOT TOUCHING Around the SUN
• 2- I Am a Child of God
• YOU are a Child of God
• YOU are a PARENT of God
• 4- I Lived in Heaven
• YOU Lived in Heaven
• YOU Lived in OUTER DARKNESS
• 9- Can a Little Child Like Me
• Can an ADULT Like Me
• Can an ADULT Like YOU
• 12- A Child's Prayer
• An ADULT'S Prayer
• An ADULT'S SCREAMING
• 21- For Health and Strength
• For SICKNESS and WEAKNESS
• For SICKNESS and WEAKNESS
• 60-  Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam
• Jesus Wants Me for a RAINDROP
• The DEVIL wants YOU for a RAINDROP
• 88-  On a Golden Springtime
• On a SILVER Springtime
• On a SILVER AUTUMN
• 95-  I Love to See the Temple
• I Love to See the Mall
• I HATE to SMELL the RODEO
• 103-  I Like to Look for Rainbows (When I Am Baptized)
• I DON'T LIKE to Look for Rainbows
• I HATE to look for MONOCHROMATIC ARCS IN THE SKY
• 109- Search, Ponder, and Pray
• DON'T Search, Ponder, and Pray
• DON'T LOOK FOR THE ANSWER, DON'T THINK ABOUT IT TOO MUCH, AND COME UP WITH THE SOLUTION ENTIRELY ON YOUR OWN
• 110- Follow the Prophet
• Follow the FALSE PROPHET
• LEAD the FALSE PROPHET
• 120- Nephi's Courage
• LAMAN AND LEMUEL'S  Courage
• LAMAN AND LEMUEL'S COWARDICE
• 136-  Love One Another
• Love YOURSELF
• HATE YOURSELF
• 140-  I'll Walk With You
• I WON'T Walk With You
• YOU'LL CRAWL With ME
• 145 - Kindness Begins With Me
• MEAN-NESS Begins With Me
• MEAN-NESS ENDS With YOU
• 159 - Stand for the Right
• SIT DOWN for the Right
• SIT DOWN for the WRONG
• 168 - I Want to Be a Missionary Now
• I Want to Be a Missionary LATER
• I Want to be AN INVESTIGATOR LATER
• 170- The Things I Do
• The Things YOU Do
• The Things YOU DON'T DO
• 172- We'll Bring the World His Truth
• We'll Bring MARS His Truth
• We'll TAKE LIES to MARS
• 188-  Families Can Be Together Forever
• FRIENDS Can Be Together Forever
• FRIENDS Can Be APART TEMPORARILY
• 228-  My Heavenly Father Loves Me
• My Heavenly MOTHER Loves Me
• My Heavenly MOTHER FEELS INDIFFERENTLY ABOUT YOU
• 236-  "Give,"  Said the Little Stream
• "TAKE," Said the Little Stream
• "BE SELFISH," said the HUGE OCEAN

NOTE:  Especially in Junior Primary, make sure you are very clear about what is the "opposite."  When I read the "opposite" title, I always ask them if that's right, laugh, make a silly face, shake my head, or something along those lines, so that it is entirely obvious what is real and what is silly.  Take a moment to discuss why the "opposite" title is wrong and why the original title is a correct principle.

Feel free to add more suggestions in the comments!

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To prepare for the game, wrap a potato in aluminum foil.  On top of the foil, add a strip of paper with the name of a song you'd like the children to review.  Then wrap in another layer of aluminum foil.  Add 8-10 layers of songs.  If you are doing this activity with both Junior and Senior Primary, prepare two potatoes.

When singing time begins, peel off one layer of foil and read the name of the first song you will sing.  Choose a child to stand outside the Primary room (with an adult, if necessary), while another child hides the potato.  Bring the child back in and ask him to find the potato as you sing.  When the child gets closer to the potato, ask the other children to sing louder.  When he gets further from the potato, ask the children to sing more softly.  When he has found the potato, peel off another layer of aluminum foil and discover the next song.  Repeat the game until all of the songs have been sung.



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From the documents below, print both the turkey and the tail feathers in either black and white or color.  If you choose the black and white, you can color/paint the turkey, or use it as a pattern to cut pieces from colored paper or scrapbook paper.  

Trim the overlapping edges and assemble the turkey.  Cut out the turkey and the tail feathers.  Post the turkey on the board at the front of the primary room with the tail feathers attached loosely behind him.  On each tail feather, write the name of something that the children might be thankful for, along with the title and page number of a song relating to that theme.  My suggestions are at the bottom of the page.  

Let the children take turns plucking a tail feather from the turkey.  Have the primary sing the song on the back of the feather.    

For our readers who do not celebrate Thanksgiving, you can print the document below, cut out the pictures of the gifts, and write the songs on the back of the gifts.  

Blessings for which we should express our gratitude:

Scriptures:  Book of Mormon Stories  #118
Agency:  Choose the Right  #239
The Savior:  If the Savior Stood Beside Me  (2013 Outline for Sharing Time)
Repentance:  When I am Baptized  #103
The World:  My Heavenly Father Loves Me  #228
Our Bodies:  The Lord Gave Me a Temple #153
Prayer:  A Child's Prayer #12
Prophets:  Follow the Prophet #110
The Temple:  I Love to See the Temple  #95
The Priesthood:  The Priesthood Is Restored  #89
Families:  Families Can Be Together Forever  #188
Friends:  O Come With Me to Primary  #255
Holy Ghost:  The Holy Ghost  #105
Plan of Salvation:  I Will Follow God's Plan #164



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This is a great review game that you can play one week a month if you like.  It's easy to prepare, simple to play, and the kids love it.

To play the Senior Primary version of the game, print the document below.  In it, you will find four pages of frequently-used words from our primary songbook (with emphasis on the 2012-2014 Primary Program songs).  After you have printed the document, tape the pages together as shown below.  The first page is in the upper left, second in the lower left, third in the upper right and fourth in the lower right.  Each column should be in alphabetical order.  Laminate the pages or cover the front in clear shelf paper if you plan to reuse the game.

Hang the poster at the front of the room where all of the children can see it.  If you have a large primary, read very quickly through the list of words, so that those who cannot see well will be able to understand.  

Ask the children to raise their hands if they have a favorite primary song in mind.  Choose one child to pick a song.  Sing through the song and ask the children which words from the board occurred in the song.  Variations of the word (i.e. righteous, righteousness, righteously) totally count!

Cross off the words which the children have heard.

At the end of singing time, count the words which have been crossed off and write the number on the back of the page.  Try to beat your score the following month!

(The first time you play the game, it will go very slowly.  However, as the kids try to beat their previous scores, they will learn to choose quickly, sing quickly, pay attention to the words you've sung, and choose the next songs strategically to cross off the maximum number of words.)  I think this is a good exercise to get the children thinking about which songs cover which topics.  Later in life, when they have questions, they may remember that we can find answers to those topics in Primary Songs!

 the link to the Senior Primary Word Count Game is below 

For Junior Primary, I have simplified the game.  Follow the instructions for Senior Primary with the following exception; the children are searching for songs which cover the listed TOPICS, rather than WORDS.  The point of this exercise is to help the Junior Primary children understand what each of their favorite primary songs is about.   

the link to the Junior Primary Word Count Game is below

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In order to get ready for the upcoming program, I want to get the children to pay special attention to certain phrases they tend to miss.

To play the game, first print and cut out the pictures (found here) which correspond to the songs you want to review.  You may need to enlarge them in the document.  The pictures I am using are shown below.  Attach these pictures to the board at the front of the room.

Next, print and cut out the phrases that the children have difficulty with.  Fold them in half and place them in a bowl.

Choose two reverent children to come to the board.  Draw a phrase out of the bowl and read it aloud in a clear voice.  When the children know to which song the phrase belongs, they "swat" the corresponding picture on the board.  (To avoid the children hitting each other, you may choose to use fly swatters, feathers, wands, etc. to swat the pictures.)

Have the entire primary repeat the phrase after you until they have mastered it.  Then sing the song (or the appropriate verse of the song), paying special attention to the phrase.

I Am a Child of God

My Heavenly Father Loves Me

If The Savior Stood Beside Me

When I am Baptized

Families Can Be Together Forever

A Child's Prayer

On a Golden Springtime

Holding Hands Around the World

I Am a Child of God

2.  And so my needs are great.

3.  Rich blessings are in store.

3.  If I but learn to do His will,

4.  His promises are sure.

4.  If I can but endure

My Heavenly Father Loves Me

2.  He gave me my life, my mind, my heart.

2.  For all His creations, of which I'm a part,

If the Savior Stood Beside Me

1.  Would I think of His commandments and try harder to be true?

2.  Would my words be true and kind if He were never far away?

3.  He is always near me, though I cannot see Him there.

3.  And because He loves me dearly, I am in His watchful care.

When I am Baptized

2.  And I can be forgiven and improve myself each day.

Families Can Be Together Forever

2.  While I am in my early years

A Child's Prayer

1.  Something that Jesus told disciples long ago

2.  Of such is the kingdom

On a Golden Springtime

2.  The bands of death He broke

3.  The Father and the Son appeared as Joseph knelt and prayed.

Holding Hands Around the World

We are children glowing with the gospel light

There are children leading out in every land

Be careful when playing competitive games.  Remember that we are counseled not to encourage excessive competition.  If you sense that the children are getting too competitive, discontinue play and transition into another activity.  Be sure to congratulate all children on their hard work, reverence, knowledge, singing ability, teamwork, etc. and stress that THIS is what is important.

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