Wow, I posted again! I am really going to try posting every week because I find great ideas, use them, and then have to re-invent the wheel every time because I forget everything I do.
Today's activity I found at Primary Singing Time by Matilda: Chubby Bunny.
Prep: get a bowl and a bag of s'more-sized marshmallows.
It's about as basic as it sounds: I wrote the names of the program songs on the board and told the kids we would run through them one by one. If they sang it PERFECTLY (I had very high standards for senior Primary in particular, including smiles, starting and ending at the right time, and standing up and sitting down), I would put a marshmallow in the bowl. Then at the end, I would put them all in my mouth and sing a song for them. Gross, right? The junior Primary thought it was HILARIOUS. I have never seen them laugh so hard, and my own little Sunbeam talked about it all afternoon.
The senior Primary weren't quite as visibly impressed in the beginning, probably having been to way more campouts than the junior Primary had. But they still sang their best and they even got after the kids who talked or sang the wrong words. I gave them all "second chances" if the song wasn't perfect the first time through, and they totally sang their hearts out. And they also laughed pretty hard at the end, although a few were disappointed that I was doing the marshmallows instead of them. I didn't want to deal with any kids choking or gagging, otherwise I may have let them.
I have to admit I have been feeling a little nervous lately. Our program is coming up in 3 weeks, and since next week is general conference we only have one Sunday left before the program. I had a baby in June and took 2 months off from church. I was thinking we were way behind. But we apparently made up for in it August and September because as of today, the kids have learned pretty much all the songs beautifully. I am so happy!
And totally embarrassed and grossed out that I sang "Popcorn Popping" (in its entirety, actions included) with my mouth full of marshmallows in front of all those people. But the kids loved it and they sang better than they ever have this year--so that's what matters, I guess!
