I will follow God's Plan for Me!

OK, So some follow up from last week.

The kids LOVED pin the kiss on Daddy. To save on time, we had them come up in groups to pin their kiss on Daddy. It kinda helps to get their wiggles out, and at the same time they learn the song. We will pull out "Danny Daddy" again next week to practice for our father's day performance on June 19th!

But, now is the task of preparing for the primary program.

It is HARD teaching 12 children 7 and under songs like "Praise to the man". Our ward is a student ward, and most children move out by the age of 6.  Most my little ones are sunbeams. So I gotta go outside the box to try to help these little kiddos remember. Laughter and fun help my brain to remember songs, along with the spirit. So we are going to try this to learn, "I will follow God's Plan for Me."

My life is a gift; my life has a plan.

My life has a purpose; in heav'n it began.

My choice was to come to this lovely home on earth

And seek for God's light to direct me from birth.

I will follow God's plan for me,

Holding fast to his word and his love.

I will work, and I will pray;

I will always walk in his way.

Then I will be happy on earth

And in my home above.

I read this and thought, PLAN OF HAPPINESS, yes! But in a song!

So why not make this song into a game? Like a treasure hunt where the plan of salvation is your map, to get the next clue you have to learn a few lines in the song, and use the clues as visual aids along the way to help them learn and remember the song. We will build upon each new line, and sing the ones we learned before every time we get a new one. So here is how I am thinking of introducing it!

OK kiddos. I got a problem,

Heavenly Father wants me to teach you this song! But it is kinda hard for me. BUT!! guess what, he left us a GIFT. And inside of it, he left us a map, or a plan to get back to him! At the end of this map, we will find a GREAT TREASURE that Heavenly Father has given to us. Will you help me to find this treasure!!?? Awesome. Now, the clues to get us to the treasure are in the new song we are learning called "I will follow God's Plan for Me." And the only way we can get the next clue is through singing and learning the lyrics of the song! As we learn more and more of the song, we will get closer and closer to finding the treasure and learning what Heavenly Father's plan for us is! So lets get started.

Week 1 plans! (Verse)

My life is a gift; - Gift box

my life has a plan.- plan of happiness map in gift box. After they learn these two lines, give them instructions on how to find next 2 clues.

My life has a purpose; in heav'n it began.- Inside gift box have picture of preearth life

My choice was to come to this lovely home on earth- Picture of earth somewhere (I did it on the box)- 

Place clue to find a light somewhere on back earth.

And seek for God's light to direct me from birth.- Light source. 

Week 2! (Chorus)

I will follow God's plan for me, 

Holding fast to his word and his love.

(stepping stones the kids can physically step on (I added the 4th article of faith on the stones since we just learned that) with a string tied from one chair to another like the iron rod that has hearts and words on it.) Each stone has the lyrics of the next line on it, and you come up with actions together).

I will work, and I will pray;- walk back to seat while hammering invisible hammer. fold arms for pray.

I will always walk in his way.-  March in place

Then I will be happy on earth- point to smile

And in my home above.- Make tepee with hands that slowly go up to sky.

Second week is a lot more hand movements than the visual. But this is just a two week plan to help teach the kids (That would take FOREVER to do this every week). Every week after that you can use the few props to help them remember  the words,and slowly remove the proper (just like a game, by saying "Do you think you can remember without the light!!?)

On week 2 at the end once they have learned the WHOLE SONG post a picture on the wall somewhere OF "IN MY HOME ABOVE" and ask them to find it. 

(I used this one) from library. And behind it I wrote, "The treasure is in the bishops office!!"

I still need to ask my bishop if he is willing to do this, but I was thinking of getting chocolate coins with a picture of jesus that on one side says "I know God's plan for me." for the treasure, and have the bishop share his testimony to them about the plan of salvation. 

It will probably change a little as I talk to my president about it and see what she thinks. But that is an idea for now!

Tata for now! Wish me luck!