New Music Leader

We have recently been blessed with receiving a new helper in our nursery class. She stays the whole time to provide extra helping hands, but her main responsibility is to be the music leader. She does singing time with the kids and she does such an amazing job!

Last week she came wearing an apron that had about 5 pockets on it. In each pocket she had a different prop (i.e. a smurf figurine, the glove made into the spider, happy/sad face, etc.) each kid got to pick a pocket and we sang the corresponding song. The kids responded really well to it, especially being able to feel the lumpy pockets and pulling out the anonymous prop.

Also, I wanted to make a note about the smurf that she brought. I thought it was such a clever idea. When the child selected the pocket with the smurf she pulled him out and asked the kids if he had a head and then showed them where his shoulders were, and his knees, and his toes. After giving them a brief explanation about him we all jumped up and sang Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes. I thought it was such a great idea for the kids to be able to associate each body part on a figurine as well as on themselves.

Singing Time

Singing Time is our nursery kids favorite part of the day (aside from snack time). I like to be silly with them and use a lot of props. They love it and get so in to it.

These are the songs I have on my singing list.

Opening:
Here We Are Together
Hello, Hello

Play:
Do As I'm Doing
Old McDonald
Ring Around The Rosie
Hokey Pokey
Itsy Bitsy Spider
Twinkle Little Star
Mary Had a Little Lamb
If You're Happy And You Know It
Wheels On The Bus
Give Said The Little Stream
Head Shoulders Knees and Toes
Five Little Monkeys - Crocodile

Church Play:
Popcorn Popping
Follow The Prophet
Book of Mormon Stories
We Are a Happy [Nursery] (instead of "Family")
If You Chance to Meet a Frown
The Chapel Doors
Jesus Wants Me For a Sunbeam
Once There Was a Snowman
Wise Man/Foolish Man
When Daddy Comes Home

Reverent:
I Am A Child Of God
I Love to See The Temple
I Know My Father Lives
Teach Me To Walk in The Light
Jesus Said Love Everyone
I Am Like a Star

I think the most important thing about doing singing time is providing a lot of props and activities to keep the kids interested in what you're doing.


This is Buddy. The kids named him themselves and he is my most favored prop that I use. When I pull him out the kids come running and are so excited to start singing time.


Inside his mouth I have slips of paper with song titles on them. The kids who are being reverent and singing along with us get to be the ones to pick the next song from Buddy's mouth. I think this is probably the best idea I've done in nursery. It's a huge success with my kids.


This is our instrument tub. All of my instruments fit inside the tin. It's just an empty food storage container that I'm sure any of you probably have a few of laying around.


These are my instruments. The tin that I keep the instruments in turns into a drum when it's empty and you hit it with a spatula. I have bells wrapped around pipe cleaners, and shakers made from Crystal Light containers.


These are the props I use for the song If You Chance To Meet A Frown. I just made them out of paper plates.


I use the big one and give each of the kids the little ones.


This is my Itsy Bitsy Spider. It's not very itsy bitsy, but the kids get a kick out of it. I use this one when singing the song.


And I made these ones for the kids.


These ribbons on sticks, I feel, were a great idea. I use them when we sing a reverent song. The kids just sit or stand quietly and wave their wands in the air. It's perfect!


Also for reverent songs I use stickers. These stickers are for the song Love One Another.


These ones could be used for Book Of Mormon Stories. You can find stickers like these at the Distribution Center or Seagull Book.


Another favorite of the kids is the Magic Juice. I have one of my leader helpers spray a little juice in the the kids mouths when they are singing and participating. It's such a great motivation to the other kids when they see their friends getting the juice. I use Crystal Lite so it's not packed full of sugar (because heaven knows toddlers don't need any help getting more energy). The spray bottle makes it easy to squirt in the kids mouths without spreading germs.


Also in my bag of tricks, is a birthday hat. I bring it out only on the Sunday's when we are celebrating a child's birthday. Of course, the birthday boy or girl gets to wear it while we sing to them. On our birthday hat we have bells attached to it and we always have the kids jump up and down to make them jingle. They love it!

Most of these ideas have come from sugardoodle.net. I have other plans for other props, but just haven't finished making them yet. I'll post them as we get more. Any other ideas, please share!!