Hula Hoop

August 18, 2013
I used an idea from another chorister, but I can't remember where I found it. I used a hula hoop and a jar. The songs were printed on paper and cut into strips, then put in the jar. The kids picked out a strip of paper to choose which song.

I had another child be the hooper. The pianist had to play the song straight through without stopping, no matter what we did. We had to sing while the hula hoop was up, and stop when it dropped. Then when the child picked it up again, we had to join the song wherever the pianist was.

Worked great.

August 11, 2013
I just retaught "Holding Hands around the World." I used props for each phrase, had a child hold up the prop to remind us what to sing, then sing through the song. As they learned it, I would take away a prop (having the child sit down) and the children had to remember what the phrase was without the props.

We also reviewed the sign language for "Families Can Be Together Forever." I led into it with the action song "Do as I'm Doing," Then I said we have another action song we need to work on, and signed the first phrase without speaking to make them guess. They love guessing.

Good times.