First Sunday in January

I'm excited for tomorrow!  It's the first Primary of the new year which means new teachers, classes, and new songs.

My plan is to start with some action songs before Primary actually starts to help keep the children's attention. I have some choosing pictures that I have made up from years ago that work well for Jr. Primary because they are laminated and have magnets on the back.  I can easily stick them to the chalkboard then the children can come up and pick the next song.

Next I'm going to try a cute idea to help the new sunbeams adjust to Sharing Time.  I came across this sunbeam egg idea and hope it works.  The plan is to explain to the sunbeams that they can sit on their eggs and "keep them warm" just like a mother hen.  If they can do it for all of primary I will trade their egg for a little fruit loop.  Of course, we will start out with a welcome to our youngest members by singing "Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam"  

I'm going to change up the birthday song in Sr. to "Feliz Cumplanos" using this flip chart.  Some of those words are hard to remember!

We are handing out CDs with the Program Songs for the Year.  Thank you Primary President!  The song we are doing this month is "He Sent His Son".  I used this flipchart.  Then teach the actions like this (credits to the talented Nancy Nicole Henrie):
HE SENT HIS SON ACTIONS
How could the Father tell the world of love and tenderness? (point upward) (point to mouth) (make heart with fingers)
He sent his Son, a newborn babe, with peace and holiness. (rock baby in arms)
How could the Father show the world the pathway we should go? (point upward) (point to eye) (put inside palms together and ‘swim’ forward)
He sent his Son to walk with men on earth, that we may know. (walk your fingers along the inside palm other hand) (point fingers to ground)
How could the Father tell the world of sacrifice, of death? (point upward) (point to mouth) (fist over heart)
He sent his Son to die for us and rise with living breath.(raise arm to a square, then arm extend out) (both arms slowly rise over head)
What does the Father ask of us? What do the scriptures say? (point upward) (point fingers to chest) (make book with hands)
Have faith, have hope, live like his Son, help others on their way. (count with fingers 1 – 2 – 3 – 4)
What does He ask? Live like his Son. (point upward) (stand up – sing strong)

I think I will play the game 4 corners Four Corners is explained in detail here.  The basic idea is one child is blindfolded and one class gets to pick a corner and go there.  The blindfolded child picks the corner that is singing the "prettiest".  Everyone else sits down and that corner gets to move around again picking a corner and singing again.  We will sing it 3 times until there are only a few children left in the corners

I think I will play name that tune with other new program songs.

Finally, we will end with picking a few snowballs from our "write your favorite song on a piece of paper and crumple it like a snowball" activity that we did last week.  I have one bag for Jr. and one for Sr.

1. Opening:  Nephi's Courage 120
2. Visitors:  Hello (in different languages) 260
3. Birthday:  Feliz Cumpleanos 282 (with flipchart) - each child holds up hands like a candle and bday child "blows" them out at the end
4. Jesus Wants Me For A Sunbeam/Here We Are Together (using new sunbeams names)
5. Learn "He Sent His Son" 34  -possible program idea to have one or two Sr. children as the questions and rest of Primary answer.
6. Play name that tune with other program songs
7. Sing a few "snowball favorites" as we have time