As the Primary Program approaches I like to begin to emphasize watching me more. I've been trying to figure out how to make this fun. Last week we played the game "silent Simon says" It's like Simon says except if I say it they don't follow, but if I make a silent motion they do follow. So if I say "stand" they don't move, but if I give the motion to stand they do, etc. When we were playing the game I would point to the right or left and they had to turn their bodies in that direction while still looking at me. We did stand and sit and turn around, marching. Whatever you can think of.

After briefly playing the game, I explained that leading music is a lot like silent Simon says. I can't yell during the program "Stand Up" or "I can't hear you!" so they need to watch me to know what to do. I tell them that during singing time we will always be playing Silent Simon says. Then we review the songs and I have them practice following all the actions I do while they sing.  For junior primary I didn't really want to make it a competition where people are "out" because it wasn't necessary. But in Senior it seems the boys need a little extra motivation to sing so I said, "To participate you need to be singing, and if you don't follow my silent directions I will call your name and you are out.  You need to sing even when sitting out or you can't play during the next song".

I didn't get to do it though because one of the counselors said not to compete in primary because that's not what it's about (well it was more than that - she really miffed me because I use competition often in singing time - name that tune, the flyswatter game, etc and she has never said anything, but to call me on it in front of the kids really undermined my authority and the kids were bummed.) I think she was worried I would single out too many kids and their feelings would be hurt cause they didn't know the songs. We have a few that don't come that often. But I would never single them out - I do with the kids who know the songs and act up. And I've never seen my older boys sing as well as they do when they are competing or earning something.

Ok, standard stand up sit down actions. Hand cupped behind ear for "I can't hear you sing louder" finger over lips for "Sing Softly" Pointing to eyes for "eyes on me" Pointing to smile for "smile".  I also pointed to directions for them to turn their bodies (not heads so they could see me).

Then I have other quirky stuff I do. Like when I taught "follow the Prophet" I wanted the kids to start soft on the chorus and get loud by "don't go astray" then soft again and loud by "he knows the way" while teaching this to the junior primary.  It occurred to me to have them march in place while crouching down a little and growing taller when they are loud, then back down to crouching, etc. They LOVED it. And while they don't do it anymore, I do and it reminds them what to do. I used to be the choir director and I found there where a lot of funny expressive things I did to show mood, volume ,etc.  Sometimes I would get pretty into it - it must've looked hilarious!