Introducing New Songs
Have someone come in to sing a new song to the children.
Make word strips with all of the words of a new song on them. Sing the song several times, gradually removing the word strips until a few or none are left.
Bring a picture for each phrase of the song to help the children learn the words more easily. Let several children help hold the pictures.
Bring costumes and let the children act out what the characters in the songs do. Watching the story in the song can help children understand the song idea more quickly.
Reviewing Previously Learned Songs
Pull the names of the songs out of a bowl and then sing them.
Invite several children to name their favorite song, which then everyone will sing.
Put the names of the songs on fish shapes. Put a paper clip on each fish. Make a fishing pole using a stick, some string, and a magnet. Invite several children to go fishing for the next song.
Play "Name that Tune." Divide the room into 2 groups. Have each group say how many notes they need to identify the song. The lowest bid has to guess what the pianist plays (Right hand only) using the number of notes they bid. If they miss, then the other team gets to try, with the number of notes that they bid. Alternate teams until the name of the song is guessed. Then sing it.
Encouraging Participation
Make small signs on big popsicle sticks with pictures to stand for loud, soft, girls, boys, people with brown shoes, people with blue eyes, teachers, children, etc. Have several children stand in the front with the signs. When they hold up their sign during the song, the song must be song by the people or in the way indicated. Have only a few of these signs available at a time or make sure that the chorister is the one to tell the children when to put up their signs or this could get messy.
Make a sign for each class. When a class' sign is up, the class must sing.
Bribe them with stickers. During the song, have different teachers walk around and put stickers on the children who are singing.
Have all the children act out the song or do hand motions. (E.g.--Have them walk in a big circle for "Pioneer Children Sang as They Walked and Walked and Walked and Walked")
