Musical Missionaries

I have really wanted to find a way to teach the kids how to apply the songs they learn at church, in their daily life.  Personally, when I was younger, I relied on all my primary songs to help me remember the basic concepts of what our church believes.  I grew up in the "mission field" and did not have very many LDS friends.  I was often asked very basic questions about my Sunday activities and was very grateful to have primary songs memorized to help in situations like these.

I created a little activity I am going to call "Musical Missionaries". Here are the supplies I am using:

• large, printed missionary tag (one per class)
• graphical representation of appropriate songs for board
• missionary questions
• my curious kids picture (to act as a visual for the friend asking questions)
• a set of 9 questions that are asked (and match up with the songs represented on the board)

You can work this activity however it best fits your primary (I have a very small primary) but I plan on randomly selecting one "missionary" per class, who will act as the spokesman (be sure to pick someone you know is not particularly shy). I then plan on having my 9 questions in separate envelopes numbered 1-9 (in my pre-set order).  You could either hide the questions around the room for a child to find or simply have them up front for you to read. Each class will answer one question (I plan on starting in the front and going through each class).  Once I ask the question, the class with talk with each other (and teacher's really need to step in and help!!) and tell the missionary which picture/song on the board they "think" will answer the question.  If they pick the wrong song, depending on time, you could sing the incorrect song and ask them if they think that song worked. If not, why? Place back on board and try again.

With the correct song selected and sang, I will ask the missionary (and class) to tell me one thing they heard in the song that could answer our friends question.  So on and so forth.

If you have any suggestions on how this activity could be improved or any variations you may have done, I'd love to hear them!

I do have some rough graphics available for you to download below.  I plan on re-doing them when I have more time and mounting on colored paper, then laminating.  Of course you could amend my documents to reflect any songs/questions you want.

Click here to download the questions.

Click here to download the missionary tags (print, fold in half and put string through), and song/pictures.