2009 Sharing Time Ideas
In this section, you'll find sharing times for the coming year. After the month has passed, they'll simply be listed in an archive listing by topic, rather than year. Eventually, since topics regularly repeat, you'll be able to browse a number of different sharing times for each topic.
To facilitate this for search engine purposes, the page with the actual sharing time will have a generic name. Use 2009 Sharing Times to find the actual month and theme you're looking for this year. Each month includes a sharing time for the first three weeks of the month, and a class presentation based on the last week's theme for the month.
I have some singing time suggestions, but I am not musical and have never done singing time, so they may not be very exciting. However, I do tie the singing time to the sharing time, except in the class presentation. They use the church's new preferred format, which has some music, then a segment of sharing time, then music again, and continuing the rotation. The singing times help teach the principle of the next segment of sharing time or review the previous one. The first week always teaches the assigned song.
Outside resources are always from approved sources.
These are only suggestions, and you should adapt them to fit the needs of your own Primary or use them as a jumping off point for your imagination. As you think of ideas for music and sharing time, keep the following principles in mind:
1. Music can set the spiritual tone for the entire Primary time. Keep your musical activities reverent. Teach the children that the Primary songs (except for wiggle songs) are sacred hymns and so their singing goes right to Heavenly Father. They would never want to yell at Him, so they should sing loudly, but beautifully. They should never use silly voices or do anything silly while singing a sacred hymn. When the music is spiritual, something special happens to the rest of Primary.
2. Use sharing time resources from approved sources. Yes, I know I'm not an approved source...sorry! But in my defense, when I refer you to a handout or something else, I choose from the Friend or the lesson manuals. I'm very aware of the rules of Primary and try hard to follow them: No food, no fantasy, no competition... But since I'm not an approved source, use my ideas with caution.
3. Before creating your plan, picture it happening. Is there potential for children to get too wound up? It's the Sabbath, even in Primary, and rules for keeping the Sabbath Day holy apply to sharing time. If you get the children excited or silly, their Primary teacher or their parents will have to struggle to get them back under control. Keep it reverent. Reverent can be still be fun, but peaceful, respectful fun.
The Sharing Time Links