Choose and Review - Pantomime

Pantomime is a fun activity to use for singing time. Children enjoy acting and having others guess what they are doing. If the viewers are having a hard time guessing, you can help them by asking questions of the actor, such as “are you at home?” The actor can nod yes or no. Sometimes it helps to demonstrate what you want the children to do. Say something like “I am going to act out a way to be helpful. See if you can guess what I’m doing.” After the children guess, you can whisper what you want a child to do, or write the pantomime suggestions on wordstrips and put into a can or basket to choose from.

Although I'm using the costume idea this week, an idea from the Sharing Time ideas in the October 2006 issue of the Friend works for a choose and review activity to support this week's theme of strengthening families and helps me explain how I use pantomime as an activity in singing time.

Words from the list of principles from this part of The Family: A Proclamation to The World, “...successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work and wholesome recreational activities,” are written on cards to post on the chalkboard. On the back of the card, write the title of an appropriate review song. The same principles are on wordstrips in a can or basket with suggestions for pantomime. Write this part of the Proclamation on the chalkboard. “Successful families are established and maintained on principles of ...”

When it is time to sing, read that sentence from the Proclamation and explain to the children that living these principles will help strengthen our families. Have a child draw a wordstrip from the can and pantomime living that principle. The rest of the children can guess which of the principles they are acting out. After the children guess, say the sentence together naming that principle. Then remove the word card from the board and sing the song.

Here are the wordstrips:
Please pantomime ---a way to demonstrate faith. (...perhaps paying your tithing)
Please pantomime ---saying your prayers.
Please pantomime ---a way to say I’m sorry to someone in your family.
Please pantomime ---a way to forgive someone in your family. (...you may need another child to help you.)
Please pantomime ---one of the chores you do at home.
Please pantomime ---a way to show respect to someone in your family (...perhaps pick up toys).
Please pantomime ---a way to show love someone in your family.
Please pantomime --- a way to show compassion to someone in your family.
Please pantomime ---a fun recreational activity you enjoy with your family.