Well, we have a rough draft of our script done. I have learned, from past mistakes, not to call it a final draft until the morning of. Again I know it is helpful to look at what other wards are doing and use those, in part or in whole, to put your own script together- so here is ours! Along with some tips to adapt it for your own primary.
Tips to Adapt this Script for YOUR Primary:
- If you need fewer parts combine some of the shorter parts into one.
- If you need more parts, split up the longer parts into two. If you still need more parts consult the Sharing Time Outline. Most of the parts in this script come from the outline weekly headers. If you need more parts look for material in each week’s sharing time lesson, they often include good quotes or scripture references that can be made into parts.
- We keep our children’s talks that they give in primary throughout the year, so when I reference a “talk” in our script it is referring to one of these which we have a copy of. If you don’t already have a habit of keeping the talks I suggest starting it for next year! You don’t have to end up using them, but options are never a bad thing, right?
- Our script goes through September because we going to do our program in October and with General Conference and 2 rehearsals we wont have any sharing time lessons until after the program. But if you want to include the whole year, again consult the Sharing Time Outline. Use each weekly topic as the foundation of a part.
- Many of the parts require the children to write something up on their own. Our approach to getting this all accomplished is as follows: About 4-6 weeks before the program I put together 1 envelope for every family in our primary. Inside of the envelop is a letter (see below) along with all the parts for the children in that family. I ask that if their child has a part that needs to be written that they do so and return it the next week. We get some of them back that way, and I prefer to give the families a chance to do it with their child b/c when they do we get better results (as far as what is written). For those who don’t return their parts I pull them out one by one during sharing time and help them write their part. To hand out these envelopes we have the bishop announce at the beginning of sacrament meeting that we will be holding all the primary children *hostage* in the primary room after church until one of their parents come to get them. We then hand the envelope to the child’s parent (along with their child(ren)). Lot’s of parents forget or don’t hear the announcement, but no worries! They eventually come looking for their child ;).
If you’d like to see a copy of the letter that we send home to our primary families you can see that here
Be sure to check out my other tips for surviving the rehearsals and the program here.
And if you are ready to download our script you can do that here:
What unique or exciting things are you doing for your program this year? I am always on the look out for ways to spice up our program and would love to incorporate some of your creative ideas!
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I tried to download your Primary Sacrament Meeting Presentation script but wasn’t able to. If there’s any way you could email it to me, I’d be very grateful. Thanks.
I sent it your way- sorry you couldn’t download it, I haven’t heard that from anyone yet 😮
Thank you for sharing this! I will be using ideas/parts from it.
I did want to point out something, though: In the last narrator’s part at the very end you quote Moroni 10:3-5 and then go on to say that it was this scripture that inspired Joseph Smith to pray and begin the restoration, but the scripture that started Joseph’s search was James 1:5-6. (The Moroni scripture came about after Joseph got the plates and had already translated all but the last few verses.) 🙂
Excellent point thank you! I’ll go back and look at my wording on that. Thanks for your help!!
I just went back and looked and you are totally right! I dont know what I was thinking. Thanks for catching my brain lapse!!
Alia Cherry recently posted…Primary Theme “Choose the Right” Binder Covers
I couldn’t get your program to download. It would be great if you would send it to me.
Thanks you
Sent it your way- hope that helps 🙂
Thank you so much!!! We had a brand new primary presidency put in a month ago. My only time in primary was in nursery and a few Sundays as a pianist. I had absolutely no idea how to write a primary program. I made a rough draft, but reading your program really helped me pull it all together and make changes that helped it sound less robotic. Thank you so much for sharing this and for all your tips. They have been incredibly helpful!
Thank you so much for your kind words Lindsey! I am up late trying to get some more primary things up on the blog and getting your comment was so encouraging! I get a lot of requests or corrections, but someone who just wants to say thank you warms my heart 🙂 And I totally know what you mean, I am always looking for new ideas to spice up the program so it doesn’t come across robotic. Please share if you have any ideas!
You are a life saver! Thanks so much for the program as I just got put into the primary and having never written a program needed some ideas of where to start. THANK YOU!!!
I can totally relate! When I first got called to primary it was august as well and nobody had done anything in regards to the program. It was definitely stressful! But the good news is it will all get easier from here 🙂 Good luck Maria!
Thank you so much for your hard work in putting this together and also for sharing it. I’ve had a hard time gathering my thoughts with a new baby at home to take care of, and this helps so much.
Congrats on the new baby Rudi! Yes sleep deprivation does that to the best of us!! Good luck with the program 🙂
Do you mind emailing it to me as well?
Thank you!!
I sent it your way Holly. What kind of trouble are you having when you try to download it from my site? So I can correct it for other people.
Is there any chance of getting this as a PDF? I dont have Microsoft Word 🙁
Hi Laura, sorry for the delayed response I am getting backed up with requests 😉 A PDF version of the script is now available for download. Good luck with your program!
This is also my first time being in the Primary Presidency and I was called 2 weeks ago. Yikes! Your program is wonderful and I will definitely be using your ideas! Thank you! And maybe because I’m a newbie, but your program looks so long. Is that normal/usual to have that many songs? Do you know how much time your program takes? I really have no idea and was thinking we just used the 5 songs on the church website. Just curious. Thanks again!
Hi Angie! Does it look long? I don’t know that is always my biggest struggle is trying to figure out how long it will be. I always tell the bishopric “you get what you get…and come prepared with something as filler just in case…” haha. I will say, not that this can be used as a hard fast rule or anything, but last year our program ended up being about 6 pages long and we ran a little short. This year I was worried about that happening again (although no one complained- imagine that!) so I tried to add some longer parts and more songs. And a lot of how long this particular script will take will depend on the responses the kids come up with for their prompts. Anyhow, I dont think that was much help but that’s what I know! Good luck 🙂
Thank you so much for posting this! We are a new presidency and had no clue where to even begin! Your script gave us a great starting point! Thank you so much for your help!
It’s so hard when you are new and they say “by the way the primary program is next month!” The same thing happened to me. Good luck Julie!!
Alia, Could I get your script also. I am needing more ideas. Thanks!!
I sent it.
Could you also email everything to me? It won’t let me edit anything or add our children’s names etc. Thanks!
Yeah you won’t be able to edit it if your just viewing it, you will have to download it. I sent the script your way, hope that helps.
Thank you for this I really appreciate being able to see what other wards are doing. I was needing to add more “meat” to our program and this helped a lot . So thank you! I love all your ideas on your blog and visit frequently. (high five!)
PS-On the pdf version it does show the children’s first and last name. It seemed a little to personal to have that on a public document. But that is just my opinion.
Thank you so much! I took it down immediately im so glad you let me know. I just had added the PDF version because some readers had requested it and I guess I converted the wrong version- I am so glad you let me know.
Thanks for taking the time to share! I am always so amazed by the super-talented women who use their talents to so faithfully serve! I loved your idea of the store and receiving tickets for practices. Do the children shop in the store after the program is over?
Hi Tiffany! We let them trade their tickets in for prizes at the end of each rehearsal while they are waiting for their parents. A little more immediate rewards. But I am sure there are lots of ways to do it. Good luck!!
HI Alia- I am stressed out about our program, but cant get a download. Can you please try to email me? Thanks! Jennifer
I sent it your way. Good luck!