Hello Primary Friends! Last year I did not make a primary program script available and I got a lot of disappointed emails, so this year I didn’t want to let you down again! As such, I volunteered to write the primary program for our primary (I am the secretary now). And I don’t usually have the script up until August, but we may be doing ours earlier this year (we usually do it in October but we might do it in September this year) so I wanted to get crackin’! The weird thing about writing this primary program is “I am a Child of God” was the theme for my FIRST primary program. And that simultaneously makes me feel old, and like I’ve been in primary a LONG time. But hey, as long as its not Young Womens…. I’m not going to complain 😉
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.
- Some 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:
[ddownload id=”972″ text=”Download Letter Here”]
Be sure to check out my other tips for surviving the rehearsals and the program here.
And stay tuned to my facebook page, I’m sure there will be more primary program things to come! And if you want to subscribe to my emails, you can do that here.
UPDATE: Primary Program Invitation Template now available!
[ddownload id=”2042″ text=”Download Script Here”]
If you don’t have Microsoft Word, or are having trouble with the above download, there is a PDF available here.
This is a beautiful program – I appreciate your efforts and that you shared this with us! Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!
Thank you for the kind words Michelle! I’ve had a few hundred people download it so far but you are the first to say anything, it means a lot 🙂 Hope it’s helpful.
I am sorry no one had said thank you! thank you for the hard work putting this together. This will definitely help out primary program this year.
Thank you Kimmy! There’s been quite a few now. Puts a smile on my face 🙂 Good luck!!
Thank you So much! This is my first rodeo and I appreciate your script and tips. Thank you!
I know how that is! Good luck Becca!
Having just been called yesterday as the primary president of our ward, this is a huge help. While I’ve served as a teacher in primary many times, I’ve never had a leadership calling. Thank you so much. This is a fantastic!
You’re welcome Jen! When I was first called as primary president it was August and I had a complete meltdown when I learned I had to put on the program and nothing had been done for it yet! So I try to help those out who are in a similar situation 🙂 Good luck!
Our program has been bumped up a month, September. Which is fine, except when the cushion of October has been in your mind. Ahhhhh!!! THANK YOU!
I think ours is going to be in September too! I prefer october but so many scheduling issues!! Good luck 🙂
Great work and thank you for sharing your talents with others. You are a life savor. You helped get me started in the right direction. Thank you for that.
You are most welcome Tera! Good luck 🙂
I was searching high and low last week for SOME kind of start to a program. THANK you for posting and sharing this. A true blessing for me. Our program got bumped up to September, as well, and it’s throwing me for a loop! THANK YOU again!
You’re welcome Chelsie! Our stake conf is in october and it threw everything off! 🙁
Thank you so much for making your efforts available! I’m also quite new to this calling and this has taken a huge load off my shoulders!
You’re welcome! Good luck Teresa 🙂 The good news is no matter what happens everyone always thinks it is great!
We had our program last Sunday – hardly a dry eye in the congregation by the time the last note was sung. Many of our seasoned members declared it the best program they had the joy to watch. Thanks for a great outline!
Wow!!! I am sure I had nothing to do with that but all the same I so appreciate you taking the time to tell me 🙂 Well done! Nice to end on a good note, who knows if that will be the last primary program ever huh??
Thank you for sharing. It is so much easier to put the program together when I have something to start with. You are fantastic.
You’re welcome De! Hope its helpful, good luck!
Thank you so much! This will put me in the right direction! Thank you!
you’re welcome, good luck!
Sadly, I do not have microsoft office. Is there any way you can save it as a .pdf? Thank you for sharing, even if I can’t have access. 😀
I will try to get to doing that Evie!
Hi Evie, I did get it up as a PDF as well, hope that helps.
Thank you so much!! My Primary President just informed me that I am over doing the Primary Program and the children need their parts by Sunday. I am so thankful that I was able to find at least a draft of something I can pull together!! I may have opened it in the wrong program but mine cut the last couple words off, still very grateful!!!
Hmm, which program did you open it in? Where did it cut off?
I have tried to download your 2018 primary script but I just can’t seem to find the link on your page. Could you please assist me with my dilemma? thank you P
Hi Patti, the link is at the very bottom of the post, it says “download script here”. If you click it it should download automatically to your computer. If you can’t find it check your downloads folder 🙂
thank you
Thank you for sharing!
You’re welcome Mary Ann!
This was so helpful! Thank you so much!
I’m so glad!
Oh Alia! Bless you!! I thought I had loads of time to write our script, it them some things changes and now I’m using yours. You made it so easy to make changes for this to fit our ward. You’re a life saver. 🙂
Hey Joan! Glad to be of service 🙂 Yea I was just tweaking ours today, I realized I used the word “truth” too many times in the conclusion and messed with that, haha. Good luck with your program!
Thank you so much for taking the time to put this together! I just got called as Primary President and the program is right around the corner. This is my first time doing this and it has eased a ton of stress.
You’re welcome! And good luck!
Thank you so much for taking the time to share this program. You have saved me so much time and the program is fabulous!
You’re welcome Kim! Hope it’s helpful!
Thank you so much for the program. I’ve written a couple of Primary programs in the past and felt very comfortable with getting the assignment in our new presidency. Then our family went through a very traumatic experience that we are keeping private. I have been unable to focus and write the program and it’s in just a few weeks. In desperation, I Googled and found you and literally cried with relief. I am, of course, modifying it but want you to know that you were the tender mercy that made it possible for me to do this assignment in the midst of a miserable time. I cannot thank you and Heavenly Father enough for being the answer to my prayers.
What a lovely message, Annie! I am so sorry you are going through such a difficult trial, but thank you so much for taking the time to brighten my day! I hope that you found it easy to adapt for your primary 🙂 Good luck with everything!
You are a lifesaver! This is my first year as president and I was completely overwhelmed with creating a program. The one I was creating was a disaster! Thank you, Thank you for sharing your talent!!
I doubt it was a disaster! But yes, the first time is always the hardest!!
Thank you for all of your hard work! It is beautifully written and it is a great starting point to assembling our script!
I’m so glad it was useful for you Bekah!
You are a LIFE SAVER!!!! I am so excited for this! Thank you thank you!
You’re welcome Jacquie! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment 🙂
Alia!! Thank you so much for sharing your script!! It’s wonderful!! I appreciate you and your talents!! You are amazing!!
Julie you are so sweet! Thank you so much for the comment. Made my day 🙂
I appreciate all the work that you put into this beautiful program. It was just what we were looking for, simple and plain truths being taught with some of it coming from the children. Thank you.
I’m so glad to hear that Brenda! Glad I could help.
Thank you so much for this!! I’m new to this calling and have no clue what I’m doing, so this is VERY helpful!
It’s so hard when you are brand new and have to do a primary program- been there!! Good luck Josie 🙂
Thank you so much for this wonderful program! I am new as well and feeling overwhelmed. This will definately help. Thank you for sharing and for all your time and efforts! Bless you!!
It is so overwhelming the first time! Glad this will help 🙂
Thank you so much for all of your time and hard work. I just got called today and the program has not been written. I appreciate your help.
Eek!! That’s rough! Good luck 🙂
Thank you so so so much! I was just called as the primary president and nothing was written for the program. This program is simple and beautiful. Absolutely perfect!
You’re welcome Andrea! Thank you for your sweet words!
Thank you so much for this program! I love how it follows the sharing time curriculum almost word for word! I had no idea how I was going to write a program that included 96 parts but I was able to adapt this script pretty easily to fit the needs of our very large primary. You have been a life saver! Thank you!
Yes, no reinventing the wheel here! The curriculum can give you almost everything you need. Or at least really good starting points. Thanks Lisa! And 96?? Phew! Good luck!!
Thank you, thank you. Its been years since I have served in primary let alone in a presidency. This will date me, but the last time I served the primary program was written already. Thank you for your help and inspiration.
Wow! I didn’t even know they ever did that! NO FAIR! Haha.
I just wanted to say THANK YOU SO MUCH for your work. This has helped me so much for the upcoming primary program and other things that I have needed. Thank you for sharing your talent, and thank you for your service. You are AMAZING!
Gina, can I just keep you around all the time? You are too kind! You’re welcome, and good luck. 🙂
This is so awesome and helpful! Thank you so much!
You’re welcome Helen- good luck!
The script and the letter will be so helpful. Thank you for putting time and effort into this…and then sharing it.
Glad it’s useful for ya Garrity!
Thank you so much!! This is so much help for this newly called Primary President. You are wonderful to make this available.
It’s so hard to get that calling in the fall! Haha, been there 😉 Good luck!
Thank you so much for your effort and this is very helpful.
You’re welcome Jeanne!
Thank you so much for sharing this! I have most of my program written, but needed a little more and this gave me many great ideas. Thank you!
Oh I am so glad to hear it Heidi! Thanks for the comment!
Thank you for sharing your hard work!
You’re welcome Darcey!
I had many people tell me this was the best primary program ever! Thank you so much for providing such a wonderful script. I asked for volunteers for the part saying ‘I am a Child of God’ in a foreign language. All who volunteered chose the language that they wanted to learn and learned in on their own. Some did it in groups, pairs or by themselves. It was such a great finale to the program and made me cry every time.
Thank you Kim!! I so appreciate you leaving me a note! That sounds so neat the way you did the finale- great idea! I love our little community here you guys sure make my day!
Do you have a script for this year’s sacrament presentation? Thank you in advance!
Hi Anna, no I haven’t written a script. With no sharing time anymore we are just gonna sing some songs. I think that’s all they can expect from us! Tell the bishopric to be prepared with some words if there is extra time 🙂 haha.