Meet the Fam

The first thing I did after being sustained was to contact the two previous Primary Choristers to collect anything they would give me:

advice
schedules
materials
lists
visual aids

You know, ANYTHING.

They were both perfectly willing to share the few things that they had.  From one I received a poster of a boy with a wide mouth.  She had used it for motivation for the program practice several years earlier.  The kids would get to throw popcorn in his mouth for singing well, and the whole Primary would get a popcorn party after the program.  She said, "I don't know why I've been holding on to him... he's just so cute I hate to throw him away!"

I decided to repurpose him.  And repurpose him.  And repurpose him.

He became Big Words Bobby (primarily for all those big words in the song Praise to the Man),

New Song Blobby,

(The blobs are for covering up words as kids are learning a new song and needing repetition...)

and Big Voice Robby (dressed in his Pioneer Day clothes).

Triplets.
(I probably get more humor out of it than the kids do.)

I have just applied velcro so I can change from one triplet to another, and so I can change his their clothes.  The kids love it.  They love getting selected (I use choosing sticks, to make it fair) to throw a ball (I have a squishy water ball that glows when it gets jostled around... I think from Michaels) into his mouth when they've accomplished whatever the task is:  singing a song to the end, singing without prompts, singing well, etc.

I don't bring one of the boys every week... the kids like them so much, I have kind of used them for a reward.  Something to look forward to.  Some kids ask every week if I brought one or the other, but I have generally only brought him one of them about once a month.

They also love his their little sister Bubble Gum Bessie.  (With the exception of one cute little Sunbeam, who is terrified that the balloon will pop, because the first week I brought her... it did.  I'm working on easing her back into liking Bessie.)

I just copied the Bobby/Blobby/Robby look, and made a little sister, who blows her bubblegum bubble bigger and BIGGER if they are absolutely singing their best.  The only problem is, whoever is helping blow the bubble (teachers in junior Primary, kids in senior -- and yes, I bring a new balloon for each blower!), can't tell how big the bubble is getting.  Thus, the popping problem of the first week.  But it was only a problem for the one little Sunbeam... everyone else loved it, and popping the bubble has now become "the goal."  The next time I brought Bessie, I cautioned those blowing to be careful NOT to pop the balloon.  Like I said, though, it's tricky to tell when you can't see anything from the back -- one almost got it big enough to pop.

I've told the Primary kids they've met the whole family, now.  
Their response:  "We haven't met their mom and dad yet!"

BTW, I think the idea of using a science project display board is awesome, because it can be folded up -- preserving the condition of the visual aid longer, and making storage easier.  It also stands alone on the floor or a small table, and has extra room on the sides for any other visuals you would like to add.  Tape works great on them, and removes easily without tearing the color off.  Perfect.  I am going to purchase several more when they are 50% off at Hobby Lobby... maybe I'll make one into this UNO gameboard.