Sunbeams Here I Come!

Am subbing my SIL's class this week.

It's been a long time since I last taught Sunbeams.  For some reason I've been more nervous about teaching them than I have been about any other teaching assignments.  Interesting indeed.

So this week, my friend Deb happened to note that she was prepping for her Primary class as well.  They'll be having "a ball" learning about sharing!  Such an ingenious idea that I figured I'd borrow it.  Something I failed to remember is that the Sunbeams are in a totally different teaching manual than the rest of Primary.  Was totally sad, cause I wanted a great excuse to buy bouncy balls & be cool like Deb.

Instead, this week's lesson is about family prayer.  It's called "We Can Pray as a Family."  Try as I might, I COULD NOT get bouncy balls to fit in with family prayer!  Ugh.  For some reason, I've got a funny feeling that bouncy balls = complete opposite of reverence & prayer.  Just a hunch.

So here's what I put together instead:

Got this picture from Green Jello with Carrots & lulu.com, turned it into a bmp, & colored it in to my liking using MS Paint.

Then I found this image through lds.about.com and tinkered with it in PS to make it a bit bigger & to complete the cloud's bottom.

From there, the fun began.  I strategically placed them for printout, printed away, and started cutting!

Then with skinny-skinny ribbon (that was twice the length from my hand to my armpit), I made a loop & knotted it off. 

 To help anchor the ribbon, I used double-stick tape to hold the ribbon in place, and then used a glue stick to adhere an anchor plate/tag over the taped ribbon.  This added durability.  Hip hip hooray for that!  (We are talking 3 year old Sunbeams here, people.)

 Like a Bolo Tie, I needed a slider.  So out again, came the trusty blue cardstock, and glue stick to anchor the sides.  No glue was on the top or bottom.

 You can't see it here, but after attaching the slider backing, I also used a piece of scotch tape horizontally across the backing.  Again, added stability, yet still preserving the mobility of the piece.

 Then my skinny-skinny ribbon ends were threaded through the slider.

 At the ends I attached the phrase, "I am happy when my family prays together" (cut in half) to each ribbon end with the phrases facing out...the ribbons were placed over double-sided tape, and anchor plates/tags were glued over the top of the ribbons.

 When you pull the ribbon ends away from the center, which symbolizes prayer, you can watch the family not only stay together, but they come closer to the Lord.

 

 So, here's my kits ready for Sunday, so while I'm telling them stories about family prayer, we can put their own together! 
So stoked.

(The official purpose of this week's lesson is to teach each child that "regular family prayer helps keep a family close to Heavenly Father and to each other."  This kinda turned out to be a home run...when it comes to driving home that meaning.  Well, I'm expecting it be one anyhow.  I'll let ya know if I was right.  Lol.)

If you're interested in using this idea for your own Primary class or FHE, awesome!
Family Closer to Jesus

Here are the end pieces that go at the bottom.
Happy When My Family Prays Together
Have a great weekend everybody!  And remember to say ALL your prayers, INCLUDING family prayers!!!  =)