Kerplunk

Update January 10 - I found that I was pressed for time this week (Primary in January is CRAZY), so I changed it a little. I did this with clothesline (string out a clothesline and hang my flipchart pages on it). If marbles fell, we'd take off one of the flipchart pages and sang the song. If no marbles fell, I'd just keep calling up kids until marbles did fall.

Kerplunk is a commercially sold game. It has a vertical column with holes running horizontal that you put sticks through. Marbles go into the column. You pull out the sticks one by one until the marbles fall. The tray at the bottom is divided into 4, and you can turn the column for each turn.




To use for teaching a song, I will do one verse per week. For example, I'll be using Kerplunk to teach the 1st verse of I Know My Savior Loves Me. I'll split the 1st verse into parts, one part for each part of the 1st verse, ex:
Part 1
A long time ago in a beautiful place,
Children were gathereed 'round Jesus

Part 2
He blessed and taught as they felt of His love.
Each saw the tears on His face.

Part 3
The love that He felt for His little ones
I know He feels for me

Part 4
I did not touch Him or sit on His knee
Yet Jesus is real to me

Part 5
Chorus

If nothing falls, then we will sing the chorus. We will start out with the column facing the #1 in the tray. If any marbles fall, we will sing Part 1. Then we turn the column to face #2 and continue. Again, any time no marbles fall, we'll sing the chorus. Once all the marbles have fallen, take a break to sing a fun song. Pick a child to lead the fun song so that you can set up the Kerplunk again (it takes a minute or two to put the sticks back in). At the end of Singing Time just before time is up, I'll have them sing the entire song.


I'm hoping to get through a Kerplun game twice. If you don't have enough time, just finish off where you are and sing the whole song through. If you have extra time, alternate singing one or two fun songs with the verse you're practicing.