Organizing Singing Time Lesson Plans with File Folders!

If you’ve been in your calling for a little bit, you’ll know how quickly all your activities, lesson plans, song helps, and files can pile up!! I finally got one large filing box and spent a little bit of time organizing all my singing time lesson plans with file folders!!

The difference is night and day!

Now, I can find any lesson plan fast and efficiently with as little bulk as possible. I’ll walk you through exactly how I got organized, then stick with me for tips on digital organization, too!

Getting Organized in Singing Time using file folders to easily sort printable lesson plans

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Step-by-Step Organizing Singing Time Files

1. Portable File Storage Box

A Traditional Filing Cabinet: I have a small filing cabinet attached to my desk, but I didn’t really want to use this space for my singing time ideas as I was looking for something more portable and flexible. You might have a larger stand alone filing cabinet that may work, but I’d recommend a portable solution.

Getting Organized in Singing Time using file folders to easily sort printable lesson plans

A Portable File Storage Box: A stand alone box gives a lot of advantages over a full size filing cabinet. It’s my go-to preference for staying organized. Here are some of the reasons why:

  • Files for ONLY this specific need
  • Not have to shuffle through files for other needs
  • Takes up the least possible storage space
  • Can see all your song titles in a glance
  • Can stash in the Primary closet (if space allows)
  • Easy to pass along to a family member or the next music leader
  • Helps you keep within a certain space limit
  • Can be expanded if necessary

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2. A Folder for each Song Title

Once you have your filing box picked out, you’ll next want to pick up a big box of file folders. I recommend 100 folders as that will cover the majority of the Primary songs you’ll teach across a 4-year rotation with room to grow as you need to.

Getting Organized in Singing Time using file folders to easily sort printable lesson plans

You could also get started with just a 25-count file folder to cover 1-2 years worth of songs. But don’t forget you will likely teach Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, or Christmas songs and others across the year when trying to figure out how many to purchase up front.

Getting Organized in Singing Time using file folders to easily sort printable lesson plans

Now, label each individual file folder with the song title. You can also note down the Children’s Songbook Page #, if that would help you.

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3. Store all File Folders in Alphabetical Order

Stash each song in your file box in alphabetical order. Alphabetical is by far the easiest as you’ll likely add hymns and other songs not in the CS.

If you’re filing box will need the hanging folders, you can group 3-5 songs per hanging folder pretty easily! I added a letter label to help me easily jump to the song title by first letter.

Getting Organized in Singing Time using file folders to easily sort printable lesson plans

Now, every time you print out a flip chart, lesson plan, activity or any printables related to the song, you’ll just slip them into their specific folder.

Making sure it is EASY to store your files after you use them in absolutely essential for making sure they also return back to the same place when you’re done with them!

4. Add Extra Folders for General Ideas

I like to include an additional section for more general ideas – such as review games, seasonal ideas, and planning helps! I love having planners, for example, at my finger tips to easily find and refer to when I have time to sit down and plan out a few weeks or a few months at a time.

Getting Organized in Singing Time using file folders to easily sort printable lesson plans

Even though the holidays only come around once a year, if you create a designated folder for each you will be able to easily go back to that activity year after year or add new ideas each year you can come back to the next time you’re in this calling.

5. Include Current Songs in a Singing Time Binder

To have lots of singing time activities right at your finger tips, you can pull out the file folder for the song(s) you’re teaching for the month.

Transfer any of the activities in your file folder into a sheet protector behind a divider tab for your song title. Now, if you have an activity flop, you can switch it up without any extra effort needed. Or, you can quickly flip through your sheet protectors of activities (1 per activity) and plan out your month in minutes!

Getting Organized in Singing Time using file folders to easily sort printable lesson plans

Head over to see this full post on how I organize my Singing Time Binder to see more details on how I set everything up and get started with your own!

For even more help getting organized in Primary, head over to this post to see What’s in my Singing Time Music Bag (and how I organize supplies using the Primary Closet, too!)

Organizing Singing Time Lesson Plans with File Folders! Singing time ideas for Primary Music Leaders sq Whats in my Primary Singing Time Bag

Have you organized your Singing Time Ideas in file folders? What have you found that works best for you?

Join INSTANT Primary Singing today for immediate access to monthly printable singing time ideas!

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