My Flag, My Flag

Every country has a flag.  They all represent a love of country.  "My Flag," p. 225 can be sung in any country to celebrate patriotism.   The children will enjoy standing and singing this song for any country's patriotic celebrations.

Find a picture or a small flag from the countries where your ward, branch or stake have missionaries serving.  Show each flag and tell which missionaries are serving there.

• Sing the first 2 1/2 lines of the song.
• Sing it again and ask the children to listen for words or phrases that are repeated.  ("my flag" - 4 times and "my county's flag" 2 times)
• Were there rhyming words?  (wave and brave)
• Sing it with the children
• Sing the last 2 1/2 lines of the song.
• Sing it again and ask the children to listen for words or phrases that are repeated.  ("wave on" - 4 times and "forever" 2 times)
• Were there rhyming words? (Free and liberty)
• Sing it with the children
• Sing the whole song a few times with the children

Following the Prophets

There are several songs about following prophets and one the children especially love to sing is "Follow the Prophet" p.110.  Challenge the children to learn ALL the verses and be able to tell a story about each one.

There are great helps in the "Outline for Sharing Time" p. 11, for teaching "We Thank Thee, O God, for a Prophet" # 19 in the Hymn Book.  This is a good one to introduce the children to the Hymn Book.

A few other songs are:
"Latter-Day Prophets" p. 134
"Seek the Lord Early" p. 108
"Stand for the Right" p. 159

It's always fun to review songs the children already know.  Add a few of these to their repertoire.

Mother's Day Activity

Mother's Day is a special day and I would hope that we can honor ALL the women in our lives.

Choose several Mother's Day songs and add a few other songs as needed ("Do as I'm Doing"," I Am a Child of God," etc.)

Tell the children that  they are going to make a list of all the women/girls that help them.  List 3 to 5 then sing one of the songs.  List a few more and singing after.

The list could include: mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, aunt, sister, step-mom, nurse, teacher (could include primary teacher, school, piano, flute, violin, dance, ballet, math, music, etc.) tutor, coach, babysitter, doctor, etc.

Now go back and next to each one, write what they do for us.  Sing a song after you write a few.

This activity will help the children (and adults) appreciate what these women do for us.

Honoring Womanhood

Honoring women is important to teach children.  Most of the songs in the Primary Songbook are specific to mothers.  Ask the children what other women/girls help, serve, teach, play and love them.  Examples might include aunts, babysitters, nannies, teachers, friends, friends' moms, nurses, doctors, dentists.

Choose several songs about mothers.  Sing them and in between songs, ask the children to share ways that we can show our thanks/gratitude to our moms and other women in our lives.

Songs about family begin on p. 188.