Little Pioneer Children

The songs about the pioneers in the Children's Songbook are fun to sing as well as teaching about the sacrifices made to be able to worship as Latter Day Saints.

"Little Pioneer Children" p. 216, is a fun one to sing as a round.

You will need pictures of:

• berries
• chips (dried cattle manure) or wood
• children helping each other or pioneer children

Second verse: word strips of - 

• Singing all the day
• There's still time to play
• Often singing and dancing

Sing the first verse using the pictures.  Have the children sing with you. Let come children hold the pictures and sing it again.

Sing the second verse using the word strips. Have the children sing with you. Let come children point to the word strips or hold them and sing it again. 

Use younger children to hold the pictures and older ones to hold or point to the words.  Have the younger children sing the first and then the older children sing the second verse. Try singing it in a round.  Ask an older child or teacher to sing with half of the children while you sing with the other half.  This will take a little practice but the children will enjoy singing in a round once they know the song well.  Don't give up!  There is always next week.

The Shepherd's Carol

This song is written in D minor - a little different than most Christmas carols.  The children love this song because it is different and when they know it well, they enjoy singing it as a round.

First line

• Show a picture of Mary and sing the first phrase.  Have the children sing it with you a few times.
• Show a picture of Joseph and sing the second phrase.  Again, have the children sing it with you a few times.
• Sing both phrases together.

Second line

• Show a picture of Jesus and sing the first 4 notes.  Tell the children that the notes begin high and come down.  Sing it a few times with the children.
• Show a picture of a crown and sing the second half of the first phrase.  Sing it a few times with the children.
• Sing the first phrase together.
• Point to the baby Jesus and sing the last part of the second line.  Sing it a few times with the children.
• Sing the whole song together pointing to the pictures as you sing.

Second verse

• Point to all the children and sing the first phrase.  Sing it a few times with the children.
• Bring a present wrapped with the word "love" printed on it.  Sing the second half of the line.  Sing it a few times with the children.
• Tell the children that the last line is the same as the first verse.  Sing it a few times with the children while you point to the corresponding pictures.

Sing the whole song.  

For Thy Bounteous Blessings

Another great "thankful" song is "For Thy Bounteous Blessings," p. 21.  It is written in a minor key and there are not too many in the Primary Songbook that are.  It is also a round.  Learn it as written then learn it in the major key.  All you have to do is play the exact same notes with no flats except B flat.  Leave the B natural on the last line on the word loving-kindness.  Ask the children which version they like best.  Once they know it, try singing it in a round.  Try two parts first and then try 3 and 4 parts.  There are small circled numbers within the song that tell you when to begin each part.

For Health and Strength

"For Health and Strength" p. 21 is a fun song to add to our thankful songs.  It can be sung as a round.  First, sing the song several times so the children know it well.  Then divide the primary in half and have one side begin and sing it all the way through.  Have the other half begin singing from the beginning when the first group sings "and."  Trade sides and have the other side begin and the first side begin second.

The teachers will be a big help if your primary has never sung songs like this.  If you are especially adventurous, divide the room in fourths and have each group begin as it shows in the songbook.  Try having everyone stand up.  As each group finishes singing, have them sit down.  the last group will be the last to sit down.

Make sure that you review thankful songs that you recently learned.  This will help the children retain them for next year.