When We're Helping

Service is or should be the very heart of our religion.  It's wonderful to see a group of youth cleaning up and elderly person's yard or sorting can goods at the food bank, or young children along side a parent helping rake leaves or shoveling walks.  When we are helping and serving others, we are happy!

"When We're Helping," p. 198, is a great song to sing when helping others.  Most children are familiar with this song. As you sing it, ask the children to suggest ways we help or serve others and encourage them to report back next week on things that they have done.  Suggest that they sing this song as they help or serve.

Ways to serve/help:

• pick up toys
• clean room without being asked
• help in the kitchen - preparing or cleaning up
• folding laundry
• vacuuming, mopping, dusting
• picking fruit or vegetables for someone
• racking leaves
• plus many more . . .

Mother's Day

Mother's day is a few weeks away. Whether the children are singing in Sacrament meeting, a special presentation in Primary or just to be prepared to sing to Moms and Grandmas, begin learning or reviewing some Mother's Day songs. There are 12 songs in the Primary Songbook that are appropriate for this special day.  Choose your favorites or try the ones with activities listed below.

When We're Helping p. 198

• bring a basket or bag with a few pieces of laundry - hand towel, wash cloth, a few T-shirts, etc.
• place the clothes (unfolded) in a pile on a table or chair
• ask the children if folding these clothes would help their mother
• have a few children come up and fold them as you sing this song
• bring a few dishes 
• ask a child to come up and set the table using the dishes
• sing the song as they set the table
• ask the children what they could do after dinner - wash or place dishes in dishwasher
• Sing the song as a few children play like they are cleaning up the dishes.

My Mother Dear p. 203 make or find pictures of the following:

• sunshine, a colorful flower, bluebird, a picture of a mother
• sing the song using the pictures to prompt the phrases
• sing one phrase and have the children sing with you a few times
• Sing the next phrase a few times and continue with the last two phrases
• Have the children sing the entire song a few times
• ask for helpers to hold up the pictures as you sing