Christmas Lullaby's

Lullaby's about the baby Jesus create a reverence this time of year.  There are several lullaby's in the Primary Songbook.  Learn /teach as many as you have time for - the children will love them.

Bring a nativity scene to help set the mood.

Little Jesus  p. 39
The Shepherd's Carol  p. 40
Once within a Lowly stable  p. 41
Away in a Manger  p. 42
Mary's Lullaby  p. 44
Who Is the Child?  p. 46
Sleep, Little Jesus  p. 47
Oh, Hush Thee, My Baby  p. 48

Decorate the Tree

'Tis the season of Christmas.  Challenge yourself to teach your primary one new Christmas song from the Primary Songbook this year.

Use a Christmas Tree (paper cutout, small artificial, or draw one on the board) to teach the new song.  I like to begin with the last phrase or line.  Sing the phrase once for the children then have them sing it 3 times.  After each time, have a child add an ornament to the tree. 

Then work on the next line from the end of the song in the same fashion, adding an ornament after each time you sing the line.  The third time, finish the song by adding the last line. This way you always review what you have learned.

Continue in the same way until all the lines/phrases are learned.  You can double triple the ornaments to get more on the tree if you would like.  This also gives more children the opportunity to place one on the tree.

Gratitude

This Sunday is a great day to sing "thankful" or "gratitude" songs.

Ask the children to think of things that they are thankful for.  Have several share one thing then sing a "thankful" song.  (Several are listed below.)

Ask the children to think of ways they can show gratitude.  You may need to share a few examples: thank Mom for fixing dinner or packing your school lunch.  Have several share one thing then sing a "thankful" song.

Continue sharing thankful and gratitude ideas then sing a song.  The hope is that the children will go home singing these songs to help remind them to be grateful.

I Am Glad for Many Things p. 151
For Health and Strength p. 21
I'm Thankful to Be Me p.11
A Song of Thanks p. 20
For Thy Bounteous Blessings p.21
I Think the World Is Glorious p. 230

See "Gratitude" in the topics of "The Children's Songbook" for more songs.

Tell Me, Dear Lord

Seeking the lord's help in all we do is so important to teach children - and we as adults need the reminder. Tell Me, Dear Lord, p. 176, is the perfect teaching tool.

List on the board or make word strips of the following:
(I like using word strips so I can use them again as needed.)

• Say
• Do
• Know and love thy will
• understand thy loving word

2nd verse:

• guided
• hear thy voice
• obey
• Know thou art near
• strength impart
• banish every fear

Explain to the children that this song is bout asking the Lord to be with us in all we do.  It is important to ask for His help each day to know what He would like us to do or say or how we can help others.

Ask the children to count or listen for the many ways we can ask for Heavenly Father's help to guide us each day as you sing through the song.

Using the word strips as prompts, have the children sing the song with you as you point to the words.

Sing the song several times.  You can mix up the words on the board and have the children put them in order.  OR, give the word strips to the children and have them bring them up as they sing them.

Search, Ponder & Pray

We have been studying The New Testament in Come Follow Me this year. Teaching the children to "Search, Ponder & Pray" is critical to understanding the scriptures.  This song, p. 109, is a perfect teaching tool.

Sing the song for the children.
Ask the children what it means to search the scriptures.

• It could mean to understand the scriptures
• It could mean to read the scriptures
• It could mean to tell favorite scripture stories
• It could mean to explain the scriptures

Ask what ponder means.

• Think about
• write in a journal questions and thoughts about the scriptures
• Talk about them

Sing the first verse, then have the children sing it with you.

Ask the children why it is important to pray about the scriptures.

• Pray to understand the scriptures
• Pray to know that they are true
• Pray that the scriptures will help you make good decisions

Sing the second verse, then have the children sing it with you.

Sing the chorus and then have the children sing it with you.

After they have sung the song a few times, ask again why it is important to search, ponder and pray about the scriptures.  Use some of the phrases in the song to answer that question.

The Church of Jesus Christ

"The Church of Jesus Christ," p. 77, helps children understand what it means to be a member of His church.  There are 8 statements and phrases that tell what it means to belong the the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,

• Write on the board 1 through 8.
• Tell the children that there are 8 things that we know or do as members of His church.
• Ask them to listen as you sing the song and listen for the 8 things.
• Sing the song
• List as many things as the children can remember. List them in order so they know if they missed any, then sing it again. (Use one or or two words in each phrase as prompts.)
• Invite the children to sing with you.  
• Sing one or two phrases at a time until they can sing the whole song.
• Repetition is key to learning.

When He Comes Again

"When He Comes Again," p. 82, is one of the songs to go along with what the children are learning in Primary.

If possible, ask a few children to make/draw pictures of the following:

• angels singing
• snow scene
• spring scene
• star
• sun
• bird in a nest
• children sitting around Jesus

I like to use children's art where possible because it helps the children be apart of teaching and there is an ownership to the song.  You can always find or draw your own pictures.

• Put the pictures on the board randomly.
• sing the song as the children look at the pictures
• ask the children to help you put them in order as they sing.
• stop after each phrase to find the picture.
• Once they are in order sing it again, two or three times

If time permits, begin teaching the 2nd verse.  I teach it by rote - I sing a phrase then they sing it three times.  I sing the next phrase then they sing it twice and the third time we add the previous phrase. Continue in this way until the whole 2nd verse is learned.

Remember to review songs regularly.