I Think the World Is Glorious

Teaching children to be grateful is critical as they grow.  "I Think the World Is Glorious" p. 230, describes the many things that we all have been blessed.  Children will love this song and especially enjoy the chorus.

Make or find pictures of the following for the 1st and 2nd verses:

• the world
• birds, bees, flowers
• teachers and parents

The chorus:

• write the word "sing" 4 times and put musical notes around each word.
• attach each word to a stick

Sing the first line using the world picture.  Ask the children to sing it with you.  Tell them that the Lord has given us many things and we need to be thankful for all of them.  Sing this line 2 more times with the children.

Show the pictures of the birds, bees and flowers while the pianist plays the 2nd line.  Sing it for the children then ask them to sing it with you.  Ask them why the birds, flowers and bees are a blessing to us.  (There will be many answers.)

Now sing the 2nd verse.  Tell them that the first line is repeated in the 2nd verse so they already know it. Sing it with them.  Show the pictures of teachers and parents.  Sing the 2nd line then have them sing it with you twice.  Sing both verses (without the chorus).

Sing the chorus.  Ask the children how many times you sang the word "sing." (8)  Ask 4 children to hold the words "sing."  Have them hold it up high as you sing the chorus again.  Tell them to listen for the rhyme in the chorus - love and above.  Ask them to sing with you.  After each time you sing the chorus, ask the children with the sticks to give them to 4 other children to hold up as they sing it again.

Sing the whole song using children to hold the pictures and the word sticks.

Friendship and Kindness

There is a great little gem of a song on page 61 in the Children's Songbook - "Jesus Said Love Everyone."  It is only two lines but packed with a powerful message.  It will be easy to teach.  You will need a picture of Jesus with little children and one or two more with Him healing the sick and one with people in general, and a cut out of a heart (red).

• Sing the first line and show the pictures of Jesus. 
• Ask the children to tell about each picture (briefly)
• Ask them to sing the first line with you
• Sing it again and ask the children if it sounds like there is more to the song.
• Hold up the heart
• Sing the last line
• Tell the children that if we treat others with love, they will treat us with love.
• Have the children sing the last line with you - twice
• Sing the whole song twice so the children have it in their minds.

Variation:

• Substitute "everyone" in the first line with "teachers, dear"
• Substitute "everyone" with "all my friends"
•     "               "             "     "family"
•     "               "             "     one of the children's name
• repeat with different children's names - use two names if they are both one syllable - Ann and John
• The children may have some ideas, too.

This is a great song to sing before a prayer.

Each month in The Friend magazine there is a page designated to an Article of Faith.  It is so important for all of us to know what we believe in particularly if someone asks us.  Children can learn them at a very early age.

Cut out 13 pumpkins and number them 1 through 13 on the back.  You can make the pumpkins look like jack-o-lanterns or leave them plain. Tape the pumpkins on the board in random order.  Begin by telling the children how important it is to know what they believe in. Tell them that each pumpkin has a number on the back - 1 to 13.  Challenge the children to see if they can sing all thirteen Articles of Faith.  Before singing each one, ask a child to summarize the Article of Faith.

If this is a little difficult, write a few word summary on the board or on strips of paper and tape to the board. Ask a child to choose a pumpkin and another child to find the correct summary.  You can make your own summaries, ask the children to help make summaries or use the following example.

1 - The Godhead
2 - we are responsible for our own sins
3 - Atonement
4 - 4 principles and ordinances
5 - Man must be called or God
6 - organization of the church
7 - gift of tongues
8 - the Bible and Book of Mormon
9 - Revelation
10 - literal gathering of Israel
11 - worship as we want
12 - subject to rulers
13 - Paul's admonition

After the Primary Sacrament Program

Take some time to learn a new birthday song.  With the program complete, the children will enjoy learning a fun song.  There are 6 birthday songs in the Primary Songbook.  Choose one and have the children listen to it - either on a recording or have the pianist play it through while you sing it.  Have the children sing the first phrase 3 times and then move to the next phrase and do the same thing.  Sing both phrases then work on the third phrase.  Follow this pattern until the entire song is familiar to the children.  You could sing it in honor of The Family: A Proclamation to the World and it's 20th birthday.