Make Room for Him

"Make Room for Him" is a beautiful song in this month's Friend, p. 30.  It tells of Christ's birth and how we can appreciate it today.  This would be a great week to teach it to the primary.

If you can use the sing-a-long video in primary, the children will enjoy seeing/hearing it and it brings in a variety to your singing time.  You can view it on children.lds.org then click on "Music."

Joy to the World

One of my favorite carols is "Joy to the World."  Teaching children  this carol is quite simple because of the repetition.

• Read the first phrase and tell them about how the angels must have sung with great joy and enthusiasm as they announced the birth of Jesus.
• Ask the children to sing like the angels must have sung.
• "Let earth receive their king!" What a great gift that was then and now.
• Again, sing like the angels must have sung.
• The next phrase talks about letting Christ into our lives/hearts
• Sing like the angels must have sung.
• Begin singing the next line soft.  
• As you repeat this line get louder until the last line you are singing quite loud with enthusiasm.

Teach the next verses in a similar fashion - explaining the meaning of each phrase and singing as the angels would have sung.

Silent Night

Children aren't learning Christmas carols in school as much nowadays.  The definition of a carol is a song that talks about anything that has to do with the birth of Christ - the kings, shepherds, animals, star, Mary, Joseph, angels, manger, etc.

Try teaching them "Silent Night" hymn # 204.  Some children will know it and enjoy singing it.  This lends itself to pictures of the manger scene.  Explain the words and phrases such as:

• all is bright and calm around Mary and Jesus
• sleep quietly

Often times children may have heard the song many times but because we don't always enunciate well or the words may be "old fashioned," they do't know what they are saying, but rather mimic what they think they have heard.

Take time to pronounce the words correctly and explain their meaning.