Families Can Be Together Forever

"Families Can Be Together Forever," p. 188 is the song for July.  This is also the theme for the month.  This song should be a part of all primary repertoire.  A fun way to review is as follows:

• Ask each class to take a turn singing a phrase. (Start with an older class so the younger classes can see the example.)  
• Ask the oldest class to stand and sing: "I have a family here on earth."
• Second class stands quickly and sings: "They are so good to me."
• Continue until you reach the chorus, then everyone sings the chorus together.
• Sing the second verse the same way.
• You could also rotate boys and girls singing each phrase and challenge them to keep continuity - no breaks or stops between phrases.

Patriotism

Patriotism is important to all of us no matter where we live or what country.  There are 2 great songs in the Primary Songbook about patriotism. 

"My Country," p. 224, gives a message of being proud or who we are and where we live.  It is also perfect for including children from different countries.  Use a world map to locate where some of the children's ancestors are from.  Then show the flag of that country.  You could also point out where missionaries from your ward are serving and show that flag.

"My Flag, My Flag," p. 225, expresses pride for our flag.  Before teaching this song, find flags (or pictures of them) from countries where some of the children's ancestors are from or from where missionaries in your ward or stake are serving.

Both songs are quite easy to teach one phrase at a time.

Celebrate Father's

Celebrate fathers through song!  List all the Father's/ family songs the children know, then gather the "dad bag."

Dad Bag:

• shoes, small shovel, hammer, dish towel, tie, barbecue spatula, scriptures, child's book, The Friend magazine etc. or any other item that you can relate to fathers
• place in a bag
• pull one item out or let a child pull one out and ask how fathers could use it.
• sing one of your chosen songs.
• repeat process

Children will enjoy sharing how their fathers help them and it will remind them of all the things fathers do for us!

Review Father's Day Songs

Use ALL or as much time as you can singing.  Children will learn far more from song than any lesson or presentation.  They will hum or sing a song when they are busy working or playing.  They recognize when a song is familiar to them.  Next time your congregation sings one of the primary songs in Sacrament meeting, glance around at the children and see their faces light up and join in singing.  Music is powerful!

Review Father's Day songs this week.  Choose various children to tell one thing that their father does for them then sing one of the Father's Day songs.  Include grandfathers, uncles, home teacher, Bishop etc.

Father's Day

Father's Day is coming up and there are 9 songs that celebrate fathers.  Some just need to change "Mother" to "Father."

My favorite is "Fathers," p. 209.  It talks about our own father, the father of our ward - bishop, and our Heavenly Father. 

"Love Is Spoken Here," p. 190 tells about the role fathers play in the family.

There are also the grandfather songs listed under "Grandparents" in the Primary Songbook.

Challenge yourself and your primary to see how many you can learn before Father's Day.  Check out earlier posts on specific helps in teaching many of these songs.